With three weeks officially in the books, it appears as though players are beginning to feel the rigors of the NBA season. More guys are getting banged up each week and some have missed time as a result.
When it comes to the rookie class so far, some players are starting to heat up while others are regressing after a hot start to open up the year. The fascinating part about this crop of first-year players, though, is there have been some players emerge seemingly out of nowhere to gain notoriety and perform well in the early going.
Rookie Wire will compile the rankings of the five best players each week based on how they performed on the court. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the top-performing players week to week.
Here are the Rookie Wire Power Rankings for Week 3:
Week 1 Power Rankings | Week 2 Power Rankings
All stats are through games played on Nov. 12
5. Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies
Stats: 11.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 1 assist
Rank Last Week: N/A
While Brandon Clarke is still just ninth among rookies in scoring, the 21st overall pick has really emerged over the past week or so. He is averaging 15 points and six rebounds over his last three games and is shooting a blistering 69.2% from the field. In fact, his 60% field-goal percentage on the season ranks fifth in the NBA among all players. He went a perfect 7-of-7 from the field on Nov. 6 for 18 points and shot 6-of-7 two games later on Monday for 14 points. Clarke is taking shots he is most comfortable with and is rarely forcing things. He may not shoot 60% all season long but if he continues taking good shots and doesn’t it, he should have a strong first year with the Grizzlies.
4. R.J. Barrett, Knicks
Stats: 16 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.4 steals
Rank Last Week: 2
Prior to recording 21 points on Tuesday night, R.J. Barrett had struggled over his previous two games, recording just 12 combined points on just 25% (5-of-20) shooting from the field. His workload remains astronomical this season with the Knicks and doesn’t appear to be slowing down, at least as long as David Fizdale is running the show. Barrett started off the season strong but has since struggled with his efficiency from all over the court — the mid-range, 3-pointers and at the rim. Given his workload and role in the offense as the main option, Barrett could see his inconsistent play continue until he breaks out of his slump but it shouldn’t take away from the fact that he has been an exciting player to watch this season.
Exhibit A:
3. Eric Paschall, Warriors
Stats: 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Rank Last Week: 4
As the Warriors continue to struggle, Eric Paschall has been among the few bright spots thus far this season. After dealing with so many injuries, 11 players have missed at least one game this season, the Warriors have been forced to rely on Paschall. He has responded by averaging 15.6 points per game, good for fourth among rookies. He was forced to miss a game recently due to a hip injury but he returned on Monday to score eight points and six rebounds in a losing effort. Touted as a player that could contribute now, Paschall has shown that he has the potential to go off during games as evident by his career-high 34-point performance on Nov. 4. While the Warriors could miss the playoffs this season, the emergence of Paschall has been encouraging for the future.
2. Kendrick Nunn, Heat
Stats: 16.9 points, 2.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds, 1.6 steals
Rank Last Week: 3
The undrafted Kendrick Nunn continues to show that he belongs near the top of the rookie class this year. On Tuesday, Nunn helped the Heat overcome several injuries, including one to rookie teammate Tyler Herro, by scoring 20 points in a 117-108 win over the Detroit Pistons, shooting 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Nunn ranks second in scoring among rookies, just trailing Ja Morant. Nunn had been a bit quiet over his previous five games but bounced back in a big way on Tuesday and continues to be an under-the-radar player on the verge of a strong season.
1. Ja Morant, Grizzlies
Stats: 17.8 points, 5.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1 steal
Rank Last Week: 1
Since erupting for 26 points on Nov. 6, Ja Morant has struggled some over his last two games but the second overall pick has been sensational for the Grizzlies this season. After that game, Morant became the first player since Michael Jordan during the 1984-85 season to average at least 20 points and five assists on 50% shooting through his first seven career games. His numbers have dropped a tad since then but Morant is still first among rookies in scoring and perhaps the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year at this point. Of course, there is still plenty of basketball left to be played but Morant is showing his potential early on this season.
Honorable Mention:
P.J. Washington, Hornets: 13.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals
While P.J. Washington dropped out from our Week 2 rankings, the 11th overall selection had a solid week for the Hornets and is still sixth in rookie scoring. He still leads the class among qualified players in 3-point shooting at 48.6% and is second in rebounding and third in steals. He is getting it done on both ends of the floor given his versatility and has proven to be fun to watch this season.
Rui Hachimura, Wizards: 13.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Rui Hachimura is coming off one of his finest performances of the season after recording 21 points and seven rebounds on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He has battled through consistency issues — he went scoreless in 20 minutes on Nov. 6 — but has shown to have a short memory to bounce back the next night. Still, he has been one of the most entertaining rookies to this point.
Tyler Herro, Heat: 13.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists
The Heat rookie did not play Tuesday due to a sprained ankle but he has had a solid season to this point. Perhaps most impressive is Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke very highly of him recently after saying he has seen improvement from Herro in each game. Herro has also drawn praise from his teammates for his work ethic, something that will only carry Herro in the future.
On the Rise:
Coby White, Bulls: 12.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists
After hitting seven 3-pointers alone in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night, it shouldn’t be a surprise White is on the rise. His burst gave him the highest scoring average among rookies over the past week and he will certainly try to continue that moving forward.
Cameron Johnson, Suns: 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds
Suns head coach Monty Williams recently shortened his rotation, which has led to more playing time for Johnson. He has scored in double figures in back-to-back games for the first time this season and is coming off of an 11-point performance against the Lakers on Tuesday.
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