2017 Drafted Rookie Tracker

[LakersSoul]

With two of the top rookies around in Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma, I wanted to start a thread on the 2017 drafted rookies to give a fair comparison for them. This is a thread to talk and show how other rookies that are not performing well but are not scrutinized for every single play as much as Lonzo but have had really bad games or are not even getting into games, let alone starting.

Right now Kuzma is performing at a super high level and has been one of the most consistent rookies, if not the best, from the 2017 draft along with Tatum and Lauri Markkanen. The other players that have flashed brilliant performances but inconsistently are DMitchell from Utah, DSJ from Dallas and Lonzo Ball from the Lakers.

Draft order:

1. Fultz - Philly
2. Lonzo - Lakers
3. Tatum - Celts
4. JJackson - Suns
5. Fox - Sacramento
6. Isaac - Orlando
7. Markkanen - Bulls
8. Ntilikina - Knicks
9. DSJ - Dallas
10. ZCollins - Portland
11. Monk - Hornets
12. Kennard - Pistons
13. DMitchell - Utah Jazz
14. Adebayo - Heats

[LakersSoul]

Rookie top performers (Nov 18):

Good Game:
Tatum: 14 points, 7 rebs, 4 steals
J.Collins: 18 points, 7 rebs (7-8 shooting)

So-So Game:
DMitchell: 12 points, 6 rebs

Bad Game:
Monk DNP
DJ Wilson: 3 min, no impact
DSJ: 5 points, 4 rebs, 4 to (2-8 shooting)
Z.Collins: 2 mins, no impact

J.Collins had a solid night hitting 7 out of 8 shots for Atlanta. Tatum has been one of the most consistent rookies and he had another good outing. All other top rookies were soso to no impact tonight.

[LakersSoul]

Also as a guide and comparison to Brandon Ingram...

Did you know or remember when BI was considered a bust and couldnt make a damn shot? In fact, BI played 58 games before the AS game as a rookie.

- BI only scored in double digits in 18 out of 58 games
- BI had only 4 games when he scored more than 15 points, and
- BI had ZERO games where he scored over 17 points.

- BI ended the season averaging 9.4 points and 4.0 rebounds on the year
- BI shot .294% from 3.

The season average numbers are with a big improvements after the AS game. Now BI is much improved after 1 year averaging 14.7 and 5.2 on the early season. BI's 3 point shot has improved from 29.4% to 31.8%.

Do you guys remember? Some were even saying he is a bust and we should ship him. But Magic called him untouchable.

[Landsberger]

Isn't Simmons a "rookie" officially? He's a few steps ahead of everyone else at this point I'd say.

Comparing stats is always a risky way of assessing value. Different situations and different team needs come into play.

The 2017 crop is showing pretty well. Kuzma has to be the biggest surprise and so far I'd list Ball as a disappointment... not necessarily on his performances (which have been spotty at best) but more on the hype machine/media overload.

The comparison to BI is one side of it. Looking at Simmons is another. He's been better overall than BI from game one. So again, I'm not reading too much into that either. He's got an outside chance at averaging a triple double as a rookie or at least putting up better numbers than Magic did in his rookie season. Think about that for a second.

[gts1]

yes.. Simmons is a rookie...

[LakersSoul]

Tracking 2017 drafted rookies:

Rookie top performers (Nov 19):

Superb Game:
Lonzo Ball: 11 points, 16 rebs, 11 assists (Triple Double) with a +29
Markkenan: 26 points, 13 rebounds (10-18)

Good Game:
Kuzma: 17 points, 3 rebounds

So-So Game:
Josh Jackson: 7 points, 7 rebs, 4 assists

Bad/No Impact Game:
Anunoby 5 points
Adebayo: Trash time 8 minutes for 4 points
Kennard: 10 minutes, 2 points


Lonzo Ball with the triple double and Markkenan with a great 26 points. Kuzma had a good game and Josh Jackson had an okay game. Thats about it with 12 teams playing today.

[LakersSoul]

Tracking 2017 drafted rookies:

Rookie top performers (Nov 20):

Great Game:
JCollins: 21 points, 9 rebs (10-12 shooting)

Good Game:
DMitchell: 17 points, 5 assists, 4 rebs (1-7 from 3)
Tatum: 15 points, 9 rebounds

So-So Game:
Fox: 12 points, 5 assists, 3 turnovers (-9)

Bad/No Impact Game:
DSJ: 4-16, 8 points (0-4 from 3)
Kennard: 5 points in garbage time
Monk: 1 minute, 0 points
Ntilikina: 11 minutes, 0 points, 4 turnovers
ZCollins: DNP
DJ WIlson: DNP


Other than JCollins of Atlanta, DMitch and Tatum had good games. The rest of the 2017 high drafted players DNP or had minimum impact playing garbage minutes or had a poor night.

Not a bad rookie duo for the Lakers in Lonzo and Kuzma. If you look at the big picture and see how many rookies are actually struggling or having no impact, you can appreciate the level of play of both Lonzo and Kuzma. BTW, the #1 pick is still 2-3 weeks away from recovering from injury.

[M0nkey]

nice thread bro!

i don't even have to check box score to box score to check on the other rookies. wow!

[Tee212]

kd shot 28% 3p his rookie year just sayin...even with all this height advantage/form and mechanics...you still struggle.

[LakersSoul]

Tracking 2017 drafted rookies:

Rookie top performers (Nov 21):

Great/Good Game:
Kuzma: 22 points, 5 assists (7-15 shooting)

So-So Game:
Lonzo: 8 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists (+14)
Markkanen: 13 points, 14 rebounds, 4 turnovers (4-17 shooting)


Quiet day with 1 game today.

Kuzma kept the Lakers in the game and had a team high 22 points.
Lonzo started real poorly but then the rebounding kept him active to have a so-so game.
Markkanen started cold as well then heated up a bit but probably played the worst of the 3 in terms of impact.

[LakersSoul]

Tracking 2017 drafted rookies:

Rookie top performers (Nov 22):

Good Game:
Tatum - 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
JCollins - 14 points (7-9 shooting), 10 rebounds
Kuzma - 17 points, 7-17 shooting
Lonzo - 11 points, 11 assists, 7 rebs, 4 for 8 shooting (3 for 5 from 3 point range)
Fox - 13 points (5 for 11), 4 rebs, 3 assists but 5 turnovers

So-So Game:
Ntilikina - 7 points, 16 minutes
DSJ - 17 points (7-20 shooting), 3 assists, -6

Bad/No Impact Game:
Monk - DNP
Adebayo - DNP
ZCollins - 3 minutes of trash time
OAnunoby - 16 minutes, 3 points
DJ Wilson - 1 minute played
Josh Jackson - 17 minutes, 5 points, 4 rebs
Markkanen - 3 points, 1 for 9 shooting, 7 rebs
DMitchell - 4 points, 1 for 10 shooting, 7 assists


Tatum, JCollins (atlanta), Kuzma, Ball and Fox had good games. Most of the star-studded rookie class had a horrible game including ROY candidates in Markkanen and DMitchell. Both made 1 shot out of 9 and 10 attempts (and I bet GB is not talking trash about them). Many other top rookies DNP or played during garbage minutes which includes Monk, Adebayo, ZCollins and Wilson. The #1 pick, Fultz, is still out with injury.

[Landsberger]

Why just "Drafted Rookies"? Why not eligible rookies? We all count Randle's time starting in his second year.

[gts1]

Why just "Drafted Rookies"? Why not eligible rookies? We all count Randle's time starting in his second year.

good question... Leaving Simmons out of a rookie comparison is odd considering he's killing it right now.. if you want to compare your guys against others seems silly to leave the best one of the bunch out of the discussion

[LakersSoul]

Why just "Drafted Rookies"? Why not eligible rookies? We all count Randle's time starting in his second year.

good question... Leaving Simmons out of a rookie comparison is odd considering he's killing it right now.. if you want to compare your guys against others seems silly to leave the best one of the bunch out of the discussion

This thread wasnt meant to follow the ROY candidacy. Unless Simmons gets hurt, he will win that award without question.

With all the concern for Lonzo here and in the GB, I wanted a thread to showcase our rookies against other 2017 drafted rookies and the path each are taking to get the bigger picture perspective on a rookie's journey in the NBA.

[Michael Lucky]

The draft class has been pretty underwhelming so far. Hopefully some of these guys make strides starting the new year.

[LakersSoul]

Tracking 2017 drafted rookies:

Rookie top performers (Nov 24):

Good Game:
JCollins - 13 points (6-10 shooting), 5 rebounds
Josh Jax - 14 points, (6-15 shooting), 5 rebs in a blowout

So-So Game:
Ntilikina - 5 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assist, 15 minutes
Tatum - 11 points, 2 rebounds in a laugher
Anunoby - 8 points, 3-5 shooting, 27 minutes
Markkanen - 14 points, 4-16 shooting, 6 rebounds

Bad/No Impact Game:
Z.Collins - DNP
Isaac - DNP/Injury
Adebayo - DNP
Monk - 3 minutes, 0 points
Kennard - 1-5 shooting, 3 points
Leaf - 0 points, 7 minutes
Fultz - Injury

No great performers today. JCollins with another good game and a long needed okay game from Josh Jackson but their team lost by 24 points. Everyone else had a soso game or no impact on the team. Our two rookies, Lonzo and Kuzma, are really outperforming most of the 2017 drafted rookie class.

[ROballer]

Jordan Bell

7 pts 6 reb 4 ast 2 stl 6 blk

[LakersSoul]

Jordan Bell

7 pts 6 reb 4 ast 2 stl 6 blk

Yeah. Lot of fans wanted the Lakers to pick Bell with a second round pick. Oddly enough, Bell got the start today against Chicago who sold his rights to GSW.

Bell is a second round pick so even though I like him and Ojeleye, I think the thread will mainly cover the 1st rounders but please post any other picks or players stats as you wish here.

[LakersSoul]

Tracking 2017 drafted rookies:

Rookie top performers (Nov 25):

Superb Game:
DMitchell - 24 points, 9-16 shooting, 4 assists, 4 rebs

Good Game:
DSJ - 15 points, 6-14 shooting, -16 team worst, 4 turnovers
Anunoby - 11 points, 4-4 shooting

So-So Game:
Tatum - 11 points, 4-10 shooting

Bad/No Impact Game:
Fox - 4 points, 2-9 shooting
Z.Collins - DNP
JCollins - 20 min, 4 points
Ntilikina - 2 points, 15 minutes, -27 (ouch)
Isaac - DNP/Injury
Monk - 4 points, 1-3 shooting, 17 minutes
Leaf - DNP
Fultz - Injury

DMitchell had another strong game going for 24 points in the win over the Bucks. That was about it for the rookies. DSJ and Anunoby had okay to good games with Tatum a quiet game. All the other including Fox, JCollins, Ntilikina, Monk all stunk it up today. That is the norm for rookies just like when Lonzo would have an off night.

[LakersSoul]

The 3 point % is a bit dated but this tweet shows what other 2017 rookies are doing (everyone is a bit higher now including Lonzo who is 25% now)...

Read on Twitter