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2016-17 NBA Awards Season: Top 10 Rookie Of The Year Candidates

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 6, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (13) passes off past Philadelphia 76ers forward Richaun Holmes (22) and forward Dario Saric (9) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Milwaukee Bucks won 112-98. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon (13) passes off past Philadelphia 76ers forward Richaun Holmes (22) and forward Dario Saric (9) during the second half at Wells Fargo Center. The Milwaukee Bucks won 112-98. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Rookie Of The Year
Jan 18, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts as fans chant his name after a score against the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Joel Embiid

If Joel Embiid had played even 45-50 games, I wouldn’t have had a single problem making him No. 1 on this list, and I think most voters would probably agree. That’s how incredible his rookie season was, even if it only lasted 31 games.

For some voters, Saric’s 50-game advantage should give him preferential treatment over Embiid, and even on this list, it’s hard to drop Malcolm Brogdon to the No. 2 spot considering what he’s doing for a playoff team.

But everyone knows Embiid was the best rookie to take the floor this season, going as far as inspiring “Can the Philadelphia 76ers sneak in the playoffs?” columns in January, when the team went 10-5. The Sixers were also 13-18 this year with him on the floor, compared to 15-35 without him.

Though he played on a minutes restriction for his injury-shortened season, The Process still averaged a jaw-dropping 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 2.1 assists and 0.9 steals in just 25.4 minutes per game with a Player Efficiency Rating of 24.1. Those numbers lead all rookies in scoring, rebounds, blocks and PER, while also placing him fifth in steals and 10th in assists.

That kind of production in limited minutes would’ve been unprecedented and made him the unanimous ROY favorite if he could’ve played for even half the season. Simply put, it was historic, putting him in the same company as some of the game’s all-time legends:

Throw in the fact that this seven-foot phenom was making 1.2 three-pointers per game on 36.7 percent shooting from deep and you’ve got a unicorn-in-the-making. If he were to win the award, it’d be hard to gripe too much.

Unfortunately, more knee trouble prematurely ended his season and left us wondering once again what the future holds for this injury-prone sensation. Embiid was the best rookie in the NBA this season, but with two prior years of injury-related absence to consider, picking him as Rookie of the Year with only 31 played games still feels like too far of a reach.