Simmons, Ball, Fultz headline race for ROY

This wasn’t the much ballyhooed NBA draft class of 2003, but this year’s class isn’t short on talent, either. Our preseason favorite to win Rookie of the Year wasn’t even drafted in June, though Ben Simmons gets lumped in with this year’s rookies due to injury. Needless to say, there’s competition and intrigue all throughout the league when it comes to the player most likely to win Rookie of the Year.

1. Ben Simmons: Drafted No. 1 by Philadelphia (2016)

Simmons, whose rookie season was shut down after he broke his foot during training camp last year, is healthy, and that alone should make him a Rookie of the Year favorite. The 6-10 forward will play different positions, including point guard, for a Sixers team that’s poised to end the franchise’s five-year postseason drought. Simmons, not lacking confidence, says he’s heading into the season a much better player than he was last year, and it’s “not even close.”

2. Lonzo Ball: Drafted No.2 by Los Angeles Lakers

The hype surrounding Ball, for better or worse, has ensured that the spotlight will shine bright on the 6-6 point guard during his rookie campaign, as he heads into the season holding the keys to one of the NBA’s most storied franchises. But after a strong showing during Las Vegas Summer League, and some exciting moments during his limited preseason action, early signs indicate that Ball is well-suited for the task.

3. Dennis Smith Jr.: Drafted No. 9 by Dallas

Smith, who could end up being the steal of the draft, will have the green light in Dallas, which in itself makes him a prime candidate for Rookie of the Year honors. But then you look at his talent — he’s a freak athlete and has elite playmaker potential — and Smith taking home the hardware becomes all the more likely. Don’t believe us? Take it from Smith’s peers, who voted him most likely to win the award in the annual Rookie Survey.

4. Markelle Fultz: Drafted No. 1 by Philadelphia

Fultz has superstar potential and could easily end up being the best player from this year’s draft class. But as far as his Rookie of the Year odds are concerned, the fact that Fultz is going to spend a lot of his time off the ball and will be forced to share both the spotlight and the touches with Simmons and Joel Embiid might end up hurting his stock a bit.

5. De’Aaron Fox: Drafted No. 5 by Sacramento

The lightning-quick point guard out of Kentucky has the tools to contribute from Day One, and though he’ll have to fight for minutes behind veteran point guard George Hill, he should see plenty of time on the court for the lottery-bound Kings. His struggles on the perimeter (he shot 24.6% from three-point range at Kentucky) and thin frame (he weighed in at 170 pounds at the combine) could hinder his Rookie of the Year run, though.

6. Josh Jackson: Drafted No. 4 by Phoenix

Jackson, arguably the draft’s best two-way player, is in line for a heavy workload for a Suns team that views him as a franchise cornerstone. He thrives in transition and should be a nice fit in Phoenix’s fast-paced offense alongside Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker. That said, his offensive game isn’t all that polished and he struggles with his jump shot.

7. Jayson Tatum: Drafted No. 3 by Boston

Put him on a lottery team and give him 30 minutes a night and Tatum would be up there with Simmons, Ball and Smith. He has the talent, particularly as a scorer, to see some meaningful minutes with Boston’s second unit. But odds are those minutes won’t be enough to crown him as this year’s top rookie. In fact, only two of the past 20 Rookie of the Year winners — Malcolm Brogdon (26.4) and Mike Miller (29.1) — averaged fewer than 30 minutes per game.

8. Malik Monk: Drafted No. 11 by Charlotte

One of the draft’s top scorers, Monk — who turned heads with his 47-point outing against North Carolina during his freshman season with Kentucky — gives the Hornets needed backcourt depth. His defensive shortcomings might limit his minutes, but expect to see Monk get playing time at both guard positions, especially with starting shooting guard Nicolas Batum out for 6-8 weeks.

9. Donovan Mitchell: Drafted No. 13 by Denver, traded to Utah

Another prime candidate for the “steal of the draft” designation, the 6-3 combo guard out of Louisville prides himself on his defense, but he doesn’t exactly struggle as a scorer. He sank 80 three-pointers at a 35.4% clip as a sophomore after making 18 at 25% as a freshman, and he played well during Utah’s undefeated preseason run, scoring 26 points on 10-20 shooting in the finale against the Lakers. 10. John Collins: Drafted No. 19 by Atlanta

Collins, a versatile forward from Wake Forest, might be a long shot to win the award, but his role — and his highlight reel — should be enough to get him some consideration. Collins was relatively unknown after his first year with the Demon Deacons, but emerged as one of the nation’s top bigs as a sophomore.