Back in October, just before the 2015-16 NBA season kicked off, a panel of writers at Last Word On Sports predicted award winners for every category. Many of those predictions will turn out to be spot-on, while some will surely fall flat. But with the regular season now in the books, six members of the LWOS basketball department will give their takes on who deserves to win each award. We’ll go through all six of the main awards, including Coach of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, and Most Valuable Player.
For a complete listing of picks for the 2015-16 NBA awards at LWOS, click here.
Let’s take a look at our choices for the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
2015-16 NBA Rookie of the Year Award Picks
Harrison Marcus, senior editor: Karl-Anthony Towns should win this award fairly easily. Kristaps Porzingis proved he was the real deal in New York, but his season didn’t quite compare to Towns’. The Kentucky product is already one of the best centers in the NBA and is well on his way to becoming the next superstar of our league. He’s an all around talent, scoring both inside and out, rebounding at a fantastic rate, and blocking shots on the defensive end. Perhaps the most underrated aspect of his game is his ball handling and passing, which was on full display at All-Star weekend during the Skills Challenge. Towns has enjoyed one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory, and it will be exciting to see how good he becomes when he reaches his potential. I wrote about how Towns deserves more attention back in January. You can be sure that there will be back to back rookies of the year in Minnesota.
Thomas Mooney, staff writer: I think it has to be Karl-Anthony Towns in a landslide. He’s averaging 18 and 10 for the season and he’s also gotten a double-double in over half of his games. He’s more than justifying his #1 overall pick and should be the unanimous rookie of the year. He’s been so dynamic this year, that he’s likely also going to get strong consideration for an All-NBA spot, which is almost unheard of for a rookie. Honorable Mention: Kristaps Porzingis.
Lior Kozai, associate editor: In one of the best and deepest draft classes in recent memory, many rookies have already made an impact. Kristaps Porzingis has been fantastic in the spotlight of New York City, Nikola Jokic has proved himself, and others such as D’Angelo Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Myles Turner have shown flashes of brilliance. But Karl-Anthony Towns has outshined them all this season. In one of the best statistical rookie seasons ever, Towns averaged over 18 points and 10 rebounds per game, along with nearly two blocks. But beyond the stats, Towns has done just about everything that could be asked of him. He is the perfect big man for today’s game, in a number of ways. He can step out and nail midrange shots at a high rate, and is already improving his three point shot and passing abilities. But Towns can also take advantage of mismatches by posting up inside if opponents switch guards onto him. After setting a screen, Towns is capable of rolling to the rim or popping out to score, and his teammates get open coming off picks when the defense is forced to stick to the threat of Towns. He should unanimously win this award.
Chris Voloschuk, staff writer: Karl-Anthony Towns. The traditional center has become a relic in today’s NBA, so when a seven-footer like Towns comes around and shows flashes of a complete skill set reflecting multiple positions, it’s can’t-miss television. Minnesota has a ways to go before it can be considered a playoff contender in the Western Conference, but Towns is good enough to speed up the Timberwolves’ timetable. And there isn’t just one area where he’s impressive. Everything stands out. He’s played and started in 80 games and is averaging just over 32 minutes per game at age 20. He’s averaging 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game, with .542/.350/.810 shooting splits. He can post up defenders or simply shoot over them from midrange like a power forward or center, make three-pointers and handle the ball like a small forward, and has shown a guard’s polish at times with his passing. There’s really no one in the league to compare him to right now.
Matthew Cardenas, associate editor: I would lose my mind if Karl-Anthony Towns did not win this award. He could honestly win this award unanimously. Towns had one of the greatest rookie seasons ever, averaging 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. These are numbers that some players much older than him can’t even put up. His versatility is what makes him so special. He can post up down low or take you from the perimeter and knock down the mid range jumper consistently. Towns can also guard multiple positions and is a terrific passer. I remember watching the Timberwolves and Warriors game. Towns was guarding Steph Curry on the perimeter and did a very good job. With the NBA quickly changing to small-ball, he is the perfect power forward/center of the future. Keep in mind that he is only 20 years old. Towns and Andrew Wiggins are going to be a problem in a few years.
Grant Funtila, staff writer: This one’s a no brainer. Karl-Anthony Towns is having a monstrous rookie season. Probably the best rookie season since Blake Griffin or even Tim Duncan. He’s averaging 18 ppg and over 10 rpg. The crazy thing is those numbers don’t even compare to most starting centers in the NBA! Defensively he’s a beast that can guard anyone on the court (Literally from point up to the center spot) He has this animal instinct that let’s him stay in front of anyone and he can move his feet better than most guards. He times his shot blocking well and he never gives up on the play. Offensively you’ll see him shy away from contact most of the time but that’s what makes him so scary. He’ll spin off his defender if they’re playing him physically and he’ll shoot over anyone if given the space. If he doesn’t win the award, my head will explode. Honorable Mention: Kristaps Porzingis. At the start of the season, it was clear that Towns was 1A and Porzingis was 1B on the rookie ladder, but Porzingis started to decline later in the season. Maybe it’s because his body is not used to the grind of an 82-game season, but the decline wasn’t much of a factor, because he was still impressive, putting up 14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, and just a little bit under two blocks per game in just 28 MPG. If the Knicks had made it to the playoffs as the third seed, then maybe Porzingis would deserved ROY.
