The NBA preseason is a great opportunity for franchises to see what they have in their young players and several are using the time wisely.
While we knew we could expect greatness from Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, there are some other prospects who we would consider as more pleasant surprises thus far.
Based on what we have seen on the court during these exhibition matches, here are a few of the players who have stood out as potential rotation pieces that we may not have initially anticipated to see get minutes during their first professional campaigns next year.
1
Julian Strawther
Gonzaga’s Julian Strawther was selected based on pivotal draft philosophies in Denver, per The Ringer: “A tad older, a tad more mature, and played for a major program.”
Strawther, who shot better than 40.0 percent on 3-pointers as a junior last season, has played three preseason games and has managed to connect on at least four 3-pointers in each appearance thus far. He scored 23 points against the Bulls on Oct. 15, which was the second-highest scoring total any rookie has managed in the preseason.
The forward trails only Victor Wembanyama among rookies in points per game. He is averaging 1.51 points per possession, per Synergy, which ranks in the 96th percentile among all players during these exhibition games.
While his jump shot off the dribble and off the catch is most encouraging, Strawther has also shown an ability to score as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets and on cuts to the basket. He also has just one turnover in 66 minutes thus far.
Additionally, the rookie has already made strides as a defensive playmaker. Despite recording just one block through 25 games when he was a freshman in 2020-21, he has recorded two blocks in these three preseason appearances.
2
Bilal Coulibaly
Bilal Coulibaly, who was teammates with Victor Wembanyama in France, has looked outstanding for the Wizards.
Coulibaly leads all rookies in win shares, per RealGM, and has shined on the defensive end of the floor. Using his 7-foot-2 wingspan, he has recorded a block in both of his appearances and has the highest steal percentage (6.5 percent) among all qualified rookies.
Opponents are currently shooting just 2-for-10 (20.0 percent) overall when he is credited as the nearest defender, per Synergy. The athleticism that the young rookie has already displayed shows incredible promise for the 19-year-old wing.
Now, the biggest question is already whether or not it makes sense to roll him out slowly as he gets more comfortable or throw him directly into the thick of it as a potential day-one starter in the NBA.
3
Toumani Camara
One of the most pleasant surprises of the preseason thus far is Portland’s Toumani Camara.
The Trail Blazers landed the former Dayton forward from the Phoenix Suns as part of the return for Damian Lillard. He already looks like he is the steal of the deal based on what we have seen from him in the preseason.
He is 4-for-7 (57.1 percent) on his catch-and-shoot jumpers and 3-for-4 (75.0 percent) at the rim, including two dunks. He also has a strong defensive presence, recording two blocks and one steal against the Jazz on Oct. 14.
Camara didn’t have the best game when he played against the Suns, the team that drafted him and traded him to Portland, on Oct. 16. But he looks ready to potentially fight for minutes in the Trail Blazers rotation as a rookie.
4
Brandin Podziemski
Golden State clearly wants to see what they have with first-round pick Brandin Podziemski, who has logged more minutes than all rookies except Scoot Henderson and Keyonte George.
Podziemski has recorded at least five rebounds and four assists in each of his three preseason appearances thus far. His best performance came against the Lakers on Oct. 13, notching ten points with ten assists and six rebounds off the bench. That made him one of two NBA rookies with a double-double in preseason action thus far.
Sometimes you wonder how Brandin Podziemski gets paint touches so easily. But when you slow things down, you see the craft and manipulation chops at the POA.
A simple jab step is all he needs to force his man to navigate from a less-than-ideal position. From then on, it's easy. pic.twitter.com/jHhTwvk2K6
— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) October 15, 2023
Not only is he distributing the ball well but he is among the leaders in rookie guards when it comes to points scored in the paint.
Podziemski is finishing the majority of his possessions as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets and even though he isn’t scoring and shooting efficiently at this point, he has the second-highest pure point rating among qualified NBA rookies.
5
Emoni Bates
Despite falling in the 2023 NBA Draft, Eastern Michigan’s Emoni Bates was a standout performer during the NBA 2K24 Summer League.
He is once again playing well for the Cavaliers during preseason, connecting on multiple 3-pointers per game in all three of his appearances thus far. As a floor spacer, he is shooting well both off the catch and off the dribble and he is efficient when spotting up and when using off-ball screens.
After three games, he is shooting 9-for-20 (45.0 percent) on 3-pointers. Bates is also finishing very well at the rim, which is an area where he had struggled in college.
