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4 Rookies You Shouldn't Sleep On This Season

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With the 2017-18 season less than two months away, we'll finally get to see the 2017 rookie class play their first games against professional competition. While a lot of the attention has been put on the top draft picks like Markelle Fultz & Lonzo Ball along with Ben Simmons, who was the #1 pick last year, that doesn't mean you can sleep on some of the players drafted beyond the lottery. Here are 5 rookies that you shouldn't sleep on for the 2017-18 season.

Caleb Swanigan

 If Portland fans got worried after Zach Collins' terrible Summer League performance, Caleb Swanigan might have them covered. Coming off a great sophomore season at Purdue where he averaged 18.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game while shooting 53% from the field and 45% from three point range, Swanigan was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers with the #26 overall pick. Swanigan ended up being a huge asset for the Blazers' Summer League Team, as he averaged 16.1 points and 10.6 rebounds per game on 44% shooting while leading them to the Summer League Championship game and earning a spot on the All-Summer League First Team. You could probably make the argument that Caleb Swanigan deserved the Summer League MVP award with those numbers, or was at least the runner-up. Swanigan will have to compete for minutes with players who have struggled to be productive like Noah Vonleh & Ed Davis, and if he continues to play like he did this summer, he could be a big part of the Blazers lineup this season.

Kyle Kuzma

The Los Angeles Lakers had one of the better showings on draft night in June. Along with drafting Lonzo Ball, who they've pretty much committed to as the point guard of the future, and trading for a veteran center in Brook Lopez, they also managed to nab what could be the biggest steal of the 2017 draft in Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma had a solid junior season at the University of Utah where he averaged 16.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, earning All-Pac-12 First Team along the way. Kuzma entered the draft and went #28 overall to the Brooklyn Nets, who sent him to the Lakers as part of the D'Angelo Russell-Brook Lopez trade. Kuzma was a huge part of the Lakers' summer league team, averaging 21.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on 51% shooting as he and Lonzo Ball lead the Lakers to a Summer League Championship victory. The championship game saw Kuzma bust out a double-double performance, recording 30 points and ten rebounds to lead the Lakers over the Trail Blazers, a performance that earned Kuzma the Summer League Championship Game MVP. Kuzma will likely backup Brandon Ingram this season, but if given the chance to shine while still improving his game (his 67% free throw shooting definitely needs work) he could be a big part of a rebuilding Lakers team.

Jordan Bell

The Golden State Warriors make nothing but good choices nowadays. Getting Jordan Bell is no exception. Bell spent three years at the University of Oregon, finishing his run there after a season averaging 10.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks as he & the Oregon Duck made it to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. Bell entered the draft this year and ended up going in the second round at the #38 overall pick to the Chicago Bulls, who quickly traded him to the Warriors for cash. Bell's Summer League stats were solid, averaging 5 points & 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2.6 blocks per game, along with shooting 60% from the field. Bell's best game came against Minnesota Timberwolves, where he managed to record five points, 11 rebounds, five assists, five steals, and six blocks for a rare 5-by-5 game. The Warriors are probably the best team in basketball right now, and the addition of Jordan Bell, essentially another Draymond Green, only makes them a hell of a lot better.

Miloš Teodosić

Miloš Teodosić might be a rookie in the NBA, but's he got loads of experience outside of it. A ten-year veteran, Teodosic has built up a reputation over the last decade as one of the best players outside of the NBA. His 2009-10 season saw him take home the EuroLeague MVP award, averaging 13.4 points and 4.9 assists per game, along with shooting 49% from the field and 43% from three point range. In 2016, Teodosić helped lead CSKA Moscow to a EuroLeague championship victory on 16.1 points and 5.7 assists per game, along with shooting 47% from the field and 43% from three. Along with those accolades, Teodosić has been selected for the All-EuroLeague first team three times and the All-EuroLeague second team another three times. In 2016, Teodosić received high praise from NBA coaches, being voted by them as the best non-NBA player in the world. With accomplishments like that, it's no surprise that the Los Angeles Clippers signed him to a two-year deal. With Chris Paul gone, the Clippers could look to the 30-year old Serbian to run the offense this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did a quality job.

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