As the regular season came to a close, most NBA followers considered the Rookie of the Year Award to be a two-horse race between Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell. But there is a third name among the finalists — Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.
All three candidates helped get their teams to the playoffs, while two, Tatum and Mitchell, faced the burden of trying to make up for the absence of Gordon Hayward on their roster.
The winner will be announced on June 25. Here’s a look at how the finalists compare.
Donovan Mitchell, shooting guard
Stat line: 20.