Scrolled down for some stats out of interest & it seems like since 2000/2001 season only 10 rookies have been drafted by a championship team (and haven't been traded the same day). The most rookie have seen the court in the season opener was Kareem Rush for the Lakers in 2002/2003 season. It was 3 minute burst. And he was a 20th pick, Lakers were high on him, considering that they have traded up to grab him. I bet you've never heard any of these guys, except for recent ones, because it's fresh in your mind: Mark Madsen (#29 Lakers), Marcus Williams (#33 Spurs), Henry Walker (#47 Celtics), JR Giddens (#30 Celtics), Devin Ebanks (#43 Lakers), Justin Hamilton (#45 Heat), Kyle Anderson (#30 Spurs), Kevon Looney (#30 Warriors) & Kay Felder ((#54 Cavaliers). None of them have played in a season opener (except for Madsen, he had some garbage seconds at the end of the game). 12 minutes in a season opener is a lot for the #38 pick on a championship team. That's for sure.
Honestly, the sleeper story of the game was Bell getting demolished. Absolutely a factor in us stealing the W. Unfortunately, those minutes will be Iggy's in the playoffs.
Rookie Status Update: The Warriors’ New Bellwether Every NBA team had a chance at Jordan Bell before the Bulls sold their second-round pick to Golden State. In just three months, the rookie big man has become an integral part of the Warriors’ machine and the perfect big man to help transition the champs into the not-too-distant future. https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/1/17/16898664/jordan-bell-golden-state-warriors The money quote: "The irony is that Bell is exactly the type of big man those teams need against Golden State."
He's a perfect fit for the GSW system.... I think its kind of unfair to judge teams passing on him because of that. That said, would have been a great fit on the Rockets, too... and clearly should have been drafted higher.