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.
#5 RJ Barrett - New York Knicks
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.