Youth Movement NBA Rookie Rank 2.0
Our own Nathan Grubel provides a fresh look into where the NBA's 2024-25 rookie class is at through a significant portion of the regular season.
We’re back with another edition of Rookie Rank!
It’s been a few months since the last edition, but in practice that actually provides better context in how rookies have performed over a larger sample size.
Being able to measure rookies up against each other deeper into the seasons means they’ve gotten more reps and time to build chemistry with their professional peers. Some players have risen to new heights with expanded opportunities, with more behind them making positive pushes in the G League to earn rotational minutes.
First thing is first though, who are the rookies that are climbing up my NBA Rookie of the Year ballot? Let’s take a look at that group of youngsters, followed by some honorable mentions and names to monitor over the rest of the season!
*All statistics are as of 2/12/2025 and are courtesy of Basketball-Reference, Cleaning the Glass, Synergy Sports, and Dunks and Threes*
NBA Rookie Rank 2.0
1. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
It hasn’t been a perfect rookie season for Stephon Castle, but he’s sure made the most of it over the last few weeks.
Castle has scored double figures in nine of his last 10 games for the San Antonio Spurs, and he has started to find his rhythm in an off-ball role within the offense.
As a point guard per Cleaning the Glass, the Spurs are significantly worse in terms of Net Rating while he’s at that position. That narrative shifts drastically in his favor, however, when he’s playing alongside another point guard—be it Chris Paul, Tre Jones (now on the Chicago Bulls), or new teammate De’Aaron Fox.
The Fox lineups, in particular, will be fun to monitor moving forward, as having a true point guard of the future will help Castle grow as a player with less pressure on him to do everything in terms of set up for his teammates. Castle is showing signs of late as both a catch-and-shoot and pull-up shooter, has gotten to the rim better in the halfcourt, and has maintained his defensive efforts alongside arguably the best player on that side of the ball in the entire league in Victor Wembanyama.
His overall efficiency needs to continue to climb, but when you watch Castle, it’s clear he has the talent of a longtime NBA wing—whether the experiments work with him playing more of a combo guard role or not.
2. Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
If not for the ascension of Stephon Castle, the top spot in these rankings would belong to Jaylen Wells. It still very well could, given he’s been as steady as anyone could expect a rookie to be for a team that is contending in the Western Conference.
Wells has the luxury of playing alongside a talented group of veterans led by Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson, and Desmond Bane. Even the role players and glue guys in the rotation are completely bought in to doing their jobs and making sure everyone is comfortable in their time on the floor.
That doesn’t mean Wells hasn’t been utterly impressive in his minutes, though. Rookies often struggle mightily on the defensive side of the ball, given the changes in pace and physicality. Most nights, Wells has actually slotted into guarding the other team’s best perimeter player while operating off a healthy shot diet on offense.
Two-way wings have been a hot topic of conversation in basketball for as long as I’ve been doing draft evaluation, which makes the Wells story that much sweeter in terms of his success. Many teams missed on drafting a 6’7” sharpshooter with room to grow as a defender and creator. Having already registered 48 of 53 possible starts for a Grizzlies team with championship aspirations, Wells has outperformed any and all expectations in his young career up to this point.
The race at the top is far from over, and Wells is still in strong consideration as the NBA’s Rookie of the Year.
3. Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat
Welcome to the party, Mr. Kel’el Ware!
Since Ware moved into the starting lineup full-time alongside Bam Adebayo, his game has taken a significant leap in the right direction on both sides of the ball.
Defensively, Ware takes a lot of pressure off Bam to act as a sole rim protector. Ware excels in drop coverage, leaving Adebayo to play as a help defender and rover in different schemes. Adebayo is one of the best bigs at moving his feet on the perimeter in the league; having Ware alongside him gives the Miami Heat flexibility while still maintaining a size advantage against different teams.
On offense, Ware has solidified himself as a high-level finisher capable of catching lobs, cutting to the basket, and even operating a little out of the post. When Bam is involved in pick-and-roll actions at the top of the floor, Ware provides a nice big-to-big outlet both as a dunker spot threat and floor spacer. The volume hasn’t been overwhelming, but Ware is shooting near 38% from three-point range on the season, giving this team a viable pick-and-pop threat that can open the floor for Adebayo to roll to the basket or create for others in the low post.
Ware’s overall production in terms of advanced metrics is lapping the rest of the rookie field. He hasn’t registered nearly as many minutes as some of his peers, and I do take that into consideration when rewarding rookies for year-long performance. But what Ware has done for the Heat in such a short amount of time has blown me away, and I’d be foolish not to have him in consideration for Rookie of the Year at this point—especially if this level of play is a standard for him moving forward to close out the season.
4. Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Zach Edey has faced some injury concerns this year, while not playing as many minutes per outing as some of his peers due to both foul trouble as well as the Memphis Grizzlies having a number of different options in the frontcourt to throw at opposing teams.
One thing has remained true, though, regarding Edey’s play. He’s still one of the most productive players in the entire NBA on a per minute basis, close to averaging 20 points, 20 rebounds, and three blocks per 100 possessions.
Unlike in college, most of Edey’s offense has actually come from what he’s been able to manufacture in terms of crashing the offensive glass and cutting to the basket. He hasn’t been a high-volume post-up player, yet he’s still rated out very well when he’s been able to carve out space and establish position on the low block. Edey has soft touch on looks around the rim, and he has even shown some of that shot-making ability away from the basket. Per Synergy Sports, Edey has made 35% of his catch-and-shoot three attempts, and he’s already registered 40 of them!
Some of the defensive concerns still remain in terms of where he’s best suited in pick-and-roll coverages. Having multiple defenders like Jaren Jackson playing alongside him helps to cover some mistakes, but he’s still looked more nimble than one would expect a 7’4” player to look on defense.
There’s plenty of upside for Edey to still tap into as his career progresses, especially on offense. He’s a big-bodied center who will always have opportunities to clean up on the glass and block shots, but Edey’s progression as a jump shooter and roller working in unison with passers like Ja Morant and Desmond Bane will determine just how high a ceiling he has as the Grizzlies starting center of the future.
I remain encouraged by Edey’s development this year, and I have no reason to doubt his play for the rest of the season and beyond.
5. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
While Zaccharie Risacher hasn’t blown anyone away in terms of raw production during his rookie season, there really aren’t too many nits to pick with him as a young jumbo wing.
No, he’s not living up to sky-high standards of recent #1 overall picks, but that doesn’t mean he’s been a bad player for the Atlanta Hawks, far from it.
If Risacher had more opportunities to pass and create downhill, I’d very much appreciate it as an evaluator. Risacher has shown off some slick passing chops at times, and it’s a part of his game that he hasn’t really tapped into due to his role within the offense being that of a play finisher.
In transition, Risacher has the long strides to beat out others in a race to the rim, not to mention the vertical leaping ability to finish lobs and even go up for misses on threes and longer pull-up shots.
From a halfcourt perspective, Risacher’s efficiency as a shooter has mirrored his production from a year ago over in France. Streaky as a spot-up threat, Risacher still can hit shots that few others can on more difficult closeouts due to his high release point at 6’10”. There’s plenty of room for improvement for Risacher in that regard, and he’s even shown some flashes of hitting contested shots off the dribble.
Put those offensive traits together with his better-than-advertised defensive play, especially around the basket, and there’s a lot to like for Risacher both now and in the future. With Jalen Johnson out for the remainder of the season, look for Risacher to get more chances to make something happen with the ball in his hands as the year finishes out for the Hawks.
6. Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
Yves Missi has been one of the few constants for a team riddled with regular season injuries in the New Orleans Pelicans.
Missi has played in 50 of a possible 53 games for the Pelicans, which is an excellent sign for a team looking for any durability in the frontcourt alongside Zion Williamson. And when he’s played, Missi has had some real bright spots at the center position.
There may not have been a more athletic player in his draft class than Missi, as his movement speed, range, and flexibility are truly impressive for a 7-footer. The way he can scramble, recover, and run in transition offers New Orleans a luxury that every team is looking for in a rim-running big.
It’s one thing to have productive big men who can finish and do their job when put in a position to succeed. However, Missi is the kind of center that can make up for the mistakes of others on both ends of the floor. His leaping ability and second jump help him clean up poor shots on the offensive glass, while his lateral mobility, size, and length help him to cover ground when his perimeter counterparts are beaten off the dribble.
Now, Missi isn’t a perfect player. He’s been a bit of a turnover machine at times on offense, doesn’t have any sort of shooting touch or range outside of three feet, and can get lost at times due to the speed of the game on both ends.
What Missi has done, though, is give Pelicans fans a reason to hope for the future of the team at center. He’s one of quite a few productive bigs to come out of this rookie class, and he still has a case to push himself further into the Rookie of the Year conversation.
7. Isaiah Collier, Utah Jazz
Over his last 20-plus games, Isaiah Collier has stepped in as the Utah Jazz point guard and made quite a few plays for others as a downhill driver.
Since January 7th, Collier has registered 14 games of eight or more assists as the leading catalyst for the team’s offense. Collier is a walking paint touch, as he’s consistently able to blow by defenders at the top of the arc and collapse defenses, leading to easy kickouts or cuts along the baseline.
Collier has a ways to go as a scorer and shooter; lately, though, he’s been a reliable finisher around the basket against individual defenders, which has led to more opportunities for assists due to defenses needing to send help once he gets to the second level.
On defense, Collier has had some good moments against other guards on the ball. He can get lost at times off-ball, as any rookie does, but his compact frame and athleticism have helped Collier to stay in front of matchups and even get his hands on the ball to create runouts in transition.
Without a better jump shot, be it on pull-up shots inside the arc or outside, Collier isn’t a starting point guard for a contending team. Should he find a happy medium as a shooter, Collier has a lot of traits that teams look for in someone who actually deserves higher usage and playmaking opportunities.
Blow-by speed up top and the willingness to pass his teammates open both matter, and the Jazz are seeing what the offense could look like with Collier at the helm for years to come.
8. Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
All jokes aside about Alex Sarr as an inefficient offensive player, what he can do on defense is quite fun, and it is also a massive headache for opposing teams.
Sarr’s interior presence on defense can make life complicated for drivers. Sarr doesn’t have the most imposing frame, but his combination of length and timing makes it difficult for players to effectively shoot over him around the basket—not to mention that he’s balanced and light on his feet to rotate and cover ground. He’s not quite the type of player one would want in a switch-everything scheme, but as a drop big or someone who can show and recover, Sarr has a bit of versatility baked into his pick-and-roll defense.
On offense, Sarr’s runway as a jump shooter hasn’t quite led to great results, but he’s at least willing to let it fly when he has the green light and has the type of form to suggest a bright future as a pick-and-pop center even if the results haven’t quite been there yet.
Given his successes as a lob threat, cutter, stretch option, and reliable defender, there are a number of things to take away as positives for Sarr in what’s been a rough season overall for the Washington Wizards. It’s difficult to imagine anyone blowing the advanced metrics out of the water on a team just trying to stay afloat on a nightly basis, let alone a rookie big man playing one of the most difficult positions in the league.
I still hold a lot of Sarr stock for the future, as he still possesses a high ceiling, assuming he finds consistency with his jump shot and in the weight room.
9. Carlton Carrington, Washington Wizards
Carlton Carrington has been the most electric shooter in this rookie class up to this point, as he’s one of the better three-point shooters in terms of makes and overall volume—not to mention that he rates out very well per Synergy Spots in terms of dribble jumper efficiency.
The pull-up shot was Carrington’s best weapon coming out of college, and he’s embraced his role on the floor with the Washington Wizards. Carrington can knock in shots off the catch, come off screens, and even stop and pop out of handoff actions. His mechanics are repeatable and consistent, and Carrington has the touch to hit difficult shots off-balance or on the move.
All of that being said, I couldn’t quite rank him higher than where he is due to his poor finishing numbers around the basket and the fact that he hasn’t stood out to my eye as a defender in the backcourt. I actually buy his future as a defensive backcourt piece due to his size and length against opposing guards, but Carrington has hit a number of rough patches that rookie defenders often do, especially away from the ball.
As Carrington develops as a pick-and-roll playmaker and defender, he has the makings of a starting guard in the NBA. Heck, his upside might even be that of an offensive star due to his proficiency as a self-creator in the midrange and from behind the arc. For now, he’s a reason to watch a Washington Wizards game on League Pass because of how quickly he can light it up from the perimeter.
10. Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls
Selfishly, I was excited when the Chicago Bulls traded Zach LaVine for one main reason: Matas Buzelis could finally be unleashed.
From a week before the trade deadline up until now, Buzelis has scored in double figures while playing 20-plus minutes in each outing. He even registered a perfect shooting game with 24 points against the Miami Heat just before the deadline.
The young forward is hitting his stride as a scorer, and he has even upped his three-point percentage to 37.5% on increasing volume.
Buzelis had some really great offensive moments for the G League Ignite before he got to the league, and more of that confidence that was established in the second half of last season is coming through now as his minutes have increased in Chicago. Buzelis looks more assertive getting downhill and is decisive on jump-shooting opportunities, especially from the corners (36% on corner looks this year).
There have been some moments where Buzelis has gotten bodied on defense, and it’s almost assuredly a priority of the Bulls to get Matas in the weight room during the offseason to bulk up in order to better handle defending the power forward spot. Other times, though, Buzelis has gotten the best of drivers when acting as a secondary rim protector and chase-down shot blocker. He hits the defensive glass hard, and his combination of length and timing as a deflector has helped Chicago avoid some completely dreadful moments on defense (outside of a piss-poor performance against the Detroit Pistons in the first half on Tuesday night).
Buzelis will need to improve as a playmaker if he wants to soak up more usage on offense and break out of the play-finisher mold. Until then, Buzelis is a nice outlet for other playmakers such as Josh Giddey and Coby White as a willing diver, cutter, and spot-up shooter. The tools are there for Buzelis to start and contribute at a high level in the league for a long time.
NBA Rookie Rank Honorable Mentions
Tristan Da Silva, Orlando Magic
Tristan Da Silva’s scorching hot production has halted slightly since both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner have come back from injuries for the Orlando Magic, but I struggle to envision what that team may have looked like without him during that brutal stretch.
Coming into the NBA, many scouts envisioned Da Silva as more of a play finisher and spot-up shooter on offense, relying less on creating his own shot and more so on others to set him up for easy looks. However, Da Silva showed great signs of self-creation while both Banchero and Wagner were sidelined, and even helped the Magic win a few games while Jalen Suggs was also out to injury.
While Da Silva isn’t the most explosive or flexible driver at the wing position, he’s steady with his handle and knows how to get to spots. He has confidence as a pull-up shooter, and he can attack closeouts to finish at the basket.
Da Silva’s three-point shooting has tailed off a bit in recent weeks in terms of made volume, but he’s held steady as far as his percentage is concerned (35.7% in February so far).
Defensively, Da Silva has fit in with his peers as a rangy wing who can guard multiple positions, create deflections, and help to act as a secondary rim protector along the back line. There are certainly some matchups where he falls a bit short due to his thinner frame, but Da Silva is tough and competes every possession.
Overall, Da Silva is a valuable rotational piece for the Magic moving forward, and he could give the team some flexibility as far as other pieces on the chess board to move for one more large piece.
Justin Edwards, Philadelphia 76ers
Justin Edwards is another young bright spot for a Philadelphia 76ers team that desperately needs it.
Edwards went from preseason potential top pick, to undrafted free agent, to starting wing on a Two-Way contract. What an incredible rookie story for Edwards, and it’s been one of the better young player storylines across the NBA this season.
His play has warranted a spot in the honorable mentions. A consistent shooting threat who has really stepped up to compete on defense, Edwards plays with joy while also bringing some much-needed athleticism on the wing. Primarily a spot-up threat, Edwards has had moments scoring in transition and even getting to some jumpers off a few dribbles.
As his offensive game evolves, Edwards could be one of the perimeter threats of the future for the 76ers. It sure seems that way, given the fact that the team very recently signed him to a standard deal. Whether he’s a full-time starter or key reserve off the bench, Edwards has a future in Philadelphia alongside Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Guerschon Yabusele, and other youngsters in the mix.
Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards
Now that Kyle Kuzma is off to greener pastures with the Milwaukee Bucks, Kyshawn George has plenty of room to play as a combo forward for the Washington Wizards.
When he’s played, George has had some pretty solid moments on offense for Washington. Primarily an outside shooter, George can hit spot-up shots as well as looks off movement. His shot versatility helps to open up the floor for his teammates, and he does have some passing vision when he’s able to get downhill.
George is still pretty far away from commanding more usage as a ball handler, but the passing touch he’s been able to show in spurts has been reminiscent of his time at the University of Miami, where he had scouts wondering if his future was that of a jumbo point guard.
Since the end of January, George has seen his three-point volume uptick as well as his efficiency. The Wizards want to play at a faster pace than other teams in the league, and George helps with that as he’s a threat to catch and shoot out of early offense.
George still needs to bulk up in order to defend both forward positions, but at his best he’s looked the part of a lottery-level prospect for Washington.
Ryan Dunn, Phoenix Suns
It isn’t much of a surprise that Ryan Dunn’s blistering shooting start hasn’t exactly panned out that way as the season has progressed.
That being said, I mentioned in a piece a few months ago that I’d be happy if Dunn could maintain a shooting clip close to 32% after having the reputation of a non-shooting wing in college at Virginia.
At 31% from deep, Dunn is close to that mark. This season hasn’t been anything like Phoenix Suns fans envisioned, with turbulence all over the place in the form of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and now shipped-off Jusuf Nurkic. Dunn and fellow rookie Oso Ighodaro have been future bright spots for the organization.
If one can defend like Dunn and shoot anywhere close to league average from distance, that player will get paid in the league for a long time. Dunn’s usefulness as a rangy defender who can operate out of the dunker spot, space from the corners, and leak out in transition offensively is still valuable for Phoenix moving forward.
Dunn’s minutes have decreased pretty significantly here in February compared to what they were through November and December, but I’ll give Dunn a pass for now, given the circumstances around the team. He’s still caught my eye when I’ve been able to catch some Suns games as a young wing with promise.
Kyle Filipowski, Utah Jazz
It’s not saying a ton, but Kyle Filipowski has been the most consistent rookie on the Utah Jazz roster up through now.
Isaiah Collier is coming for that title in quick order, and in all likelihood has surpassed Filipowski in the eyes of Jazz fans due to his gaudy playmaking numbers. However, I’ve appreciated that Flip has done a little bit of everything for Utah on both sides of the ball.
Filipowski has been mobile enough in space on defense to deter some drivers, contest shots from the weak side, and even play up at the level at times against opposing ball handlers. On offense, he’s shown some scoring touch on drives to the basket, and has knocked down some spot-up threes at a decent clip for a center. As a player who operated a lot out of handoffs in college at Duke, I’d expect more of that part of his game to shine as he continues to get acclimated at the NBA level.
He may not be the starting center for the Jazz long term given the team’s seemingly 180-degree stance on Walker Kessler (trade rumors this past summer to back in the starting lineup), but Filipowski has done enough to solidify himself as the team’s primary backup behind Kessler and John Collins alongside Micah Potter off the bench.
There are still concerns with Filipowski, such as his defense one-on-one in the post and his turnover rate as a playmaker, but the positives to my eye have outweighed the negatives on a rebuilding team looking for skilled size and versatile big men. Filipowski fills that role, and he has been one of the more underrated rookies in this class.