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.
After briefly returning to the list last week, Josh Giddey finds himself on the outside looking in once again due to the continual rise of another guard prospect. The race at the top is tighter than it has been all season and the middle of the pack continues to shuffle. Let’s get into it.
In week 15 of the NBA Rookie Ladder standings, the plot thickens at the top of the ladder after a clash between the top two candidates.
Week 15 NBA Rookie Ladder: 5. Ayo Dosunmu
7.6 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Shooting splits: .529/.422/.647
For a Chicago Bulls team that has dealt with a mountain of injury issues, Ayo Dosunmu has been one of the bright spots making the tough stretch of the season that much more fun. Something of a hometown hero after playing three seasons with the University of Illinois, Dosunmu has been a steal as a second-round selection.
Since the turn of the calendar to 2022, Dosunmu has found himself regularly getting more minutes and is averaging 10.0 points, 4.1 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game on shooting splits of .526/.444/.750.
Giddey, who he replaced on this list, trails him only in efficiency, but with Dosunmu playing for a team looking to win now, that edge matters far more than the counting stats edge.
This could be biased coming from someone who loves the defensive pressure that Ayo Dosunmu puts on opponents, but at least for this week, he is on the ladder.