San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama has been viewed as a can’t-miss prospect for several years coming out of France. The 19-year-old is the odds-on favorite to win Rookie of the Year this season, but as we’ve seen in the past, anything can happen with young players in the NBA. Who is most likely to challenge the Spurs’ star for top rookie honors? Let’s take a closer look…
2023-24 NBA Impactful Rookies
Scoot Henderson (POR) – With around +350 odds to win Rookie of the Year, Henderson is set to have an immediate impact with the Trail Blazers after Damian Lillard was traded to the Bucks. Henderson’s goal should be to make Trail Blazers fans forget about Lillard as fast as possible which he does have the capability of doing with his dynamic playmaking abilities. He averaged 16.5 ppg while shooting 43% from the field while adding 6.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game in his only season in the G-League last year. He also averaged a steal per game but doesn’t contribute much scoring from deep, averaging 27% from the 3-pt line for the Ignite last season. Henderson should begin the season as the starting point guard for the Trail Blazers but don’t be surprised if we see his nerves early on as he averaged over three turnovers per game last season as well. If he leans on his teammates more early on while he gets acclimated to the NBA and limits his turnovers, he has a shot to challenge for the ROY award come season’s end.
Cam Whitmore (HOU) – Whitmore was a projected top-10 NBA draft pick heading into last June but fell all the way to Houston at #20 when they finally selected him. Why did he fall so far down the board? Some skepticism was surrounding his medical records but nothing substantial has stuck out since those reports came about. As a result Whitmore should be out to prove all those teams that passed on him and has an avenue to do it in Houston. Ime Udoka takes over as head coach and he could have some plans for Whitmore to shine. Currently he sits behind Dillon Brooks and Reggie Bullock on the small forward depth chart, but he can easily surpass them in the pecking order by the end of November. He was an efficient scorer in his only season at Villanova averaging 12.5 ppg on 48% shooting, shot 34% from 3-pt range while hauling in 5.7 rebounds per game as well. Where Whitmore shined most was when he drove the lane averaging 58% shooting from inside the arch! At around +2500 odds, Whitmore certainly has a shot to carve out a consistent role while playing with a young, hopeful Houston bunch.
Chet Holmgren (OKC) – If it wasn’t for a season-ending injury before last season tipped off, Holmgren could have had a decent shot to win Rookie of the Year on a Thunder team that surprised many NBA fans by making the play-in as the #10 seed last season in the Western Conference. Holmgren will slot in as the starting center for OKC to start the season which would fill a huge void for the Thunder. He’ll complement breakout stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey very nicely as a reliable scorer downlow and should have an impact on the defensive side as well. Holmgren and Wembanyama have gone head-to-head in the preseason already in which Holmgren outperformed this year’s #1 overall pick scoring 21 points on 7-10 shooting including 2-2 from 3-pt range. He also added nine rebounds and a block without turning it over once in 16 minutes. Of course all of Holmgren’s potential and impact is going to hinge on his health, but it’s looking like the former Gonzaga standout is doing his best to bulk up in preparation for going against opposing NBA centers. Of all the top rookies this season, Holmgren is in the best position to positively impact a potential playoff team which will help his case with the voters at the end of the season.
Brandon Miller (CHA) – Miller has the size and frame of a NBA star but there will be a learning curve as he starts his career in Charlotte playing alongside LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier. He must become a more efficient shooter as his NCAA Tournament run with Alabama last season was not one to remember. He shot an abysmal 19% from the field (8/42) while turning it over 10 times total. More turnovers than field goals made is not something you want when the pressure is on, but fortunately the Hornets aren’t projected to compete for much this season so perhaps the pressure won’t be on Miller to excel in the clutch. If Miller wants the best results, he’ll let Ball and Rozier do the heavy lifting on offense as he becomes the third go-to guy on offense when it comes to scoring. Gordon Hayward is sitting right behind him in the rotation so there may not be much of a leash early in the season if Miller starts to take inefficient shots or turn the ball over drastically. Nonetheless, Miller will have an immediate impact for the Hornets in one way or another.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (MIA) – Someone has to fill the voids left by Gabe Vincent and Max Strus in Miami. Enter Jaquez Jr. who won’t be starting for the Heat early on but can still make an impact with his playmaking abilities while bringing tons of experience in playing many crucial games in college. In his senior year at UCLA he averaged 17.8 ppg 8.2 rpg while shooting 48% from the field. If he were to have landed on another team he might not be as impactful, but Miami has a history of utilizing their rookies and Jaquez Jr. could be one of their best in recent memory. Only Caleb Martin and an aging Josh Richardson sit in front of Jaquez Jr. on the depth chart which he could easily surpass once the season gets going. At around +10000 odds Jaquez Jr. looks to be the longshot that could win the Rookie of the Year award as he averaged less than two turnovers per game throughout his career at UCLA, something that shouldn’t go unnoticed given how efficient he is on offense.
2023-24 GoldSheet Basketball
The first edition of The Basketball GoldSheet will be available on November 1 once each NBA team has had a week under its belt so that we can have the stat sheets and game logs properly filled. Here’s what you can expect from The Basketball GoldSheet for the 2023-24 Season:
- Similar to The Football GoldSheet, the 2023-24 edition of The Basketball GoldSheet will feature components of Confidential Tip-Off and The Basketball Record, which were previously separate products. This year, everything is combined into one product.
- The Basketball GoldSheet newsletter will feature daily NBA and NCAAB game previews released by 12pm ET / 9am PT during the week and 10am ET / 7am PT on the weekends to accommodate for the earlier start times.
- The Basketball Record provides a game log for every team with scores and point spread results.
- The Basketball Spreadsheet provides situational records for each team based on their home/road splits and how they are performing as a favorite or as an underdog.
