Have you ever heard of the word “stocks” in basketball? And nope, it’s definitely not that kind of stock (at least the one you buy, sell, trade, etc.). There’s a term or a metric stat used in basketball and in fantasy basketball that some people are just hearing right now. But, what really is the meaning of stocks in the NBA?
The meaning of “Stocks” is just what you’ve been thinking
You’ve probably wondered what this term means and now you’re here. The word Stocks is the combination of steals and blocks, which is basically a stat used to measure a player’s total steals and blocked shots per game. It is not a new term since it’s been around for at least five years in basketball. Although, we’re going to give other basketball fanatics the benefit of the doubt. Stocks are commonly used in fantasy basketball and even in betting.
Yes, sports bettors went from just betting on which team will win to being more creative and conceiving new things to bet on just like STOCKS. There are also other advanced stats in betting like PRA, PA, SA, and many more. Truly, there are a lot of things you can bet on basketball as well as any other sport.
Believe it or not, three rookies are in the top 4 list of players with the highest stocks this season (so far)
The favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year, Anthony Davis, is currently the leader when it comes to “stocks” per game. The 30-year-old defensive big man has an average of 4.3 stocks a night (4.0 BPG plus 0.3 SPG). But, it would surprise you that the next three guys on this list are … rookies! Not superstars, not All-NBA players, not former All-Defensive Team members, but rookies!
Most stocks per game this season:
4.3 — Anthony Davis
3.9 — Rookie
3.4 — Rookie
3.4 — Rookie pic.twitter.com/g8WCaqtEh1— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 7, 2023
- Ausar Thompson
- Victor Wembanyama
- Chet Holmgren
Thompson twin no.2, Ausar, who was selected 5th overall in 2023 isn’t just your typical guard. This 6-foot-7 wing has all the tools of a defensive specialist. Right now, he’s averaging 1.9 steals and 1.5 blocks. He even leads all rookies in rebounding average with almost 10 boards a night and beats 7-footers Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren in that category.
Victor Wembanyama stuffs Jalen McDaniels for his 3rd block of the game 😮💨
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 5, 2023
Meanwhile, it’s not shocking to see two of the best rookies this season have the best stocks per game stat. Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are the clear frontrunners for the 2024 Rookie of the Year award and could even win it as Co-ROTY. However, they’ve also shown that they are very capable on the defensive end of the ball. Aside from averaging 20 points per game, Wemby is also a defensive nightmare with 2.6 blocks and 1.3 steals per game average. On the other hand, Holmgren comes in second with 2.4 swats and 1.0 picks.
