NBA 2019-20: Rookie of the Year Power Rankings Week 4
As soon as Zion Williamson declared for the NBA Draft earlier this year, many experts believed that it was a foregone conclusion that the Duke product would be named 2020 Rookie of the Year. However, after impressing during preseason with the New Orleans Pelicans, Williamson had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee - ruling him out for around two months.
The injury means that Williamson is unlikely to be in contention for ROTY, and this year's battle for the award is likely to be one of the most open races in recent memory. With more than three weeks of the 2019-20 season now played, basketball fans have now had a decent amount of time to assess the NBA's latest crop of talent. So, heading into Week 4 of the season, here are the latest Rookie Power Rankings.
#5 Rui Hachimura - Washington Wizards
Following his 23 point performance against the Houston Rockets on October 31, Rui Hachimura managed just 16 points over his next three games. This sequence included a 21-minute outing against the Indiana Pacers where he failed to get on the scoresheet - shooting 0-5 from the field.
Nevertheless, Hachimura's most recent outing was a bounce-back performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers as he recorded 21 points while missing just three of his thirteen shots. This leaves the 21-year-old averaging 13.6 points and 6.1 rebounds through his first eight appearances in the NBA, and he has also shot almost 50 percent from the field. Admittedly, his three-point shooting is still a worry (25%), although the Wizards man should continue to get back on track over the next week.