A month into the NBA season, a few rookies have put a footprint on the season already.
Whether it is as a starter, or contributor off the bench, these guys have proved they are ready for the Rookie vs Sophomores game at All-Star Weekend as a consolation prize to the big show.
The Obvious Choices: Derrick Rose
That's it. That's the list.
Rose is in a class by himself. Not only is he a top-10 fantasy guard, he is the new face of the franchise. He is shouldering the load, facilitating the offense, and taking over late in games.
The knock: Questionable jump shot and turnovers.
The plus: He is a rookie with a rookie coach and a shuffling lineup. He is Deron Williams without the jumper, but with more explosion.
Before the Iverson deal, he was on his way to starting in the All-Star game.
The Next Best: Michael Beasley, OJ Mayo
Mayo has shown a consistent sweet stroke from the arc at 38 percent, but that should steadily improve. Besides, his team is usually playing from behind as their are a young team, so compare Mayo to Durant and see they are about the same.
Beasley on the other hand, he is the second or third option behind a superstar in Wade. Beasley is still adjusted to not being able to overpower people and at times seems a little too passive. As the season progresses, expect his percentages to go up as he gets more comfortable.
The Dark Horse: Rudy Fernandez
Does he have a nickname yet? He needs one bad.
He is Leandro Barbosa 2.0 in the sense that Fernandez could be a starter on a number of other teams, but you love him to come off the bench and light it up. Remember, this is the same guy that was going at Kobe this year in the Olympics and didn't back down.
The Solid Pickups: Mario Chalmers, Marc Gasol, Brook Lopez
If you have wholes in your lineup, plug these guys in and watch them fly...
Chalmers: Had a nine-steal game and is starting to find a consistent three-point stroke. Not going to average 12 PPG, but can bust out for a 25 point performance at any time.
Gasol: He simply needs more touches and stay out of foul trouble. He is averaging near a double-double with only 29 minutes per game.
Lopez: Now that Lopez has cracked the starting lineup, Lopez will average 15 PPG, 10 REB, 2.0 BLK for the remainder of the season. He is better than Oden and looks his age.
The Sleepers: DJ Augustin, Jason Thompson, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love
Augustin : He has turned on the scoring bulb with Richardson out of the lineup. Let's see how he adjusts to going back to coming off the bench. Dropped 7-11 threes on the Hawks a week ago and is still a pass first point guard.
Thompson: He had his best games with Kevin Martin in the lineup. With Martin set to come back, Thompson looks for the middle to open back up. Expect 10 PPG, 8 REB.
Westbrook: New coach has opened up the offense a little more which should help Westbrook get on the court more and play too his strength: Playing fast. Expect 11 PPG, 6 AST, 2.5 STL.
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