Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Race: Latest Power Rankings - April 26th, 2021

There has been constant upheaval in our NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings over the last few weeks. LaMelo Ball is back in the mix after making it to the Charlotte Hornets' injury report and being extremely close to a return to the court, while Saddiq Bey keeps rising on the charts.

Ball's absence has paved the way for the likes of Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton to consolidate their respective positions in the NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings. Houston Rockets' Jae'Sean Tate is also quietly putting up solid numbers in the West.

Latest NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings

Anthony Edwards' dream run with the Minnesota Timberwolves continues as the athletic shooting guard is a close second to win the honor, according to the betting market. Ball continues to be the top dog, and the news of his return has boosted his stock once again.

On that note, let's take a glance at the latest edition of NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings:

#1- Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves

Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking - 1st (-)

Anthony Edwards

MPG - 31.4, PPG - 18.3, APG - 2.7, RPG - 4.4 FG% - 40.1%

Anthony Edwards is coming off an impressive performance against the Utah Jazz, scoring 23 points and grabbing 9 rebounds in an important 101-96 win. He also showed active hands on defense, stealing the ball 5 times on the night. Edwards has been a regular fixture in our NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings and he maintains the top spot this week as well.

Most 25-point games by a teenager ever:13 — Anthony Edwards12 — Other Timberwolves combined pic.twitter.com/1nAeFudbVq

— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 21, 2021

The explosive guard, who is known for his prowess around the rim, also got an endorsement from LA Clippers star Paul George. Edwards has put up great numbers, albeit for a losing team, and it will be intriguing to see if he can translate these stellar outings into wins next year.

#2- LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets

Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking - 3rd (↑1)

LaMelo Ball

MPG - 28.6, PPG - 15.9, AST - 6.1, RPG - 5.9 FG% - 45.1%.

LaMelo Ball is expected to return to the court in 1-2 days for the playoff-bound Charlotte Hornets. This has directly resulted in him climbing the NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings. Before going down with the injury, Ball was averaging close to 16-6-6 and was slowly becoming a nightly triple-double threat.

LaMelo Ball has been cleared to return to individual basketball activity, the Hornets announced.There's optimism Ball could return to the lineup in 7-10 days, sources told @wojespn. pic.twitter.com/tPdR652bpd

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 20, 2021

Ball's development in just 41 games has been commendable, and the experience he gained from the Australian League is evident. The youngest Ball brother last suited up on March 21st against the LA Clippers, scoring 13 points, grabbing 5 rebounds and stealing the ball thrice.

#3- Tyrese Haliburton, Sacramento Kings

Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking - 2nd (↓1)

Tyrese Haliburton

MPG - 30.0, PPG - 12.8, AST - 5.1, RPG - 3.0 FG% - 47.3%.

LaMelo Ball's ascension in the charts means a drop for Tyrese Haliburton, who was recently re-instated to the Sacramento Kings starting 5 following De'Aaron Fox's absence. The rookie put in an incredible 24 points and 8 assists against the Golden State Warriors in his last game, almost leading his team to a win.

Draft analysts were shocked that a player of Tyrese Haliburton's caliber slipped out of the top-10, but other teams' loss has clearly been the Kings' gain. They have acquired a combo guard who has excelled in all phases of the game, potentially forming one of the most feared backcourts in the league with Fox.

#4- Saddiq Bey, Detroit Pistons

Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking - 4th (-)

Saddiq Bey

MPG - 25.9, PPG - 11.3, AST - 1.2, RPG - 4.2 FG% - 40.3%.

Despite some underwhelming performances, Saddiq Bey maintains his position from last week's NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings. Bey's last convincing outing was against the Cleveland Cavaliers, a game in which he scored 20 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.

However, he has been in fine touch in April, with multiple 20 point games. Bey has shown composure at both ends of the court this season and the Detroit Pistons certainly have a brilliant prospect on their hands.

#5- Jae'Sean Tate, Houston Rockets

Previous NBA Rookie of the Year Power Ranking - N/A

Jae'Sean Tate

MPG - 29.0, PPG - 11.0, AST - 2.3, RPG - 5.3 FG% - 51.4%.

Used mostly as a defensive stopper at the small forward position by Stephen Silas, Tate's minutes played per game statistic shows his importance to the Houston Rockets. He makes an entry to the NBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings at the expense of the New York Knicks' Immanuel Quickley.

Tate's three-point shooting has been a concern, but the youngster has shown an innate ability to adapt to the role he has been assigned. He has also played point guard in John Wall's absence, which shows how strong his fundamentals are.