Memphis’ Jaylen Wells (left) maintains his Rookie Ladder spot while New Orleans’ Yves Missi cracks this week’s Top 5.
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The Philadelphia 76ers’ Jared McCain and San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle remain atop this week’s Ladder, each turning in encouraging performances for folks focused on their teams’ futures.
McCain leads all first-year players in points, field goals made and attempted, and is tied with the Lakers’ Dalton Knecht with 50 3-pointers. Castle tops this class in minutes, assists, turnovers and free-throw attempts, and is tied with two others for the lead in steals.
Both, it’s worth noting, were born in 2004 — the year still-grinding LeBron James was the NBA’s Rookie of the Year.
McCain and Castle share a similar task on their to-do list this season: Build a productive relationship with a stellar big man, respectively the Sixers’ Joel Embiid and the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama. Barring injuries, all four could meet for the first time this season on Dec. 23 in San Antonio.
Here are updates on McCain, Castle and other top rookies in this week’s Ladder edition:
• McCain’s mild eccentricities – dancing videos, nail polish – have raised some eyebrows. But a respected NBA voice came out in defense of letting Jared be Jared. As reported by Complex Sports, 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony urged against any generational divide.
“Let them boys be themselves, man, let them do what they do and have fun. Like, they do it differently than we did it,” the NBA Top 75 honoree said. “We can’t be mad at that. That’s two totally different generations. Jared McCain: If you got to keep painting them fingernails, man, he’s still hooping.”
• Zach Edey and some other rookies who have missed time due to injuries should remember the 65-game minimum for annual awards eligibility does not apply to the ROY. However, it should be noted that – other than in lockout- or Covid-marred seasons – Patrick Ewing played the fewest games while still winning the award. He was limited to 50 games by season-ending knee surgery in 1985-86.
• Movement summary: Orlando’s Tristan da Silva slips off the bottom rung, Toronto’s Jonathan Mogbo returns and New Orleans’ Yves Missi leaps into the Top 5. It’s hardly the 6-foot-11 Pelican’s biggest move — he was born in Belgium but grew up in Cameroon, then lived in Maryland, California and Texas. His team’s struggles show up in his minus-14.2 net rating, better than only Washington’s Bub Carrington and Alex Sarr and Utah’s Kyle Filipowski among rotation rookies.
What might not stay in Vegas. For rookies, the Emirates NBA Cup’s shift to Las Vegas offers an opportunity to shine before maximum eyeballs. The tradition is young and didn’t play out memorably a year ago — only New Orleans’ Jordan Hawkins, of the rookies who reached the semifinals, averaged more than five minutes in 2023 Cup play. New guys to watch this weekend: Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher, the top pick in the Class of 2024, if the Hawks advance Wednesday, and Oklahoma City’s Ajay Mitchell, who has been overachieving his two-way contract.
(All stats through Tuesday, Dec. 10)
1. Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers
Season stats: 15.8 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.6 apg
Last Ladder: No. 1
Draft pick: No. 16
In eight games as a starter, the Duke product has averaged 23.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg and 4.3 apg, including his 24 points and seven rebounds in 39 minutes against Orlando when the Sixers played without Joel Embiid, Paul George and Kyle Lowry. Once (if?) these guys get healthy, though, McCain might best help as a backup point guard when Tyrese Maxey sits. “His passing hasn’t been tapped into yet. But I think he can make plays.” Embiid told reporters.
2. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Season stats: 12.1 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 3.8 apg
Last Ladder: No. 2
Draft pick: No. 4
Castle could just as easily be ranked 1A on this week’s ladder after a week in which he averaged 16.3 points with five assists and two steals per game. He has scored in double figures in 15 of the past 16 games, during which his shooting bubbled up above 40% overall and 31% from the arc. Meanwhile, it’s his hard-nosed defensive work and growing connectivity with Wembanyama that has the Spurs excited. San Antonio is a nice 4.2 points per 100 possessions better when Castle is on the court, though not quite Wemby (+12.4) or Chris Paul (+10.3).
3. Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies
Season stats: 11.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.7 apg
Last Ladder: No. 3
Draft pick: No. 39
The first text Wells received last week after being named the East’s top rookie for October/November came from his mother. “Please, please, please focus on winning,” she implored, Wells told Sportskeeda. That’s why he and the Grizzlies could weather his down week — 7 ppg, 35.7% shooting, minus-6 per game, but going 3-0 in winning nine of their past 10. Staying aggressive defensively without fouling out has been a focus. “Some of the top players don’t want to work hard for the full 48 minutes,” Wells said, “so I try to make it as tough as possible for them.”
4. Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
Season stats: 9.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.3 bpg
Last Ladder: No. 6
Draft pick: No. 21
Shining through the gloom that has been the Pelicans’ season, Missi averaged 11.7 points and 11 rebounds (5.3 on offense) for the week. He leads all rookies in rebounds of all sorts, he has stayed in his lane (zero 3-point attempts so far) and he put up 18 and 14 in his first test vs. Wembanyama. “You’re seeing a development defensively, obviously,” teammate CJ McCollum said, “and then his ability to rebound and finish around the basket.”
5. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Season stats: 11.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.2 apg
Last Ladder: No. 4
Draft pick: No. 1
In the Hawks’ most anticipated game this season, the NBA Cup quarterfinals at New York on Wednesday, Risacher can draw on his previous clash with the Knicks. On Nov. 6, he went for 33 points on 11-of-18 shooting with six 3-pointers and seven rebounds. In Atlanta’s four Group Play games, though, the slender rookie made only two of his 14 shots from deep and averaged 8.5 points (with five steals and a plus-11).
6. Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers
Season stats: 11 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.2 apg
Last Ladder: No. 5
Draft pick: No. 17
He shot just 2-of-11 on 3-pointers this week and 41.7% overall, but his name got floated in some silly trade rumors.
7. Alexandre Sarr, Washington Wizards
Season stats: 10.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.9 bpg
Last Ladder: No. 7
Draft pick: No. 2
Sarr spoke of the need to “lock in” to face Nikola Jokic, then missed the Denver and Memphis games over the weekend.
8. Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards
Season stats: 9.2 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.1 apg
Last Ladder: No. 9
Draft pick: No. 14
Causation or correlation? When Carrington shoots 50% or better, the Wizards are 2-3. Under 50%, they’re 1-16.
9. Jonathan Mogbo, Toronto Raptors
Season stats: 5.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.7 apg
Last Ladder: Not ranked
Draft pick: No. 31
His defensive versatility has earned him tough covers, and only three rookies have grabbed more than his 110 rebounds.
10. Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies
Season stats: 11.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.0 bpg
Last Ladder: No. 8
Draft pick: No. 9
Grizzlies bosses dialed back his return (ankle), big fella played the team’s first 14 (8-6) but has missed the past 11 (9-2).
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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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