The NBA Rookies this season have played well beyond measure. This season’s draft class had one notable rookie who took the basketball world by storm: Victor Wembanyama. The eventual Rookie of the Year winner was also a Defensive Player of the Year finalist.
Chet Holmgren was a Rookie of the Year finalist and played very well for the young Thunder team. However, other rookies also played great. The 2023 NBA draft class had other great collegiate prospects who strived to make their mark in their first year, and these three NBA rookies did just that.
Which of them will end up having the best NBA career?
Brandon Miller’s Great Rookie Season In The NBA
It’s been rare to say in recent years that the Charlotte Hornets have something good in their hands. Brandon Miller, the 2nd overall draft pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is a great thing going on in the “Queen City” right now. He earned All-Rookie honors this season and roughly averaged 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal.
Miller played 74 games and started 68 of them. His inaugural season in the NBA started a bit rough after the Lamelo Ball injury and the Terry Rozier trade, which caused him to be one of the main scoring options for the Hornets.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. Shows Promise In First NBA Season
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The Miami Heat drafted Jaime Jaquez Jr. with the 18th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. With Jimmy Butler getting up there in age and the prior retirement of Udonis Haslem, the Heat sought a new forward to develop. Jaquez Jr. was great this season and showed up for Miami throughout their injury-filled season.
He also earned All-Rookie honors and roughly averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Jaime Jaquez Jr. shot over 48% from the field but shot 32% from beyond the arc. Triple J finished 4th in the Rookie of the Year voting behind Brandon Miller, Chet Holmgren, and Victor Wembanyama.
Dereck Lively II
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Dereck Lively II is about to go into the NBA Finals in his rookie year. He showed a lot of promise early in the regular season. If it weren’t for a nose injury, he could have played the entire season. Lively II also dealt with the passing of his mother, which kept him off of the court. Yet throughout all of that, he still showed up for the Dallas Mavericks.
In the 55 games he played, he averaged 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 74% from the field. The All-Rookie player also had some astounding games this season. On January 26 against the Atlanta Hawks, he had a stat line of 9 points, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 4 assists in 28 minutes.
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About The Author
Justin is a writer and poet with nine years of professional experience covering sports, health topics, hip-hop events, and community matters. He’s a Richmond, Virginia native now based in Southern California. He has published two books under the pen name Jay Guevara and can be found on all social media @justinhisprime
