![Luka Doncic is the overwhelming favorite to win Rookie of the Year. [Image Source: Flickr | Javier Mendia Garcia]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2019/1/22/660x290/b_502x220x82/luka-doncic-is-the-overwhelming-favorite-to-win-rookie-of-the-year-image-source-flickr-javier-mendia-garcia_2188357.jpg "Luka Doncic is the overwhelming favorite to win Rookie of the Year. [Image Source: Flickr | Javier Mendia Garcia]")
The NBA Rookie of the Year has been won by a host of superb players. Last season, it was won by Ben Simmons. Other previous winners include Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Barry, Willis Reed, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor.
With the 2018-19 regular season more than halfway complete, Luka Doncic is the heavy favorite to take home the award this season. According to Odds Checker, he is an absurd 1/50 favorite to win.
That doesn’t mean that Doncic has been the only productive rookie though. Here are the other top contenders (for second through tenth place) for Rookie of the Year.
(Note: While Wendell Carter Jr. would have made the list, according to Hoops Rumors, he had surgery on his thumb which will keep him out of action for 8-12 weeks.)
Luka Doncic, Mavericks (20.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 5.2 apg, 1.2 sig, 36.6% 3 pt)
The runaway leader in the Rookie of the Year chase, Doncic has shown even more improvement as the season has gone along. He has averaged 22.6 points and 6.3 assists in his last 21 games.
Deandre Ayton, Suns (16.4 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 bog, 59.4% fg)
The first pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton leads all rookies in field goal percentage (seventh among all NBA players) and rebounds per game (tied for 13th in NBA). He has 27 double-doubles in his 47 games.
Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies (13.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.5 bog, 51.6% fg)
The fourth overall selection, Jackson Jr. has eight outings with at least 20 points and nine with at least three blocks. He has averaged 15.4 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the field over his last 11 games.
Trae Young, Hawks (16.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 7.2 apg, 80.0% ft)
Young hasn't always displayed efficient shooting (40.1 field goal percentage and 28.9 three-point percentage), but those numbers are up to 45.0 and 38.8 respectively in his last 14 games.
Marvin Bagley III, Kings (12.4 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 0.9 apg, 52.9% fg)
Drafted second overall, Bagley III has put up solid numbers despite not starting a single game. He is second among all rookies with his 52.9 field goal percentage.
Kevin Knox, Knicks (12.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.9 apg, 35.2% 3pt)
After getting off to a bit of a rough start, Knox has become one of the Knicks' most reliable scorers. In his last 22 contests, the ninth overall pick has averaged 15.8 points.
Collin Sexton, Cavaliers (14.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.8 apg, 38.9% 3pt, 86.1% ft)
While Sexton hasn't necessarily displayed excellent point guard skills (135 assists to 110 turnovers), he has shown an innate ability to put the ball in the hoop. He has reached double figures in scoring in 41 of his 48 games.
Rodions Kurucs, Nets (9.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.7 apg, 50.5% fg, 91.7% ft)
The only second round pick to make the list (selected 40th overall), Kurucs has started the Nets' last 19 games. During that time, he has posted averages of nearly 11 points on 50.7 percent shooting from the field and four rebounds.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Clippers (9.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.0 sig, 82.7% ft)
Gilgeous-Alexander has started 37 games at point guard for a Clippers team that currently sits in the eighth playoff spot in the West. Much like Sexton though, he would love to improve on a somewhat subpar ratio of 133 assists to 85 turnovers on the season.
Kevin Huerter, Hawks (9.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.6 apg, 39.2% 3pt)
Huerter, drafted 19th overall, sits third among all rookies connecting on 1.7 threes per game at a near 40 percent clip. In his last 22 games (all starts), those numbers climb to 2.2 made threes a contest on 40.6 percent shooting from deep.
