With the NBA in the final full week of the regular season, the Most Valuable Player race has been too close to call. The Rookie of the Year may be all but settled. Lately, there’s been discussion about the rightful contenders for Defensive Player of the Year. Pretty soon, there will be more focus placed upon those player awards, impassioned fans and media members making their cases and votes.
With that in mind, it’s a perfect time to make predictions about who’ll make the all-league teams (All-NBA, All-Rookie, All-Defensive). The focus of this article will be on the young pups.
2024-25 NBA All-Rookie Team Predictions
All-Rookie First Team
Jared McCain (PHI), Stephon Castle (SAS), Zaccharie Risacher (ATL), Jaylen Wells (MEM), Zach Edey (MEM)
Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain only played 23 games this season. However, he was breathtaking when healthy, leaving an enduring memory. In fact, he’s second in the 2024 NBA Draft class with eight games scoring 20+ points. Notably, San Antonio Spurs playmaker Stephon Castle now leads this season’s rookies in games with 20+ points (24) despite being prized for his defensive prowess.
Castle’s primary competition for the NBA Rookie of the Year award could be Atlanta Hawks glue player Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 pick in the draft. If so, it’s because of Risacher’s scoring spikes, the Spanish-born Frenchman outshining Memphis Grizzlies teammates Jaylen Wells and Zach Edey since the All-Star Break. Even still, Wells and Edey’s two-way impact on a playoff team can’t and won’t be ignored, especially with Edey now emancipated from former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins.
All-Rookie Second Team
Yves Missi (NOP), Alex Sarr (WAS), Kel’el Ware (MIA), Isaiah Collier (UTA), Kyle Filipowski (UTA)
New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi has arguably been the steadiest rookie at his position this season. That places him and Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr on the opposite side of the spectrum. Sarr hasn’t been all too consistent, but he’s brimming with potential and has averaged 16.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game since the All-Star Break Similarly, Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware has been a bit up and down, partially due to Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra constantly tinkering with the rotation. However, he’s averaged 10.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game since the All-Star Break.
One could make the case that neither Missi, Sarr, nor Ware have played as well as Utah Jazz forward-center Kyle Filipowski; at least not since All-Star Break. A skilled big man, Filipowski has averaged 13.6 points (37.1 percent shooting from 3), 7.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest over his last 25 games. That being said, Filipowski hasn’t outshined teammate Isaiah Collier. Among the NBA’s best young floor generals, Collier recently broke Hall of Fame guard John Stockton‘s rookie assist record.
On The Bubble
Bub Carrington (WAS)
If the voters decide against going with McCain, Wizards guard Bub Carrington should be the benefactor. He hasn’t been quite as prolific a passer as Collier, as efficient as Missi, as diverse as Filipowski, or as impactful as Ware.
However, he’s been relatively steady throughout his rookie season, demonstrating his skills as a two-end player. Last week, the Baltimore native poured in a season-high 32 points against the Orlando Magic. It was just his second game scoring 20+ points, but it was his 15th game scoring 15+ points.
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