Malcolm Brogdon Should Not Be Rookie of the Year

In what looks to be an underwhelming 2016 draft class, I look at why Bucks guard, Malcolm Brogdon should not be the Rookie of the Year.

As far as Rookie of the Month goes, the Philadelphia 76ers has swept the award for the Eastern Conference. Joel Embiid has won the award three times, with Dario Saric winning it once. Malcolm Brogdon hasn’t won it yet, and it looks unlikely with the incredible form that Saric is currently on.

If not for the untimely injury to 7-foot-2 center, Joel Embiid, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. Embiid would’ve been a no doubt Rookie of the Year. He may still win, but considering the least amount of games played and won the Rookie of the Year award is 50 games, by Patrick Ewing. If Embiid wins it just shows how poor the 2016 draft class really was.

The Emergence of Dario Saric

If Saric continued putting up his average of around 10 points a game, I think Brogdon would have a legit chance of winning. But since Embiid has gone down, Saric has taken the load and carried the 76ers.

Per 36 minutes, Saric’s stats are far superior than Brogdon’s stats:

Since the All-Star break, Saric has recorded 20 or more points in nine games, surpassing 30 once along the way. He has had to do all of this on his own as well, making this all the more impressive.

Brogdon’s per 36 stats just don’t compare to Saric’s, he ranks below in points and rebounds. They both have similar field goal percentages.

History Is Not In His Favor

No second round pick has ever won Rookie of the Year. The lowest draft player in the modern era was Mark Jackson who was drafted 18th overall by the New York Knicks in 1987.

Ultimately, Brogdon has simply not shown he is special enough to become the first second rounder in NBA history to win the award.  T.J. McConnell earned 6.1 points and 4.5 assists in his rookie season. In fact, T.J. McConnell played far fewer minutes and had a more accurate shot (47 percent to 45.7 percent) last season in his rookie year.  There was never a mention of McConnell landing rookie of the year then.

Is averaging 10.3 points and 4.3 assists really enough to be the first second round winner? I definitely don’t think so. If not for Saric, Brogdon may well’ve won the award, but I just can’t see it happening, as well as many other don’t see it happening either.

Conclusion

It’s logical to exclude Brogdon from the Rookie of the Year award if he has never won the Rookie of the Month award.

In my opinion, the Rookie of the Year should go to the best rookie, not a rookie who is on a playoff team. If Embiid had not got injured, he would be the no-doubt winner of the award. In that case, Saric deserves to be awarded with the Rookie of the Year.

Do you think Brogdon deserves to win the Rookie of the Year of Saric?