NBA.com dropped its annual Rookie Survey last week because who better to evaluate the class of 2018 than its own members, right? When you consider these players competed against one another in college and during the draft workout process, you have to imagine they know each other about as well as anyone. And like every year, the survey results are a mix of no brainers and real eye openers.
Sure, there’s plenty of No. 1 pick DeAndre Ayton, last year’s NCAA darling Trae Young and Slovenian standout Luka Doncic.
But what may surprise you are the repeated mentions of San Antonio’s Lonnie Walker IV (pick No. 18), Dallas’ Jalen Brunson (No. 33) and Portland’s very own Gary Trent Jr. (No. 37). When it comes to the league’s best rookie shooter, it stands to reason that the aforementioned Trae Young ranks well above the rest, claiming 47% of the vote. But you don’t need to look far to find Trent Jr., whose 9% of the vote places him fourth on the list. It looks like some of his peers may have noticed that he broke JJ Redick’s Duke freshman record with 97 3-pointers last season.
If there’s one category where you’re likely to find a second-rounder or two, it’s biggest steal of the draft. So while it’s less of a surprise, it’s still telling that Trent Jr.’s name appears in fourth place once again, this time with 6% of the vote.
Rounding out Trent Jr.’s mentions is a vote for best defender. It’s just one vote, but you can’t complain about getting one of the draft’s best shooters who can also defend his position at pick No. 37. And if you were wondering, no, players could not vote for themselves or their teammates.