This season, Mario Hezonja has been sort of the forgotten rookie among what’s been a very fruitful draft class.
He’s only averaging 15 minutes per game, and hasn’t been terribly effective in that time, either. It’s not that concerning, really — as you can see from the above photo, he’s still an infant at 20 years old, the sort of undeveloped lump of clay Kristaps Porzingis was also supposed to be. But for all Hezonja could still be, he hasn’t shown the single most exciting part of his game: his sheer audacity.
Look at the crazy ish he pulled off as a 19-year-old in Spain:
Hezonja’s coach in Orlando is Scott Skiles, who is well known as a no-nonsense coach who prefers to play veterans who stay in their lane; not the ideal coach to just let Mario spread his wings. That’s not to say it’s the wrong approach for Hezonja’s long-term development, just that it means we may not get the ballsy gunner version of Super Mario some thought might make him an instant fan favorite. But on Friday night at the Rising Stars Challenge, without coaches or defense to worry about, Mario finally got to express himself, and he reminded us that he can still be a hell of an entertainer:
He wasn’t the highest scorer on the night, or the best rookie on the floor (that was probably Kristaps), but in a game without any real stakes, it was good to see one of the most creative young players in the NBA finally get to show off some of that creativity.
5. Myles Turner
Right around the time we took notice of Turner, Pacers head coach Frank Vogel elevated him to the starting role he had so clearly earned. Since then, he hasn’t had any more head-turning performances, but has averaged a solid 12.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game with a plus-3.7 net rating. He’s already got one huge advantage as a scoring big in a pace-and-space league in that he’s decisive with the ball. When he catches, he shoots immediately if he’s open and he can do a reasonable job dribbling around close-outs. He showed off that enticing package, plus some passing skills, against Detroit on February 6:
Turner’s game is already so versatile that he doesn’t even need to step back to the three-point line to be an effective big man. He’s been impressive, and could rise even higher on this list.
4. Devin Booker
Devin’s shooting has cooled a bit, as any rookie’s would, with the amount of minutes he’s been playing. But even as the Suns have completely collapsed, he’s remained impressive by filling in new aspects of his game. He’s been shoehorned into the point guard position for stretches, and has done better handling the ball than we imagined. He even doled out 10 assists in Phoenix’s last game before the All-Star break. Even more impressive, however, has been the frequency with which Booker has gotten to the free-throw line.
For the season, Booker is averaging 2.6 free throw attempts per game, but in the 23 games he’s started, that number is at a healthier four per game. In his last 12 contests, he’s over five per contest, a number which would put him in the top 30 in the NBA. When you make 82 percent of your free throws like Booker does, that’s an excellent way to remain efficient if your outside shot isn’t falling (and he’s still at 40 percent from long range on the season). Yes, the defense is still ghastly, and has little hope of getting better on a Suns team that has, frankly, given up, but Booker hasn’t shied away from the large burden being placed on his slim shoulders.
3. Jahlil Okafor
Guarding Jah is not fun. He’s an absolute load who can find ways to push defenders around even outside the paint. Facing up from 15 feet, Okafor likes to initiate contact with defenders and get them on their heels with a surprisingly quick spin move. He took advantage of a disinterested DeMarcus Cousins by using that exact move in the Sixers’ last game before the break.
Okafor had 26 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two blocks in that game, and was on a mini-rebounding run with board totals of 17 and 9 in the two games prior. Unless an injury or something similarly tragic happens to the two far-more-hyped rookies above him in these rankings, however, he’ll have to settle for a solid third place when all is said and done.
2. Kristaps Porzingis
After a bit of a late-January lull, Krapsnaps Bazingas came on very strong heading into the All-Star break with at least 17 points in his last three games, and a six-block performance against the Memphis Grizzlies to boot:
It’s a shame the Knicks have cratered, because the playoffs don’t look like a real possibility anymore, and a playoff MSG crowd cheering a Kristaps three would rival the special relationship that Oracle Arena has when Steph Curry splashes from deep. The Knicks may be in bad shape once again, but they finally have a youngster good enough to be deemed untouchable.
1. Karl-Anthony Towns
If you were surprised when KAT took home the Skills Contest, then you haven’t really been paying attention. After more than a half-season of breathless praise from our site, Towns has seemingly gotten even better once again. He hasn’t failed to record a double-double since January 23, and is averaging an absurd 22-point, 12-rebound line in February.
The stats, as great as they are, don’t even tell the whole story. Take his absolutely vicious throwdown over the New Orleans Pelicans for example:
He blew right by Anthony Davis before rising like a guard over Dante Cunningham. This is a big man who can also shoot reasonably well from everywhere on the court and is averaging nearly two blocks per game. He might already be one of the best dozen big men in the game, and has vaulted into serious consideration for that evergreen “best player with whom to start a franchise” debate.
