NBA Rookie Report Cards: The Top Three

To many, Risacher was a surprising top pick last June. His upside didn't seem quite in line with previous first overall picks given his more limited off-the-dribble game from the wing postion. However, in an up-and-down debut season, Risacher defended his position as the first overall pick, becoming a finalist for Rookie of the Year behind his impactful play as a two-way complimentary wing.

Risacher played a key role in Atlanta's run to the play-in tournament, esepcially after teammate Jalen Johnson went down. He shined as an off-ball scorer, scoring 30+ points on four separate occasions, by way of sharpshooting and shrewd cutting to the basket. He also guarded well on the perimeter, taking advantage of his length at the first line of defense. Risacher may not be a high-volume on-ball creator, but appears to be on the fast track to great impact as a high-end starter for years to come. This earns him an outlook as optimistic as any one of his peers in the 2024-25 rookie class, and an A grade.

Alexandre Sarr, Washington Wizards: A-

Second Overall Pick

Sarr exhibited many intriguing high-end flashes as well as clear learning moments in his first season. The uber-talented 19-year-old big shot sub-40% from the field as a 7-footer as he failed to find consistency on the offensive end. However, he flaunted his two-way gifts in many different spurts, leading to ten 20-point games, including a standout 34-point showing against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

Throughout these performances, Sarr exhibited his burgeoning shot-making ability, physical capabilities on drives, and incredibly ground-coverage ability on defense. As he builds on these high points, Sarr earns an A- grade.

Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets: B

Third Overall Pick

On the two-seeded Rockets, Sheppard didn't receive the consistent playing time of most third overall picks. He quickly fell out of the rotation in favor of more seasoned contributors, and only received opportunity sporadically throughout the rest of the year. The 20-year-old's lack of defensive ability standing at just under 6-foot-2 and below standard shooting ability kept him out of the lineup as he got his first taste of the highest level of athleticsm in the NBA.

After a disappointing rookie campaign, Sheppard earns just a B as well over two other rookie established themselves at a further developmental stage than him. Still, he gave Houston fans hope through a few performances in which his sharpshooting ability shined. For example, he scored 25 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder in March and 20 points against the Los Angeles Clippers in April, shooting 9-for-17 from deep across these two matches. If he can build upon his terrific shooting prowess and improve defensively, Sheppard has a chance to bring value to the Rockets as soon as next year.