Where should Philadelphia 76ers rookie Zhaire Smith — among other rookies — fall in NBA.com’s annual survey?
The NBA released its annual rookie survey on Monday, with the incoming rookie class voting on a variety of different categories. Among the most notable were Rookie of the Year, Best Career, and Best Defender — the answers for which were, at the very least, controversial.
Deandre Ayton and Collin Sexton were voted co-favorites for Rookie of the Year, Wendell Carter Jr. was favored to have the best career, and Jevon Carter swooped in for best defender by a surprisingly wide margin.
Among the biggest qualms from the rooks’ answers was Luka Doncic, or a lack thereof. The No. 3 pick didn’t get much love at all, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting and getting zero votes in the best career category.
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The same Luka Doncic who won MVP and led Real Madrid to a Euroleague title at age 19.
Philadelphia 76ers rookie Zhaire Smith made a brief appearance, earning the title of most athletic rookie before receiving zero votes elsewhere. There were a few categories where that could be viewed as problematic as well.
So, for the sake of offseason discussion, I’ll fill out the survey myself, giving the top-five for each question.
Who will be 2018-19 Kia Rookie of the Year?
- 1. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
- 2. Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns
- 3. Marvin Bagley III, Sacramento Kings
- 4. Wendell Carter Jr., Chicago Bulls
- 5. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Doncic is the best player in the class, and that will be especially true next season. He’s more prepared than any other prospect to make an immediate impact, with Dallas’ offense set to be focused around his playmaking ability.
Ayton will still be in the running, of course. The No. 1 pick is well-positioned to be Phoenix’s second option alongside Devin Booker, putting together impressive stat lines and potentially adding some wins to the Suns’ record.
Bagley will be the focal point of a very bad Kings team. He has his flaws, but is an elite athlete with undeniable upside on the offensive end. He could very well lead the rookie class (and potentially Sacramento) in scoring.