Rookie of the Year: Donovan Mitchell or Ben Simmons?

It doesn't disqualify him, by the rules. But if I'm a voter, his categorization as a "rookie" is at best a gray area to me and so he needs to be far ahead of the field for me to vote for him. I think its close enough to where I'd give it to Mitchell.

 

I'm with this rational.

By definition, a rookie is someone in their first year.

Ben Simmons, against whatever technicality you want to look at, is in his second year in the NBA.

If people want to argue having an entire season being around an NBA as opposed to playing in college doesn't do wonders for you even if you aren't playing, I don't know how to argue against that. Just two differing view points.

What's the difference if a player is healthy, and racks up 82 DNP-CD - is he still eligible for ROY the next year.

 

No it isn't. See below. The 2 of y'all trying to be cute need to accept the fact that this isn't open to interpretation. NEXT.

 

You're right. It isn't open to interpretation. I already knew that, which is why I said 'by definition' - you know - what's actually written in a dictionary.

Next time you try to be cute, don't go all Wesley Johnson on us.

 

That's not the definition of NBA rookie.

 

Boy you're backpeddling faster than Wesley Johnson's ankle went all inflatable man on us.

Sorry, don't accuse me of being wrong when what I said was right.

Then immediately start changing the goal posts to make yourself 'right'.

It ain't happening here boyo.

NEXT

 

If the man's eligible for the award, it's beyond asinine to try to deny it to him over a contrived technicality. Simmons is eligible. That's where the discussion ought to end.

Bottom line is you and I don't choose how the NBA defines what a rookie is; the NBA does. And the NBA defines a rookie as any player who hasn't played a game in the NBA until the current year.

If Simmons has the best season, he should win the award.

 

It’s hard to argue with that. I just don’t like that definition of rookie. A 1st year player who gets injured in the first minute of his first game and misses the rest of the year as a result doesn’t really have any more practical playing experience for all intents and purposes. But he’s not considered a rookie the following season.

 

I get what you're saying, but it's hard to create a 'true' definition of a rookie when every sport does it differently.

MLB requires fewer than 130 ABs or 50 IP. For the NHL it's no more than 25 games in a single season, and you have to be under 26. For MLS you can't have any prior pro experience. As far as I know, the NFL is the only major American sport that defines a rookie as strictly someone in their first season in the league. So ultimately what can you do but go by each sport's individual criteria?

For the record, I wouldn't be opposed to changing the rule.

 

Ben Simmons. His stats are better.

 

based on the season it's hard to say for ROY b/c depends on what criteria you go by. as far as which player i'd take for the future, simmons hands down. i might even take fox over mitchell in that respect as well.

 

One of the weirdest things I've ever seen, stat-wise:

Donovan Mitchell: 137 3-pointers made
Ben Simmons: ZERO 3-pointers made

 

I am going to be fair here and give it to Simmons.

The other guy, NoOne, is disqualified because he plays for the Jazz.

 

[Zach Lowe ]Anyone who anointed Donovan Mitchell as Rookie of the Year two months ago needs to reexamine a fun race. Simmons has Mitchell beat in defense, playmaking, rebounding and positional versatility.

 

This is a great race. I go back and forth. Both are overwhelmingly deserving. I think it is going to have to come down to the end.

I want to see where the teams finish with W/L. If the 76ers get into the playoffs and the Jazz dont, I feel you have to give it to Simmons. So we'll see.

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EDIT: Just went through this entire thread. It is amazing to me that no one mentions TEAM wins. It is not just about stats, but stats that help the team WIN.

The "stats only" viewpoint is exactly what gave Westbrook the MVP last year over Harden.

"individual excellence + team success." Factor that in somewhere.

 

As of today:

Simmons: 17.2 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.7 apg, 1.8 spg, 0.9 bpg, .549 TS%, 19.0 PER

Mitchell: 19.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 0.4 bpg, .544 TS%, 16.7 PER

Mitchell is great, but ROY should go to Simmons. Sure, it's really his second year, but fact of the matter is he's eligible for the award and is better in almost every category.

 

Right now i'd pick Mitchell because to me they're about neck to neck, but the dude is playing on much more competitive West, while also being lead guy OUTA gate, his swagger, confidence is really amazing, can't wait to see what he can do in few years.

 

Luis Scola came to Rockets as a "rookie", like how Pablo Prigioni was a "3rd year player" when Rockets got him. Milos Teodosic is a rookie this year.

Will take a LITTLE points away on Simmons 1st year status. Its like difference in a Redshirt Freshman year and TRUE Freshman year. Not like the redshirt is just sitting at home not learning anything. (Even if redshirt is ONLY to save him until current starter leaves ...) theyre gaining SOMETHING from the time.

 

Ben Simmons on comparisons between him and Donovan Mitchell: “We’re two different players you know, he’s a scorer and I’m a, you know, scorer, rebound, pass guy.”