Milwaukee Bucks: Was Malcolm Brogdon a trend for Rookie of the Year?

Looking ahead to the future

At this juncture it is nearly impossible to predict which players will be in line to compete for future Rookie of the Year awards. Prospects such as Marvin Bagley III, DeAndre Ayton or R.J. Barrett look like the types of players who can win the award, but the future is too uncertain to make predictions now.

But what can be traced is the rising basketball intelligence of the league’s followers, from media incorporating analytics to fans looking past point totals to on/off impacts. As a whole the basketball community is looking deeper at how winning basketball occurs, and that isn’t just from filling up a box score.

Malcolm Brogdon won his award in part because it was a “down” season for the rookie class. But he also won the award because he helped a team win meaningful basketball games, and helped on both ends of the court. If a player can come in and replicate that impact, no matter of their draft position, they have a shot to receive recognition.

Whether a player such as Brogdon survives to the second round before making a two-way impact, that is both unlikely and yet still possible. Nearly every team in the league passed on Brogdon, and the Bucks were there to reap the rewards. But even they didn’t know Brogdon would have the sort of impact he did, as they went out and signed Dellavedova in free agency to a lucrative contract.

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The voting process for the award is likely to change with the minds of those weighing in. Defense and increasingly smart basketball will help a player receive greater recognition for their contribution. Whether that results in more late-round wins or simply a more fleshed out understanding of the game, it opens the door for players such as Brogdon to win again down the road.