The Detroit Pistons have finished the October portion of their schedule and couldn’t be happier with rookie Ausar Thompson.
His defense and rebounding have made an immediate impact and he’s a huge part of the shocking improvement we’ve seen on the defensive end.
Thompson entered the season as a big long shot for Rookie of the Year and he still is, as Fanduel has his odds at +2900 to win the award.
Those odds are likely to shift soon, as Ausar Thompson has been filling up the stat sheets and the Pistons might be a little better than people expected.
So here’s a look at the early NBA Rookie power rankings after the first week. It’s still very early but some of these names will be the frontrunners for Rookie of the Year this season, including Ausar Thompson.
NBA Rookie power rankings week 1: Ausar Thompson in the top 5
#5: Dereck Lively II
It was unclear whether Dereck Lively III would start right away for the Dallas Mavericks, but so far the 19-year-old has been in the starting lineup for two of their three games.
He’s giving them an efficient 20 minutes so far, averaging nine points, six rebounds and a block while shooting 85.7 percent from the floor, which leads all rookies and is near the top of the entire NBA.
Lively II doesn’t have to do much more than grab offensive rebounds (2.3 per game) and dunk while providing rim protection and so far he has done that for a Mavs team that hasn’t lost a game.
NBA Rookie power rankings week 1
#4: Victor Wembanyama
This might be the last week Wembanyama is ranked this low, as we’ve already seen some “holy s***” plays from the Rookie of the Year frontrunner. There are really only two things that can stop him from winning this award: The Spurs holding him out of games to keep him healthy and the fact that the Spurs might be really bad. They got smoked by 40 points in their last game and the Clippers were able to hold the rookie in check.
Wembanyama is filling the stat sheet, averaging 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1,7 blocks and 4.7 turnovers per game. He’s only shooting 44 percent from the floor, lower than you would expect for someone his size, and a mere 23 percent from 3-point range on over four attempts per game.
The scary part is that he hasn’t even played that well yet, so these numbers are really the baseline for what Wembanyama will be this season, but he does have a big target on his back after all of the hype, so expect teams to make him a focus.
#3: Brandon Miller
Brandon Miller has a solid argument to be at the top of this list, as he is leading all rookies in scoring with 17.3 points per game, is 4th in rebounding and second in efficiency. He’s shooting 47 percent from the floor and just under 44 percent from long range.
He looked like the best Hornet on the floor in their recent loss to the Pistons and has been everything Charlotte was hoping for when they made him the second pick in the 2023 draft.
He only falls to three because the two guys ahead of him have been slightly more impactful overall and are on better teams so far, though that could certainly change from week to week.
NBA Rookie power rankings week 1
#2: Ausar Thompson
Ausar Thompson hasn’t even shot the ball well, yet has arguably been the most impactful rookie, a testament to all of the other things he does well.
He’s only 7th among rookies in scoring after shooting just 32 percent from the field so far and averaging 8.5 points per game.
But he’s leading all rookies by a mile in rebounding, averaging 10.2 per game, which is unreal considering he’s a wing. Wembanyama is a distant second at 7.3 per game and he’s a 7-foot-4 center. This isn’t a fluke either, as Thompson’s rebounding is sustainable, as he is not only uber-athletic, but he gets after the boards and has great court sense and a nose for the ball.
Thompson is also leading all rookies in assists at 4.25 per game, ahead of Scoot Henderson, who is a point guard, the primary playmaker for Portland and has the ball in his hands a lot more. Thompson is a secondary ballhandler for the Pistons and still leading all rookies in assists, which shows you what kind of passer he is. He’s had some beautiful dimes already this season, and has bought into Monty Williams’ .5 system more than any other player on the Pistons.
Thompson is also second in blocks with 2.5 per game, just behind Chet Holmgren, who again is a 7-foot plus center. Ausar Thompson is third in efficiency overall and is a big reason the Pistons have gotten off to a solid start on the defensive end.
As impactful as Thompson has been, imagine how good he’s going to be when he starts making shots. Be excited, Detroit.
#1: Chet Holmgren
After beating the Pistons last night, the OKC Thunder are off to a 3-1 start and Chet Holmgren has been a huge part of it. Though technically a second-year player, Holmgren missed all of last season so is still considered a rookie.
He is currently third among rookies in scoring with 15 points per game, 3rd in rebounds (6.2), tied for 4th in assists (2), 1st in blocks (2.75), 2nd in steals (1), 3rd in field goal percentage (60%), 2nd in 3-point percentage (60%) and 1st in efficiency by a mile.
Holmgren’s rim protection is legit, as the Pistons found out last night, as he harassed their bigs into poor shooting nights while racking up four blocks.
Unlike the others in the top four, Holmgren is doing this on a good team with playoff aspirations, which also gives him a boost in the rankings, not that he needs it, as his all-around game has been huge for the Thunder.