Brandon Clarke rising fast past his peers on NBA Rookie Ladder

2. Brandon Clarke, Memphis Grizzlies

11. 8 PPG, 5.9 REB, 1.3 AST

Brandon Clarke’s rise in these rankings doesn’t speak to any increase in minutes played or a change in his role.

This guy has just been that incredibly efficient to earn his spot here.

Let’s start with the numbers. With a PER of 22.0 that ranks him 23rd (!!) in the NBA — not among rookies, but among all players — on shooting splits of .630/.455/.826, Clarke has impacted the game offensively no matter how much time he spends on the floor.

Couple those numbers with his known defensive switchability and shot-blocking prowess and you have the making of an athletic two-way terror in only his first year in the NBA.

Yes, that proclamation is rather bold for someone who’s currently a sixth man on a lottery team. But there were enough scouts and observers who saw him as a hyper role player coming out of college who could contribute at a high level right away.

Clarke is doing just that and making his presence felt every single game in every facet of what the Memphis Grizzlies have asked him to do.

Whether it’s his involvement in the pick-and-roll offense, spotting up in the corner, making plays in transition, Clarke has come through and delivered in a wide variety of play types and executed.

If it wasn’t for his teammate being that dynamic of a rookie and future All-Star, Clarke would have his spot on the throne this week. Don’t expect him to move from this spot as he continues to develop and improve, however.