In an unsurprising move, the NBA announced on Tuesday that Joel Embiid won Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors for December. Leading all rookies in scoring, rebounds and blocks for the month, Embiid averaged 19.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.

Again, Embiid winning is no surprise. But what is a bit surprising, is that Pelicans rookie Buddy Hield took home Rookie of the Month honors for the West.

Hield struggled at the start of the season but has really turned it on as of late. He averaged 10.6 points and shot a whopping 47.8 percent from downtown in December and due to his strong play, the Pelicans have slowly been climbing up the standings and are in striking distance of the eighth seed.

This year's rookie class has been overall inconsistent but as Hield has shown, there is plenty of talent there.

This week's rankings:

This week's rankings
1
Joel Embiid Philadelphia 76ers C
Last week: No. 1

The Sixers believe they have an All-Star on their hands with Embiid and are pushing the fan vote hard via all social media platforms. Embiid is taking part in the process as well, doing his own part on Twitter by memeing himself:

That tweet has earned Embiid 48-plus thousand All-Star votes, so you can't knock the hustle. But regardless of whether or not Embiid actually makes the All Star Game, the Sixers big man remains this year's top rookie as he leads all rookies in points, rebounds and blocks.

2
Malcolm Brogdon Milwaukee Bucks SG
Last week: No. 2

If Embiid wasn't playing in the East, Brogdon likely would've won Eastern Conference Player of the Month. If you haven't familiarized yourself with Brogdon, do so immediately as he is a serious player. Starting in place of the injured Matthew Dellavedova in Milwaukee's last three games, Brogdon recorded a triple-double (15 points, 12 assists, 11 rebounds) in his second career start in a 116-96 victory over the Bulls on Dec. 31. An overall skilled player, Brogdon is tied for first in assists (3.7) and is fourth in points (8.4).

3
Buddy Hield New Orleans Pelicans SG
Last week: No. 5

Hield's scoring and shooting is one reason why the Pelicans are currently playing their best basketball of the season. Finally playing with some consistency, Hield has made the most of his role in the Pelicans' starting lineup and has scored in double-digits in their last four games. His most recent performance of 20 points and five rebounds in a loss to the Cavs, included some excellent 3-point shooting as Hield went 4-for-6 from long range. If he keeps it up, New Orleans' chances of truly being in the mix for the eighth seed in the West will only get stronger.

4
Dario Saric Philadelphia 76ers PF
Last week: No. 3

Saric continues to be a solid all-around player for the Sixers. He scores, rebounds and is a fine passer. Saric showcased his versatility in the Sixers' 124-122 victory over the Nuggets on Friday, as he finished the game with 13 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. He followed that up with a strong 8-point, 7-rebound performance in 93-91 win over the Timberwolves on Monday, which included Saric delivering the game-winning inbounds lob to Robert Covington.

5
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Andrew Harrison Memphis Grizzlies PG
Last week: No. 8

The Memphis guard jumps up a few spots into the top 5 after stringing together some strong performances. Harrison scored in double figures in three of the Grizzlies' last four games and also recorded 6 assists on two separate occasions in that period. His shooting has slightly gotten better as well. Plus Harrison has been able to get to the free-throw line regularly in his first season. He took 10 free-throws in a 116-102 loss to the Lakers on Tuesday and got to the line eight times in the Grizzlies' two games right after Christmas. Among all rookies, Harrison is tied for first in assists (3.7) and steals (1.1), is second in free-throws attempted (3.4) and seventh in scoring (7.2).

6
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Isaiah Whitehead Brooklyn Nets PG
Last week: No. 6

With Jeremy Lin still sidelined, Whitehead continues to be the starting point guard for the Nets. And he's playing well in that role. Whitehead started 2017 off by having a nice 12-point, 6-assist performance in a 101-89 loss to the Jazz on Monday. He is fourth among all rookies in assists and eighth in scoring.

7
Brandon Ingram Los Angeles Lakers SF
Last week: No. 4

Ingram slides down a couple of spots due to some dismal shooting in the Lakers' last few games. His scoring hasn't been that impressive so far this season but Ingram shot 20 percent and 28.6 percent against the Mavs and Raptors, respectively. He shot 50 percent in a win against the Grizzlies on Tuesday, however, he only took four shots. Ingram does continue to do other things like defend and rebound while also doing a decent job at running point from time to time for the Lakers. Among all rookies, Ingram is in the top-10 in scoring, rebounds and assists.

8
Pascal Siakam Toronto Raptors PF
Last week: No. 10

With Patrick Patterson injured, Siakam's role on the Raptors has once again increased. Siakam doesn't bring the same scoring punch that Patterson brings, however, he makes an impact on the defensive end. Like against the Lakers on Sunday, Siakam had four blocks to go along with 10 rebounds. Siakam is second among all rookies in blocks and sixth in rebounding.

9
Jamal Murray Denver Nuggets SG
Last week: No. 7

Murray's shooting woes continue for yet another week. He remains fifth in scoring among all rookies averaging 8.3 points but the last time Murray has scored his season average was six games ago. In his last 10 games, Murray is averaging 3.9 points while shooting 30.6 percent and 21.9 percent from beyond the arc. Scoring is Murry's strong suit and since he is struggling doing that, his minutes have been inconsistent and hovering around the 12-14 mark. If his struggles continue, Murray may slide off the rankings.

10
Domantas Sabonis Oklahoma City Thunder PF
Last week: 6

Like Murray, Sabonis has also struggled with his shot as of late. He failed to score in the Thunder's 98-94 loss to the Bucks on Monday and has only hit one three in the Oklahoma City's last five games. Sabonis is one of the better shooters on the Thunder, so to put it mildly that is a problem. His overall strong shooting numbers -- 49.3 percent and 39.3 percent from three -- keep him in the rankings this week.