2014 was not the best year to be an NBA rookie, as injuries took their toll on several first-round draft picks.

With Parker was on pace to win the award, most likely, but who is the most likely candidate now?

The Front-Runner

Currently, Nikola Mirotić, SF/PF, Chicago Bulls

Although initially drafted by the Rockets in the 2011 NBA Draft, Mirotić stayed with Real Madrid in the Spanish League until 2014 when he joined Chicago by way of a trade with the Timberwolves. Mirotić has been a pleasant surprise for Chicago. His strong play in December -- in which he had 9.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game -- earned him the Kia Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month. Over the course of the season, he has scored 8.3 points per game in just 18.8 minutes per game as part of a successful rotation in Chicago.

Mitotic’s player efficiency rating ranks second among rookies at 17.16. Although he doesn’t crack double digits in any of the major stats, it is worth noting that he is Jusuf Nurkić , PF/C, Denver Nuggets

Another contender who is coming on in 2015 is Nurkić. After a forgettable 2014, in which he compiled just 200 minutes in 32 games (an average of 7 minutes per game), Nurkić has increased his role. Playing 22 minutes per game since January 1st, he has averaged 10.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks per game. With Timofey Mozgov now in Cleveland, Nurkić, barring injury, will see an increased role with Denver as he looks to continue his current form. If he remains a dominant force, he will surely challenge Wiggins for Rookie of the Year.

Nerlens Noel, PF/C, Philadelphia 76ers

Another big with an outside chance of challenging Wiggins is Noel. Like Mirotić, Noel was not drafted in 2014. Noel is technically a second-year player, but because Noel had missed his entire first year due to injury, he is eligible for the award. Noel’s 76ers are performing as badly as the Timberwolves are this year and rank last by a significant margin in our power rankings, but that hasn’t stopped him from earning a good reputation for his defensive play. He leads all rookies in rebounds (7.1) and steals (1.5) while also chipping in 7.8 points per game.

It is good to see the rookies improve after a slow start in 2014. Going forward, players like Mirotić and Nurkić will likely see more minutes as a result of their good performances. If this is the case, they can challenge Wiggins for Rookie of the Year, but for now, Wiggins is still number one.