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NBA Rookie Rankings 1.0: Jared McCain of the 76ers has an early lead over Zach Edey, Dalton Knecht and others

The 2024 rookie class should be weak. That was the case at the start of this season.

Last year, seven first-year players averaged at least 11.7 points per game. That's the high mark for this course, set by No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher.

While the best of this class didn't exactly set the world on fire, there were still some good stories. There are already some bargains emerging that were won outside of the lottery. Four of them occupy the top 7 of these rookie rankings.

Here's how this rookie class is shaping up.

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NBA rookie rankings 1.0

1. Jared McCain, Sixers

Statistics: 11.5 PTS, 2.1 REB, 1.5 AST, 45.6% FG, 35.9% 3PT

Best Game: 27 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST (November 10 vs. CHO)

McCain was shockingly good for the Sixers, becoming the team's second-best player behind Tyrese Maxey while Joel Embiid and Paul George were sidelined. He was a good shooter and missed 3 seconds with a quick shot. His ability to get to the rim at high volume was a pleasant surprise. He also showed much more shooting skill in the pros than he did at Duke.

McCain has been particularly strong in his last three games, averaging 22.7 points per game. He combined this bench-scoring performance with great defensive effort to make up for a 6-3 lead.

McCain was happy with the number 16. He appears to be a steal for the Sixers.

2. Zach Edey, Grizzlies

Statistics: 11.2 PTS, 6.6 REB, 0.9 BLK, 64.6% FG

Best Game: 25 PTS, 12 REB, 4 BLK (November 4th vs. BRK)

Edey was an extremely efficient scorer and a great rebounder. He started nine of the Grizzlies' first 11 games and immediately made his mark on the league. His sheer size at 7-4 has translated, making him a handful to deal with when he gets the ball in the house. The left shoulder hook shot he relied on so much since his college days still works just fine in the NBA.

Edey's shooting was a bit of a shock. He hit 4 of 7 from deep after not being a great outside shooter at Purdue. He had some early foul trouble that he's now starting to work out, but was otherwise a solid freshman.

MORE: What NBA Draft analysts missed about Edey's unique potential

3. Ryan Dunn, Suns

Statistics: 7.0 PTS, 2.3 REB, 48.2% FG, 39.5% 3PT

Best Game: 16 PTS, 4 REB, 1 STL (Oct 31 vs. LAC)

Dunn was supposed to be a defensive player who couldn't shoot. That wasn't the case at all.

Dunn was one of the team's more reliable 3-pointers, making more threes in his first 10 NBA games (15 of 38) than he did in two years (12 of 51) at Virginia. Coupled with his great defense (he's one of the few rookies who wasn't destroyed by DeMar DeRozan), he looks like a nice 3-and-D winger.

4. Yves Missi, Pelicans

Statistics: 6.6 PTS, 5.9 REB, 1.5 AST, 1.5 BLK

Best Game: 17 PTS, 11 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK (November 11 vs. BRK)

Missi is a great athlete, able to stand up and finish lobs while also blocking everything in sight on the defensive end of the court. More than just a dunk guy on offense, he shows some good post movement and the ability to put the ball on the floor.

For a prospect who was considered raw and only started playing basketball five years ago, Missi was far more polished than expected.

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5. Zacharie Risacher, Hawks

Statistics: 11.7 PTS, 4.0 REB, 1.3 AST

Best Game: 33 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 2 BLK (November 6 vs. NYK)

Things have been up and down for Risacher so far this year. He had six games in which he scored eight or fewer points and four games in which he scored 15 or more.

His shooting isn't slowing down yet – he's shot just 37.2 percent of his field goals, 24.6 percent of his threes and 62.2 percent of his free throws – and his finishing has been ugly at times, but he's done most other things well on the floor that was expected of him. This includes good defense and a few clever passes.

6. Bub Carrington, magician

Statistics: 9.6 PTS, 4.4 REB, 5.1 AST

Best Game: 10 PTS, 10 REB, 8 AST (November 8 vs. MEM)

Carrington was a good scorer and distributor for the Wizards. He's capable of shooting balls at all three levels of the court and has shown a talent in pick-and-rolls. The fact that he can read the game so well at 19 years old is impressive.

7. Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies

Statistics: 11.4 PTS, 3.3 REB, 1.6 AST, 42.5% FG, 39.2% 3PT

Best Game: 20 PTS, 3 REB, 1 STL (November 6 vs. LAL)

The Grizzlies were once again plagued by injuries, and that gave Wells a chance to shine. Number 39 outplayed several of his competitors in the lottery.

Wells is a winger capable of blocking shots, spreading the field and making plays on defense. He was a late bloomer and not an A+ athlete, which caused him to be overlooked by many teams.

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Alexandre Sarr

Honorable Mentions

Jonathan Mogbo, Raptors: Mogbo is a great athlete who finds a way to make an impact on both ends of the floor. His game is still a bit immature, but he has set some playful accents. The energy striker chose number 31. He would be a first-class player today.

Alexandre Sarr, magician: Sarr was a good defender, blocking 2.4 shots per game and skillfully switching to multiple positions without fouling much. It was a struggle on offense, where he shot just 33.0 percent from the field and 18.6 percent from 3rd floor.

Donovan Clingan, Blazer: Clingan was as good as advertised defensively, blocking 1.6 shots per game. With Deandre Ayton and the return of Robert Williams III, minutes have been difficult to come by. Clingan averaged just 14.5 per game.

Ajay Mitchell, Thunder: Mitchell is a solid player on both ends. He was a steady player in every game, setting up his teammates well and knocking down his shots.

Dalton Knecht, Lakers: Knecht had some solid games early on, capped by an 18-point performance against the Cavs on October 30. After a promising preseason, he just didn't make enough shots. He shoots 38.6 percent from the field and 28.9 percent from three-point range.

Kyshawn George, magician: George is a great defensive wing who can potentially be a playmaker down the line.

MORE: The former NBA star solves Bronny James' biggest problem

Rookie stats and leaders

For comprehensive rookie leaderboards, check out the daily updated rookie stats here.

player Average
Points Zacharie Risacher 11.7 PPG
rebounds Zach Edey 6.6 Roleplay
Supports Bub Carrington 5.1 APG
Steals Bub Carrington 1.4 self-propelled gun
Blocks Alex Sarr 2.4BPG

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