1 Lonzo Ball Los Angeles Lakers PG

Last ranking: Unranked

Stats this week: 10.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 3.0 steals Welcome back, Lonzo Ball. The polarizing rookie made his triumphant return to the court this week after missing 15 games due to a left knee injury, and he looked like a newer, more confident version of his old self. Ball put up his normal triple-double flirtations, but the main thing that caught everyone's eye was his efficient shooting (8-for-12 on his 3-point attempts since his return). It might just be a blip on the radar of a historically poor shooting season, but it could also be a sign that Ball's first few months were a shooting aberration, and that his percentages will eventually get back to where he and the Lakers want them to be. When Lonzo's shooting confidently, the Lakers play confidently -- and that's a big reason why they're on a four-game winning streak.

2 Ben Simmons Philadelphia 76ers PG

Last ranking: 2

Stats this week: 14.5 points, 6.8 assists, 6.5 rebounds Simmons had a good week, but his most eye-opening moments came in the Sixers' win over the Cavs on Thursday night. Not only did Simmons lead the offense through his playmaking and scoring (14 points in 22 minutes), but he also did something that most NBA players only dream of -- he actually played good defense on LeBron James. It's rare for James to look across and see a defender who's as big and athletic as he is, but Simmons is pretty darn close.

3 Donovan Mitchell Utah Jazz SG

Last ranking: 1

Stats this week: 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists We knew the Jazz were going to come back to Earth at some point, and it happened in the first week after the All-Star break. Mitchell still led all rookies this week with over 20 points per game, but he shot just 40 percent from the field and averaged more turnovers (4.0 per game) than assists, thanks to a horrific eight-turnover game against the Rockets. He's struggled all year when teams trap him or send multiple defenders at him off the pick-and-roll, so he might start facing that kind of defense more often.

4 Josh Jackson Phoenix Suns SG

Last ranking: 5

Stats this week: 18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists Don't look now, but Jackson was the second-leading scorer among all rookies for the month of February. Suns coach Jay Triano said the week before the All-Star break that the game was starting to slow down for his energetic rookie, and that's been visible on the court. Jackson still can't shoot, and he may never be able to, but he's finding ways to get the ball in the basket and picking up steals and blocks on the defensive end. In a spot start with T.J. Warren out of the lineup, Jackson capped off the week by dropping a career-high 29 points to go along with two steals and two blocks in Wednesday's victory over the Grizzlies. He actually had a positive net rating this week, which is almost impossible to do when you play that many minutes for the Suns.

5 Jarrett Allen Brooklyn Nets C

Last ranking: 4

Stats this week: 15.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks Allen has been a revelation since taking over as the Nets' full-time starting center, and he kept it up this week. Still only 19 years old, it looks like Allen, at the very least, is going to be a prototypical rim-running, shot-blocking big for years to come. He has no post game to speak of (who does these days), but he's been excellent at finishing around the rim. And while he's not quite extending the defense with his shooting just yet, he has a solid stroke that will only improve as he gets more reps.

6 Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics SF

Last ranking: 3

Stats this week: 9.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks Brad Stevens was able to get Tatum some much-needed rest in four Boston wins this week, none of which were particularly close. The rookie has averaged over 30 minutes per game this season, but last week Tatum played just 23.4. His stats dropped off a bit as a result, but he made four of his seven 3-point attempts -- a nice boost for his confidence, and a sign that his two-month shooting slump could be coming to an end.

7 Kyle Kuzma Los Angeles Lakers PF

Last ranking: 10

Stats this week: 12.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.0 blocks Kuzma had been in a bit of a funk, but he appears to be pulling out of the tailspin as the Lakers catch fire. He's still struggling from the field (41 percent this week), but his 3-point stroke has stayed consistent despite his offensive struggles (46 percent this week). We all know Kuzma can score, but he had two-block games against both the Mavericks and the Heat this week. He may never be an All-Defense candidate, but if he's able to block some shots, it at least proves that he's engaged on the defensive end.

8 Bogdan Bogdanovic Sacramento Kings SG

Last ranking: Unranked

Stats this week: 17.3 points, 4.3 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals Despite his rookie status, the 25-year-old Bodganovic has been a consistent, steadying force for the young Kings. He won the MVP of the Rising Stars challenge, and seemed to carry that confidence with him this week, shooting 41 percent on his 3-point attempts and committing just seven turnovers in four games. The Kings aren't going to win much, but they've gotten pretty much everything out of Bogie that they could have hoped for coming into this season.

9 De'Aaron Fox Sacramento Kings PG

Last ranking: 9

Stats this week: 15.0 points, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals Fox continued his strong play since the departure of George Hill, but what should get Kings fans most excited is that he once again proved that he can be a go-to playmaker in the clutch. The 6-foot-3 point guard dropped in a floater as time expired in regulation to send the game to overtime against the Nets on Thursday, then took over in the extra frame to help bring the Kings the win. Fox will have his ups and downs, but it's a great sign that he's already been able to win several games during crunch time for Sacramento.

10 Daniel Theis Boston Celtics PF