The NBA regular season is over and it has been filled with incredible performances from the first-year players. Victor Wembanyama, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has not disappointed in his first year and the future looks bright for the young star as the San Antonio Spurs continue to rebuild their franchise around him .
“I would say I’m currently at 15% between my first NBA game and what I hope will be my prime,” Wembanyama told Théo Quintard of Eurosport France.
Wembanyama’s record-breaking season hasn’t gone unnoticed, as have a few other players, including Chet Holmgren, who played his first season after sitting out last year due to injury, and second-round sleeper GG Jackson in Memphis.
Here’s a final look at Yahoo Sports’ rookie rankings for the 2023-24 season.
Draft location: No. 1
Previous rank: 1
Wembanyama has done things this season that no other player can do and has exceeded all expectations in his first year. He finished the regular season leading all rookies in blocks (254), steals (88), rebounds (755), field goals made (551) and total points (1,522). He also led the entire NBA in combined blocks and steals this season (332) and had the highest 3-point field goal percentage at 46.2% (minimum 50 3-point field goal attempts).
In a recent win against the Denver Nuggets, Wembanyama scored 17 points in less than three minutes and finished with a team-high 34 points. He is the big favorite for the rookie of the year title throughout the season. He finished the season averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks in 29.7 minutes per game.
In 2003-04, LeBron James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 39.5 minutes as a rookie. James is now in his 21st season and has been named an All-Star 20 times. It is not impossible to predict that Wembanyama could enjoy a similarly successful career.
Draft slot (2022): No. 2
Previous rank: 2
Holmgren was one of two rookies to play in all 82 regular season games this year and he also led all rookies in minutes played. If anyone was going to catch Wembanyama for rookie honors, it was Holmgren. He was so impressive in his first year and, along with Wembanyama, he is changing the way the center position is played.
Holmgren can stretch the floor and stop players from dribbling, and is also an elite rim protector with his 7-6 wingspan. During the regular season, Holmgren averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks while shooting 37% from 3-point range. He’s a key part of the Thunder’s growing success, and the budding rivalry between Holmgren and Wembanyama will be must-see TV.
Draft location: No. 2
Previous rank: 3
Miller was the Hornets’ No. 1 option at the end of the season and silenced any doubts about his physicality and shot creation. He’s been productive in LaMelo Ball’s absence this season, averaging 17.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 44 percent from the field. Miller led all rookies in 3-point field goals made (184) and also averaged the most minutes (32.2). In any other year, Miller would have been considered for top rookie honors.
Draft location: Number 4
Previous rank: 7
Thompson finished the regular season strong with his first career triple-double in a win over the Clippers on Sunday. He was incredible throughout the game, playing 40 minutes and posting 18 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, three blocks and three steals.
Thompson was one of the better perimeter defenders this year and has the ability to guard both positions in the backcourt. It was a slow start for Thompson, but as the game slowed down for him and he found his rhythm, he was very productive. Thompson averaged 15.8 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in the final four games of the season.
Amen Thompson with his first career triple-double
18 points
11 rebounds
10 assists
3 blocks
3 flights
89% shooting16.6 PTS, 12 REB, 6.7 AST over his last 3 gamespic.twitter.com/f8ntiNTAVW
– Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 14, 2024
Draft location: No. 18
Previous rank: 4
Jaquez had two of his best games of the season in back-to-back wins over the Raptors to close out the regular season. In the first game, Jaquez had 20 points (2-for-4 from 3) and nine assists and was more of a ball guard with the way he facilitated his teammates. In the final game of the regular season, Jaquez scored 18 points and added five assists, four rebounds and three blocks. Jaquez was one of the older recruits this season, playing four years at UCLA, and that really helped with his adjustment to the NBA.
“As a rookie, my teammates always tell me, ‘You inherit the team before you,’ and they were in the finals last year and their job is to try to come back,” Jaquez told Yahoo Sports in December. “So I inherit that and I try to push and do everything I can to help stay on top and try to get back to the final and win.”
Draft location: No. 19
Previous rank: 6
Podziemski is the only rookie to record 250+ assists and 350+ rebounds and is an integral part of the Warriors. He is one of the best rebounding guards in the rookie class and is strong with the ball in his hands. Podziemski averaged 9.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists in April as the Warriors went 6-2 to close the regular season.
Draft location: No. 16
Previous rank: 5
It’s clear the Jazz are all in on George, and he’s really shown a lot of versatility throughout the season. At the beginning he was more of a facilitator, and by the end of the season he was more of a goalkeeper. His 3-point shooting has improved and he’s more than just a catch-and-shoot threat from behind the arc. George finished his rookie year with 21 points (5 of 6 from 3-point range) and four assists in Sunday’s loss to the Warriors.
Draft location: No. 45
Previous rank: Honorable mention
There are always sleepers in the second round of the NBA draft, and the Grizzlies got a steal in the 6-9 forward. Jackson finished his incredible rookie season with a game-high 44 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to the Nuggets and set the franchise record for most points scored by a rookie. Jackson is one of the youngest recruits in his class, and the reps he got this year have catapulted his development.
Draft Location: n°12
Previous rank: 8
Luka Dončić is third in assists and a lot of that is due to the players he passes to. Lively has been so good in pick-and-roll alongside Dončić and Kyrie Irving. His footwork around the rim and the way he can catch passes in traffic is what sets him apart from other young bigs in the league. Lively finished the regular season averaging 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds in 23.5 minutes.
Draft location: #3
Previous rank: Unclassified
The Trail Blazers are in rebuilding mode and have been patient with their point guard as he adjusts to the pace and spacing of the NBA. The future looks bright for Henderson if his final game of the season is any indication of the trajectory his career is taking. He finished with 30 points and seven assists and scored in a variety of ways. The previous two games, Henderson had double-doubles in points and assists, and he averaged 19.4 points and 9.7 assists in April.