The NBA announced the three finalists for Rookie of the Year and they are one-time Tar Heel Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz, Jalen Williams from OKC and former Blue Devil and current member of the Orlando Magic Paolo Banchero.
Banchero is the odds-on favorite to win and he has had a terrific rookie season, showing a maturity to his game that is very rare among 19-year-old players.
Banchero is widely seen as the frontrunner, as we said, so when Utah Jazz beat writer Andy Larsen put Kessler ahead of him, it raised eyebrows and temperatures online.