What Rookies Will Become Household Names?
Philadelphia 76ers’ point guard Michael Carter-Williams took the league by storm by putting up a near quadruple-double in a win over the defending champion Miami Heat in his NBA debut. MCW started hot but has slowed recently due to some minor injury issues. Despite the nicks, Carter-Williams is averaging 16.6 points, 7.4 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game through his first nine games for the Sixers. Oh, and it’s not like he’s been playing sub-par teams and putting up numbers. Carter-Williams has gone head-up with LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Derrick Rose, John Wall, and Steph Curry.
Victor Oladipo of the Orlando Magic also looks primed to become a household name. While he hasn’t posted MCW-type of numbers, Oladipo has continued to show improvement through the first few weeks of the season. He seems to be getting a better handle on the NBA game with each minute he’s on the floor. He has had some turnover issues of late, but his athleticism and basketball IQ will make him a fan favorite before year’s end.
Two other names to keep an eye on are Sacramento Kings rookie Ben McLemore and Utah Jazz rookie point guard Trey Burke. McLemore started a little slow but has turned it recently. Burke has been out recovering from an injury sustained before the regular season began. He impressed in his rookie debut scoring 11 points in 12 minutes.
