Early ROY outlook

With a quarter of the NBA season come and gone, it's time to evaluate the production of the rookie class this season and determine who the frontrunners for the NBA Rookie of the Year award are thus far. Coming into the season, top draft picks Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Jahlil Okafor were three of the top picks for Rookie of the Year.

The No. 1 overall selection in the NBA draft this year, Karl-Anthony Towns, started off hot, averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds a game through his first couple of starts, but has since cooled off to around 14 points, nine rebounds and two blocks a game through his team’s first 17 games. If the season were to end now, he would likely win the award for Rookie of the Year. His dominant play at center for the Timberwolves has highlighted both his dominance on the offensive and defensive end of the court. He also has surprisingly shown great touch from mid range, and his free throw percentage sits at 90 percent on the season -- an extraordinary rate for an NBA big.

Jahlil Okafor, the third overall selection in the NBA draft, has also started on a tear, averaging 18 points and eight rebounds a game. Coming into the draft, he was seen as the most polished NBA big with great footwork and post moves. He has demonstrated those attributes since joining the Philadelphia 76ers, but much of his offensive production might be due to his high shot volume. Playing on the worst team in the league, Okafor has attempted 113 more shots than the next highest shot taker on the 76ers. While he may be averaging 18 points a game, he is only shooting at 47 percent, which is below average for an NBA center. Nonetheless, he is still one of the top candidates for rookie of the year this season.

Kristaps Porzingis has been a surprise this season as a top candidate for rookie of the year. Many thought D’Angelo Russell, a skilled guard coming out of Ohio State, would be a top contender for the award, but he has had a slow start to the season, leaving room for Porzingis’ strong play to boost him into contention. Porzingis was a question mark coming into the league, as many international players are, having played at different levels of competition and national attention overseas. Porizingis was one such mystery man, but he has turned into a pleasant surprise. He has shown poor shooting numbers thus far, shooting just 41 percent from the field, but still averages about 13 points and nine rebounds a game. He has also caught the national attention with several highlight reel put-back dunks. If he is able to improve his shooting numbers, he will be a serious contender to receive the award come April.