2. Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers
Jared McCain had an electric start to his NBA career. Even though he's begun to tail off a bit now that the Philadelphia 76ers have gotten a little healthier, he's still been a dynamic and important part of the team as they have begun to climb out of their early-season hole However, a meniscus tear in his knee has now put his excellent rookie campaign on hold. That's ultimately why we see McCain drop a spot in the NBA's Rookie Rankings this week. Without knowing when - or if - he'll be back, it's hard not to dock him a bit.
Despite how strong of a start McCain had to this season, we must remember that there is not a threshold of games that he has to play in order to qualify for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award. It has to be noted that the 65-game rule does not impact this award. I think that could be lost in translation at times. Either way, there's no question that this injury had hurt McCain's Rookie of the Year campaign, mostly because he's going to miss games and be out of the limelight.
1. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Stephon Castle has officially arrived and is being completely unleashed by the San Antonio Spurs. After allowing him to slowly work his way into a comfort level to start his rookie season, it does seem as if Castle is finally finding his footing as he hits his stride. As one of the most intriguing two-way prospects heading into the 2024 NBA Draft, it does seem as if Castle is beginning to show his true colors of what he can be at the NBA level. That's not to say that he still doesn't have plenty of work in front of him but that he has shown great strides of late.
The big question is whether Castle will be able to void the rookie wall during the second half of the season. Ultimately, that could dictate whether he ends up winning the NBA's Rookie of the Year or not. At least for now, Castle looks like a candidate who is going to remain near the top of this list but, as we've seen so far this season, that could change at any given moment. Nevertheless, Castle claims the No. 1 spot as he shows more growth and promise in his game.