As with every year, there is a batch of fresh young faces that are looking to make their mark in the world. These players tend to have high capabilities and records during their starting years in either high school or college, and are looking to prove they can do the same thing against the best in the world. But, as all things go, some are not as good as they seem.
In this list we will cover the overall positional average of the players as NBA 2K19 has given them, the top three rookies from each position, and the overall grade we would give that position as a whole. Keep in mind, these are listed off of the top rated players from the draft, and not necessarily the total of rookies coming into the competition.
Center
Total at Position: 5
Positional Average Rating: 73
Top 3 (Draft Position): DeAndre Ayton (1) (81 OVR), Mohamed Bamba (6) (78 OVR), Mitchell Robinson (36) (73 OVR)
Overall Grade: B
With not many to choose from, the Centers are mainly spotlighted by DeAndre Ayton and Mohamed Bamba. Both having quite strong averages during their previous years while in college, they were both snapped up in the first round. Other than them, however, the Center rookies are a bit of a let down. Don’t look at a center rookie unless you can snag Deandre or Mohamed.
DeAndre Ayton College Stats: 20.1 Points, 11.6 Rebounds, 1.9 Blocks
Mohamed Bamba College Stats: 12.9 Points, 10.5 Rebounds, 3.7 Blocks
Mitchell Robinson College Stats: Not Applicable
Power Forward
Total at Position: 10
Positional Average Rating: 72
Top 3 (Draft Position): Marvin Bagley III (2) (78 OVR), Jaren Jackson Jr. (4) (78 OVR), Wendell Carter Jr. (7) (79 OVR)
Overall Grade: A
With a few more people to pick from, the selection of rookie Power Forwards definitely dwarfs the Centers. With the likes of Marvin Bagley III and Jaren Jackson Jr. all rated as 78 to 77, the rest all stack strong stats that keep them in the 70 to 78 range. Even if you cannot prioritize the top three, the rest of the top 6 of the power forwards can still give great benefits, pushing the overall grade to an A.
Marvin Bagley College Stats: 21 Points, 11.1 Rebounds, 1.5 Assists
Jaren Jackson Jr. College Stats: 10.9 Points, 5.8 Rebounds, 3.0 Blocks
Wendell Carter Jr. College Stats: 13.5 Points, 9.1 Rebounds, 2.1 Blocks
Small Forward
Total at Position: 12
Positional Average Rating: 69
Top 3: Kevin Knox (9) (74 OVR), Miles Bridges (12) (75 OVR), Michael Porter Jr. (14) (76 OVR)
Overall Grade: C-
Another large class of rookies in a position, the Small forwards this year are beyond lackluster. With only one person breaking through the 75 rating, and almost all of them below the top 10 in picks, save for Kevin Knox, this position may not be the best to place a bet on for up and coming rookies.
Kevin Knox College Stats: 15.6 Points, 5.4 Rebounds, 1.4 Assists
Miles Bridges College Stats: 17 Points, 7.6 Rebounds, 2.4 Assists
Michael Porter Jr. College Stats: 10 Points, 6.7 Rebounds, 0.3 Assists
Point Guard
Total at Position: 13
Positional Average Rating: 70
Top 3: Trae Young (5) (79 OVR), Collin Sexton (8) (76 OVR), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11) (75 OVR)
Overall Grade: B-
The selection of point guards in the rookie class is quite large, but they also have one of the weaker averages over all. Only Trae Young and Collin Sexton are expected to hold their own against the other stars, so don’t expect miracles from these guys.
Trae Young College Stats: 27.4 Points, 3.9 Rebounds, 8.7 Assists
Collin Sexton College Stats: 19.2 Points, 3.8 Rebounds, 3.6 Assists
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander College Stats: 14.4 Points, 4.1 Rebounds, 5.1 Assists
Shooting Guard
Total at Position: 20
Positional Average Rating: 71
Top 3: Luka Doncic (3) (82 OVR), Mikal Bridges (10) (74 OVR), Jerome Robinson (13) (72 OVR)
Overall Grade: C
The position with 33% of the entire 2018 class, the shooting guard position hosts a simple average of players overall. The only monumental outstanding player would be Luka Doncic, but you can definitely count on these rookies to at least play to an average extent. Pick these guys if you are just looking for a filler.
Luka Doncic College Stats: Not Applicable
Mikal Bridges College Stats: 11.3 Points, 4.3 Rebounds, 1.9 Assists
Jerome Robinson College Stats: 17.7 Points, 3.6 Rebounds, 3.3 Assists