Brandon Clarke rising fast past his peers on NBA Rookie Ladder

10. De’Andre Hunter, Atlanta Hawks

12.2 PPG, 4.1 REB, 1.7 AST

New to this year’s edition of the rookie ladder, De’Andre Hunter has to start at the bottom and work his way to the top just like everyone else.

But he’s already shown enough over a recent stretch of games to keep climbing and challenge for a higher spot.

Hunter’s performances against the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors proved that he’s capable of producing in the points department when called upon, scoring 26 and 27 points respectively.

It’s not just the scoring that should have Hawks fans excited about his future though. When his outside shot hasn’t been on, Hunter has continued to contribute in other areas of the box score, and has given his team an energy boost particularly on the defensive end.

He’s no stopper yet, but his motor has been an encouraging bright spot for some of the other young guys to take notice of and emulate. The true sign of a professional is a willingness to do the dirty work and keep moving forward even in the roughest of spots.

Praised in college for his work ethic and maturity, Hunter has kept trending upward and should stay on a trajectory to climb up these rankings over the course of the season..