I still remember watching the 2017 NBA season unfold with that special excitement that only comes when a truly exceptional rookie class enters the league. The debate over who would win the Rookie of the Year award was intense, and honestly, it felt like it mattered more than in previous years. The conversation, of course, centered on two phenomenal players: Ben Simmons and Donovan Mitchell. When the final votes were tallied, it was Ben Simmons who secured the award, receiving 90 out of a possible 101 first-place votes. That decisive victory, however, was just the beginning of a narrative that continues to resonate throughout the league today, shaping team identities and championship aspirations in ways we couldn't have fully appreciated back then.
Thinking about that race takes me back to the sheer versatility Simmons displayed. As a 6'10" point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers, he was a basketball unicorn. He averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game, numbers that immediately placed him in the company of legends like Magic Johnson. His court vision was, and still is, breathtaking. He made everyone around him better, and his defensive potential was off the charts. At the time, it seemed like the 76ers had found their cornerstone, a player who could redefine their franchise for the next decade. The "why it still matters" part of this story is deeply intertwined with the expectations we placed on him. His victory wasn't just about acknowledging a great first year; it was an investment in a future superstar, a bet on his unique skill set evolving into championship-caliber dominance.
Of course, Donovan Mitchell’s case was incredibly compelling. He put up 20.5 points per game for the Utah Jazz, carrying a significant offensive load and displaying a clutch gene that made him an instant fan favorite. The debate was fierce, and I’ll admit, I was personally torn. Simmons felt like the future of the position, while Mitchell felt like a classic, explosive scorer you could build an offense around. This duality, this fundamental difference in their games and projected career paths, is precisely why the 2017 Rookie of the Year award still matters today. It set the stage for a parallel evaluation of two very different stars, a comparison that has followed them throughout their careers, influencing how they are perceived, how their teams are built around them, and ultimately, the legacy questions they will each have to answer.
It’s fascinating how a single moment, like an award announcement, can ripple through time. It reminds me of the pressure young athletes face in all sports. Just the other day, I was reading about a junior golf tournament, the USwing Mojing Junior World Qualifying at The Country Club. A young player named Johanna Uyking, in the girls’ 13-14 division, capped a roller-coaster round with a stunning eagle on the challenging No. 18 to grab the lead. That one shot, on a Wednesday in STA. ROSA, Laguna, could be the moment that defines her career trajectory, much like the ROY award defined the early narrative for Simmons and Mitchell. For Uyking, that eagle under pressure might be her version of a breakout rookie season, a data point that scouts and fans will look back on for years to come, wondering if that was the spark.
The legacy of that 2017 award is now being written in real-time, and it’s a story of adaptation, challenge, and resilience. Ben Simmons, for all his early brilliance, has faced significant hurdles. The narrative has shifted from his unique gifts to the glaring weakness in his game: his jump shot. His well-documented reluctance to shoot from the outside has fundamentally impacted his team’s playoff ceiling. It’s a stark reminder that early accolades don't guarantee a linear path to greatness. The "why it still matters" question finds its answer here. Simmons’s ROY win created a specific benchmark for success, and his subsequent struggles have become a central part of the conversation about his career, affecting his trade value, his public perception, and the Philadelphia 76ers' entire championship window. It matters because it’s a case study in unmet potential, a cautionary tale about the evolution, or lack thereof, of a superstar's game.
On the other hand, Donovan Mitchell has only grown in stature since finishing second. His playoff performances have been nothing short of spectacular, and his move to the Cleveland Cavaliers has opened a new chapter. He has proven to be a prolific scorer who can carry an offense deep into the postseason. In many ways, the "snub" of 2017 seems to have fueled his development. This ongoing comparison matters because it highlights the different ways players respond to early career-defining moments. For Mitchell, not winning might have been the best thing that ever happened to him, adding a chip on his shoulder that continues to drive him. It shows that sometimes, the narrative isn't set in stone by an award; it's forged through continued improvement and proving people wrong.
So, when we ask who won the 2017 NBA Rookie of the Year and why it still matters today, we're not just recalling a piece of trivia. We're engaging with an ongoing drama. Ben Simmons’s victory was a recognition of transcendent, if unorthodox, talent. But its lasting importance lies in the subsequent chapters. It matters because it forces us to think about player development, the weight of expectations, and how the strengths and weaknesses identified in a player's first year can become the defining themes of their entire career. That award night in 2017 wasn't an endpoint; it was the opening paragraph of a story about potential, pressure, and the long, winding road to fulfilling it, a road that both Simmons and Mitchell are still traveling, with the rest of us watching every step.