8. Lauri Markkanen, Chicago Bulls
Last rank: N/A
Chicago Bulls rookie center Lauri Markkanen makes his return to the power rankings after a hiatus due to injury. His current rank is a testament to the current depth of this year’s rookie class more than anything else. Still, it’s hard to ignore Markkanen’s impact in the lineup for Chicago.
Markkanen’s return to the Bulls’ lineup pre-All-Star Break couldn’t have come at a better time. He put up 12 points and five rebounds against the Minnesota Timberwolves in his return on Feb. 9 to snap an eight-game winning streak.
In the Rising Stars Challenge this past Friday night, he was an efficient 7-for-11 (63.6 percent) from the field with 15 points and six rebounds for the World Team.
Chicago went 2-2 in the four games Markkanen appeared in before the All-Star Break. With a full arsenal of Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and Markkanen healthy, look for their win total to increase slightly along with Markkanen’s rookie stock.