Knicks · Rookie Survey - More motivation for KP! (page 1)

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Who will be the 2015-16 Rookie of the Year?
The Starters: Jahlil Okafor
The Sixers' Jahlil Okafor plays a game of 'Fact Checking With Jahlil' with the Starters crew.
1. Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia -- 41.9 percent
2. Stanley Johnson, Detroit -- 19.4 percent
3. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota -- 12.9 percent
T-4. Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver -- 9.7 percent
D'Angelo Russell, L.A. Lakers -- 9.7 percent
Others receiving votes: Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento; Trey Lyles, Utah
Last year: Jabari Parker -- 52.8 percent
Worth noting: The No. 3 pick got almost twice as many votes as Nos. 1 and 2 combined. Other rookies will get the opportunity to put up numbers, but no team needs its rookie's offense more than the Sixers. Scoring 10.0 points per 100 possessions fewer than the league average last season, they were the worst offensive team in the last 12 years.

Which rookie will have the best career?
First Impressions of Jahlil Okafor
Jahlil Okafor discusses his first games in a Sixers uniform while his coach and fans weigh in on the rookie's on-court performance.
1. Jahlil Okafor, Philadelphia -- 24.1 percent
2. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota -- 17.2 percent
T-3. Justin Anderson, Dallas -- 13.8 percent
Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver -- 13.8 percent
5. Stanley Johnson, Detroit -- 8.0 percent
6. Sam Dekker, Houston -- 6.9 percent
Others receiving votes: Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento; Bobby Portis, Chicago; Kelly Oubre, Washington; Kristaps Porzingis, New York; D'Angelo Russell, L.A. Lakers; Rashad Vaughn, Milwaukee
Last year: Jabari Parker -- 45.9 percent
Worth noting: Towns seemed to be the obvious No. 1 pick for the Wolves, but didn't get much love from his fellow rookies. Four of the 36 couldn't vote for him, but 32 could, and he picked up just 10 total votes.

Which rookie was the biggest steal at where he was selected in the Draft?
1. Joseph Young (43), Indiana -- 12.1 percent
T-2. R.J. Hunter (28), Boston -- 9.1 percent
Tyus Jones (24), Minnesota -- 9.1 percent
Bobby Portis (22), Chicago -- 9.1 percent
Justise Winslow (10), Miami -- 9.1 percent
6. Terry Rozier (16), Boston -- 6.1 percent
Myles Turner (11), Indiana -- 6.1 percent
Others receiving votes: Devin Booker (13), Phoenix; Anthony Brown (34), L.A. Lakers; Willie Cauley-Stein (6), Sacramento; Jerian Grant (19), New York; Dakari Johnson (48), Oklahoma City; Stanley Johnson (8), Detroit; Trey Lyles (12), Utah; Jarell Martin (25), Memphis; Jordan Mickey (33), Boston; Emmanuel Mudiay (7), Denver; Jahlil Okafor (3), Philadelphia; Kristaps Porzingis (4), New York; Josh Richardson (40), Miami; Rashad Vaughn (17), Milwaukee
Last year: Kyle Anderson -- 11.1 percent
Worth noting: We changed the wording on this question (from "Which rookie is being most overlooked?"), and it still get the biggest mix of responses. Nine of the 11 picks from 3-13 (all except Mario Hezonja and Frank Kaminsky) got at least one vote.

Which rookie is the most athletic?
Anderson's Rim Rocker
Justin Anderson throws the hammer down.
1. Justin Anderson, Dallas -- 27.8 percent
2. Pat Connaughton, Portland -- 13.9 percent
3. Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento -- 11.1 percent
4. Justise Winslow, Miami -- 8.3 percent
T-5. Mario Hezonja, Orlando -- 5.6 percent
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn -- 5.6 percent
J.P. Tokoto, Philadelphia -- 5.6 percent
8. Kelly Oubre, Washington -- 4.2 percent
Others receiving votes: Montrezl Harrell, Houston; Stanley Johnson, Detroit; Jarell Martin, Memphis; Chris McCullough, Brooklyn; Michael Qualls; Terry Rozier, Boston; Marcus Thornton, Boston
Last year: Zach LaVine -- 56.6 percent
Worth noting: This category usually doesn't get such a variety of responses. Maybe there are a lot of great athletes in this rookie class and maybe there's just nobody that stands out like LaVine did last year. Two of the guys who got votes -- McCullough and Qualls -- suffered torn ACLs in the last year.

Which rookie is the best shooter?
The Starters: Devin Booker
Suns rookie Devin Booker's NBA.com profile page is blank, so The Starters asked him some basic questions to help fill it out.
1. Devin Booker, Phoenix -- 58.8 percent
T-2. Pat Connaughton, Portland -- 8.8 percent
R.J. Hunter, Boston -- 8.8 percent
4. Anthony Brown, L.A. Lakers -- 5.9 percent
Mario Hezonja, Orlando -- 5.9 percent
Others receiving votes: Tyler Harvey, Orlando; Stanley Johnson, Detroit; Kelly Oubre, Washington; Rashad Vaughn, Milwaukee
Last year: Doug McDermott -- 39.5 percent
Worth noting: Booker, who shot 40 percent from 3-point range and 88 percent from the free-throw line in Summer League, was the only player to receive more than half of the votes for any question.

Which rookie is the best defender?
Hollis-Jefferson's Big Block
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson denies Jamal Jones at the rim.
1. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn -- 23.5 percent
2. Stanley Johnson, Detroit -- 20.6 percent
3. Justise Winslow, Miami -- 17.6 percent
T-4. Willie Cauley-Stein, Sacramento -- 5.9 percent
Delon Wright, Toronto -- 5.9 percent
Others receiving votes: Justin Anderson, Dallas; Anthony Brown, L.A. Lakers; Rakeem Christmas, Indiana; Jerian Grant, New York; Montrezl Harrell, Houston; Kelly Oubre, Washington; Josh Richardson, Miami; Edy Tavares, Atlanta; Joseph Young, Indiana
Last year: K.J. McDaniels, Marcus Smart -- 13.5 percent
Worth noting: All the guys who received multiple votes will play for teams that ranked in the bottom 12 in defensive efficiency last season. Rookies seldom make a positive impact on that end of the floor, but for the teams they've joined, these five guys probably can't hurt.

Which rookie is the best playmaker?
After Dark: D'Angelo Russell
Rick talks some hoops and hits golf balls with Lakers rookie D'Angelo Russell.
1. D'Angelo Russell, L.A. Lakers -- 40.0 percent
2. Tyus Jones, Minnesota -- 17.1 percent
3. Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver -- 14.3 percent
4. Delon Wright, Toronto -- 8.6 percent
T-5. Cameron Payne, Oklahoma City -- 5.7 percent
Joseph Young, Indiana -- 5.7 percent
Others receiving votes: Jerian Grant, New York; Kelly Oubre, Washington; Terry Rozier, Boston
Last year: Tyler Ennis -- 24.3 percent
Worth noting: This was the only question for which Stanley Johnson didn't get a vote. He wins the "Jack of all trades" award with votes for seven different questions. Kelly Oubre (six) and Willie Cauley-Stein (five) also seem to be versatile, but didn't win any categories either.

Which rookie is the funniest?
NBA Rooks: Frank Kaminsky
An all-access look at Charlotte Hornets first rounder Frank Kaminsky, who had an impressive pro debut at the Orlando Summer League.
1. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Brooklyn -- 44.3 percent
2. Frank Kaminsky, Charlotte -- 25.7 percent
3. D'Angelo Russell, L.A. Lakers -- 5.7 percent
Others receiving votes: Justin Anderson, Dallas; Stanley Johnson, Detroit; Kelly Oubre, Washington; Cameron Payne, Oklahoma City; Josh Richardson, Miami; Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota; Rashad Vaughn, Milwaukee; Justise Winslow, Miami; Joseph Young, Indiana
Last year: Joel Embiid -- 20.0 percent
Worth noting: Hollis-Jefferson received votes in just three categories, but won two of them and had the most total votes, thanks to his dominance in the humor department.

What will be the biggest adjustment for you, playing in the NBA?
1. Speed or pace of the game -- 38.6 percent
2. Length of season -- 18.6 percent
3. Physicality (size and strength of opponents) -- 17.1 percent
4. Lifestyle & time management -- 11.4 percent
5. Conditioning and body maintenance -- 4.3 percent
Also receiving votes: Complexity of the game, Paying taxes, Shorter shot clock, Travel
Last year: Speed or pace of the game -- 26.4 percent
Worth noting: Hopefully, the "paying taxes" guy has a good accountant.

Who is your favorite player in the league?
Rookies Discuss Facing NBA Vets
Lang Whitaker talks with several players during the 2015 rookie photo shoot.
1. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City -- 21.2 percent
2. Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers -- 18.2 percent
3. LeBron James, Cleveland -- 15.2 percent
T-4. Stephen Curry, Golden State -- 9.1 percent
Dwyane Wade, Miami -- 9.1 percent
6. James Harden, Houston -- 6.1 percent
Others receiving votes: Anthony Davis, New Orleans; Kevin Garnett, Minnesota; Marc Gasol, Memphis; Rudy Gay, Sacramento; Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio; Klay Thompson, Golden State; Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City
Last year: Kevin Durant -- 25.0 percent
Worth noting: The top three vote-getters finished in the same order last year. The rooks weren't affected by the fact that Durant and Bryant combined to play just 62 games last season.

John Schuhmann is a staff writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.

Will be that much sweeter...

GustavBahler wrote:Porzingis and Hezonga aren't well known in the US, so Im not surprised that they didn't get much attention. Hopefully they'll all be hearing from Porzingis soon enough.

Good point....So the fact that he was even mentioned in the "best career category", is a plus! Especially for someone thats unknown within the collegiate / AAU community!

blkexec wrote:

GustavBahler wrote:Porzingis and Hezonga aren't well known in the US, so Im not surprised that they didn't get much attention. Hopefully they'll all be hearing from Porzingis soon enough.

Good point....So the fact that he was even mentioned in the "best career category", is a plus! Especially for someone thats unknown within the collegiate / AAU community!

Agree, KP showed enough in SL to turn some heads. They will know who he is when KP sends some of their FG attempts into orbit, heh heh.

dk7th wrote:let me see if i understand the nature of this survey and poll... these are this year's draft class/rookies voting on their fellow rookies, right? that is, it's a peer group voting among themselves?

Correct....and each voter can not vote on themselves!

Cartman718 wrote:how is this even a topic... rookies who havent even played a single game playing coaches and gms...their opinions are worth crap. the general public probably has a better idea on who will do well in the nba.

If you go into a gym, knowing that everybody is sleeping on you, you tend to perform better, because of that chip on your shoulder. KP seems like the type to prove people wrong. Seems like thats his motivation. What more motivation do you need, when your own peers don't even recognize you as an equal. I think this is good news for KP to understand where he stands in the minds of his class mates. Little things like this is sometimes the difference between a player that never reaches his potential and a player that exceeds their potential.

Cartman718 wrote:how is this even a topic... rookies who havent even played a single game playing coaches and gms...their opinions are worth crap. the general public probably has a better idea on who will do well in the nba.

oh the irony

Biggest steals imho(drafted only)
11 Myles Turner
43 Joe Young
46 Norman Powell
21 Justin Andersen
13 Devin Booker

Most athletic
1. Norman Powell
2. Mario Hezonga
3 Justin Andersen
4 Willie Stein
5 Joseph Young

EnySpree wrote:Kristaps should have gotten more respect in the shooting department. Jerian Grant should have gotten love in the play making.

Keep in mind that KP6 is a big and there are guards out there who are better than him. Definitely agree with you on Jerian Grant. He is definitely top 3 in my book.