The Chicago Bulls beat the Memphis Grizzlies Friday, 103-97, and rookie Nikola Mirotic's 27 points were a big reason why. Stepping in for the injured Taj Gibson, Mirotic connected on all six of his three-point attempts, missed only one of his eight free throws and pulled down eight rebounds in a little over 30 minutes of playing time. It's performances like this one that have Mirotic on the race to win Rookie of the Year.
Nikola Mirotic is playing like a Rookie of the Year candidate
The Bulls’ forward is earning consideration thanks to his strong play, but the award seems Andrew Wiggins’ to lose.
On the surface, Mirotic's numbers are not particularly impressive, as he averages just 8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 44 percent shooting in just 18.7 minutes on the floor. He doesn't lead his rookie class in any category on a per game basis. When those stats are adjusted per minute, however, he really shines. Per 36 minutes, Mirotic's 15.7 points lead all rookies while his 10.2 rebounds trail only Rockets' rookie Tarik Black's 11.8. His True Shooting percentage (a stat that takes into account the value of three-pointers and efficiency at the line) is a stellar .603.
MVP Race
Per 36 minute stats can be deceiving when used to discuss players that clearly can’t be on the court for long periods of time, either because they have a glaring hole in their game or get into foul trouble often. Neither of those concerns apply to Mirotic, who without being anything close to a stopper can hold his own on defense and commits only 4.8 fouls per 36 minutes. In the games in which he has been on the court for over 20 minutes he averages 12.6 points and 7.3 rebounds on 48 percent shooting. He clearly can handle more playing time, but because the Bulls are stacked at the forward and center positions he is relegated to a smaller role.
The Montenegro-born forward is doing something rare among rookies: he's producing for a good team and stepping up when he's given the opportunity. The 23-year-old forward has been playing professionally for years and at a high level in Europe, which explains why he looks ready for the league in a way only Jabari Parker -- sadly out for the season with an ACL injury after a great start -- seemed to be. Yet it would be unfair to overlook his case for Rookie of the Year simply because he was expected to do well right away and because of the Bulls' depth, which prevents him from putting up better per game numbers.
Now let’s look at other rookies who are on the rise:
With Parker out, Wiggins becomes the favorite to win the award almost by default. His 13.1 points per game lead the class, he plays the most per game out of any rookie and with the injuries the Wolves have suffered, he handles a huge burden on offense. The biggest knock on Wiggins is his inefficiency, as he's just shooting at a 36 percent clip from the floor and only hits on 25 percent of his three-pointers. Considering he's assisted on just 57.1 percent of his attempts and has been forced into a high usage, those struggles are forgiven. With Kevin Martin still out with injury and the recent trade that sent Corey Brewer to the Rockets, the minutes will be there for Wiggins and he's showed he can produce.
Noel was drafted in 2013 but he's technically a rookie, since he missed all of last season. He has struggled at times on both ends, having trouble with stronger bigs who can muscle their way into deep position and turning the ball over a lot by fumbling passes. But he's already a force on the defensive end. He averages 1.7 steals and 1.5 blocks and he holds opponents to just 46.8 percent on shots he contests at the rim, a mark that compares favorably to former Defensive Player of the Year winners Tyson Chandler, Marc Gasol and Joakim Noah. If Noel can develop an offensive game to go with his already apparent defensive impact, he could be a cornerstone for the 76ers.
Another Sixers player who should be on everyone’s short list for the Rookie of the Year award, K.J. McDaniels is a stat-stuffer with a penchant for spectacular plays. He averages 9.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, one steal and 1.6 blocks per games, leading all rookies in that category from the wing. McDaniels made an unorthodox decision by turning down a four-year offer by Philadelphia after being selected in the second round, choosing instead to sign for just one year. He bet on himself and the early results suggest he was right to do so. McDaniels is still a reliable three-point shot away from being a quality two-way wing, but at 21 years old, he still has time to develop one.
Other players worthy of consideration: Zach LaVine, Kostas Papanikolaou, Tarik Black, Bojan Bogdanovic and Elfrid Payton.
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