Where does Bulls' Markkanen rank amongst rookies?
While there's plenty of competition for the title of best rookie in the NBA's 2017 draft class, no one is going to argue the identity of the most hyped rookie.
That would be Lakers point guard Lonzo Ball. Thanks to the passionate fan base and a publicity-seeking father, Ball has faced more scrutiny than anyone in this class, probably by a wide margin. The Bulls will get their first look at Ball when they face the Lakers on Tuesday at the Staples Center.
In comparison, Lauri Markkanen has been flying relatively low on the radar with the rebuilding Bulls, at least from a national perspective. The Bulls are slated for just one national television appearance this season, not counting games on NBATV.
Markkanen is coming off the best night of his rookie season, with 26 points and 13 rebounds against Phoenix on Sunday. Even before the performance against the Suns, Markkanen has been the best news for the Bulls so far. Not only has he played consistently well, he's shown traits that bode well for the future.
The 7-footer from Finland has shown a variety of scoring skills, along with the athleticism to both put the ball on the floor and compete at the rim. He often seems to have the most basketball savvy on the Bulls roster and carries himself with the sunny disposition of a seventh-grader enjoying a school field trip.
Ball has had an uneven start to his NBA career. In a win over Denver on Sunday, he produced his second triple-double in 17 games as a Laker. Ball leads the team in assists, but is shooting just 31.3 percent from the field.
Last year at Arizona, Markkanen went 2-1 against Ball's UCLA Bruins, scoring 29 points when the Wildcats won a Pac-12 tournament semifinal.
In honor of the duo's first meeting as NBA players, let's rank the current rookie of the year standings, keeping in mind plenty could change:
1. Ben Simmons, 76ers
Barring an injury, Simmons is an easy favorite to win rookie of the year. He's not far from averaging a triple-double right now, with 18.1 points, 8.0 assists and 9.1 rebounds. Simmons was the top pick in the 2016 draft, however, missing all of last season with an injury. So while he may win the rookie award, he's not part of the discussion when it comes to best player in the '17 draft class.
2. Lauri Markkanen, Bulls
Rookie of the year candidates should be exempt from the “team success” criteria. Just like Elton Brand in 1999-2000, it's not Markkanen's fault he was drafted (and in this case traded) to a team beginning a rebuilding project. Markkanen already leads the Bulls in scoring (15.6 points) and rebounds (8.0). After the Phoenix game, coach Fred Hoiberg mentioned for about the fifth time this season the need to get the Finnish rookie the ball more often. So his stats may only get better.
3. Kyle Kuzma, Lakers
This is clearly the biggest surprise of the '17 class and the one guy who can make a case for ranking ahead of Markkanen. While some mock drafts had him going much higher than No. 27 (yes, I'm plugging myself here), Kuzma leads the Lakers in scoring at 16.5 ppg. A Flint, Mich., native who starred at Utah, Kuzma has been athletic enough to play either forward spot and quickly turned into a reliable shooter, knocking down 50.7 percent of his attempts.
4. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
When Boston retooled this summer, there was a feeling the Celtics would take off whenever Tatum developed into a reliable player. Well, Boston's 15-2 record heading into Monday's action shows how that worked out. The former Duke star is averaging 13.9 points on a talented roster and has shot nearly 50 percent from 3-point range.
5. Dennis Smith Jr., Mavericks
Smith is in a tough situation, playing for a Dallas squad that expected to be better than 3-14. But he's flashed some of the same star potential he displayed at the summer league, averaging 14.5 points and 4.5 assists. He has the kind of athleticism that makes him seem like a junior Russell Westbrook at times.
6. Donovan Mitchell, Jazz
Another sleeper in the '17 draft, the former Louisville guard is averaging 14.8 points and helping Utah survive after losing Gordon Hayward in free-agency. The Bulls will see Mitchell on Wednesday in Salt Lake City.
One interesting fact to keep an eye on, through Sunday there were nine NBA rookies averaging in double-figures. Last season, the highest-scoring player in the 2016 draft class was Sacramento's Buddy Hield at a relatively-low 10.6 points per game.