NBA Rookie of the Year rankings: Jazz's Kessler leaving his mark

The NBA's Rookie of the Year race may no longer be a two-man competition.

While Walker Kessler certainly has some ground to make up, the Utah Jazz center is building a compelling case as the 2022-23 campaign enters the home stretch.

Here are our top five candidates for the award with the second half officially underway.

5. Jalen Duren

Previous ranking: NR

A number of rookies are worthy of consideration for the wide-open fifth spot in these rankings, but Duren's incredible performance against the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 10 almost single-handedly earns him the nod.

The Detroit Pistons big man scored 30 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, and blocked four shots in the win, marks that only NBA legends Shaquille O'Neal, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and Hakeem Olajuwon achieved as rookies. Notably, all four of those players were No. 1 picks and over 20 years old, while Duren accomplished the feat as the 13th pick at age 19.

Duren has been solid across the entirety of the new year, averaging 11.1 points and 9.6 rebounds on 67.3% shooting and leading all rookies in double-doubles. Even though he doesn't get as many possessions as a roll man compared to NBA stars, the high-flying alley-oop lob threat is one of the more effective players in those scenarios, according to BBall Index.

4. Jalen Williams

Previous ranking: 5

Williams is putting up extremely solid numbers with the Oklahoma City Thunder but has been largely overshadowed by bigger names and rookies on teams with more eyes on them. That said, his well-rounded stat line of 12.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 50.9% shooting from the field is impressive - only six rookies in NBA history matched those figures, two of whom are Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.

Williams has also had a large impact on the Thunder's surprising success this season. Not only does he sit third among rookies in win shares, but six of the Thunder's seven best five-man lineups involve the Santa Clara product.

3. Bennedict Mathurin

Previous ranking: 2

While the Indiana Pacers have fallen out of contention, Mathurin has put up nearly identical numbers in the 2023 portion of the season as in 2022 and remains second in rookie points per game at 17.3, showing that his hot start was not a fluke.

When the 20-year-old was given the chance to take an even larger role in the offense following star guard Tyrese Haliburton's 10-game injury absence, he upped his scoring to 20.9 points per game. Though his efficiency dropped, especially from beyond the arc, Mathurn's knack for scoring the ball has put him in Rookie of the Year contention all season.

2. Walker Kessler

Previous ranking: 3

Kessler is making it a lot easier for Jazz fans to forget about Rudy Gobert. The Auburn product has been superb on both ends of the floor, providing the Jazz with a pick-and-roll weapon, elite rim protection, and a constant presence on the glass.

Kessler has tallied the third-most contested twos despite averaging 21.6 minutes per contest. Opponents are shooting just 52.8% against Kessler on attempts within six feet of the basket, which ranks seventh among players who've defended at least 200 field goals from that range. He's managed to have a high defensive impact while staying relatively clear of foul trouble, according to BBall Index.

Since re-entering Utah's starting lineup on Jan. 10, Kessler is averaging 11 points, 10.8 boards, and 2.8 blocks. The 7-footer registered seven swats on three occasions during that period. No other player in the Association has accomplished that feat more than once this season.

1. Paolo Banchero

Previous ranking: 1

Banchero remains the front-runner for the NBA's top first-year honor, but is the Orlando Magic forward hitting the rookie wall? While he's averaging a respectable 15.4 points in February, he's made only 1-of-30 attempts from downtown and is shooting 35.3% from the field overall.

Fortunately for the Magic, Banchero is still finding a way to affect games, posting 7.5 boards and 3.2 assists per contest during the same span. If the season ended today, Banchero would finish just shy of becoming the 13th player in league history to average at least 20 points, six boards, and three assists in their debut campaign.

Honorable mentions: Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons), Keegan Murray (Sacramento Kings), Jabari Smith (Houston Rockets)