The 2017 NBA Draft saw a program-best three Ducks players selected in the second round. The trio of Dillon Brooks, Jordan Bell and Tyler Dorsey didn't disappoint in their first years away from Eugene last season. Each player had standout moments, two received votes for the all-rookie team and one even won a ring.
But, the first quarter of the group's second season has not been quite as favorable.
Last year Brooks was 10th among rookies with 11.0 points per game. That included seven 20-point games and a career-best 36 in the finale against Oklahoma City. But Brooks has only averaged 6.8 points per game this season in 11 games (none of which are starts after starting 74 games last season).
An MCL injury has shelved Brooks for Memphis' last seven games, and is expected to cost him about another month of the season. Shockingly, the Grizzlies are among the best teams in basketball now, and it's possible Brooks has a difficult time cracking that rotation when he does return. He did turn in two good scoring games prior to the injury, with 17 and 18 point games against Phoenix and Golden State respectively.
Like Brooks, Bell received votes on the 2017-8 all-rookie team. Another similarity they share is a slow start to the 2018-19 season. The power forward averaged 4.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.2 minutes per games a year ago. He also started 13 games for the champion Warriors. But this year he's started just one game, and has scored just 2.6 points per contest and grabbed just 2.6 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game.
Bell's battle for minutes will become even greater when All-Star DeMarcus Cousins returns from an Achilles injury.
Dorsey has gotten off to an even slower start. After becoming one of the slumping Hawks top offensive options towards the end of last season, the 6-foot-4 sharpshooter has hardly been utilized this season. His rookie scoring (7.1 points per game) and minute (17.4) have nearly been slashed in half this season — he averages 3.1 points in 10.5 minutes per game.
Like Brooks, Dorsey is also working through an injury. Although Dorsey's bone bruise will likely only cost the second-year player a handful of games.
The Ducks have two more players currently on NBA rosters. Yet, neither Toronto's Chris Boucher or Washington's Troy Brown have been much more effective through 20 or so games this season.
Boucher has played in just three games for a total of 12 minutes. He has managed well in those minutes, scoring 13 points along with seven rebounds and a trio of blocks.
The Wizards have played Brown in just eight games for 41 combined minutes. He's averaged 2.5 points and grabbed 1.3 rebounds in those games.