There are several factors happening now which make it increasingly difficult for young players to adapt to and shine early on in their NBA careers.
Each season, we are seeing rookie classes -- even acclaimed ones like this group -- struggle more than ever. The AAU circuit has turned into veritable All-Star teams playing one-on-one against each other. The college game has slowed to a trickle, with each team seemingly grinding out possessions in search of a perfect shot. Then the NBA game takes everything to a new level of play, where ball sharing, playing away from crowds, multiple rules for dependent actions and incredibly accurate scouting analytics (plus video digested in eight-second chunks) are the norm. The learning curve leaves rookies in a daze.
This season there has been an added problem: Injuries. They are taking a toll on some standout players such as Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon, Kostas Papanikolaou, Marcus Smart and Julius Randle. However, as evidenced by great players such as John Wall, James Harden and Stephen Curry (and many others), average beginnings should not rule out eventual stardom.
In fact, the top 10 rookies have all shown glimpses of greatness that offer hope they'll become impact players during their careers. These are the gifts that keep them in rotations despite their many mistakes.
1. Jabari Parker | PF | Milwaukee Bucks
Prior to his season-ending ACL injury, Parker had been the best rookie player and was doing so on a solid team that was not easy to defeat. He deserves to be No. 1 for another week.
There are many ways a young player can prove his future value to a team. Displaying immediate skills as a rim protector, rebounder, passer or shooter can benefit young players even when their overall production is limited. Above all those valuable skills, however, is being a great scorer, and Parker certainly looks like he is the leader of the clubhouse in that key category.
He can overpower smaller forwards and outmaneuver larger ones, while adding a hot motor to the mix on a consistent basis. Parker has good body control, a very valuable skill when trying to finish in transition against a defender who is waiting for a mistake. Losing weight and transforming his body has paid big dividends. Of course his knee injury, and the subsequent surgery and rehab, will put a big question mark on that body as he tries to get back on the court next season.