3 players who should've been NBA Rookie of the Year finalists

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PHOENIX, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 23: Josh Giddey #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder handles the ball during the first half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on December 23, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona, 3 players who should’ve been NBA Rookie of the Year finalists. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

3 players who should’ve been NBA Rookie of the Year finalists: Josh Giddey

Josh Giddey came over from Australia as one of the more intriguing NBA Draft prospects last year. These days, it appears the Oklahoma City Thunder have once again knocked it out of the park.

Giddey looked like one of the best all-around rookies in the league. He contributed to every facet of the game, averaging 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. Giddey’s assist percentage ranked 12th in the NBA and he recorded four triple-doubles during his rookie campaign.

Giddey won Western Conference Rookie of the Month every month but once (all of the finalists are in the Eastern Conference). He also managed to log a double-double without scoring a single point, the first time that’s happened in the league since 1971.

The all-around player still has some warts in his game, of course. He wasn’t a very good shooter all year, hitting only 41.9 percent of his shots. He was a dismal 26.3 percent shooter from three, too.

Giddey also struggled with turnovers, which may have been one of the bigger factors in keeping him away from the Rookie of the Year award. Giddey coughed the ball up 3.2 times per game, a function of how much the Thunder put the ball in his hands. Then again, presumptive favorite Cunningham turned it over 3.7 times per game, so who knows.

But Giddey has a bright future ahead of him. In a lot of ways, his game takes on a similar feel to that of Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball. Ball did manage to win Rookie of the Year last season, but took another leap this campaign and made his first All-Star Game, a promising trajectory to follow.