Welcome back to the weekly rookie ladder update! Each week this season we will look at the race for the top five slots on the Rookie of the Year ballot, cutting the recording period every Sunday. The calendar is about to turn to December and we are through the first quarter of the season. Even better, another rookie makes his first appearance on the ladder.
In week six of the Rookie Ladder standings, what are the standings after the first 20 games of the season?
Week 6 NBA Rookie Ladder Power Rankings: 5. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl
7.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.1 steals
Shooting splits: .454/.407/.636
The counting stats for the season overall do not tell the full story for Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Since moving into the starting lineup for the Oklahoma City Thunder, the numbers have seen a noticeable spike.
He is top 10 amongst rookie starters in scoring and rebounding. He has provided some interesting lineup looks as a small-ball big. Most of the rookie focus for the Thunder has been placed on lottery pick Josh Giddey (more on him later), but hitting on the periphery picks is essential to accelerating the rebuilding process.
Robinson-Earl should only continue to look more and more comfortable as the season goes along. He is a clear foundational piece and his role in the lineup has been cemented. Even if some of the others picks end up bumping him a couple of rungs down this ladder, he deserves the shout-out for making the transition this early in his career. He is doing all the dirty work, as is common for Villanova products at this point