Rookies who fit the program

Helping your team by not f***ing it up

BY DAVID THORPE

The Grizzlies’ Jaylen Wells is among several rookies proving their worth. MITCHELL LEFF/GETTY IMAGES

Over my career, I have worked with at least 40 NBA rookies, and I give them all the same advice: stay in shape, defend the ball, play your role. For point guards, avoid turnovers and feed the stars. For big men, set screens and keep your man off the glass. For wings, know when to cut and when to clear, and, please, RUN TO THE CORNERS (young players tend to stop three feet short). The rules are a bit different for lottery picks, especially those anointed as franchise saviors, but a rookie must be ready to do his basic job, and no more. Anything short of that is failure, and the NBA gives very few second chances.

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All my advice essentially adds up to one thing: Don’t fuck it up! If a rookie can manage that, everyone’s happy. If a rookie is as invisible as the official, everyone’s happy. When a rookie’s coach doesn’t say his name in the postgame presser, that’s a win!

The rookies catching my eye right now aren’t necessarily the best players in this class, but they have been exemplary when it comes to not fucking up. 

• Jaylen Wells (Grizzlies)

• Ajay Mitchell (Thunder)

• Dalton Knecht (Lakers)

• Zach Edey (Grizzlies)

• Ryan Dunn (Suns)

• Tristan da Silva (Magic)

• Jonathan Mogbo (Raptors)

Of this group, only Zach Edey was a top-10 pick, but all seven have played at least 180 minutes already. Each plays for a team hoping to do damage in the playoffs (or the Raptors). And while it’s hard to get a handle on rookies, especially after a dozen games, it’s clear this rookie class has several players who are making their coaches happy by not making glaring errors.