As the late Al McGuire famously said, “The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores.” While the NBA does not use the same classification as college basketball, that adage tends to prove true for young players. Having a season under their belts can help young talents hit the ground running in Year Two, providing reliable fantasy value in many instances.
Among last season’s rookie class, none ranked within the Top-100 in nine-cat formats, with post players Kel’el Ware, Zach Edey and Donovan Clingan leading the way. Below is a look at the Top 20 second-year players that fantasy managers need to be aware of heading into their drafts.
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1. C Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
Overall Fantasy Rank: 86
Clingan, who moved into the starting lineup for good just before the All-Star break as a rookie, has top-100 potential for the Trail Blazers this season. After the All-Star break, the 7-foot-2 center averaged 8.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals and 1.8 blocks in 25.2 minutes, shooting 53.1 percent from the field and 52.6 percent from the foul line. While Robert Williams III remains on the roster and Portland used its first-round pick on Yang Hansen, Clingan will be at the front of the line for playing time. He should be especially useful to managers willing to punt points or free-throw percentage.
2. PF/C Alexandre Sarr, Washington Wizards
Overall Fantasy Rank: 104
Sarr, who appeared in 67 games as a rookie, served as the lone big in the starting lineup more often than not, but there were times when he shared the court with Jonas Valančiūnas. The veteran center, now in Denver, was traded to Sacramento at the February deadline, and Sarr’s production improved over the season’s final six weeks. From March 1 onward, he averaged 15.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.4 blocks and 1.7 three-pointers in 27.5 minutes. The concerns for managers…
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