NBA Rookie of the Year preview: Introducing challengers to Spurs' Victor Wembanyama

This year's NBA Rookie of the Year race feels lopsided — essentially, it's Victor Wembanyama vs. the field. But "the field" has great candidates who would probably love nothing more than to snatch the ROY hardware from the best NBA prospect in a long time. Here are the leading candidates:

Victor Wembanyama, F, San Antonio Spurs

How he can win it: Wemby is good enough that by just staying on the floor, he could win the award. He has the tools to be elite on both ends as a rookie, and everything he did in the preseason reinforces just how good he already is.

Why he might not: He is 7-foot-4 and has never played a season as long as the NBA's 82-game slog. Plus, if San Antonio flounders early, don't be surprised if Wemby gets a decent amount of "DNP — Rest" tags. 

Scoot Henderson, G, Portland Trail Blazers

How he can win it: More than likely, he'll be a starter from Day 1, and it's not like he's surrounded by scrubs either. Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III and Matisse Thybulle are proven NBA players. If Henderson finds a groove early and Portland overachieves, he might have the best chance to leapfrog Wemby.

Why he might not: Brogdon will be a great veteran presence, but if he doesn't get traded this season, he might eat too many minutes for Henderson to flourish.

Chet Holmgren, F/C, Oklahoma City Thunder

How he can win it: Holmgren is sort of the forgotten man among rookies because he was selected in last year's draft and missed all last season with a broken foot. The 7-foot-1 unicorn will be expected to play a significant role on a team that has high hopes. If the Thunder is competitive and Holmgren is the two-way impact player he's expected to be, team success could lift him over Wemby.

Why he might not: Though unfair, Holmgren is often thought of as Wemby with a little lower ceiling. And after missing all of last season, the hype has died down on Holmgren. He might have to be considerably better than Wembanyama to get the same consideration for ROY.

Brandon Miller, F, Charlotte Hornets

How he can win it: Miller's scoring ability should immediately translate on a Hornets team desperate for creators outside of LaMelo Ball. Known mostly as a three-point shooter at Alabama, Miller showcased a pretty impressive midrange game in the preseason. If he can show flashes of a three-level scorer in his rookie season, Miller will play himself into ROY contention. 

Why he might not: Gordon Hayward will still get a lot of runs, and Miles Bridges is back in the lineup as well. Those two might stifle Miller's opportunity a little bit; plus, wing scorers like Miller often take time adjusting to the speed and physicality of the NBA.

Amen Thompson, F, Houston Rockets

How he can win it: Thompson's passing, feel, rebounding and defensive upside could lead to lots of highlights and the occasional awe-inspiring stat line. If he can shoot the ball close to a league-average level (the preseason was somewhat encouraging in that regard), Thompson might be primed to take the league by storm.

Why he might not: Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks will make Houston considerably better, but they'll also eat some touches and minutes that would have gone to Thompson. Plus, his offensive game may not be developed enough to put up efficient numbers consistently. That will change within a few years, but patience could be key with Thompson. 

Jarace Walker, F, Indiana Pacers

How he can win it: Walker's defense is one of the most NBA-ready skills of any prospect in this class of rookies. He'll be paired on Indiana's back line with Myles Turner, a big who can stretch the floor. At the moment, Walker's shooting is a little more theoretical than practical, but if he's further along on his shooting than we expect, Walker could quickly become a fan favorite — and popularity is just as important as anything else in award races.

Why he might not: Indiana is not short on big men; Turner will get starting minutes at the five, and Indiana will want to see what they have in Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson. Plus, new addition Obi Toppin could play at the four when Indiana runs small-ball lineups and thus Walker could get buried in his rookie season.