6. Herb Jones

The New Orleans Pelicans advanced in the NBA Play-In Tournament as the No. 9 seed, defeating the San Antonio Spurs rather easily. The Pelicans will now face off against the LA Clippers to earn the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and a matchup against the Phoenix Suns.

A lot of attention will be given to the established players on the roster, and rightfully so. CJ McCollum has been excellent since being acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of the trade deadline. Brandon Ingram was carrying the team without Zion Williamson throughout the season. Jonas Valanciunas is having arguably the best season of his career.

But, the one player that could really make a name for himself is unheralded rookie, Herb Jones. Jones isn’t going to win the Rookie of the Year award, but he deserves some recognition for the work that he has put in this season.

He was the No. 35 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and quickly made every team that passed on him regret that decision. He played 78 games this season, starting 69, averaging 29.9 minutes per game. Jones averaged 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.8 blocks as well.

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His stats may not be eye-popping, but he is the quintessential glue guy for New Orleans. He routinely takes the toughest defensive assignment regardless of position, offering excellent versatility on that end of the court.

While people may question how someone such as Jones could breakout, look no further than Draymond Green. While the Pelicans may not be a dynasty like the Warriors, versatile defenders can certainly make a name for themselves and Jones is already a much better offensive player than Green ever was.