Quarter-season NBA Awards ballot: Philadelphia 76ers earning consideration

Rookie of the Year: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

2. Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns

3. Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies

The 2018 NBA Draft class will go down as one of the deepest in recent memory. There are several players with star upside, as well as others who project as viable long-term contributors on their current teams.

With that said, Luka Doncic stands alone in the Rookie of the Year race. While it’s still early, the reigning Euroleague MVP is already the best player on the Mavericks, who are 9-3 in their last 12 games. He’s also an efficient scorer with relatively high usage at age 19, which is exceedingly rare.

Despite lackluster athleticism, Doncic has the craft to find his spots and score at all three levels. He’s a smooth finisher, shooting 38.2 percent from deep, and has the mid-range game down pat. He’s already giving doses of star-caliber play, averaging 18.2 points per contest.

If the Mavs regress and Deandre Ayton continues his current production, perhaps the debate becomes a bit tighter down the line. But at the moment it’s hard to imagine Doncic finishing anywhere below the top spot, barring injury.