NBA Rookies That Will Have the Most Success in 2017-18

The 2017 NBA Draft was absolutely loaded. Potential superstars, quality role players, and second round sleepers. The 2017 draft class had it all, except for a Lebron James-caliber player.

However, talent doesn't guarantee you a successful career, let alone rookie season. Some teams can draft a player they intend to give heavy minutes and touches to, but that might not be the right situation for them. Evan Turner, Brandon Ingram, and Dante Exum are a few examples of former top five picks with plenty of translatable skills, but struggled in their first season because of the situation they were in.

A player's first season is not their end-all-be-all, but a good start is never a bad thing. With all the talented rookies coming into the league next year, it's impossible to pick just one that will have the most success, so I chose three. Based on their team, present skill-set, and their potential role in their rotations, these rookies are primed to start their NBA careers off on a high note.

De'Aaron Fox: PG, Sacramento Kings

Fox has seemingly every tool you want in an NBA point guard besides the most important one, a jump shot. Fox is excellent in transition thanks to his blinding speed, and he's solid in the pick and roll either hitting the roller or taking the ball hard to the basket. He doesn't turn the ball over, posting a 13.7% turnover rate coupled with a high usage rate of 27.6% in his lone season at Kentucky.

Fox is also a solid defender. He had a very good defensive rating of 96.8 in college, and has the instincts and physical tools to improve on that end of the floor.

In terms of a jumper, Fox shot under 25% from three on about two attempts per game. The NBA has shifted to the three-point line, so a point guard without a reliable three-point stroke usually has a hard time leading a championship contender. I believe that Fox's mechanics aren't broken and that with enough hard work he'll develop enough of a stroke to keep defenses honest.

Going into his rookie season, I think Fox is in a great position to become the leader of the Kings right away. He has great leadership skills, and will be able to hold his own defensive to the point where he'll experience some rapid offensive growth.

Another plus is that the Kings won't ask Fox to be anything other than what he is, an athletic creator. Buddy Hield should be ready to shoulder more of a scoring load, and Sacramento added two veterans that can still put up numbers in George Hill and Zach Randolph.

With those two vets aboard, Fox will be able to run the show and make those around him better as he develops at his own pace. The Kings aren't going to be a good team next season, but they have a franchise cornerstone in Fox that is in a good situation to learn and grow while steadily becoming the leader in the locker room.

Jayson Tatum: SF/PF, Boston Celtics

Tatum won't get the amount of minutes as his fellow top draft picks since he's on an elite team like the Celtics. However, Tatum's playing time will be full of "Meaningful Minutes." The Celtics will be competitive in every game this season, making every second Tatum is on the floor significant.

If Tatum makes a mistake, he'll come out of the game. Jaylen Brown went through the same thing last season and called the experience, "a blessing." Tatum won't be asked to do anything extra this season by head coach Brad Stevens. He'll need to defend his position, and make the right play on the offensive end.

Tatum's offensive polish is his best attribute, and will help him contribute right away for Boston's second unit that will need shot makers. He is exceptional in the mid-post. He has very advanced footwork for a 19-year-old, and has rare length to shoot or finish over a multitude of defenders. His three-point stroke was streaky in college, but his 85% free throw percentage at Duke shows that consistency from three is coming.

Stevens raved about Tatum's defensive versatility before the Celtics drafted him third overall, and the better he defends, the more he'll play and develop. Playing next to all-star caliber players in Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, and Al Horford, Tatum will have plenty of open space and one-on-one opportunities to score and get comfortable at the NBA level. By this time next year, it's very likely that we're talking about Tatum as one of the rising stars in the league even though he probably won't post eye-popping stats.

Dennis Smith Jr: PG/SG, Dallas Mavericks

Smith slipped to the Dallas Mavericks on draft night and was taken with the 9th pick. Almost immediately, the NC State product showed us all that he very well might be the steal of the draft. Smith dominated summer league action, scoring at will and controlling the game on both ends. His issues in college revolved around giving consistent effort, not his basketball skills.

Smith comes into the NBA on a Dallas team that has plenty of capable scorers in Harrison Barnes, Dirk Nowitzki, and Wesley Matthews. This will allow Smith to pick his spots and not force the issue on the offensive end, further benefiting his long term development.

On the defensive end, Matthews and Barnes are solid defenders on the perimeter, and Nerlens Noel is one of the better shot blockers in the NBA. Smith can just focus on his responsibilities and assignments with good veterans around him to help him become the elite defender he's capable of.

Also, playing for an excellent coach in Rick Carlisle should go a long way in solving those effort inconsistencies Smith displayed in college. The Mavs probably won't make the playoffs this season in a loaded western conference, but they won't make things easy on the top teams. There's a lot of talent surrounding an elite prospect in Smith. The sooner he breaks out for Dallas the better, and Smith is in a situation where the soil is more fertile than in other NBA franchises.