Banchero Wins Over Williams and Kesler for The NBA Rookie of the Year Award
On Tuesday night, Paolo Banchero of the Orlando Magic, was named as the rookie of the year in the NBA. He led all first-year players in scoring and has cemented himself as the franchise player for the Orlando Magic. Although there’s little improvement with the team’s winning record, the Magic will need him if they want to continue their winning ways next season.
Paolo Banchero won 98 of the 100 first-place votes. Williams had 75 second-place votes, while Kessler received the other two first-place votes and ended third overall. To help understand more about why Banchero became the Rookie of the Year, let us look at the performances of the three Rookies who fought for the title.
Paolo Banchero
Paolo Banchero is an American/Italian professional NBA player who currently plays for the
Orlando Magic. He was drafted first overall in the 2022 NBA draft after his first year at Duke
University, where he was regarded as one of the best players in the country.
Known for his long frame and shooting abilities, Banchero was a favorite by many scouts. At
20 years old, Paolo Banchero is already an NBA-ready talent and he’s clearly showing signs
that he’s an all-star in the making. As he already has scoring in his repertoire, he’ll have more
time to develop playmaking and defense as he gets adjusted to the NBA game.
With their pick paying off, the Magic has seen Banchero average 20 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 72 games ( and even starting all 72 games). He hit 85 three-pointers, had 60 steals, and blocked 39 shots. He had 15 games with at least 25 points and 40 games with at least 20 points, both of which were the highest among rookies this season.
He also won Rookie of the Month four times, demonstrating that he was quickly ahead of the competition. With his stellar play, the Orlando Magic odds will surely be looking good.
Banchero also made elite company as he became one of the only 17 players in NBA history to average at least 20 points, five rebounds, and three assists as rookies.
To see more of Banchero and his team in their future games, make sure to stay updated with
the latest NBA standings and avoid missing a moment.
Jalen Williams
Although Jalen Williams wasn’t drafted in the top 10, he was close, being picked by the Oklahoma City Thunder at pick no. 12. He was also mentioned less compared to other rookies that were drafted higher than him such as his teammate Chet Holmgren.
Many expected Holmgren to have a big impact with the Thunder this year, but unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending injury leaving him to the sidelines. With an opportunity to showcase his talents, Williams capitalized on the situation and proved doubters wrong. He averaged 14.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 52.1 percent from the floor.
As the most successful rookie listed in this article, Williams, along with all-star and scoring machine Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, led a young OKC Thunder team to compete for a playoff spot in the play-in tournaments. Although they eliminated New Orleans in the first play-in game, they lost their opportunity to get into the playoffs by losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Due to his incredible performance, Williams’ first season was comparable to Anthony Edwards’ in Minnesota a few seasons earlier. The Santa Clara product averaged 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 10.7 points per game in November while making 29.5% of his 3-point tries. In March and April, he averaged 18.7 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 4.3 assists per game, and 45.1% on 3-pointers.
Walker Kessler
Walker Kessler was drafted 22nd overall by the Memphis Grizzlies before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In an incredible move that saw Rudy Gobert out of Utah, the Timberwolves sent five players, including Kessler for the star center.
Many thought of Kessler as just a trading piece, but as soon as he donned a Jazz jersey, the big man out of Auburn quickly filled the void that Gobert left. He even averaged more blocks than the former. Playing alongside a surging Lauri Markanen and sharpshooter Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler was at home with the Utah Jazz, eventually becoming their starting center.
His field-goal percentage (.7198) is one of the best by a rookie in NBA history. Although Kessler is still a rookie, he’s clearly showing signs of becoming an important player in the Utah Jazz’s rotation. Look for Kessler to improve and continue his stellar play next season.
Takeaway
The 2022 NBA Draft was surely filled with incredible talents. However, out of the 56 players drafted by NBA teams, only one stood above all and got awarded the Rookie of the Year. With his incredible scoring and NBA-ready prowess, Paolo Banchero easily took the honors with him. Close behind him was the Thunder’s Jalen Williams and the Jazz’s Walker Kessler. Look for these rookies to improve and continue contributing to their team next season.
