NBA News & Rumors: Lakers' Brandon Ingram Losing The NBA Rookie Of The Year Title Race To Sixers' Joel Embiid?

After the 2016-17 NBA Draft, many expected the Los Angeles Lakers' small forward, Brandon Ingram to win this season's Rookie of the Year award given his impressive college basketball career at Duke University. However, fellow rookie, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers has been putting up exceptional numbers for the Sixers, and ranked number one in last week's NBA Rookie Ladder.

Ingram, who is currently averaging 6.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assist per game, is expected by many to be this season's rookie of the year. Ingram has previously stated that his goal for this season is to be the recipient of the 2016-17 NBA Rookie of the Year award.

.@VSVP_TR3Y #AskIngram pic.twitter.com/fT6yB62iJX

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 24, 2016

Although Ingram's stats are not very imposing, he is already making his mark on the defensive end for the Lakers. According to the Lakers' new head coach Luke Walton, Ingram is almost to the point where the rookie small forward is a lock-down defender, as per Los Angeles Times.

Meanwhile, rookie center Joel Embiid has been averaging 17 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game for the Sixers. Having missed the last two seasons in the NBA because of injuries, Embiid is currently the starting center for the Sixers with Nerlens Noel and Jamil Okafor sidelined by injuries.

The Sixers may be struggling thus far in the season with a 2-10 record, but they have recently obtained two high-end draft picks for players with possible superstar potential, according to Sportsrageous. Embiid is also expected to remain as the star rookie for the Sixers with forward Ben Simmons out due to a foot injury.

Nonetheless, it is still too early in the season to anticipate who the 2016-17 NBA Rookie of the Year will be. Notable rookies such as the Sixers' Dario Saric, the Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, and the Oklahoma City Thunder's Domantas Sabonis are also players capable of winning the award.

Do you think Embiid will carry on to be this NBA season's best rookie? If not, who do you think will it be? Let us know in the comments section below!