NBA: Top 10 candidates for Rookie of the Year Award in 2017-18

5. John Collins

The recipe for Rookie of the Year consideration includes ample minutes, big numbers and, preferably, having an impact by way of helping the team win. That last one is pretty much out the window for John Collins and the Atlanta Hawks, but the other two are fair game for the most overlooked candidate.

Most likely, the name John Collins is on your radar for one of the following three reasons: 1) You’re a diehard Hawks fan, 2) You’re confusing his name with a gin and lemon juice cocktail or 3) You remember the best dunk of NBA Summer League:

However, it wasn’t just that dunk that earned him First Team All-Summer League honors, since Collins put up an impressive 15.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game on 59.3 percent shooting in Las Vegas.

The Hawks are expected to compete with the Chicago Bulls for the worst record in the association, so Collins will see plenty of minutes at the 4. If he can make the most of them like he did in Sin City, this unexpected candidate could emerge as the Rookie of the Year.