NBA 2019-20: Rookie of the Year Power Rankings Week 10

Zion Williamson entered the 2019 NBA draft as the most talked-about teenager since LeBron James and it came as a surprise to no-one when the New Orleans Pelicans selected him with the first overall pick. However, after impressing during his limited time on the court during Summer League, Williamson underwent surgery to repair a torn right meniscus in his right knee on the eve of the season.

Williamson was initially ruled out for six-to-eight-weeks, however, we are now approaching the nine-week mark and the 19-year-old remains some ways away from returning despite making some progress over the past 10 days. Due to this, Williamson's hopes of being named Rookie of the Year are fading quickly, and here we will take a look at the leading candidates to win the award as we approach 2020.

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#5 RJ Barrett - New York Knicks

RJ Barrett returned to form during Week 9 of the season

After making an excellent start to the season, RJ Barrett has struggled for form for the better part of a month. However, the 19-year-old has shown signs of a resurgence over the past week as he has put in big performances against the Hawks and Bucks.

Against Atlanta, Barrett poured in 27 points in 29 minutes, while connecting with 10 of his 13 attempts from the field. In his next outing, Barrett recorded just 2 points against the Miami Heat, although he recovered to record 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Evidently, Barrett will need to improve his consistency if he is to get back into the All-Star mix, although just four other rookies are averaging more points per game and the teenager could flourish under New York's next head coach.

#4 Brandon Clarke - Memphis Grizzlies

Brandon Clarke has continued to improve throughout the opening two months of the season

Following a dismal start to the season, the Memphis Grizzlies have shown signs of life over the past few weeks, and Brandon Clarke has played a big role. The 23-year-old has yet to break into Memphis' starting lineup, although he has made a huge impact from the bench, averaging 12.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

Clarke recorded a career-high 27 points against the OKC Thunder last week and the rookie finished the game having connected with 13 of his 19 attempts from the field. For the season, the Vancouver native is also shooting an impressive 64% from the field, and despite a limited sample size, he is also shooting 43.3 percent from beyond the arc.

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#3 Tyler Herro - Miami Heat

Tyler Herro has made a huge impact from Miami's bench

It has been well documented that Jimmy Butler has served as a mentor to Tyler Herro since landing in Miami, and the 19-year-old rookie has thrived under the All-Star's guidance. While playing prominently from the bench, Herro is averaging 14.0 points per game on 42% shooting from the field - and the shooting guard has proved to be a perfect fit on a selfless Miami team that firmly has its eyes on contending in the East.

While he is universally regarded as one of the most promising young shooters in the league, some critics have questioned Herro's overall skillset - although his playmaking skills were on show last week as he almost averaged a triple-double against the Philadelphia 76ers. Unless the Heat opt to make a bold move in the trade market, Herro's role will only grow as the season progresses, and he remains an outsider to be named Rookie of the Year.

#2 Kendrick Nunn - Miami Heat

Kendrick Nunn has played a vital role for an impressive Miami team

After putting up a career-high 36-points against the Atlanta Hawks earlier this month, Kendrick Nunn has continued to excel for the Heat. His standout game of the past seven days came as he dropped 26 points on the Philadelphia 76ers during Miami's impressive 108-104 win, and he finished the week shooting close to 50 percent from the field.

In addition to his improved shooting, Nunn's playmaking skills are developing, and through 30 appearances, the 24-year-old is now averaging 16.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steal per contest. Ultimately, the undrafted guard shows no signs of slowing down, and he is closing the gap to the next man on this list.

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#1 Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies

Ja Morant remains the leading contender to be named Rookie of the Year

Ja Morant has been the most impressive rookie of the season so far, and while he hasn't delivered a standout game since early December, the point guard enjoyed another solid week. On Monday night, Morant dropped 19 points as the Grizzlies were blown away by the Spurs, and his playmaking skills were once again evident as he recorded 11 assists against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For the season, Morant is averaging 18.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game - and there are no doubts that he remains the frontrunner to be named Rookie of the Year. However, the likes of Kendrick Nunn have managed to close the gap over the final few weeks of 2019, and Morant cannot afford a dip in form.