Hoops Habit
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NBA predictions 2020-21: Our individual award winners and Finals picks

By Craig Cochran

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after receiving his 2020 NBA championship ring during a ceremony before the opening night game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on December 22, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after receiving his 2020 NBA championship ring during a ceremony before the opening night game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on December 22, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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NBA (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
NBA (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Rookie of the Year

Hoops Habit’s pick: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets

In a pretty significant landslide, my fellow writers at Hoops Habit predict LaMelo Ball will take home Rookie of the Year honors. Receiving two-thirds of all votes from my colleagues, Ball is also the odds on favorite in Vegas and amongst most sports gambling sites (currently +440 to win the award on FanDuel).

Other rookies chosen by my colleagues include Obi Toppin and James Wiseman, but none of which hold a candle to the voting pull that Ball displayed.

My pick: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets

I tend to stray from a group-think mentality when it comes to hoops opinions because there is little reward in recycling takes. Still, LaMelo Ball is as close to a no-brainer, “put your money on this guy” prediction as we could have this season. Oddly enough, though, this is not an indictment on how good LaMelo Ball is at the game of basketball.

Related Story. Hornets: Will Gordon Hayward and LaMelo Ball work?. light

Do I think LaMelo will make the Charlotte Hornets exciting for the first time in God knows how long? Absolutely. Does Ball have a fluid way of involving and elevating his teammates? Based on a tiny preseason sample size, the answer to that question appears to be ‘yes’ as well. But is Ball superior in talent to players like Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and Obi Toppin? As of right now, I’m not so convinced.

LaMelo Ball is a capital-p Project on both ends of the floor. Though a gifted facilitator with a relatively high basketball IQ, Ball will need to work tirelessly to become a reliable scoring option. He shies away from contact at the rim, his jumper is shaky at best, and his decision making is not always up to snuff as far as NBA point guards go. His defensive effort also leaves much to be desired, but his length, athleticism, and offensive IQ are promising for Ball’s future development in this area.

Where Ball has an advantage over his rookie counterparts, however, is with the excitability he brings to the game. Despite his many troubles, Ball is a virtual guarantee to wow you at least once per game with a mind-melting pass that few players – rookie or veteran – could muster. His behind the back pass he threw to Mikal Bridges in his preseason debut as well as his nonchalant, full-court, game-sealing bounce pass against the Magic were two of the most high-level dimes I have seen in some time.

As if LaMelo wasn’t already a media wunderkind stemming from the spotlight his boisterous father, LaVar Ball, has bestowed upon him, his highlight-reel passing ability will garner multiple SportsCenter Top-10 honors throughout the season. Though seemingly insignificant, this should add enough fuel to the media narrative fire to make the 19-year-old point guard an explosive internet sensation. Talk shows will discuss him ad nauseam, and as we all know, NBA awards have unfortunately become more about the narrative than anything else. For this reason alone, I could almost guarantee LaMelo winning rookie of the year, barring some unforeseen circumstances.

Unless you hate free money, go ahead and put your cash on LaMelo to win Rookie of the Year at +440.

Sleeper pick: James Wiseman, Golden State Warriors

I like James Wiseman a lot. He is a bit raw on both ends of the court – that is what playing only three college games against inferior competition will do to you – but his upside is tremendous. Wiseman also finds himself in a terrific situation with the Golden State Warriors. Though Klay Thompson will miss yet another full season following his heartbreaking Achilles injury, learning from Stephen Curry and Draymond Green should get the inexperienced rookie up to NBA speed rather quickly. As an athletic center within a fast-paced offense, you can expect Wiseman to score at least eight points per game off lobs and put-backs alone.

With the Warriors’ injuries directly contributing to the probability that the Dubs would be a seven or eight-seed at best, this may also be a season in which Steve Kerr and the Golden State front office attempts to learn as much as possible about Wiseman’s capabilities. If this proves to be the case, we could see James Wiseman playing 30-plus minutes per game in a variety of different sets that could prove conducive to his talents.

LaMelo Ball is still my landslide favorite to win Rookie of the Year, but at +750, sprinkling some dough on James Wiseman might not be a horrible idea, either.