Five NBA rookies to watch this season: Zach Edey, Bronny James and more
By Johannes Sasay-Wada, CNN
(CNN) — It’s that time of year again.
Fifty-eight young basketball players were drafted into the NBA at the end of June. They have met their new teammates, competed in the Summer League, and now await their official NBA regular season debut having played a few games of preseason action.
While this year’s NBA Draft perhaps lacked the standout superstar most draft classes are blessed with, there is still a litany of extremely talented prospects to look out for this season.
Here are five NBA rookie storylines to watch in 2024-25.
Zach Edey, center, Memphis Grizzlies
The first thing you will notice about Canadian rookie Zach Edey is his formidable size, measuring in at 7-foot-4-inches and 305 pounds.
The 22-year-old posted two dominant seasons to close out his Purdue career, leading his team to the 2024 NCAA men’s championship game where they fell to UConn, 75-60. Edey is also a two-time Naismith College Basketball Player of The Year – only the third men’s player to win the award twice.
It may surprise some that, following his junior year – where he averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game – Edey was projected by many to be an undrafted free agent.
There were doubts about whether his playing style would translate to the pro game given he would not receive the same volume of touches he did at college, as well as question marks rising over his mobility against elite big men in the quicker pace of the NBA.
Edey opted to return to Purdue for his senior season, in which he posted dominant stats – 25.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game – across the board. After nearly leading Purdue to NCAA glory, the doubters thinned out, and he was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the ninth pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The doubts about his ability to adapt to the highest level already feel misplaced: he recorded 23 points, nine rebounds and one assist in his last preseason game against the Indiana Pacers when matched up against two-time NBA blocks leader Myles Turner.
Edey will be playing alongside the electrifying Ja Morant, whose explosive speed and playmaking ability will surely translate into great opportunities for Edey inside the paint.
If the Canadian can maintain the consistency he displayed at Purdue, the Grizzlies are sure to be an exciting watch this season.
Jared McCain, guard, Philadelphia 76ers
One of the highest profile rookies entering the league this season, former Duke guard Jared McCain has become a social media sensation due to his larger-than-life personality.
A viral content creator with almost four million followers on TikTok, McCain has gained a huge following for his dance routines and has also playfully batted away any criticism he has received for wearing nail polish in games.
Not that any of that matters when it comes to the court.
A tough combo guard, McCain is a prolific three-point shooter, knocking down 41.4% of his attempts from deep at Duke in the 2023-24 season. He has a knack for stepping up in big moments and doesn’t shy away from responsibility.
He became the first Duke freshman to record 30+ points in multiple games in a single NCAA tournament, while also tying Duke legend and two-time All-Star Zion Williamson’s tournament scoring record in 2024.
Comparisons have been drawn to new teammate Tyrese Maxey, who also marries a positive and carefree attitude towards life off the court with an unquestionable work ethic on it.
McCain will likely deputize for Maxey to start the season, but he has already shown glimpses of being able to impact games when the starters are rested, scoring 20 points against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics earlier in the preseason.
The 16th overall pick joins a very strong Philadelphia 76ers roster, with former NBA MVP Joel Embiid joined by eight-time All-Star Paul George in the offseason.
If McCain can find a way to regularly contribute off the bench, he could play a key role in the Sixers finally getting past the Eastern Conference Finals.
Rob Dillingham, guard, Minnesota Timberwolves
One word repeatedly comes up when describing 19-year-old Rob Dillingham: shifty.
The North Carolina native has one of the deepest offensive arsenals in the NBA draft pool and has had basketball fans excited for his league debut for years following his exploits with G-League Team Ignite, after he elected to skip his senior year in high school to play professionally before transferring to Kentucky.
In the 2023-24 season, the 6-foot-1-inch guard averaged 15.2 points per game off the bench for the Wildcats and his exploits earned him SEC Sixth Man of The Year honors.
He was originally drafted by the San Antonio Spurs before being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves where he will team up with Team USA gold medalist and budding superstar Anthony Edwards.
Dillingham excites fans with his unpredictable playstyle. His array of hesitations, spin moves and jumpshots will be sure to get Minnesota fans off their feet.
His playtime may be somewhat limited given the strength of Minnesota’s roster, but having the offensive talent he possesses means he can be brought into games and help ease the scoring burden when called upon.
Like McCain, scoring contributions off the bench could see Dillingham carve out an important role as the season wears on.
Stephon Castle, guard, San Antonio Spurs
There is an argument to be made that the UConn guard is the most ready-made prospect in the rookie class.
He plays with a ferocious intensity that rubs off on his teammates and he’s productive on both sides of the court.
The guard averaged 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists in his lone year at UConn, being named Big East Freshman of the Year and scoring 15 points in the Huskies’ national title win over Purdue.
Alongside his defense, his playmaking is one of his biggest strengths.
For a young guard, there is arguably no better situation to walk into than the San Antonio locker room, where he will play alongside 2024 Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, future Hall of Famer Chris Paul and NBA coaching legend Gregg Popovich.
Castle can make an immediate impact and provide defensive steel and playmaking ability that will complement Wembanyama’s stratospheric potential.
The Spurs will be looking to improve their record in the Frenchman’s sophomore season, and Castle will certainly play a big role if they do so.
Likely to be a starter from game one while learning from two of the best minds in the game – Paul and Coach Pop – Castle’s introduction into the NBA is a position most young guards can only dream of.
Bronny James, guard, Los Angeles Lakers
Bronny James comes into the NBA as one of the most scrutinized second round picks of all time.
This is because his father is four-time MVP and NBA champion LeBron James, as well as the league’s all-time leading scorer.
LeBron and Bronny are the first father-son duo to be teammates in NBA history and look set to become the first ever father and son to hit the court at the same time in the regular season.
Despite his father being the face of the NBA, things have not been smooth sailing for Bronny since graduating high school.
In July 2023, James collapsed at basketball practice at the University of Southern California after going into cardiac arrest caused by what was later diagnosed as a congenital heart defect, an abnormality within the heart structure.
Fortunately, it was treated and he returned to play later on in the season.
A guard at USC, James averaged 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 0.8 steals in 19.3 minutes across 25 appearances for the Trojans last season as his recovery was managed.
The lack of production and experience at college level has led many to question whether the 20-year-old is NBA ready. However, by selecting him with the 55th pick, the Lakers did not take a huge gamble on their future by selecting him.
Not many people are expecting him to reach his father’s lofty heights, but James will likely carve out a role in the NBA shooting three-pointers at a high rate and playing good defense. A 17-point showing in his preseason finale against the Golden State Warriors will do his chances no harm either.
It remains to be seen what kind of role Bronny will play under rookie head coach JJ Redick – who co-hosted a podcast with LeBron last season before joining the Lakers.
Bronny will likely play a significant amount of time for the Lakers G-League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.
After signing a four-year rookie deal with the first two years guaranteed, the Lakers look at Bronny as a long term project.
So while playing time might be limited, expect all eyes to be on the Lakers when LeBron and Bronny eventually have their historic moment together on the court.
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