Fan Rankings Home » NBA » Top 10 NBA Best Rookies 2023 Rankings

The one element of success in the National Basketball Association is rebuilding through the NBA Draft while securing the potential All-Stars of the league. The 2022 NBA Draft did exactly that for a handful of the teams around the NBA while a long list of talented rookies emerged during the 2022 – 2023 NBA Season. 

One of those top tier NBA rookies is the Orlando Magic first round pick Paolo Banchero who the team selected from the Duke Blue Devils last summer. Banchero was brilliant during his rookie season while being the headline rookie from the 2022-23 NBA season.

After being selected with the first pick of the 2022 NBA Draft, Banchero did not disappoint during his rookie season while averaging 20 points per game to go along with 6.9 rebounds.

His play on the court landed him multiple accolades including the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. While Banchero headlines the list of the Top NBA Rookies 2023 Rankings, the Magic rookie is just one of the talented rookies to perform this NBA Season.

A list that includes Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers, Jaden Ivey of the Detroit Pistons, and Jabari Smith of the Houston Rockets. Here is a look at the Top 10 NBA Rookie Ladder Rankings 2023 list.

Honorable Mention

Walker Kessler

Team: Utah Jazz

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Landing just outside of the Top 10 NBA Rookies 2023 Rankings list is the Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler. Kessler who was expected to be a dual threat combination with former big man Rudy Gobert found himself as the main big man for a rebuilding Jazz team.

Kessler didn’t disappoint during his first season in the NBA finishing ranked 1^st among rookies with 20 double doubles recorded while finishing 2^nd in rebounding averaging 8.4 per game. The Jazz rookie also finished the season 1^st among rookies while posting 2.3 blocked shots in addition to averaging 9.2 points per game.

Tari Eason

Team: Houston Rockets

Previous Ranking: #8

Landing just outside of the Top 10 NBA Rookies 2022 rankings list is the Houston Rockets first round pick during the 2022 NBA Draft Tari Eason.

Eason, who was drafted from the LSU Tigers finished his rookie season averaging 9.3 points per game to go along with six rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.

Despite an up and down rookie season Eason appeared in 82 games for the Rockets while also providing solid defense while averaging 1.2 steals per game while helping to build a strong young core of players in a Rockets team looking to rebuild for the future.

Shaedon Sharpe

Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Previous Ranking: #10

A second NBA rookie just missing the cut among the best rookies during the 2022-23 NBA schedule is the Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe.

Sharpe, who was a former top overall recruit for the Kentucky Wildcats, made a quick transition to the NBA while finishing his rookie season, nearly averaging 10 points per game (9.9 ppg). Sharpe also added three rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the field.

The Trail Blazers rookie also averaged 36 percent shooting from the three-point line across 80 games played during the NBA season.

Top 10 Best NBA Rookies So Far

10. Malaki Branham

Team: San Antonio Spurs

Ranking: #9

Coming in at number 10 on the Top 10 NBA 2023 Rookie Rankings list is the San Antonio Spurs guard Malaki Branham. Branham, who played his college basketball with the Ohio State Buckeyes was a key addition to the Spurs roster during the 2022 NBA Draft.

Branham capped off a solid rookie season shooting 44 percent from the field while adding 10.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game.

Across 66 games this season the former Buckeyes star averaged 23.5 minutes per game while shooting just over 30 percent from behind the three-point line.

9. Andrew Nembhard

Team: Indiana Pacers

Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention

One common theme among many if not all these NBA teams and rookies is the fact there respective teams are currently in a rebounding mode.

The same can be said about the Indiana Pacers who are loaded with young talent while having one of the youngest rosters in the NBA. One of their latest additions was former Gonzaga Bulldogs point guard Andrew Nembhard who finished the season ranked 2^nd among NBA rookies while averaging 4.5 assists per game.

In addition to the assists, Nembhard finished the year averaging 9.5 points per game and 2.7 assists per game while posting five double doubles.

8. Jalen Duren

Team: Detroit Pistons

Previous Ranking: #6

After adding Cade Cunningham last season, the Detroit Pistons made a big-time splash adding both Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren during the 2022 NBA Draft.

Duren was strong as a rookie as one of the top rebounders within the NBA finishing 21^st among all NBA players as well as 1^st among all 2022-23 NBA rookies after posting 8.9 rebounds per game.

In addition to leading all rookies in rebounding, Duren finished 2^nd just behind Walker Kessler in double doubles after posting 19 during his rookie season. Duren also added 1.1 assists, and nearly one (.9) blocked shots per game during his rookie season.

7. Jeremy Sochan

Team: San Antonio Spurs

Previous Ranking: #8

The future is slowly starting to brighten up for the San Antonio Spurs after a solid rookie class from the 2022 NBA Draft. One of those rookies is the former Baylor Bears forward Jeremy Sochan who capped off his rookie season averaging 11 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per contests.

Sochan also added 2.5 assists per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the field, averaging 26 minutes during his rookie season in the NBA.

In addition, the former Bears star added two double doubles while posting six games with at least 20 points scored. Sochan finished the season strong averaging 16.7 points to go along with 7.8 rebounds over his final six games during June.

6. Keegan Murray

Team: Sacramento Kings

Previous Ranking: #7

After being one of the top threats in all of college basketball just a season ago, Keegan Murray added a ton of value to a very young Sacramento Kings.

While being a key addition, Murray along with other stars added value to the roster while helping the team end their NBA Playoff draught during the 2022-23 NBA season.

On the floor Murray finished the season averaging 12.2 points per game to go along with 4.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

On the defensive end of the floor Murray nearly averaged one steal per game while also shooting 41.1 percent from behind the three-point line.

5. Jabari Smith

Team: Houston Rockets

Previous Ranking: #4

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Top 10 NBA Rookies 2023 Rankings list is the Houston Rockets power forward Jabari Smith Jr.

Smith Jr who was drafted with the 3^rd overall pick during the 2022 NBA Draft was a key addition to the Rockets rebuilding phase while also delivering a big-time threat who can play on both ends of the floor.

The Rockets rookie didn’t disappoint while averaging 12.8 points per game, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. In addition, Smith Jr finished ranked 3^rd among NBA rookies while posting 16 double doubles across 79 games played during his rookie season in the NBA.

4. Jaden Ivey

Team: Detroit Pistons

Previous Ranking: #3

The rebuilding phase continued for the Detroit Pistons during the 2022 NBA Draft with the addition of multiple key assets including point guard Jaden Ivey.

Ivey, who was drafted from the Purdue Boilermakers, was a playmaker on the floor for the Pistons all season long despite the lack of top tier talent surrounding him. The Pistons point guard finished ranked 3^rd among all NBA rookies in scoring while averaging 16.3 points per game.

In addition, the talented point guard showcased his ability to find his teammates while finishing the season leading all rookies in assists while dishing out 5.2 assists per game.

3. Bennedict Mathurin

Team: Indiana Pacers

Previous Ranking: #2

After becoming a household name with the Arizona Wildcats, Bennedict Mathurin made a smooth transition to the NBA while becoming a key member of the Indiana Pacers roster.

A Pacers roster that is loaded with young talent, Mathurin took a huge stride forward during his rookie season while finishing 2^nd in scoring while averaging 16.7 points per game across the 2022-23 NBA schedule.

In addition, with scoring, the Pacers shooting guard/forward finished the season averaging 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game in 78 games played.

2. Jalen Williams

Team: Oklahoma City Thunder

Previous Ranking: #5

As you start to look around at the other talented rookies landing behind Paolo Banchero it is hard to look past Jalen Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Williams, who handled a wide range of positions for the Thunder all season long including both at the guard and forward position finished off a strong rookie season.

The former Santa Clara star finished his rookie season ranked 4^th among rookies in scoring averaging 14.1 points per game, 1^st in steals averaging 1.4 steals per game, 4^th in assists averaging 3.3 per game, and 10^th in rebounds averaging 4.9 per game.

1. Paolo Banchero

Team: Orlando Magic

Previous Ranking: #1

When it comes to the top NBA rookie from the 2022-23 NBA season it was an easy decision to slot in the Orlando Magic power forward Paola Banchero.

Banchero put together the best season among all NBA rookies including leading the group in scoring while averaging 20 points per game. In addition, Banchero finished the season ranked 5^th in rebounds per game averaging 6.9 rebounds per game and 3^rd in assists per game while averaging 3.7 assists per game.

On the defensive end of the floor, Banchero posted nearly a steal and a half-blocked shot per contest while becoming the next face of the Magic organization along with securing the top spot on the Top 10 NBA Rookies 2023 Rankings list.

How would you rank these NBA Rookies for the 2022-2023 NBA Season? Rank below to be added in the NBA Power Rankings.

Related Links:

• Top 10 NBA Point Guards 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Shooting Guards 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Small Forwards 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Power Forwards 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Centers 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Rookies 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Players 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Teams 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Draft Prospects 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Head Coaches 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Free Agents 2023 Rankings
• Top 10 NBA Draft Grades 2023 Rankings