Rookie Rankings Week 1
Dec 7, 2013 21:19:17 GMT
Post by runsNgoses on Dec 7, 2013 21:19:17 GMT
And to round off the last of the articles I had in mind, Rookie Rankings. Like the MVP Rankings, I'm not sure how often I'll be able to do these, as in my opinion, the Power Rankings are what's most important since it involves the entire league. As for how I did the Rookie Rankings...I contradicted my thinking a bit, as far as factoring stats and records...I couldn't make up my mind. You're welcome to make a case about a rookie if you'd like that I might have missed, or you can write up your own.
Enjoy.
1) John Henson: San Antonio Spurs, 4-4 (13.4ppb, 8.4rpg, 1apg, 2.3bpg, .4spg, 27.8mpg)
First of all, he’s not starting for the Spurs, that’s what makes John Henson’s rookie season impressive so far. The fact that he’s doing this coming off the bench, is a huge plus for the Spurs. They can either slowly insert him into the starting five, or try to deal him while his trade stock is rising. Great, great start for Henson. I like it a lot.
2) Dion Waiters: Orlando Magic, 3-6 (13.6ppg, 4rpg, 3.4apg, .3bpg, .7spg, 35mpg)
Orlando’s rookie shooting guard is doing quite well on a team that…looks confusing so far in the stat department. Waiters is the team’s second leading scoring (behind MVP Honorable Mention Kris Humphries) with John wall, Ryan Anderson, and Trevor Ariza. I’d expect this out of him…next year behind Wall, but this year…wow.
3) Thomas Robinson: Boston Celtics, 9-1 (7.9ppg, 7.7rpg, .7apg, .3bpg, 1spg, 32.2mpg)
Thomas Robinson lucked out during the dispersal draft…not only did he land on the same team as LeBron James, but he’s also starting as a rookie and holding his own in the paint alongside Chandler and LeBron. He’s still learning as the season goes on but so far, I’m very impressed with him. He’s doing things that don’t show up on box scores too.
4) Damian Lillard: Indiana Pacers, 0-8 (12.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 5.9apg, .1bpg, 1spg, 30.6mpg)
In my opinion, the Pacers have a pretty bright future ahead of them, they just need time to grow. With Stephen Curry done for the season, the Pacers will need Lillard and Thompson to step up and fill in the void. This should be Lillard’s time to shine right now, and he could see himself going up in the rankings if he starts producing better numbers.
5) Marquis Teague: Washington Wizards, 5-2 (9.6ppg, 3.4rpg, 6.6apg, .1bpg, .6spg, 27.1mpg)
Marquis Teague is off to a pretty decent start to his NAH career. He’s been given the keys early to start on the Wizards along with [Kevin] Love and [Brook] Lopez. Not a bad team, well rounded. I don’t think Teague will go any higher in the Rookie Rankings but if he continues to play the way he has been, he won’t ever fall out of them either.
6) Anthony Davis: San Antonio Spurs, 4-4 (10.5ppg, 6.1rpg, .6apg, 2.5bpg, 1.1spg, 26.9mpg)
Until Anthony Davis finally hits his potential, to me, he’ll always be the player that was taken ahead of MVP Candidate, LeBron James. I’m not doubting his potential at all, but he really shouldn’t have gone first overall. Although, the most impressive stat for Davis, is his BPG, I like that a lot. I’m sure Davis will start to produce sooner or later, but until then, Boston thanks you.
7) Pablo Prigioni: Boston Celtics, 9-1 (7ppg, 3rpg, 5apg, 1.1spg, 30.1mpg)
I’m sorry, I know there are other rookies playing better than Papa Pablo, but he’s the starting point guard on the best team in the league, I can’t ignore that. Maybe he should be lower on the rankings? I don’t really know, all I know is, they could be starting Ramon Sessions or Louis Williams to run the show, but they aren’t. As long as the Celtics are playing well, Prigioni will likely always have a place in the Rookie Rankings.
8) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Dallas Mavericks, 5-4 (10.1ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.1apg, .3bpg, 1.3spg, 33.9mpg)
This year, teams are throwing rookies into the starting lineup in hopes of developing them quicker so that they’ll hit their potentials, and MKG is one of them. Although he’s playing some pretty decent basketball in his rookie season, it’s his defense that’s landing him in the starting five. I think MKG will be a top notch defender in the league, who will be a great 2nd/3rd scoring option on most teams. Personally, one of my favorite rookies.
9) Bradley Beal: Toronto Raptors, 2-6 (8.9ppg, 5rpg, 1.3apg, .4bpg, .4spg, 27.1mpg)
Beal is playing on an underachieving team right now. Chris Paul is playing the worst basketball of his career and I think it’s been a little bit contagious for the team. I think that once CP3 gets going, so will the rest of the team, including Beal, who I see raising up in the rankings and likely cracking the top 5 easily. It doesn’t help that they’re playing in the toughest division imaginable right now either.
10) Harrison Barnes: Memphis Grizzlies, 2-8 (11.4ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.6apg, .1bpg, 1.4spg, 34.1mpg)
I really like Barnes as a player, to me, he’s the total package (albeit very raw). He’s got the potential to be a great scorer in the league and a defensive nightmare for the opposing team. I’ll admit, Barnes probably would be higher if the Grizzlies were playing better…but these entire rankings, I’ve contradicted my thinking quite a few times (see Lillard, Robinson, Prigioni, Teague). To be honest, I don’t see Barnes being this far down next time, he’ll likely be in the top 5 for sure.
Honorable Mentions:
Jonas Valanciunas: Denver Nuggets, 4-5 (11.6ppg, 6rpg, 1.2apg, 1bpg, 1spg, 23.6mpg)
Andre Drummond: Portland Trail Blazers, 2-7 (7.8ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.8apg, 2.3bpg, 1.2spg, 28.7mpg)
Perry Jones III: Utah Jazz, 5-4 (9ppg, 4rpg, 1.3apg, .2bpg, 1.1spg, 29.8mpg)
Austin Rivers: Los Angeles Clippers, 4-4 (8.9ppg, 3rpg, 5.9apg, .5spg, 29.1mpg)
Enjoy.
1) John Henson: San Antonio Spurs, 4-4 (13.4ppb, 8.4rpg, 1apg, 2.3bpg, .4spg, 27.8mpg)
First of all, he’s not starting for the Spurs, that’s what makes John Henson’s rookie season impressive so far. The fact that he’s doing this coming off the bench, is a huge plus for the Spurs. They can either slowly insert him into the starting five, or try to deal him while his trade stock is rising. Great, great start for Henson. I like it a lot.
2) Dion Waiters: Orlando Magic, 3-6 (13.6ppg, 4rpg, 3.4apg, .3bpg, .7spg, 35mpg)
Orlando’s rookie shooting guard is doing quite well on a team that…looks confusing so far in the stat department. Waiters is the team’s second leading scoring (behind MVP Honorable Mention Kris Humphries) with John wall, Ryan Anderson, and Trevor Ariza. I’d expect this out of him…next year behind Wall, but this year…wow.
3) Thomas Robinson: Boston Celtics, 9-1 (7.9ppg, 7.7rpg, .7apg, .3bpg, 1spg, 32.2mpg)
Thomas Robinson lucked out during the dispersal draft…not only did he land on the same team as LeBron James, but he’s also starting as a rookie and holding his own in the paint alongside Chandler and LeBron. He’s still learning as the season goes on but so far, I’m very impressed with him. He’s doing things that don’t show up on box scores too.
4) Damian Lillard: Indiana Pacers, 0-8 (12.8ppg, 3.9rpg, 5.9apg, .1bpg, 1spg, 30.6mpg)
In my opinion, the Pacers have a pretty bright future ahead of them, they just need time to grow. With Stephen Curry done for the season, the Pacers will need Lillard and Thompson to step up and fill in the void. This should be Lillard’s time to shine right now, and he could see himself going up in the rankings if he starts producing better numbers.
5) Marquis Teague: Washington Wizards, 5-2 (9.6ppg, 3.4rpg, 6.6apg, .1bpg, .6spg, 27.1mpg)
Marquis Teague is off to a pretty decent start to his NAH career. He’s been given the keys early to start on the Wizards along with [Kevin] Love and [Brook] Lopez. Not a bad team, well rounded. I don’t think Teague will go any higher in the Rookie Rankings but if he continues to play the way he has been, he won’t ever fall out of them either.
6) Anthony Davis: San Antonio Spurs, 4-4 (10.5ppg, 6.1rpg, .6apg, 2.5bpg, 1.1spg, 26.9mpg)
Until Anthony Davis finally hits his potential, to me, he’ll always be the player that was taken ahead of MVP Candidate, LeBron James. I’m not doubting his potential at all, but he really shouldn’t have gone first overall. Although, the most impressive stat for Davis, is his BPG, I like that a lot. I’m sure Davis will start to produce sooner or later, but until then, Boston thanks you.
7) Pablo Prigioni: Boston Celtics, 9-1 (7ppg, 3rpg, 5apg, 1.1spg, 30.1mpg)
I’m sorry, I know there are other rookies playing better than Papa Pablo, but he’s the starting point guard on the best team in the league, I can’t ignore that. Maybe he should be lower on the rankings? I don’t really know, all I know is, they could be starting Ramon Sessions or Louis Williams to run the show, but they aren’t. As long as the Celtics are playing well, Prigioni will likely always have a place in the Rookie Rankings.
8) Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Dallas Mavericks, 5-4 (10.1ppg, 5.9rpg, 2.1apg, .3bpg, 1.3spg, 33.9mpg)
This year, teams are throwing rookies into the starting lineup in hopes of developing them quicker so that they’ll hit their potentials, and MKG is one of them. Although he’s playing some pretty decent basketball in his rookie season, it’s his defense that’s landing him in the starting five. I think MKG will be a top notch defender in the league, who will be a great 2nd/3rd scoring option on most teams. Personally, one of my favorite rookies.
9) Bradley Beal: Toronto Raptors, 2-6 (8.9ppg, 5rpg, 1.3apg, .4bpg, .4spg, 27.1mpg)
Beal is playing on an underachieving team right now. Chris Paul is playing the worst basketball of his career and I think it’s been a little bit contagious for the team. I think that once CP3 gets going, so will the rest of the team, including Beal, who I see raising up in the rankings and likely cracking the top 5 easily. It doesn’t help that they’re playing in the toughest division imaginable right now either.
10) Harrison Barnes: Memphis Grizzlies, 2-8 (11.4ppg, 3.5rpg, 1.6apg, .1bpg, 1.4spg, 34.1mpg)
I really like Barnes as a player, to me, he’s the total package (albeit very raw). He’s got the potential to be a great scorer in the league and a defensive nightmare for the opposing team. I’ll admit, Barnes probably would be higher if the Grizzlies were playing better…but these entire rankings, I’ve contradicted my thinking quite a few times (see Lillard, Robinson, Prigioni, Teague). To be honest, I don’t see Barnes being this far down next time, he’ll likely be in the top 5 for sure.
Honorable Mentions:
Jonas Valanciunas: Denver Nuggets, 4-5 (11.6ppg, 6rpg, 1.2apg, 1bpg, 1spg, 23.6mpg)
Andre Drummond: Portland Trail Blazers, 2-7 (7.8ppg, 7.3rpg, 1.8apg, 2.3bpg, 1.2spg, 28.7mpg)
Perry Jones III: Utah Jazz, 5-4 (9ppg, 4rpg, 1.3apg, .2bpg, 1.1spg, 29.8mpg)
Austin Rivers: Los Angeles Clippers, 4-4 (8.9ppg, 3rpg, 5.9apg, .5spg, 29.1mpg)