This is one of the most recognizable rookie classes in recent memory, with players like Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum and Lonzo Ball leading the charge. But what you may not know is that it's also one of the deepest classes we've seen in some time.
Most rookies aren't like Simmons, Mitchell and Tatum -- leading their respective teams to the playoffs -- and not all are fortunate enough to play in a major market like Ball and Kyle Kuzma. So we wanted to make sure that all those other guys didn't get left behind. Just because they don't get the headlines every night doesn't mean that they're not having really good rookie seasons.
Instead of the usual rookie rankings, we decided to rank the best under-the-radar rookies in this year's class. Some are unsung heroes on good teams like OG Anunoby and Bam Adebayo, but most are on teams that are part of this season's tankathon, so you probably haven't paid much attention to them or even seen them play more than a handful of times.
Here are the under-the-radar rookies you should know, since some of them might be stars as soon as next season.
| 1 | 
Lauri Markkanen
Chicago Bulls PF
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Season stats: 15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists Unless you're an absolute die-hard Bulls fan, you probably haven't spent much time watching Markkanen play this season -- and we can't really blame you. But the Finnish 7-footer arrived way ahead of schedule in his rookie season, leading his team in rebounding and finishing in the top five among all rookies in scoring. Markkanen showed great potential as a stretch-five by shooting 35 percent on 3-pointers this season, but it was his ability to score in other ways that should have Chicago really excited. He went toe-to-toe with Kristaps Porzingis in a 33-point outburst at MSG back in January, a game in which he flashed a killer instinct that could eventually help turn him into a franchise player for the baby Bulls. | |
| 2 | 
OG Anunoby
Toronto Raptors SF
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Season stats: 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.7 steals This year's rookie poster boy for "stats don't tell the whole story," Anunoby forced his way into the Raptors' starting lineup in November and hasn't looked back. He's freed up All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry by often defending the toughest perimeter player on the opposing team, which has led to a plus-9.8 net rating for Anunoby this season, tops among rookies who play 19 minutes or more per game. He's shot a respectable 36 percent on 3-pointers, which allows him to stay on the floor without being an offensive liability. Anunoby deserves credit he doesn't always receive for seamlessly fitting into one of the league's most effective five-man units. | |
| 3 | 
John Collins
Atlanta Hawks PF
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Season stats: 10.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks Collins' NBA-ready athleticism translated right away for the lowly Hawks, as he became a per-36-minute stat machine early in the season. His future in the league is as a center, which could be problematic since he struggles with on-ball defense against bigger players. However, he's quick enough to switch onto smaller guards in the pick-and-roll, and there really aren't many big men who are going to take him to the torture chamber in the post. Offensively, Collins is already an elite finisher around the basket, and has made 15 3-pointers this season while shooting 35 percent, a sign that he could start to stretch the floor more regularly next year. | |
| 4 | 
Dennis Smith Jr.
Dallas Mavericks PG
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Season stats: 15.2 points, 5.1 assists, 3.8 rebounds Smith had an insane usage rate (second only to Donovan Mitchell) for a terrible Mavericks team, so he probably didn't get the hype he might have gotten elsewhere. He was inconsistent and inefficient as he tested the limits of his elite athleticism, but he had moments where he showed just how special he can be. We're not saying he's going to develop into Russell Westbrook, but Smith and Russ had nearly identical rookie seasons statistically, including the horrid 3-point shooting. Westbrook worked his tail off to turn himself into an MVP, and Smith will have to do the same -- but the potential is certainly there. | |
| 5 | 
Josh Jackson
Phoenix Suns SG
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Season stats: 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals There weren't many reasons to watch the Suns this season, but Jackson was definitely one of them. It's been fun to track his development from a bull in a china shop early this year to the Suns' leading scorer over the past few weeks. He still lacks significant polish on the offensive end, but he plays hard and has found a way to affect the game on both sides of the ball despite being surrounded by questionable talent. He also tweaked his jump shot slightly mid-season, eliminating a problematic hitch. Watch these two jumpers, the first from October and the second from Saturday's loss to the Warriors, and notice the difference in the smoothness of the release. The change in form didn't produce immediate results, but will likely start to bear fruit next season after a summer in the gym and the weight room. | |
| 6 | 
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Sacramento Kings SG
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Season stats: 11.9 points, 3.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds The Kings had three rookie guards this season, and Bogdanovic turned in the best season of all of them. He has a leg up on the others because of his age (he turned 25 before the season), but Bogi proved that he, at the very least, is going to be able to stretch the floor as a shooter -- something the Kings have desperately craved for years. He also showed playmaking ability that will allow him to alternate between both guard positions and add some versatility to the Kings' lineups moving forward. | |
| 7 | 
De'Aaron Fox
Sacramento Kings PG
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Season stats: 11.4 points, 4.4 assists, 2.7 rebounds Fox had a lot of hype coming into last June's draft, but in his rookie season he struggled in pretty much all the areas we expected. His jumper needs work (30 percent 3-pointers) and he had trouble finishing in traffic due to his 175-pound frame, but Fox showed end-of-game bravado that you just can't teach. He won or tied games in the final seconds on a putback dunk, a free throw jumper and a baseline floater this season, showing poise well beyond his 20 years on this Earth. | |
| 8 | 
Jarrett Allen
Brooklyn Nets C
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Season stats: 8.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks Allen might be the most surprising rookie of the season, simply because coach Kenny Atkinson said he envisioned him spending most of this season in the G League. Instead Allen has become the Nets' starting center, and he's proven that he's more than ready for the task. Allen's progress has been remarkable in such a short period of time, particularly given the fact that he's still only 19 years old. He's an agile, 6-foot-11 big man who will only get better as he gains strength and experience. | |
| 9 | 
Bam Adebayo
Miami Heat C
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Season stats: 6.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists Adebayo has fallen out of the rotation for the time being in Miami, but he showed us everything we needed to see while filling in for Hassan Whiteside in the starting lineup earlier this season. You couldn't build a more prototypical modern NBA center -- quick, athletic, able to catch lobs on offense and switch defensively with relative ease -- and he's stolen fourth-quarter minutes from Whiteside at times this season. Adebayo averaged 7.4 points, and 7.1 rebounds in 19 starts, and we're going to be seeing a lot more of him in the future with the Heat -- not bad for a guy who was considered a reach when Miami took him 14th overall in last June's draft. | |
| 10 | 
Luke Kennard
Detroit Pistons SG
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Season stats: 7.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists While Kennard has other facets to his game, he was brought into this league primarily for one reason -- to shoot the basketball. With that as the gauge, you can only deem the Duke product's rookie year as a success. He's knocked down an elite 40 percent of his 3-pointers and is among the league leaders in spot-up shooting (1.215 points per possession) per Synergy, so he will be a crucial floor-spreading piece to the Andre Drummond-Blake Griffin core that the Pistons have committed themselves to. Kennard plays with poise and has picture-perfect shooting mechanics, so it's easy to see him becoming a staple in the starting lineup next season. | |
