Every year the NBA rookies are given a survey to vote on superlatives specific to the people of their draft class. The results are interesting, and sometimes correct. Last year’s class correctly picked that Donovan Mitchell would be the biggest steal of the draft.
Here are some of the highlights of the survey, but the full results can be found here.
The biggest hardware for any rookie in professional sports is the Rookie of the Year award. This year’s class voted DeAndre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns and Collin Sexton as the most likely to win the award, each garnering 18 percent of the vote. Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Kevin Knox of the New York Knicks each received 9 percent. The only time the rookies correctly picked the Rookie of the Year was in 2007, some guy named Kevin Durant.
As for who will have the best career, Chicago Bulls’ center Wendell Carter Jr. took home that superlative with 13 percent. Knox and Los Angeles Clippers guard Jerome Robinson each also had 10 percent. Carter Jr. was the seventh pick in the draft, while the Robinson pick was largely considered a reach by the Clippers.
The biggest steal in the NBA draft went to Kieta Bates-Diop from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who received 13 percent. Bates-Diop, who was once considered a late first-round pick, slid to 48th overall. Michael Porter Jr. for the Denver Nuggets and Lonnie Walker IV with San Antonio tied for second (10 percent). Porter Jr., in particular, was considered a top prospect and is an easy pick for biggest steal on potential alone. A back injury forced him nearly out of the lottery, but he appears healthy and may even play this season.
Perhaps the player that received the highest praise is Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young. His fellow rookies voted him as the class’ best shooter and playmaker. After trading away the opportunity to draft Doncic, there is pressure on the Hawks to get the Young pick right.
