NBA Rookie of the Year (ROY) 2024: Top 5 candidates ft. Victor Wembanyama (Week 25)

The last week of the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year race finally came to an end. With all teams playing their 82nd regular season game, the freshmen of the 2023 draft class also submitted their cases for the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy. The two rookies who have dominated this list will likely end up as the No. 1 and No. 2 contenders for the said award.

Victor Wembanyama might be the unanimous choice if only the San Antonio Spurs had been winning. But, with the Spurs finishing with one of the worst records in the NBA, Chet Holmgren’s numbers might be more relevant to voters. Still, the two have unquestionably made this competition their playground.

Top-five contenders for the NBA Rookie of the Year award for Week 25

#5 Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Last week: 4 games (3 wins - loss)
Season: 75
Last week: 11.8 PPG, 4.0 APG and 3.5 RPG
Season: 11.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.6 APG and 1.0 SPG

The Miami Heat needed an all-hands-on-deck approach last week to try and nail a guaranteed playoff spot. They failed to get the job done but Jaime Jaquez Jr. had a stellar week. His best game was against the Toronto Raptors on Friday when he fell an assist short of a double-double. Miami’s rookie did what he wanted against their opponents’ decimated roster.

He is No. 5 in the final week of the NBA Rookie of the Year ladder.

#4 Brandin Podziemski

Last week: 4 games (3 wins - 1 loss)
Season: 74
Last week: 8.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 2.3 APG
Season: 9.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.7 APG

Like the Miami Heat, the Golden State Warriors were also pushing to move up in the standings. The Dubs desperately wanted to get out of the play-in tournament but couldn’t do so. Brandin Podziemski gave a good accounting of himself in Week 25, though.

Golden State had a tougher schedule than Miami so Podziemski gets the nod at No 4 for the weekly NBA Rookie of the Year rankings.