Rookie big man Jahlil Okafor of the Philadelphia 76ers made news recently by saying that one of his goals this season is to be the Rookie of the Year. Why it’s news that a player’s goal is to be good and do well with his team is a valid question, but in the dog days of summer, any story is a viable one.
So, despite the obviousness of the statement, it does bring up an interesting point –- what sort of players win Rookie of the Year? Of course, it’s the “best rookie", but how can we statistically quantify this?