If you watched any hoops on Christmas Day while you were unwrapping presents and eating food then you probably thought to yourself on more than one occasion, “Man, that rookie is amazing.” There were three rookies who had standout performances on one of the league’s most important days on the schedule, and while the stars still took center stage, the performance from some of these first-year guys shows how the NBA is in really good hands for years to come. All three of them are featured in this week’s Rookie Rankings, but who else stood out?
Keep in mind that these rankings will reflect a rookie’s performance on a week-to-week basis only, not the collective season. These aren’t Rookie of the Year standings, but rather a reflection on what the player has done over the past week. With that straightened out, here is a look at the top five performers from the NBA’s freshman class:
Christmas Day games are typically reserved for the superstars of the league. It’s one of the most important days on the NBA’s calendar, as it’s really the first time many fans tune in to watch basketball as the NFL begins winding down toward the postseason. And while the stars certainly showed out this Christmas — hello Luka Doncic’s 50-point barnburner — a round of applause should be given to Jaquez, who had a game-high 31 points on Christmas against a Joel Embiid-less 76ers team. Jaquez got the start as Jimmy Butler also missed the day’s festivities with a calf injury, and to say he took full advantage of the situation would be an understatement.
I’ve said it multiple times now, but he…
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