With today being NBA Media Day, and essentially the tip-off for the 2015-16 NBA season, this was the first time we officially heard from/saw the new class of NBA rookies with their respective teams since the Summer League!
As we begin to gear up for the new season, the Crossover Chronicles staff came together to vote on who they think will lead rookies in a number of categories, and even voted on several superlatives. Below are the results:
*Before we get started, I just want to shout-out SLAM magazine, which was one of my greatest inspirations to write about basketball as a teenager, and for running their own rookie poll which heavily inspired this collaboration. You can follow them on twitter at @SLAMonline
1. Most likely to lead rookies in scoring:
Bryan Gibberman: Jahlil Okafor
Joseph Nardone: Jahlil Okafor
Matt Zemek: Jahlil Okafor
Joe Manganiello: Jahlil Okafor
Sean Woodley: Emmanuel Mudiay
Bart Doan: Jahlil Okafor
Jared Mintz: Emmanuel Mudiay
2. Most likely to lead rookies in rebounding:
BG: Myles Turner
JN: Karl Anthony Towns
MZ: Karl Anthony Towns
JMa: Jahlil Okafor
SW: Karl Anthony Towns
BD: Jahlil Okafor
JMi: Jahlil Okafor
3: Most likely to lead rookies in assists:
BG: Emmanuel Mudiay
JN: Emmanuel Mudiay
MZ: D’Angelo Russell
JMa: Emmanuel Mudiay
SW: Emmanuel Mudiay
BD: Emmanuel Mudiay
JMi: Jerian Grant
4. Most likely to lead rookies in turnovers:
BG: Emmanuel Mudiay
JN: Emmanuel Mudiay
MZ: Emmanuel Mudiay
JMa: Emmanuel Mudiay
SW: Emmanuel Mudiay
BD: Justise Winslow
JMi: D’Angelo Russell
5. Most likely to lead rookies in minutes played:
BG: Emmanuel Mudiay
JN: D’Angelo Russell
MZ: Stanley Johnson
JMa: Jahlil Okafor
SW: Emmanuel Mudiay
BD: D’Angelo Russell
JMi: Emmanuel Mudiay
6. Rookie most likely to make an immediate impact on the defensive end:
BG: Willie Cauley Stein
JN: Karl Anthony Towns
MZ: Justise Winslow
JMa: Justise Winslow
SW: Stanley Johnson
BD: Justin Anderson
JMi: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
7. Rookie most likely to wish he stayed in school:
BG: Trey Lyles
JN: Terry Rozier
MZ: Trey Lyles
JMa: Kelly Oubre
SW: Devin Booker
BD: R.J. Hunter
JMi: Kelly Oubre
8. Rookie most likely to become his coaches favorite player:
BG: Devin Booker
JN: Justise Winslow
MZ: Jerian Grant
JMa: Stanley Johnson
SW: Jerian Grant
BD: R.J. Hunter
JMi: Justise Winslow
9. Rookie most likely to become his coaches least favorite player:
BG: Rashad Vaughn
JN: Willie Cauley Stein
MZ: Terry Rozier
JMa: Mario Hezonja
SW: Mario Hezonja
BD: Willie Cauley Stein
JMi: Mario Hezonja
10. Rookie most likely to be traded for a second round pick:
BG: J.P. Tokoto
JN: Rashad Vaughn
MZ: Kelly Oubre
JMa: Trey Lyles
SW: Jarrell Martin
BD: Tyus Jones
JMi: Tyus Jones
11. Rookie most likely to become a player you forgot got drafted in 3-5 years:
BG: Cameron Payne
JN: Kelly Oubre
MZ: Mario Hezonja
JMa: Terry Rozier
SW: Nikola Milutinov
BD: Kelly Oubre
JMi: Sam Dekker
12. Rookie most likely to score over 30 in the rookie game:
BG: Mario Hezonja
JN: D’Angelo Russell
MZ: D’Angelo Russell
JMa: Myles Turner
SW: D’Angelo Russell
BD: R.J. Hunter
JMi: Mario Hezonja
13. First round pick most likely to struggle to see playing time:
BG: Sam Dekker
JN: Myles Turner
MZ: Cameron Payne
JMa: Cameron Payne
SW: Kelly Oubre
BD: Larry Nance
JMi: Kevon Looney
14. Rookie most likely to be a bust:
BG: Tyus Jones
JN: Cameron Payne
MZ: Mario Hezonja
JMa: Kelly Oubre
SW: Frank Kaminsky
BD: Tyus Jones
JMi: Trey Lyles
15. Most likely to win Rookie of the Year:
BG: Emmanuel Mudiay
JN: D’Angelo Russell
MZ: Jahlil Okafor
JMa: Jahlil Okafor
SW: Emmanuel Mudiay
BD: Jahlil Okafor
JMi: Emmanuel Mudiay
Let us know your picks on twitter at @crossoverNBA
