2017-18 NBA Awards: HoopsHabit roundtable predictions

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Rookie of the Year

Bourguet pick: Lonzo Ball
HoopsHabit pick: Lonzo Ball/Dennis Smith Jr.

HoopsHabit’s Rookie of the Year voting came down to a tie between two of the three consensus favorites: Lonzo Ball of the Los Angeles Lakers and Dennis Smith Jr. of the Dallas Mavericks.

Ball and DSJ each received eight votes, and it’s no surprise to see two of the most electrifying point guards from this year’s draft class top the list, especially since both will be starting for their respective teams from day one.

On my ballot, Ball gets the slightest of edges for his playmaking, triple-double friendly skill-set and his performance in NBA Summer League that earned him MVP honors. With Smith officially confirmed as the starter, however, he has the chance to put up similarly impressive numbers for a potentially more competitive team.

Ben Simmons came in third with six votes. He’s something of a forgotten candidate after sitting out the entire 2016-17 season due to injury. Now that he’s healthy, however, he has the tools to be an elite playmaker for a Philadelphia 76ers team on the rise. Who doesn’t want to revel in nightly highlights from a 6’10” power forward with a point guard’s skill-set?

Rounding out the Rookie of the Year candidates were Markelle Fultz and De’Aaron Fox with two votes apiece. That seems low for the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, but Simmons and Joel Embiid will probably steal some of his thunder. And though Fox is an impressive candidate in his own right, he doesn’t quite stack up since he didn’t even start in the Sacramento Kings‘ first preseason game and still needs to learn how to shoot.