#1 Nikola Jovic 20.2 points, 6.1 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 48% FG, 33% 3PT
Jovic is hands down the best rookie in this class and is having the rookie campaign to prove it. Jovis is putting up 20.2 ppg on a ridiculous 48% FG, being (I believe) the first rookie since Luka to put up at least 20ppg. But his offensive package is more than just shooting. He's 15th in the league in assists per game at 6.1 apg and adding almost 6 rebounds as well.
How impressive has Jovic been? He's putting up a PER of 26, TS of .57, making him the 19th most efficient player in the entire league. The Hornets are still struggling and will be back in the lottery this draft, but the future is bright with the future rookie of the year at the helm.
#2 Mark Williams 10.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 57% FG
Mark Williams is having himself an excellent rookie campaign. While perhaps stuck in the shadow of #2 pick Jovic, the #1 overall pick Williams is nonetheless proving himself to be a legitimate CSL baller in his own right. After being immediately slotted into the Magic starting lineup, Williams has put up a very efficient and reliable 10.4 ppg on 57% shooting. He's also blocking a 9th best 2.5 shots per game. Not bad.
However, Williams's offensive production has seemingly cooled off in the last 6 weeks. For example, he reached double figures in half of his games in December but only in 20% of games in January. Let's assume that this is because of tactical adjustments and no reason to worry. Williams is clearly going to be a reliable CSL presence inside for many years to come if he continues his development.
#3 Walter Kessler 5.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.7 blocks, 43% FG
I think the third best rookie so far this season is William's frontcourt teammate Walter Kessler. The sole reason being that he's the rookie with the single most impressive stat: He's already the 6th best shot blocker in the CSL at a monstrous 2.7 bpg. Opposing offenses are getting forced to adjust to his presence, which alongside Williams has created a terrifying interior defensive duo. I don't think any of the rookies below him are single-handedly impacting the game as much as Kessler, and so while his 6 points and 6 rebounds per game aren't all that impressive, he's still the 3rd most impactful rookie so far.
#4 Deni Avdija 8.4 points, 3.2 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 39% FG
The 4th most impactful rookie is Indiana's Deni Avdija. The former #8 pick is living up to his jack-of-all-trades reputation by contributing to all facets of the game. Jovic-Lite is not nearly the scorer that Jovic is, but he is playing a similar role in Indiana. I really like his game as the next Semi Ojeleye (should've been traded by now). Avdija has slotted straight into the Pacer starting lineup and shows no signs of losing his spot.
That being said, his shooting will need to improve if he is to elevate his game to the next level. This is especially true from deep, where Avdija has not been afraid to shoot despite only averaging 27%. It's a good sign that the coach is giving him license to shoot, but he'll have to do better if Indiana wants to start winning games. Nonetheless, he's clearly been an impactful rookie for a team that needs some refreshing new faces to energize an aging and disheartened core of veterans.
#5 Amir Coffey 9.1 points, 3.0 rebounds 46% FG, 34% 3PT
I think the 5th most impactful rookie has been Washington's Amir Coffey. While the Wizards FO is rightfully disappointed with their season, I expect they're taking some comfort in their talented rookie's campaign. Sure, Coffey is putting up 9 points a night on 46% shooting. But he's also doing an excellent job defensively, putting up only .88 PA/SF and stopping 91% of drives, which is quite impressive for a rookie wing facing some difficult matchups in the Eastern Conference (Doncic, Porter, Bridges, Brown to name a few).
While I don't know how much higher Coffey's ceiling will be, I think few other rookies have slid as naturally into their role and made a noticeable impact as a result. I'd love to see the Wizards lean into their down year and give Coffey more starting opportunities. I hope at the very least they use him in matchups to give him more exposure to the CSL's elite scoring talents. He seems up for the fight.
Other honorable mentions:
#6 Evan Mobley 11.4/1,3/5.4/0.8/0.2 40%/16%
#7 Tim Williams 10.3/0.9/4.8/0.7/0.5 45%
#8 Naji Marshall 10.0/1.1/2.5/0.4/0.5 40%/39%
#9 Tyrese Maxey 9.6/1.1/2.1/0.2/0.7 37%/31%
#10 Skylar Mays 7.3/2.1/2.2/0.3/0.3 38%/25%
