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Each year, many NBA rookies are asked to vote amongst each other for different awards, just like we all used to do for our high school year book.
Except that these rookies have barely met each other, in many cases, limiting their peer assessment to occasional matchups (high school, college, AAU, etc.), summer league, and what they’ve heard or read.
So don’t be surprised that they get it wrong sometimes (okay, most of the time). Just like us. Just like NBA General Managers and scouts.
But it’s fun to see what they think of each other anyway.
This year, 39 players were invited to the Rookie Photo Shoot, including the Suns’ own Josh Jackson (taken 4th overall) and Davon Reed (taken 32nd overall).
Fellow rookies had a ton of respect for Josh Jackson, and even threw Reed’s name out there a few times as well.
Josh Jackson (4th overall)
Where Jackson ranks, according to his fellow rookies:
- Best Defender: got the MOST votes in this area
- Best Career: tied for 3rd with Dennis Smith (9), behind Lonzo Ball (2) and Jayson Tatum (3)
- Most Athletic: tied for 4th with Malik Monk
- Biggest Steal: tied for 5th with Sindarius Thornwell (48), but ranks as the highest draft pick even listed among the top 8 on this vote
- Rookie of the Year: among ‘others receiving votes’
Davon Reed (32nd overall)
Where Reed ranks, according to his fellow rookies:
- Best Defender: got the 5th most votes
- Biggest Steal: among ‘others receiving votes’
If you’re going in the second round, it’s nice to be named in the ‘steal’ category. Good on Reed for that.
Nice to see both Jackson and Reed listed among the draft’s best defenders! NBA.com’s note is appropriate.
The Suns have been an above-average defensive team just once in the last 10 years and have ranked in the bottom five on that end of the floor each of the last two seasons. So, they could use an impact defender.
Maybe Jackson is that impact defender. He will get a lot of minutes this season to show it.
He’s certainly getting longer, according to Jackson himself who recently stated he’s more like 6’10.5” these days than the 6’8” he measured at the Draft Combine three months ago. Reed already has a 7’1” wingspan and good defensive instincts. Maybe these two can help shore up that porous Suns defense.