2017-18 NBA Regular Season: 10 pleasant surprises

#2 The 2017 NBA draft class

2017 NBA First Round Draft Picks

While there was enough anticipation for the incoming rookie class this season, and a number of experts expected a deep draft class, what we have seen from rookies this season is way beyond even those lofty expectations.

The draft class of 2017 has already started to make a significant impact in the NBA - some of these players are doing it with teams that will have homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Donovan Mitchell is a frontrunner in the Rookie of the Year discussions, and he's scoring an average of 20.5 points per game as the star scorer for the Utah Jazz team currently occupying 4th place in the Western Conference standings.

Jayson Tatum, another frontrunner, has shown all the guile and composure of a multiple All-Star on the way to putting up extremely efficient numbers for the #2-seeded Boston Celtics.

Kyle Kuzma and Lauri Markkanen have been impressive right from the get-go. Josh Jackson, Lonzo Ball and Dennis Smith Jr all look like players with the potential to be franchise cornerstones in the not-so-distant future.

The likes of Josh Hart, John Collins, Jarrett Allen and Jordan Bell have all displayed great defensive acumen and energy whenever they've gotten the chance. Markelle Fultz, after missing out nearly the entire regular season, will be a key component of the 76ers' playoff rotations.

All things said and done, NBA fans can't get enough of this draft class, which has the potential to be as momentous and unique as its predecessors from 1984, 1996 and 2003.