NBA Rookie Power Rankings: Mitchell takes back top spot; De'Aaron Fox on the hunt

Last week's No. 1, Kyle Kuzma, dropped out entirely after a major shakeup in this week's rankings

By Colin Ward-Henninger

Feb 2, 2018 at 10:49 am ET • 5 min read

The Rookie Rankings have been a slippery slope this season ... but never this slippery.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma went from the penthouse to the outhouse this week, falling all the way from No. 1 completely out of the rankings. His scoring average slipped from 18.7 points per game last week to 9.0 this week, and he shot a putrid 35 percent from the field, including 9 percent -- yes, 9 percent -- on 3-pointers. Needless to say it was quite the disappointment.

Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell was happy to take the top spot from him, while Ben Simmons is the bridesmaid for the second week in a row. There was plenty of movement in the rankings, including Milwaukee Bucks guard Sterling Brown making his first appearance this season.

Here are this week's NBA Rookie Power Rankings.

This week's NBA Rookie Power Rankings

1	Donovan Mitchell Utah Jazz SG
Last week: 4 Stats this week: 23.0 points, 3.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds Mitchell only had two games this week, but he led the Jazz to arguably their two biggest wins of the season -- at Toronto and at home against the Warriors. Mitchell's efficiency has been the lone black mark on a stellar rookie campaign, but he was brilliant this week, shooting 6-of-12 from behind the 3-point arc and committing just two total turnovers. For a guy who led all rookies in usage rate, taking care of the ball against such quality opponents is one of his best accomplishments to date.
2	Ben Simmons Philadelphia 76ers PG
Last week: 2 Stats this week: 20.8 points, 6.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals It's rare that a player can average nearly 21 points and shoot 75 percent from the field and NOT be considered the best rookie of the week. But that's the case for Simmons, whose rebound and assist totals were down in a 1-3 week for the Sixers. One good sign, however, is that Simmons is starting to become much more aggressive offensively when smaller guards try to defend him. He absolutely abused Spencer Dinwiddie on multiple occasions in Wednesday's loss to the Nets. As a 6-foot-10 point guard, Simmons creates a lot of mismatches, so it's good to see him taking advantage in such dominant fashion.
3	De'Aaron Fox Sacramento Kings PG
Last week: 7 Stats this week: 20.5 points, 3.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds The Kings gave a clear signal that they're going to let Fox grow up on the fly when they decided to bench at least two starters every game. So far the 20-year-old has responded well, and this week he showcased something that made Kings fans giddy -- a consistent jumper. Fox made 7-of-9 3-pointers this week, including a perfect 6-for-6 in a loss to the Spurs. He also didn't turn the ball over once against San Antonio, something not many rookies can say.
4	Lauri Markkanen Chicago Bulls PF
Last week: 5 Stats this week: 14.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks Markkanen played in only two of the Bulls' three games this week, and he pulled down double-digit rebounds in both of them. His scoring was a bit down, but that should change now that Nikola Mirotic has been shipped to New Orleans, with no real impact players coming back in return. With Zach LaVine getting back into form and Kris Dunn nearing a return, the Bulls will see how their budding Big Three plays together for the rest of the season.
5	Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics SF
Last week: 6 Stats this week: 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists We're not trying to worry Boston fans here, but Tatum shot 27 percent from 3 this week, and he shot 34 percent for the month of January. Of course he wasn't going to shoot 50 percent all season, but staying around that 40 percent mark will be crucial for Boston's spacing as it makes its playoff push. More than anything, the Celtics need Tatum to remain confident. He shot more this week (12.3 field-goal attempts per game compared to his season average of 9.7), but he certainly looked a bit shaky on some of his 3-point attempts. You just don't see shooters of Tatum's caliber chucking up airballs on wide-open looks. The confidence will likely return, but you never know what's going on inside the head of a 19-year-old, even one as consistent as Tatum.
6	Dennis Smith Jr. Dallas Mavericks PG
Last week: 3 Stats this week: 15.5 points, 7.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds After a strong week, Smith slipped back into his inefficient ways, shooting 34 percent from the field and 27 percent on 3-pointers. He kept up his passing, however, dishing out 7.3 assists per game while committing just 2.5 turnovers, slightly down from his season average. Smith continues to have a usage rate second only to Mitchell among rookies, so the ups and downs will likely continue.
7	Tyrone Wallace Los Angeles Clippers SG
Last week: Unranked Stats this week: 12.7 points, 4.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds The dream season continues for two-way player Tyrone Wallace, who had a plus-11 net rating this week for a Clippers team that just decided to ship Blake Griffin to the Pistons. Wallace does a little bit of everything on the court and can play multiple positions, which has earned him big minutes (34 per game this week). If the Clippers decide to part with more players, like Lou Williams for instance, they can rest assured that Wallace is capable of filling in those minutes.
8	Josh Jackson Phoenix Suns SF
Last week: Unranked Stats this week: 15.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals It's hard to gauge a rookie on the Suns because they play in so few meaningful games. But Jackson gets credit this week for bouncing back from a horrendous 0-for-13 performance against the Rockets to score 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting in Wednesday's win over the Mavericks. Jackson is incredibly active -- he averaged eight rebounds, a block and a steal per game this week, but we're waiting for him to learn to harness that energy in a positive way. We've seen flashes, but he'll have to become much more consistent.
9	Milos Teodosic Los Angeles Clippers PG
Last week: Unranked Stats this week: 13.0 points, 4.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds The 30-year-old rookie is as steady as they come at the point guard position, putting up consistent numbers for a Clippers team that continues to surprise the league. Teodosic will likely take on even more of a playmaking role now after the departure of Blake Griffin, who handled the ball quite a bit for the Clippers. Avery Bradley will be able to cover him on defense, so look for Teodosic to thrive as the unquestioned floor general.
10	Sterling Brown Milwaukee Bucks SG
Last week: Unranked Stats this week: 8.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals Due to various injuries, Brown was pressed into action and delivered on both ends of the court in a 3-1 week for the Bucks. Brown isn't flashy, but the Bucks' net rating was plus-7.3 with him on the court this week, which tells you how valuable he's been. His ability to guard one through three makes him a valuable asset for an improving Bucks defense.