Who Will Win Rookie of the Year in the NBA in 2021?
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It’s hard to say who will win the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021, but these five players have the best chance.
Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson is a 6’7″ power forward from Duke University who was drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Williamson is one of the most anticipated rookies in recent memory, and he is scheduled to make his NBA debut during the 2019-20 season.
His stats
Zion Williamson was the 2019 National Player of the Year, unanimously. He is 6’6″ and 284 pounds, and he ran the 100-meter dash in 10.13 seconds when he was 13 years old. In his lone season at Duke, Zion averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while shooting 68.0% from the field and 33.8% from three-point range. He was named ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player in conference history to win both awards in the same season
His strengths
Zion Williamson is an incredible athlete. At 6’7″ and 285 pounds, he is one of the biggest and strongest players in the NBA. He is incredibly explosive, and his dunks are some of the most highlight-reel worthy in the league. He is also a very good rebounder and defender, using his size and strength to his advantage. On offense, he is still developing his outside shot, but he has shown improvement in that area since coming into the league. Williamson has the potential to be one of the best players in the NBA for many years to come.
Ja Morant
His stats
In his sophomore season, Morant led the NCAA in points per game (24.5) and assists per game (10.0). He was named a CONSENSUS First Team All-American, becoming the first Murray State player ever to earn that distinction. Morant was also named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Player of the Year, becoming the first Murray State player to earn that honor, as well.
His strengths
Ja Morant is an incredible athlete. He was timed at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash at Murray State’s Pro Day, and he has a 36-inch vertical leap. He’s strong and quick, with the ability to change directions on a dime. He’s also an outstanding leaper, which allows him to finish above the rim with ease.
On the offensive end, Morant is a gifted scorer. He averaged 24.5 points per game last season, while shooting 49.9 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from three-point range. He has a quick first step and can get to the basket at will. When he gets into the lane, he’s able to finish with either hand. He also has a nice pull-up jumper and is capable of hitting tough shots off the dribble.
Morant is an outstanding passer as well. He averaged 10 assists per game last season, which was second in the nation behind only UNC Greensboro’s Francis Alonso (10.7). Morant has great vision and always seems to make the right pass. He’s also an excellent ball-handler, which allows him to break down defenses and create easy scoring opportunities for his teammates
Other contenders
Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans is the strong favorite to take home the 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. But there are a few other players who could give him a run for his money.
Their stats
In the 2020-2021 NBA season, there are many incredible rookies who are putting up astonishing numbers. Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans is averaging 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Trail Blazers rookie guard,Damian Lillard, is averaging 19 points and 6.5 assists per game.Last but not least, Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers is averaging 16.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. Although all of these players are having impressive seasons, it is still hard to determine who will win the Rookie of the Year Award.
Their strengths
Other contenders for the title are Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans and Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies. Zion Williamson was the top pick in the 2019 NBA draft. He is a 6-foot-7,-285-pound forward who averaged 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in his lone college season at Duke. He is an explosive athlete with tremendous leaping ability and has been compared to LeBron James and Amar’e Stoudemire.
Ja Morant was the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft. He is a 6-foot-3,-175-pound point guard who averaged 24.5 points, 10 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game in his sophomore season at Murray State University. Morant is an electrifying playmaker with great vision and passing ability. He has been compared to Russell Westbrook and Anfernee Hardaway.
Why Zion Williamson will win
Zion Williamson is an incredible athlete with a rare combination of size, strength, and speed. He’s already one of the most dominant players in the NBA, and he’s only been in the league for a few months. Zion is averaging over 22 points and 8 rebounds per game, and he’s shooting an impressive 58% from the field. On top of that, he’s also one of the best defenders in the league, averaging nearly 2 blocks per game. Zion is a once-in-a-generation talent, and there’s no doubt that he’ll be the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2021.
Why Ja Morant will win
The 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year is a guard from Murray State University who led his team to the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament. He averaged 24.5 points, 10 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game, and was named first team All-American by the Associated Press. He is Ja Morant, and he is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year in 2020-21.
Morant was drafted second overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019, and he immediately became their starting point guard. He averaged 17.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game as a rookie, earning a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He was also named a finalist for the 2020 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
Entering his second season, Morant is looking to improve upon his rookie year numbers, and there is no reason to think he won’t be successful. The Grizzlies added some key pieces in the offseason, including veteran forward Derrick Favors, who will help take some of the pressure off of Morant offensively. Defensively, Morant has shown improvement already, and with another year of experience under his belt, he should be even better on that end of the floor.
Morant is an electric player with outstanding court vision and finishing ability around the rim. He has unlimited potential and could be one of the best players in the league for years to come. If he takes another step forward in 2020-21, he will be tough to beat for Rookie of the Year honors.
Why another contender will win
Another young player who might have a shot at taking home the title is Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans. Thepelicanse often utilize Williamson as a power forward, and he has already shown that he has the ability to put up big numbers, averaging 23.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game so far in his young career. While Williamson isn’t quite putting up the numbers of some of the other rookies, he is still shooting an efficient 56.9% from the field and should continue to improve as he gets more experience under his belt.
