Who will Reign as the Next ROY?
First off, I would like to use this time to apologize for not keeping up with my writing. Since my last article, life has been very demanding, ranging from school work to going overseas. In the upcoming semester, I will try to write on a weekly basis. Hope you like the read!
“With the first overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select….. Blake Griffin from the University of Oklahoma.”
The NBA Draft is just the first step for numerous athletes ready to take their games to the next level. The next step is to convince the coaching staff that their games can significantly impact the team. The players’ pasts are not history, but a big part in the coach’s decision is how the player’s game translates into the NBA, where only the best survive.
What are the main goals of a rookie? It’s obviously to improve his game, get playing time, but most importantly (especially for lottery picks) to be the Rookie of the Year. Here are my top choices to win:
Blake Griffin
If you read Bill Simmons on ESPN, he provides a very convincing argument on why Blake Griffin will not only NOT win Rookie of the Year, but also why he will be a bust. Although history does tend to repeat itself, I find this very skeptical and if there was a curse on the Clippers, then Griffin will be the guy to break out of it: he is very physical, hardworking, and energetic. He absolutely dominated college ball last season and I would not be surprised if he eventually becomes a lesser version of Amare Stoudamire. Oh and another fun fact, since the introduction of the lottery system, the first overall pick has won 11/24, a whopping 46% of the time. Oh, and say the Clippers do end up in playoff contention, this will be a virtual lock.
Summer League Stats: 19.2 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 0.4 blk, 50% FG%
Tyreke Evans
Evans joins a rebuilding Sacramento team as the point guard. A scoring machine throughout his entire basketball career, expect the same from him in the NBA (as he showed during summer league). With the ball in his hands for most of the possession and with superior point guard size, he will be able to create his own shots with ease this season. In addition, with fellow guard Kevin Martin as his wingman and skilled big men in Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes, you can expect Evans to rack up assists as well. The only knocks on Evans are that he tends to dribble too much, which could potential lead to turnovers, and his tendency to force up bad shots. However, expect Evans to be a contender throughout the entire season as this season’s O.J. Mayo.
Summer League Stats: 19.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 40.3% FG%
Jonny Flynn
This 6 footer inherits the reigns to the rebuilding Minnesota Timberwolves’ offense. This jet-quick guard can do it all: score, defend, dribble, pass, and shoot. I had the pleasure of witnessing Flynn in one of the greatest college basketball games of all time, in which he led Syracuse over the heavily-favored UConn Huskies. With the possibility of splitting time with fellow draftee Ricky Rubio all but dead, he can focus solely on improving his game without the pressure of looking behind his back or playing out of position. With a stud frontline, I would not be surprised if he averages close to double digits in assists. For him to win though, the T-wolves have to vastly improve from last season, which is unlikely.
Summer League Stats: 15.0 ppg, 7.4 apg, 0.8 spg, 48% FG%
Brandon Jennings
This once heralded elite point guard is my dark horse candidate for this year. Since the Lottery, only four players outside the top 5 have won the award (Mark Jackson, Damon Stoudamire, Amare Stoudamire, and Brandon Roy). However, if you want some history to back up Jennings, the last time more than 3 point guards were drafted in the top 10, player by the name of Chris Paul won that year, a player who Jennings is like more than any other guard in this class. Also, a year of pro league in Europe has definitely given him a head start over all the other rookies because of the development of his game as a whole. As of right now, he is playing backup to Luke Ridnour with the Bucks, but expect a second half surge, which could allow him to leapfrog into the top 3.
Summer League Stats: 14.6 ppg, 8.2 apg, 3.6 spg, 37.9% FG%
When I look at these four rookies, one thing remains clear: they will all be significant contributors to their teams this year. There is no clear-cut favorite, but my pre-season choice for the 2010 Rookie of the Year is Tyreke Evans.
