NBA Rookie of the Year (ROY) 2024: Top 5 candidates ft Victor Wembanyama (Week 17)

With the stretch run of the 2023-24 season in full throttle, the NBA Rookie of the Year race is also getting more exciting. Five first-year players led by Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren have grabbed a stranglehold of the contest. While the two have had an ironclad hold of the first and second spots, the next three have slightly varied for Week 17.

The quintet on the list all appeared in last week’s All-Star weekend. While they mostly impressed, it has been their play in competitive games that has made basketball fans continuously check on their performances.

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Top-five contenders for the NBA Rookie of the Year award for week 17

#5 Jaime Jaquez Jr.

• Last week: Games played 4 games (3-1)
• Season: 50
• Last week: 9.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 2.3 APG
• Season: 12.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.6 APG and 1.1 SPG

Jaime Jaquez Jr. hasn’t rediscovered the form that made him turn heads in December as a top NBA Rookie of the Year contender. Since returning from a groin injury and the acquisition of Terry Rozier, the high-leaping rookie has struggled a bit. Rozier has not been available for over a week now but Jaquez hasn’t stepped up like many expected him to do.

Maybe he will be much better in the coming days but for Week 17, he is fifth in the NBA Rookie of the Year ladder.

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#4 Brandon Miller

• Last week: Games played: 4 (3-1)
• Season: 50
• Last week: 17.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 3.8 APG
• Season: 16.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.4 APG

Brandon Miller could have easily resumed his Week 16 rank but for the updated NBA Rookie of the Year ladder, he is in fourth spot. He has largely played the same way, even helping the Charlotte Hornets to a 3-1 record, but Brandin Podziemski has just been a tad more impactful.

Since getting bigger roles for the Hornets, Miller has responded. Without LaMelo Ball and following the separate trades of Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward, the former Alabama star has been more decisive. He is showing why he deserves the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft with the way he has been playing.

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#3 Brandin Podziemski

• Last week: Games played 4 (3-1)
• Season: 49
• Last week: 10.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 4.8 APG
• Season: 10.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 3.9 APG

Brandin Podziemski’s numbers do not jump out the way Brandon Miller’s have. But, the combo guard has been so good that Warriors coach Steve Kerr was forced to remove Klay Thompson from the starting lineup for Podziemski. The former Santa Clara star is not just mostly closing out games, he is now starting for the Dubs as Steph Curry’s backcourt mate.

Podziemski’s two-way impact has been crucial in the Warriors’ recent surge. The numbers he has been putting up are impressive considering who his teammates are. For this reason, he deserves the third place in the NBA Rookie of the Year weekly race.

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#2 Chet Holmgren

• Last week: Games played 4 (4-0)
• Season: 56
• Last week: 21.0 PPG, 9.3 RPG and 3.3 BPG
• Season: 16.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.6 APG and 2.6 BPG

Chet Holmgren had an eye-popping week, helping the OKC Thunder to a perfect 4-0 week. Holmgren’s dominance on offense has been spectacular as he is hitting shots all over the floor. He hit 61.8% of his attempts, including 46.5% from deep during the said stretch.

One of the favorites of the NBA Rookie of the Year race has been unstoppable in certain situations. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has unquestionably been Oklahoma’s biggest star but Holmgren has been making his presence felt on both ends of the court.

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#1 Victor Wembanyama

• Last week: Games played 4 (0-4)
• Season: 51
• Last week: 23.5 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 4.8 APG, 4.5 BPG and 3.0 SPG
• Season: 20.6 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, 3.3 BPG and 1.3 SPG

Victor Wembanyama is the only rookie on this list whose team had a losing record in Week 17. He was also the only one who has been playing as the franchise superstar who is the main focus of every opposing defense. And yet, the numbers he has been putting up are just staggering.

The San Antonio Spurs are swimming and even sinking with the favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year race. With every game under his belt, the Frenchman is becoming more confident and comfortable. “Wemby” is living up to the hype and deserves the top spot on this list.