The 2024-25 NBA rookie class is off to a brutal start. Historically bad, for example. There’s reason to be hopeful — writing someone off after less than two weeks of action is ridiculous — but there’s a reason the 2024 draft was labeled weak. It will take time and a lot of patience for most of these players to break out.

Normally there’s a pretty clear group of early Rookie of the Year favorites. The intersection between opportunity and finishing is incredibly valuable to a newcomer, and there just aren’t many players who tick both boxes right now. Even the No. 1 pick started the season from the bench. Zach Edey, the most dominant college basketball player of the past decade, is starting in Memphis. He averages less than twenty minutes per game. The straps are short and the strands are slim.

So these rankings evolve virtually with every passing game as a result. All it takes is one breakout performance to shine a whole new light on this rookie class. I don’t recommend putting too many stocks in these rankings as a result. It’s good to understand the landscape now, but expect this list to look very different when the season ends. So much will change and evolve in the coming months.

Here are the 10 best rookies so far.

Donovan Clingan is averaging 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 12.9 minutes. The Blazers continue to rely heavily on Deandre Ayton, but it’s only a matter of time until Clingan’s solid foundation, efficient game finishing and all-around rim protection earn him a more substantial role. Don’t be shocked if Portland makes an effort to terminate Ayton’s contract in the coming months.

Jamison Battle, a five-year college star who went undrafted in June, has quickly emerged as a rotation cog for the injury-plagued Raptors. Battle’s efficient three-point shooting has set him apart from other rookies, not to mention his solid rebounding from the wing and a general aura of stability that has eluded most of his peers.

Certain stats point to Jamal Shead (rightly) for his inefficient shooting out of the gate, but he is averaging 5.0 assists in 18.6 minutes as Toronto’s backup point guard while playing stout defense on the perimeter. Shead’s ability to battle screens and cover the point of attack is valuable to a team currently missing some of its best defenders. He brings valuable energy off the bench and Toronto desperately needs it.

The scoring efficiency that Jonathan Mogbo defined in college hasn’t quite translated in seven games, but the 6-foot-1 center has made his impact felt in defense. He switches screens, smothers the perimeter like a frenzied attack dog and wreaks havoc as a weak side roamer (1.3 steals, 0.9 blocks in 17.1 minutes). The nifty screen setting, passing and vertical pop around the rim should eventually translate into a workable offense.

A performance of eight assists and zero turnovers through 37 minutes on Saturday was a nice feather in Bub Carrington’s cap. He struggles to score around the rim as expected, but Carrington’s play and pull-up shooting at just 19 years old is extremely impressive. He leads all rookies in minutes per game and should continue to get plenty of opportunities in DC.

Alex Sarr hasn’t figured out the offense yet, but the Wizards are keeping him there 24.8 minutes a night and letting what happens happen. That’s the right strategy for a rebuilding team and it has allowed us to see plenty of flashes from the No. 2 overall pick, including some crazy defensive highlights (2.8 blocks per game).

He needs to add strength and operate with more force, especially on offense, but all the hand-wringing in the wake of Sarr’s spotty Summer League feels weird in retrospect. The tools are clearly visible, and he contributes to a Wizards team that is much more competitive than expected.

At some point, Washington will drop back into the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, which should coincide with an even bigger workload for Sarr. He hasn’t put the pieces together for the attack, but it’s hard to find seven-footers who move so gracefully, with or without the rock. Sarr has legitimate face-up scoring ability, can comfortably navigate tight spaces off the dribble and occasionally fire off an advanced pass. His low turnover clip (0.6, compared to 1.8 assists) is a positive sign.

It wasn’t the start most expected from Rookie of the Year betting favorite Zach Edey, who has been the victim of foul trouble on a regular basis. He has started all seven games for Memphis but is only averaging 18.3 minutes. The line is short and it’s clear that Edey is still adjusting to the pace of NBA basketball.

Edey almost never made a mistake at Purdue, mostly out of necessity. The Boilermakers couldn’t afford to lose Edey, so he was asked to play an extremely conservative defense. Edey’s role is very different in the NBA. He needs to be active with his hands and intimidating at the rim. At 7-foot-4 and 305 pounds, it shouldn’t come as much of a shock that Edey struggles to combat the speed and athleticism inherent in the pros. He deserves time and patience to find out.

Despite the myriad issues, however, Edey has been more productive than most of his peers, averaging 9.1 points and 5.7 rebounds on 58 percent shooting. If the defense comes around and Edey can stay on the floor longer, his mismatch creation in the post, combined with his wide screen setting and oceanic catch radius on lobs, should lead to steady impact and yes, Rookie of the Year buzz.

Yves Missi is the Pelicans’ missing link. It’s only a matter of time before he becomes a full-time starter and will be of great value as New Orleans’ defensive anchor. Herb Jones and Dejounte Murray (once he’s back) will continue to cause chaos with their perimeter activity, but the Pelicans won’t be able to field a workable defense without a solid presence in the middle. The front office failed to find a quality veteran center to replace Jonas Valanciunas, but that may not matter given Missi’s meteoric rise.

Missi recorded his first career start on Saturday, collecting four points, 10 rebounds and a block over 26 minutes of action. Nothing fancy, but Missi’s ridiculous athleticism and red-hot engine mean he can cover a lot of ground on the defensive backline. The Pelicans have been looking for a long-term solution at center for ages. They might have it in Missi.

His offensive production is understandably muted, but Missi is a capable lob threat with a bit of face-up juice and passing pizzazz for which he doesn’t get enough credit. The defensive play (1.5 blocks in 20.8 minutes), solid fundamentals and relentless energy should keep Missi high on this list as the season progresses.

Jaylen Wells, a second-round pick in the 2024 draft, has immediately found a home in the Grizzlies rotation. He has now made back-to-back starts while Desmond Bane was injured, leading to back-to-back performances with at least 15 points, five rebounds and two made 3s for the Washington State product.

This was the book about Wells leaving school. At 6-foot-1, he is a deadeye shooter, a role the Grizzlies always seem to relish. Following in the footsteps of Luke Kennard and of course Bane, Wells has a pretty simple set of responsibilities alongside Ja Morant or Scotty Pippen in the backcourt. He’s there to run the floor, create space at the three-point line and keep defenders busy with off-ball movement.

He doesn’t do much more than shoot, but that’s valuable enough in itself, especially when the rest of his peers can’t seem to find the ocean from shore. Wells is making 38.7 percent of his 4.4 three-point attempts per game, averaging 10.3 points in 24.8 minutes. Wells was a first-day contributor for an aspiring contender and has exuded true All-Rookie vibes through two weeks.

Your rookie leader in three-pointers for a few weeks is Ryan Dunn, which is absolutely mind-boggling. Dunn couldn’t shoot straight away in college. He made 20 percent of his lone attempts per game as a sophomore at Virginia. Dunn not only lacked touch, but also confidence. In fact, his entire attacking game was a mess, characterized by a gun-shy approach, unreliable decision-making and a complete absence of finesse.

Lo and behold, Dunn is shooting 39.3 percent from deep on 4.7 attempts so far in Phoenix, achieving those numbers in just 17.8 minutes. So he’s been a legitimately productive supporting scorer in the Suns’ second unit, not to mention the whirlwind defense that made Dunn a candidate in the first place. Dunn is probably the best defender in this draft, standing at 6-foot-4, long arms and a preternatural nose for the basketball.

Dunn camps in passing lanes and switches across the positional spectrum with ease. We’ve seen several examples of Dunn holding down guards at the point of attack or blowing out stronger wings with sheer effort and intensity. The Suns needed another high-level perimeter defender besides Kevin Durant. That was a gaping hole in their rotation last season. Dunn provides it, and his minutes should increase exponentially as the season progresses and Mike Budenholzer realizes what he has.