Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2023-24 season.
The NBA enters the last two months of the regular-season schedule with teams positioning themselves for the playoffs entering .
The rookie class continues to impress nightly with players contributing at a high level on playoff contenders and other teams in the hunt. The group has been one of the most memorable in recent memory, headlined by Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.
[lawrence-related id=100272]
They have established themselves as the top rookies and are the front-runners for Rookie of the Year as a result. The two 7-footers have dazzled seemingly every time they step onto the court and have had some strong performances.
To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but to illustrate the best players week to week.
In a battle of top 2022 draft picks, Jabari Smith Jr. had another 20-15 game, but Chet Holmgren scored 19 points in the fourth quarter and rallied the Thunder to a win.
HOUSTON — In a frontcourt duel between top picks from the 2022 NBA draft, Chet Holmgren of the Thunder and Jabari Smith Jr. of the Rockets put on quite a show Sunday at Toyota Center. But thanks in large part to Holmgren’s fourth-quarter flurry, Oklahoma City (40-17) maintained its position at the top of the Western Conference and rallied to a 123-110 road victory (box score).
Holmgren finished with 29 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks, shooting 11-of-16 from the field (68.8%) and 5-of-8 on 3-pointers (62.5%). For the No. 2 overall pick of the 2022 first round, his 19 fourth-quarter points set a Thunder rookie record (Holmgren is considered a rookie because he sat out last season due to injury).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an emerging MVP candidate, led the Thunder in scoring with 36 points while making 13-of-23 shots (56.5%), 2-of-3 on 3-pointers (66.7%), and 8-of-9 on free throws (88.9%).
Yet, the Rockets (25-32) were competitive most of the way thanks to a strong night from Smith, drafted one slot behind Holmgren at No. 3 in 2022. After sparking Houston’s victory Friday over Phoenix, Smith finished with 20 points, 17 rebounds, and 4 assists on Sunday, shooting 6-of-14 overall (42.9%) and 4-of-9 on 3-pointers (44.4%).
Smith has now had consecutive games with 20+ points and 15+ rebounds after not having any in his career before this stretch.
It was a fine statistical game for Smith’s frontcourt mate, Alperen Sengun, who finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 6-of-12 (50.0%). However, he also had a game-high 6 turnovers, and many of Sengun’s points and rebounds came late in the fourth quarter — after the game had largely been decided.
Other individual stat lines of note for the Rockets, who raced out to a 16-point lead midway through the second quarter, included:
Fred VanVleet: 20 points, 3 assists; 7-of-16 shooting (43.8%), 4-of-10 on 3-pointers (40.0%)
Dillon Brooks: 13 points, 2 assists; 4-of-5 on 3-pointers (80.0%)
It was a mixed bag for Houston’s rookie duo of Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. Thompson had 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals in 21 minutes while making some spectacular defensive plays. However, he shot just 2-of-10 (20.0%) and scored 6 points in 21 minutes.
Whitmore had 12 points and 3 rebounds while shooting 4-of-9 (44.4%) — but in contrast to Thompson, he struggled on defense.
Here’s our look at Sunday’s highlights and postgame interviews, along with reaction by media members and fans. Next up is Tuesday’s rematch in Oklahoma City, with tipoff at 9:00 p.m. Central.
“I thought the young guys coming in changed the game with their defense,” Fred VanVleet says of Houston’s rookies. “They definitely gave us a big spark.”
HOUSTON — Rockets head coach Ime Udoka paced the sidelines early in Friday’s first quarter, as he watched his starting lineup replicate the same type of lethargic chemistry and execution they had displayed in a terrible 127-105 loss at New Orleans a night earlier.
The Suns, who were also playing on night two of a back-to-back, opened with an early offensive burst that made the Rockets look like they were running through mud on both ends of the floor.
Midway through the first quarter, Phoenix had taken a 16-point lead while holding Houston to just six points. Udoka had seen enough of the slow start and knew that he needed some type of energy boost to revitalize Houston’s offense, along with the Toyota Center crowd.
As he looked down the bench, he knew he had two players, rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, who are the equivalent of human energy drinks. Upon entering, they were able to put the Suns on their heels as they got up and down the court, applying pressure by getting into the paint and making play after play.
First, it was a Thompson layup. Then, a Whitmore layup. Thompson brought the crowd to its feet with a fast-break dunk — and then, a few possessions later, Whitmore brought them out of their seats again by making a 3-pointer from 27 feet. That trimmed what had been a 22-6 deficit to 24-18, and Houston was back in the game.
It was just what Udoka and the rest of the Rockets (25-31) needed to help put them on track to a 114-110 victory over the Suns (33-24). It came as no surprise to Houston’s head coach, or the rest of the team, that the two rookies selected in the first round of the 2023 draft are starting to get acclimated to the pace of NBA games.
Thompson’s defense and offense were a big spark for Houston, as he finished the game with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Whitmore chipped in with 15 points off the bench, as well.
With forward Dillon Brooks in foul trouble for most of the game, Udoka used Thompson’s versatility by playing him frequently at small forward. It’s not that unusual for the athletic 21-year-old, who can play every position but center. Thompson matched up with superstars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker numerous times, and he even got a blocked shot on 7-foot-2 reserve forward Bol Bol.
“You can see everything starting to slow down for them,” Udoka said of Thompson and Whitmore after Wednesday’s practice. “The experiences they are starting to lean on as they go. When you are 50 games in, I don’t look at you as a rookie anymore. So, they have learned from certain things and been through it all a little bit.”
The energy and ferocity that Thompson and Whitmore brought to the game rubbed off on the starters, as they increased the tempo and continued to push the pace for the rest of the game.
“We played too slow and not aggressive starting off,” said guard Fred VanVleet, who finished as Houston’s top scorer with 23 points.
“They (Suns) were able to feel their way in and get their rhythm,” VanVleet said. “So, I thought the young guys coming in off the bench changed the game with their defense, and we got steals and stops, and we were able to play in transition. That is when we are at our best. So, they definitely gave us a big spark.”
One night after struggling massively in the paint, Jabari Smith Jr. (22 points, 16 rebounds) and the Rockets flipped the script in Friday’s gritty win over Phoenix.
HOUSTON — One night after the Rockets were bullied inside in a blowout loss, second-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. responded with one of the strongest games of his career in Friday’s 114-110 win (box score) over the visiting Phoenix Suns (33-24). Houston (25-31) is now 20-9 in home games at Toyota Center this season.
Smith finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 steals, representing the first 20-15 game of his young career. Houston, which entered with six losses in its last seven games, recovered from a 22-6 deficit in the game’s early minutes to dramatically turn the tables.
The Rockets connected on 15-of-45 shots from 3-point range (33.3%) on Friday, which proved decisive on a night in which the visiting Suns shot only 7-of-31 from distance (22.6%). Smith (3), Jalen Green (3), and Fred VanVleet (6) led Houston in 3-point makes.
Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore each scored 15 points off Houston’s bench, while Thompson added 10 rebounds in his 33 minutes. The rookie duo combined to shoot 11-of-22 overall (50.0%).
Beyond Smith and the rookies, who all contributed on both ends of the court, other standout statistical lines for the Rockets included:
Sengun hit 5-of-6 last-minute free throws (83.3%) to secure the win.
On defense, Thompson was a big factor in limiting Suns star Devin Booker to an inefficient 25 points on 7-of-24 shooting (29.2%), including 0-of-4 on 3-pointers. Kevin Durant, also an All-Star, led the visitors with 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists while shooting 10-of-22 (45.5%) — though he hit just 1-of-7 from 3-point range (14.3%).
Bol Bol, a sparingly used 7-foot-3 forward, had the best game of his young career off the Phoenix bench, finishing with 25 points and 14 rebounds in 27 minutes while making 11-of-17 shots (64.7%).
Here’s our look at Friday’s highlights and postgame interviews, along with reaction by media members and fans. Next up for the Rockets is a home-and-home pair of games with Oklahoma City (38-17), with the first coming Sunday in Houston. Tipoff is at 6:00 p.m. Central.
Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore will be available to play on Thursday after missing the last three games.
Houston Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore will be available to play when the team resumes action on Thursday, according to Adam Spolane of SportsRadio 610.
Whitmore missed the last three games before the All-Star break due to a sprained right ankle sustained on Feb. 9 in a loss to the Toronto Raptors. He practiced on Wednesday and is expected to suit up for the Rockets on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Rockets are also expected to get Fred VanVleet back in the lineup. He missed the team’s last five games due to a left adductor strain and will be available to play versus the Pelicans.
Ime Udoka said Cam Whitmore will play in New Orleans as well. Tari Eason’s status will be updated after he gets examined today https://t.co/lGHl7nRUk7
Whitmore was in the midst of his best stretch of the season prior to the injury, averaging 17.4 points and 4.7 rebounds on 41.4% shooting from 3-point range over his last nine games. He scored in double figures in seven straight games in that span.
#Rockets regulars Fred VanVleet and Cam Whitmore are cleared to return from their injuries after the All-Star break, but Tari Eason remains sidelined.
After using the extended All-Star break to rest, starting point guard Fred VanVleet (left adductor strain) and valuable bench scorer Cam Whitmore (right ankle sprain) will both rejoin the Rockets when Houston resumes its schedule on Thursday night in New Orleans.
VanVleet missed Houston’s five games leading into the break, and the Rockets went 1-4 in those games. Whitmore satg out the final three. When combining the All-Star break with their absence leading into it, VanVleet had more than two weeks of rest before Wednesday’s team practice, while Whitmore had just under two weeks.
VanVleet said he had no limitations and would be available for both ends of Houston’s upcoming back-to-back — on Thursday against the Pelicans followed by Friday at home versus Phoenix.
The news was less optimistic for second-year forward Tari Eason, who has had off-and-on issues throughout the regular season since suffering a stress reaction in his lower left leg during the preseason. Eason hasn’t played since an apparent flareup following Houston’s Jan. 1 game, and he did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.
Head coach Ime Udoka said more on Eason’s status would be known later in the day after seeing results from medical imaging. The team is hopeful that extended time off could make a return realistic, but testing results will reveal whether enough progress has been made.
“I’m excited,” Rockets GM Rafael Stone says of rookie guard Cam Whitmore. “I think he’s flashed really, really high-end offensive talent.”
In last Monday’s press conference to wrap up the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline, Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone addressed a wide range of subjects related to transactions and beyond.
One of those discussion topics was rookie swingman Cam Whitmore, who has come on strongly in recent weeks.
Drafted at No. 20 overall in the 2023 first round out of Villanova, he averaged 18.1 points (47.2% FG, 42.3% on 3-pointers) and 4.8 rebounds in only 20.8 minutes over his last eight games.
Regarding Whitmore’s play, Stone said:
We’re excited about Cam. He can score the ball and we knew he was the type of athlete he showed on the court, that was pretty obvious. But I’m excited. I think he’s flashed really, really high-end offensive talent. And a lot of the stuff we’ve asked of him defensively, he’s working on. And so again, just like the rest of our group, it needs to translate. It needs to be every game, every possession.
Whitmore missed Houston’s final three games before the All-Star break with a right ankle sprain. But he’s expected to be healthy when the Rockets resume play on Thursday in New Orleans.
Complete video of Stone’s press conference is available below.
Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2023-24 season.
The regular season is past the trade deadline and approaching NBA All-Star Weekend, with the top players in the game set to compete in various events in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The crop of rookies continues to perform well this season, resulting in some remarkable performances of late. Led by Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson and others, they have captured national attention and have been fascinating at times.
[lawrence-related id=99704]
The class will be represented in the Rising Stars game, as 11 first-year players will participate in the revamped exhibition. Including 10 sophomores, and seven players from the G League, the game will feature the top up-and-coming players.
To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but to illustrate the best players week to week.
Alperen Sengun (lower back) and Cam Whitmore (right ankle) each missed Saturday’s Rockets-Hawks game, but neither injury appears serious, per Ime Udoka.
Alperen Sengun (lower back pain) and Cam Whitmore (right ankle sprain) each missed Saturday’s Rockets-Hawks game in Atlanta, but neither injury appears serious, per head coach Ime Udoka.
With Sengun and Whitmore out, candidates for increased minutes include a veteran trio: Jeff Green, Reggie Bullock and Jae’Sean Tate.
Udoka addressed the injuries pregame, as captured by Space City Home Network, Houston’s regional television broadcast partner:
I don’t think Cam’s (injury) is long term. We’re obviously on the back-to-back, and with the travel it swelled up a little bit, but I wouldn’t say it’s anything severe … that’s going to keep him out long term.
Alpi had some tightness in the Minnesota and Indiana games, a little bit, and it got worse last game (in Toronto). It’s something that kind of built up, and the back-to-back affected that, as well.
Udoka confirmed both injuries are considered day-to-day. Whitmore briefly attempted to play on his ankle sprain in Friday’s second half before exiting for good. Sengun has evidently struggled with back tightness throughout the four-game road trip.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3L2nuqB4NW/
Sengun, Houston’s third-year starting center, leads the Rockets in average points (21.3), rebounds (9.3) and shooting percentage (54.1%) this season. Whitmore, a rookie wing, has come on in recent weeks with averages of 18.1 points (47.2% FG, 42.3% on 3-pointers) and 4.8 rebounds in 20.8 minutes over his last eight outings.
Neither player has been ruled out for Houston’s next game, which takes place Monday night at home versus New York.
The Rockets were also without starting point guard Fred VanVleet (left adductor strain) and Tari Eason (left lower leg injury management) on Saturday. VanVleet missed his fourth straight game and Eason his 21st. Though both are expected to return in the near future, a timeline is unclear.
The Rockets are now a woeful 5-19 on the road this season, and the loss of Cam Whitmore (right ankle sprain) added injury to insult in Toronto.
On the third stop of a four-game road trip, the turnover-prone Rockets (22 total) delivered one of their worst performances of the season in Friday’s 107-104 loss (box score) at Toronto. After trailing by as many as 22 points in the third quarter, Houston’s late comeback bid came up just short, just as it did in the previous game at Indiana.
The Raptors (19-33), led by 25 points from Immanuel Quickley, dealt Houston (23-29) its fourth straight road loss.
Cam Whitmore scored 17 points in just over 17 minutes, shooting 5-of-9 overall (55.6%) and 3-of-5 from 3-point range (60.0%). But fittingly, on a night where so many things went wrong for the Rockets, Whitmore left in the second half and couldn’t continue due to a right ankle sprain — which he suffered late in the first half during a controversial no-call sequence that didn’t go Houston’s way.
The Rockets did not immediately offer a timetable for Whitmore’s return, but his availability for Saturday’s game in Atlanta — which takes place less than 24 hours from the injury — is in doubt.
For better or for worse, other notable stat lines included:
Dillon Brooks: 20 points, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers in 30 minutes; 6-of-13 shooting (46.2%), 4-of-5 on 3-pointers (80.0%)
Jabari Smith Jr.: 12 points, 11 rebounds in 33 minutes; 5-of-11 shooting (45.5%), 2-of-6 on 3-pointers (33.3%)
Jalen Green: 7 points, 2 rebounds, 4 turnovers in 22 minutes; 3-of-11 shooting (27.3%), 1-of-5 on 3-pointers (20.0%)
Aaron Holiday: 12 points, 5 assists in 30 minutes; 5-of-13 shooting (38.5%), 2-of-8 on 3-pointers (25.0%)
Jeff Green: 11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists in 27 minutes; 3-of-11 shooting (27.3%), 1-of-6 on 3-pointers (16.7%), 4-of-5 on free throws (80.0%)
Neither Jalen Green nor Sengun were part of Houston’s closing lineup. Sengun struggled to handle Raptors big man Jakob Poeltl, who had with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 blocked shots while shooting 7-of-11 from the field (63.6%). It was a dramatic reversal from when Sengun had his way inside during last week’s meeting.
Houston routed Toronto in that Feb. 2 game, but that was at home, where the Rockets are 18-9 this season. They are a staggering 5-19 on the road, and that discrepancy is a big part of why they’ve fallen to No. 12 in the Western Conference standings, with a potential run to the play-in tournament becoming increasingly unlikely.
Another factor in their recent regression is injuries. Fred VanVleet (left adductor strain) and Tari Eason (left lower leg injury management) both remained sidelined, although there is hope that each could return within the next few days. The Rockets are now 0-5 in the 2023-24 season without VanVleet and 11-18 without Eason.
Here’s our look at Friday’s highlights and postgame interviews from Toronto, along with reaction by media members and fans. As the road trip finally concludes, next up for Houston is Saturday’s game at Atlanta (22-29), where tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. Central.
