Top 10 NBA Rookies 2022 Rankings

Here are the Top 10 best rookies in the NBA for the 2021-2022 season

By admin | May 23, 2022

One of the most exciting parts of an entire NBA season is watching the NBA rookie class develop into the future of the league.

The same can be said for the 2021-2022 NBA season as the 2021 draft class put together some solid success while also watching a few of the young stars making their rookie appearance during the biggest stage of the NBA season, the NBA Playoffs.

Three of those young stars included Bones Hyland, Herbert Jones, and Scottie Barnes who appeared in the NBA playoffs while Evan Mobley guided his team to the NBA Play-In Tournament.

However, the majority of these young stars who were drafted high within the NBA draft will have to wait for another season to make playoff appearances after being selected by teams around the NBA that are in the process of rebuilding.

At the front of the list of top NBA Rookies during the 2021-22 NBA Season is the Detroit Pistons number one overall draft pick Cade Cunningham who put together a brilliant rookie campaign while showcasing his overall abilities.

With that said, here is our list of the Top 10 NBA Rookies 2021-2022 as of May 2022, rankings:

Honorable Mention

Chris Duarte

Team: Indiana Pacers

One of the promising young stars on the Top 10 NBA Rookies 2021-2022 rankings list is the Indiana Pacers guard Chris Duarte.

Duarte, who was one of multiple rookies to suit up for the Pacers during the 2021-22 NBA season, finished the season ranked sixth among all rookies in scoring averaging 13.1 points per game while also adding 4.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contests.

Among Duarte, the Pacers other key rookies include Isaiah Jackson, Terry Taylor and Duane Washington Jr who all put together solid rookie seasons.

Davion Mitchell

Team: Sacramento Kings

Just missing the Top 10 NBA Rookie Ladder as of May 16th, 2022, is the Sacramento Kings rookie and former Baylor Bears star Davion Mitchell.

Mitchell, who was selected by the Kings with the 9th overall pick during the 2021 NBA Draft, put together a solid rookie season averaging 11.5 points per game to go along with 2.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

Mitchell finished the season ranked ninth in overall scoring among all active rookies with qualifying statistics and fourth in assists.

Top 10 NBA Rookies

10. Herbert Jones

Team: New Orleans Pelicans

One 2021-2022 NBA Rookie who made a solid contribution during the regular NBA Season as well as making his rookie appearance among the NBA playoffs is the New Orleans Pelicans rookie Herbert Jones.

Jones, who was selected by the Pelicans during the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft, finished his rookie season averaging 9.5 points per game to go along with 3.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per contests.

During the postseason, Jones was a key contributor averaging 10.7 points per game to go along with 3.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and nearly two steals per game (1.8).

9. Bones Hyland

Team: Denver Nuggets

A second 2021-2022 NBA Rookie who found himself playing among the 2021-22 NBA Playoffs is the Denver Nuggets rookie Bones Hyland.

Hyland, who was slotted in at the point guard position for most of the season, made the most of his rookie season while the team was without Jamal Murray at the point.

Hyland, who was drafted out of VCU finished the regular season averaging 10.1 points per game while also averaging 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per contests. In five playoff games, Hyland averaged 9.2 points per game, 3.2 assists and two rebounds per game.

8. Brandon Williams

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

A Top 10 NBA Rookies 2021-2022 as of May 16th, 2022, is the Portland Trail Blazers undrafted star Brandon Williams. Williams, who played his college ball with the Arizona Wildcats went undrafted before signing on with the Trailblazers this season.

While his name does not appear among the rankings with the top rookies, it is all due to the limited number of games played (24), after getting his chance late during the season.

However, Williams’ 12.9 points per game, 3.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game would rank near the top 10 or 20 players in each category.

7. Jalen Suggs

Team: Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic rookie first round pick from the Gonzaga Bulldogs may have landed higher on this list if it wasn’t for his season being cut short due to an ankle injury.

Suggs finished the NBA regular season ranked third among all rookies in assists per game (4.4) and eighth in scoring (3.6) while also averaging 3.6 rebounds per game.

Suggs will look to bounce in his sophomore season while forming a young duo with fellow rookie Franz Wagner.

6. Josh Giddey

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Nearly impossible to put in words how good of a rookie season Josh Giddey put together despite the lack of proven stars within the Oklahoma City Thunder team.

Giddey who much like Suggs missed the end of the season due to an injury (HIP), was as exciting to watch as any of the rookies among the 2021 NBA Draft Class, Giddey finished first in assists per game (6.4), second in rebounds (7.8) while also finishing inside of the top ten in scoring as well averaging 12.5 points per game.

5. Franz Wagner

Team: Orlando Magic

Coming in at number five on the Top 10 NBA Rookies 2021-2022 as of May 16th, 2022, rankings list is the former Michigan Wolverines standout Franz Wagner.

Wagner, who was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the eighth overall pick (acquired in trade with Chicago Bulls), finished the season as one of the top rookie scorers averaging 15.2 points per game (4th among all rookies) while also adding 4.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists per contest.

4. Evan Mobley

Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

After a hot start to the 2021-2022 NBA Season, Evan Mobley cooled down the stretch but still found a way to help guide the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Play-In Tournament.

Despite solid production, the Cavaliers failed to move on to the NBA Playoffs. The future looks bright with Evan Mobley looking to be the future of the Cavaliers organization.

Mobley finished the season averaging 15 points per game to go along with a rookie high 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. The former USC standout is the future of the Cavaliers while also potentially being a future All-Star within the NBA.

3. Jalen Green

Team: Houston Rockets

The second overall pick during the 2021 NBA Draft didn’t disappoint during his rookie season despite the lack of success of the Houston Rockets organization.

Green, who slid in as a key contributor and the new face of the organization finished his rookie season ranked only behind Cade Cunningham in scoring while averaging 17.3 points per game.

To go along with the 17.3 points per game, Green also averaged 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contests on a Rockets team that is in a slow rebuild.

2. Scottie Barnes

Team: Toronto Raptors

An argument can be made whether Scottie Barnes is deserving of the overall top spot among the Top 10 NBA Rookies 2021-2022 as of May 16th, 2022, rankings list.

The fourth overall pick of the Toronto Raptors finished the season averaging 15.3 points per game to go along with 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while also being a key contributor to the Raptors success en route to the NBA Playoffs.

To go along with the regular season numbers, Barnes finished the playoffs averaging 12.8 points per game as well as nine rebounds and 4.3 assists before going down with an ankle injury.

1. Cade Cunningham

Team: Detroit Pistons

In the end, it is hard to look past the number one overall pick and future Detroit Pistons All-Star Cade Cunningham. Cunningham, who played his college basketball at Oklahoma State, was dampened to begin the season before watching his production pick up down the stretch.

After averaging just 14.6 pints per game in December, Cunningham averaged at least 17 points a game in both January and February before posting a big month in April.

In April, Cunningham averaged 22.9 points per game to go along with 5.9 rebounds and seven assists per game. This type of production rewarded the fans of the Pistons a small glimpse into the possible future greatness they may have on the floor.

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