6. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks
Heading into the start of the season as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, there were some high expectations on the shoulders of Zaccharie Risacher. And to be perfectly honest, Risacher was clearly struggling as he made the transition to the NBA. Whether it was the speed, the gameplay, or expectations, Risacher looked like a player who was trying to learn a new trade on the fly. Nevertheless, over the last few weeks, it does seem as if there has been some improvement in his game.
In his last 10 games, Risacher has shown clear signs of improvement, He's averaging 10 points and two rebounds on 42 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent shooting from 3-point range. That's some improvement considering how inconsistent he started this season. If he can continue to build off the last few weeks, there's reason to believe that he could begin to climb his way back into the race for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award this season.
5. Yves Missi, New Orleans Pelicans
As one of the NBA rookies that no one seems to talk about, probably because he's currently playing for one of the worst teams in the league, I do believe it's time that we begin to put some respect on Yves Missi's name. As he's gotten a chance to prove his worth, he's looking more and more like a potential steal from this year's draft class. In his last 10 games, Missi is averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds per game on 57 percent shooting from the field. Over that span, he's also averaging nearly 30 minutes per contest.
For a player who was viewed as a raw prospect coming into the NBA, it does seem as if there is a role for him to play for the hurting Pelicans at the moment. Playing out of necessity and desperation considering the team's injury concerns, New Orleans might've stumbled into finding their long-term answer at the center position. There are still strides that Missi can make in his game but the early signs are quite promising. I'm not sure if he'll be able to work his way up into the top 3 of rookie voting but he does deserve some credit for his play.