NBA Rookie Rankings: Michael Carter-Williams, Victor Oladipo Battle For Top Spot

Throughout the course of the 2013-14 season, HoopsHabit will be presenting an NBA rookie power ranking, letting you see who has the best shot at winning the Rookie of the Year Award at season’s end.

This season has not been the greatest for the 2013 rookie class. Besides Michael Carter-Williams and his hot start for the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s hard to pinpoint which rookies have a shot at the Rookie of the Year award.

How bad has it been? Well, the rookie ranked third on ESPN’s Rookie Ladder is Nate Wolters, a pick in the middle of the second round who wasn’t expected to get much playing time behind a deep Milwaukee Bucks point guard rotation. By circumstance, Wolters has become a regular starter so far this season and playing great for the struggling and injured Bucks. It’s pretty lackluster around the NBA in terms of production by rookies.

Now, where does that leave us in this edition of the Hoops Habit Rookie Rankings? Let’s find out together.

1.)  Michael Carter-Williams, Philadelphia 76ers

Michael Carter-Williams has been leading the way for NBA rookies this season. (NBA.com photo)

No rookie, and perhaps no player, has made a bigger impact on this young season as Michael Carter-Williams. OK, so maybe the latter is a bit of stretch, but MCW is certainly making his presence felt in Philadelphia.

Since his great opener against the Miami Heat, MCW has maintained a 16 points per game average, ranks seventh in the NBA in assists per game with 7.8 and shooting 38 percent from the field. Perhaps the most surprising stat MCW has put up so far in his 3-point shooting, which currently stands at 38 percent as well, nearly 10 percent higher than his best season at Syracuse.

Philadelphia sports a 6-8 record through Friday. While it’s not a great record, it is much better than anybody anticipated the 76ers to post this season.  Much of that can be attributed to MCW and his stellar play. He’s been successful this season by bringing buckets of energy to the team and playing all over the court. He’s everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Most people, including myself, didn’t expect Carter-Williams to be playing at such a high level, especially not this early. If he keeps this up, Philadelphia could challenge for a playoff spot in the very weak Eastern Conference . Maybe that’s more unlikely, but the ROY award is MCW’s to lose at this point.

2.)  Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic

The margin between Victor Oladipo and Carter-Williams for the top spot is razor thin. MCW has the edge because he’s been Mr. Do Everything for the Sixers, but Oladipo is not far behind.

Oladipo was brought into Orlando to help revitalize the franchise. Of course, there’s nothing Oladipo can do for a franchise that needs a complete overhaul, so asking him to help with that is asking a bit much. Luckily, Oladipo has shown some flashes of brilliance and stability while coming off the bench for the Magic. He was expected to challenge for the starting point guard spot but Jameer Nelson has been solid since his arrival so starting isn’t in the cards right now.

With a meager 4-7 record, Oladipo has averages of 12.5 points per game (same as Nelson) while shooting 39 percent from the field and nearly 38 percent from 3-point range (both better than Nelson). One thing potentially keeping Oladipo from the starting rotation his is turnover margin, averaging more than four miscues per game. Being a starting point guard in the NBA requires you to take care of the ball and that is something Oladipo will need to work on.

While he’s not starting right now, with the Magic not having the firepower to be a contender in the East, it’s possible and likely Oladipo gains that starting nod sooner rather than later. The battle for the ROY award is a two-man race at this point and once Oladipo begins to start on a regular basis, it may be just what he needs to reclaim the top spot in the Rookie Rankings.

3.)  Nate Wolters, Milwaukee Bucks

For a rookie who came out of a little-known mid-major school, had questions about his defense and speed and wasn’t expected to get much playing time this season, Nate Wolters is making the best of a bad situation for the Milwaukee Bucks.

With injuries sidelining every starter for the Bucks at one point or another this season, Wolters was called into duty and given the starting point guard nod playing very sound basketball. Averaging nearly 30 minutes a game so far this season, Wolters is contributing eight points, five assists and three rebounds a game. It’s not a very sexy statline, but when you consider he’s only turning the ball over just over once per game as the starting point guard, Wolters is getting the job done for the Bucks.

The downside for Wolters? Abysmal 10 percent shooting from 3-point range. He’s 2-for-19 from downtown this season. He’s not a deep threat right now, but it’s something to improve on, just as any rookie has at this point of their career. Wolters is shooting almost 40 percent from the field overall, but it’s the deep ball he’s had problems with.

Milwaukee is slowly getting healthy, recently being able to back Luke Ridnour to be their starting point guard. Wolters’ playing time could take a dip in the future, but he’s earned the right be on the court for the Bucks and many of his teammates have displayed their respect for him. His overall team impact hasn’t been great (Bucks are currently 2-7 through Friday) but Wolters has helped keep them in games and fighting for respect.

4.)  Ben McLemore, Sacramento Kings

The heavy preseason favorite for the ROY award has not made the impact as many had hoped and expected. Ben McLemore is shooting a respectable 40 percent from the field and 36 percent from downtown, but the Kings don’t seem to be convinced that McLemore can be the answer for them. Obviously, some of that could be because the franchise as a whole is in flux, but it’s a bit troubling.

Although McLemore still has time to prove himself and turn his season around, with the scoring ability he has, he should be more assertive on the offensive end but also be able to share the ball more frequently.  One thing McLemore has shown, though, is that he’s not very well adversed to sharing the basketball, averaging less than one assist per game.

McLemore is still coming into his own as a player and Sacramento is trying to find their identity as a team. The Kings have been rumored to be willing to hear any and all trade offers. While it’s unlikely McLemore gets traded, maybe the Kings look into seeing what they can get for their underwhelming first round selection.

5.)  Steven Adams, Oklahoma City Thunder

Steven Adams gets the nod for the final spot in this edition of the Rookie Rankings simply because somebody has to. Adams has been a pleasant surprise for the Thunder this season, giving them a steady option off the bench and a potential replacement in the future for the aging Kendrick Perkins.

Adams hasn’t stood out, but he has provided nearly five points and five rebounds a game for Oklahoma City in less than 20 minutes of action. He’s been a physical presence in the paint and has shown promise so far this season. If he keeps up this activity, it won’t be much of a surprise to see his numbers and minutes balloon down the stretch.

Other Rookie Notes:

• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope of the Detroit Pistons is left off the list despite being inserted into the starting rotation recently. KCP has been inconsistent to say the least. Shooing barely 35 percent from the floor and 24 percent from downtown, Caldwell-Pope needs to show more from his overall game before he can be reinserted into the Rookie Rankings.
• Utah Jazz rookie Trey Burke made his season debut earlier this week. He comes back from a broken thumb he suffered in the preseason. Burke played pretty well in his first game back, scoring 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting in only 12 minutes of action. Utah desperately needs Burke back and the rookie class is better with him healthy. In a short amount of time, expect Trey Burke’s name to be in the Rookie Rankings.
• Has there been a more disappointing rookie than top overall pick Anthony Bennett? Bennett is posting an astounding 1.3 points per game average while shooting 13 percent from the field and a whopping 7 percent from 3-point range. There’s a reason the Cleveland Cavaliers only have him playing 11 minutes per game. I’m sure Dan Gilbert is still trying to convince himself he’s the next Kyrie Irving or LeBron James for them.

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