Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson is one of the most active NBA stars on social media, and he always gives his opinion on all the topics happening around the league. The 5x NBA champion had recently picked his early candidates to the MVP award and he’s gone with the Rookie of the Year now, naming five players that have made a good impression this campaign.
He named Charlotte Hornets’ rookie sensation LaMelo Ball, of course, as the player has been on a tear recently, becoming a big deal in North Carolina by improving his level every single game. Magic said he’s the leading candidate to take the award home after having impressive performances in recent games.
The leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, LaMelo Ball, had 24 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds in Charlotte’s 119-94 win over Houston! 🔥
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) February 9, 2021
Moreover, he dropped four more names, explaining all these guys have been playing great basketball and have caught his attention during their first season in the association. The former Lakers president of basketball operations picked four players that are just great, even though not all of them were touted as stars before the draft.
I've also been impressed with these rookies this season: James Wiseman, Immanuel Quickley, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Haliburton.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) February 9, 2021
All of these rookies have had a very good season, although some of them have seen their level decreased or their teams haven’t won as many games as they would’ve liked. Still, their individual performances have been nothing but good, and being named by a legend like Magic Johnson only demonstrated they are doing a great job so far.
Wiseman has lost his spot on the Warriors’ starting lineup, Quickley has made a big impact on the Knicks this season, Anthony Edwards is great although the Timberwolves can’t win to save their lives and Haliburton and his Kings are doing big things this season, ranking 7th in the West right now.
LaMelo ties the @hornets rookie record with 7 threes! 💦@MELOD1P: 24 PTS | 10 AST #AllFly pic.twitter.com/aVHEV3SnPz
— NBA (@NBA) February 9, 2021
The race is still on but seeing how great LaMelo is playing, it’s hard to believe anybody else will win the ROY this year. He’s averaging 14.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists with the Hornets this season.
