In a season with a mostly disappointing rookie class, Isaiah Whitehead makes the first year top ranks just by playing. And Caris LeVert may not be far behind.
Scott Howard-Cooper, who ranks rookies for NBA.com, ranked the 6’4” Whitehead at No. 8, one down from last week. After a few stellar weeks, Howard-Cooper notes Whitehead has been mediocre of late.
He is playing, an accomplishment compared to some others in the same range. He just isn’t playing well. Whitehead is shooting 35.7 percent the last six games, has not topped 40 percent in any of the six and and has more than three assists once in the same stretch. He keeps having enough games with multiple blocks to hold third place in the class, commendable work for a 6-foot-4 point guard even in a season with a very thin group of bigs.
While the 76ers two 2014 draft picks continue to dominate, Howard-Cooper is not otherwise enamored of the class, particularly those taken last June. Of the top 10, only four were first round picks in last year’s Draft which wasn’t seen as that bad.
And what of Caris LeVert, who’s starting to build a resume’ both offensively and defensively, a Nets fan asked Howard-Cooper...
@SergeSI Not yet. But building a case.
— Scott Howard-Cooper (@SHowardCooper) January 18, 2017
Not bad considering Whitehead was taken No. 42 and LeVert No. 20.
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