The NBA’s 11 best rookies this season, ranked

The 2024 NBA Draft class will not go down in history for the top-end talent it produced, and that’s okay. Not every draft class can be full of franchise pillars: talent ebbs and flows through the years, with especially strong drafts like 2026 being balanced out by weaker years like this rookie class.

Just because a draft class lacks an apparent superstar doesn’t mean it totally sucks. The 2024 draft will produce a lot of solid players who contribute to winning at high levels, and several of them are already getting started. This may ultimately go down as a “role player” draft, but role players will move the needle in this era of the league when the playoffs often become a big game of hunting the weakest link in any given lineup.

The No. 1 player on my final 2024 draft board didn’t play this season as Nikola Topic recovered from a torn ACL for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The top-2 players on my preseason draft board published in June 2023 — Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland — each proved their rough years with the now defunct G League Ignite did nothing to hurt their long-term projections.

These rankings are determined by the players I’ve been most impressed with as rookies, not necessarily the ‘best’ right now or how I’d rank them in a re-draft. With that in mind, let’s dive into this rookie class.

11. Bub Carrington, G, Washington Wizards

Coming out of Pitt, Carrington was a super young guard with great size who flashed a high-upside pull-up shooting game but struggled to score efficiently and make more than basic passing reads. He played up to that scouting report as a rookie for the Wizards, and there should still be confidence that his game can continue to grow. Carrington hit 34.9 percent of 2.3 pull-up three-pointer attempts per game this season, typically a weapon of the stars. More concerning is his lack of rim pressure, and struggles finishing at the basket (55.2 percent, per basketball-reference) and getting to the foul line. Carrington needs to cut back on the turnovers to really raise his floor game, and he remains a poor defender. Living off tough pull-up jumpers isn’t usually the best recipe for success, but Carrington’s skill set popped at times in the Wizards’ horrible team context, and that’s reason to hold out some hope.

10. Kel’el Ware, C/F, Miami Heat

Ware’s awesome physical tools were on display during a promising rookie season with the Heat. A legit 7-footer with a nearly 7’5 wingspan, Ware can jump out of the gym for a player his size, which he utilizes to make plays at the rim on both ends of the floor. His 4.9 percent block rate would have ranked top-10 in the NBA this season, and he’s No. 12 in dunks (117) despite being No. 199 in total minutes. Ware’s three-point shot was always the key to his upside, and his stroke looked decent — 32.4 percent on 105 attempts — in his debut from the NBA line. For a player constantly facing questions about his motor, Ware also put up a great defensive rebound rate (27.5 percent) that would have ranked No. 11 in the league. The pairing between Ware and Bam Adebayo will be fascinating to monitor going forward, and should push each player to flush out their perimeter game. It’s hard to find big men with Ware’s tools, making it even more wild he slipped out of the lottery in a weak class.

9. Alex Sarr, C, Washington Wizards

Sarr’s rare combination of size, athleticism, and coordination made him the No. 2 player on my draft board, but he was always going to be years away from reaching his potential. His rookie year reinforced that notion: he had a few great games (34 points against the Nuggets!) but otherwise showed that he still struggles to handle physicality and doesn’t yet know how to best leverage his tools. Sarr’s scoring efficiency was just horrible: his 84 TS%+ fell way below the league-average rate of 100, which should be difficult to do as an athletic 7-footer. He got pushed out to the short mid-range area on 30 percent of his field goal attempts, and only made 35 percent of those shots. Sarr could really benefit from playing with a great point guard who can set him up for interior buckets, but the Wizards don’t have anyone like that on the roster right now. Overall, his willingness to shoot from deep was encouraging (31.7 percent from three on 315 attempts), and he should only get tougher on defense with age and maturity. There’s a chance Sarr still becomes the best player in this class, but he has a long way to go.

8. Zach Edey, C, Memphis Grizzlies

Zach Edey might be the best college basketball player of the last 40 years, and as an NBA rookie he got a crash course in what it means to go from a superstar to a role player. As a senior at Purdue, Edey led DI in usage rate at 33.4 percent, with the entire Boilermakers offense running through him. That usage rate was down to 16.4 percent as a rookie with the Grizzlies. Memphis’ offensive changes this year — the Grizzlies set the fewest amount of balls screens in the league by far — didn’t benefit Edey, who finished in the 97th percentile of roll man efficiency, but barely got any opportunities. Edey still projects as an impactful player in the right matchups, showing very good scoring efficiency (62.5 true shooting), elite offensive rebounding, textbook screen setting, and some semblance of a three-point shot (37.5 percent on 48 attempts). Edey obviously has a high floor in the NBA, and still has a chance at having a high ceiling too in a slightly more suitable role.

7. Zaccharie Risacher, F, Atlanta Hawks

Risacher was always going to have a hard time living up to his No. 1 overall status because his game looks nothing like a typical top pick. Risacher isn’t much of a shot creator, and had to be assisted on more than 81 percent of his field goals as a rookie. He has the tools to be a good wing defender one day, but he graded out terribly in the metrics (17th percentile DEPM) and the Hawks’ team defensive rating went up three points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor. Atlanta actually slightly out-scored its opponents with Risacher on the bench this year, but had a -4 net-rating with him on the floor. Still, Risascher had his moments as an off-ball scorer — like during a 36-point performance against the Bucks — when his jump shot was falling and he was able to shine in transition. Risacher is going to have to be an impact defender and knockdown shooter to be at his best. He has the tools to get there, but he still has a long way to go.

6. Jaylen Wells, F, Memphis Grizzlies

Jaylen Wells played for DII Sonoma State two years ago. Washington State offered him a scholarship from there, and his lone season at the DI level put him on NBA radars. Now here’s Wells drawing the toughest defensive assignments every night for a Western Conference playoff team, guarding the likes of Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards in any given matchup. Wells is another tremendous find by the Grizzlies in the second round (No. 39 overall), giving them an 6’8 wing stopper (74th percentice defensive EPM) who can also adequately space the floor on offense (35.4 percent from three-point range) and rarely turns the ball over. It’s been a chaotic end of season for Memphis after a strong start, but Wells has provided a rare reliably by appearing in every game and making 73 starts. He was my pick for Rookie of the Year on my fake awards ballot, and while I don’t think he’ll end up as the best player in this class, he was arguably the most useful in games that mattered this season.

5. Stephon Castle, G, San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs entered the 2024 NBA Draft with two picks in the top-8, but only came away with Stephon Castle. The 6’6 guard was thrown into the fire fresh off a national championship at UConn, being asked to be the connective tissue between Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul. Castle put up an impressive stat line of 14.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game, but he still has a lot to clean up in his game. Castle is a poor shooter (28.3 percent from three) who is also still figuring out how to score efficiently inside the paint. It resulted in a season where Castle took a lot of shots, but posted a rough 51.6 true shooting percentage that’s six points below league average. Castle should be a good defensive guard in time, but he took his lumps at times on that end as a rookie as well. He graded out as a negative defender in the metrics (36th percentile defensive EPM) and the Spurs’ defense was three points per 100 possessions better when he was on the bench. The best thing about Castle’s rookie season is he got tons of experience learning how to best complement Wembanyama. He’s going to be a keeper for San Antonio long-term, and if his outside shooting or finishing improves, it can unlock the rest of his game.

4. Matas Buzelis, F, Chicago Bulls

Buzelis was the No. 1 player on our 2024 preseason board, but slipped out of the top-10 on draft night after a rough year with the G League Ignite where he struggled adjusting to the NBA three-point line and pro physicality. His season in the G League may have hurt his draft stock, but it’s becoming clear it was a beneficial experience for him long-term. Buzelis has shined in every opportunity he’s gotten for the Bulls, showing real two-way versatility as a 6’10 forward. Buzelis has proven that his jump shot isn’t broken by making 35 percent of his threes and scoring at close to league-average efficiency. He’s been hammering home dunks all year on cuts and transition opportunities, and he’s flashed the ball handling moves that made him so intriguing coming out of high school. Where Buzelis exceeded expectations in the G League was on the defensive end, and that has carried over to his rookie season. He’s a legitimate secondary rim protector with a block rate that ranks in the 89th percentile. Buzelis is not a very good passer right now, and he obviously needs to keep adding strength to his frame. His explosiveness, hints of shot creation and rim protection, and improved shooting are all great signs for the future for a Bulls franchise that desperately needs a star.

3. Ron Holland, G, Detroit Pistons

The Pistons seemed like the worst possible landing spot for Holland on draft night: a team already short on shooting and high on athletic freaks doubling down with another player who fits that mold. Instead, Holland has become an immediate contributor in a small role for a surprising playoff team, filling in the gaps between Detroit’s newly-acquired veteran shooters and their foundational star Cade Cunningham. Holland has been pretty good on both sides of the floor as a rookie, using his ridiculous athletic burst to make plays defensively and score inside the arc on offense. Holland’s 56.1 percent true shooting has been because of 66 percent shooting at the rim and fantastic 52 percent shooting on mid-range shots, mostly from floater range. He’s already grading out as a positive defensively with a 66th percentile defensive EPM ranking. Holland remains a terrible outside shooter (23 percent from deep), and he’ll need to improve there to justify my top-3 pre-draft ranking. Still, Holland has always been a great prospect despite his rough year with the G League Ignite. The fact that he was able to hold his own on a competitive team as a 19-year-old all season is an encouraging sign.

2. Donovan Clingan, C, Portland Trail Blazers

Clingan already has a case as one of the better defensive bigs in the league as a rookie. The No. 7 overall pick is one of the NBA’s foremost giants placing around the league’s top-5 in height, weight, and wingspan, and he uses that size to put a lid on the rim defensively and crush the glass. Clingan’s 7.5 percent block rate rates in the 98th percentile, his 16.3 offensive rebound rate also ranks in the 98th percentile, and his 24.4 percent defensive rebound rate ranks in the 92nd percentile. The other end of the floor is a problem for Clingan, who doesn’t have a ton of offensive utility yet. Clingan is a frustratingly poor finisher given him size, and the passing flashes he showed in college haven’t totally translated yet. Even as he remains rough around the edges on offense, Clingan’s on-court impact is undeniable: the Blazers get outscored by 4.9 points per 100 possessions when he’s out, but they actually have a slim positive net-rating when he plays. The big thing Clingan still needs to work on his conditioning, which was a problem at UConn, too. The Blazers need Clingan to be able to stay on the floor 30 minutes per game. If it happens, don’t be surprised if Portland takes another leap next year.

1. Jared McCain, G, Philadelphia 76ers

McCain only played 23 games this year after suffering a season-ending meniscus tear in his left knee in mid Dec., and it’s the only thing stopping him from being a runaway Rookie of the Year winner. The No. 16 overall pick out of Duke was on an absolute heater before the injury, showcasing his deep shooting range and solid playmaking ability while grading out as easily the best offensive player in the rookie class. McCain made 38.3 percent of his threes on 5.8 attempts per game, including making 41 percent of his threes above the break. The fact that he was only 32 percent on easier corner threes looks a bit flukey given his 87.5 percent free throw stroke, so he could be an even better shooter next year. McCain impressed with his off-ball movement, zooming around the court into open space with serious gravity. He’s still an undersized two-guard who can struggle on defense, but immediately finding a very good offensive guard in the middle of the first round of a weak draft was just about the only thing that went right for the Sixers this year.

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