+Sacramento Kings rookie +Nik Stauskas talks about getting his career off to a good start as a Las Vegas Summer League champion. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below. It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!
Showing posts with label rookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rookies. Show all posts
Friday, August 29, 2014
SDH Presents NBA Rooks: Nik Stauskas' Summer
+Sacramento Kings rookie +Nik Stauskas talks about getting his career off to a good start as a Las Vegas Summer League champion. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below. It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!
Sunday, August 18, 2013
SDH's 30 Most Impressive Rookie Performers of the 2013 NBA Season
The 2013 rookie class in the NBA can be considered as short of disappointing as there was literally no one in that draft class who made a real significant impact, save for the reigning Rookie of the Year, Damian Lillard. In fact it can be considered a downright letdown as the top pick in the draft, Anthony Davis, failed to live up to the lofty expectations he had created for himself after having a stellar freshman year playing for the NCAA Champion University of Kentucky prior to being drafted first overall in the draft. The rest of the top picks did not fare very well either as their performances ranged from average to mediocre with very few showing that they have any real potential to be star quality players. So let us all take a look at what possibly can be considered as one of the worst and most forgettable rookie classes in NBA History while trying not to lose our meals from the sickening performances that we NBA fans were forced to bear witness to.
30
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Selected 30th Overall |
His numbers may not seem as impressive with averages of just two points and four rebounds per game in 14 minutes of playing time, but Festus Ezeli was one of the crucial factors that led to the Warriors' magical season. The 23 year old Nigerian big men started 41 of the 78 games he played in place of the oft injured Andrew Bogut giving the Warriors a solid defensive presence during Bogut's absence. By all accounts, he does not look like he'll be an All Star anytime soon, but if he maintains a steady performance as a solid protecter around the rim, Festus Ezeli will certainly have a long and fruitful career in the NBA for yesr to come.
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29
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Detroit Pistons
Rookie Free Agent |
The 25 year old Ukrainian big man may have just played 25 games for Detroit rather sparingly at just nine minutes per game, but Viacheslav Kravtov made the most of his few opportunities by maximizing every second he was on the court. In his limited minutes he was extremely efficient averaging 3.1 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, and was simply automatic from the field shooting a scorching .717 from the field. Glancing at his per 48 minute production, he certainly looks like a player that has All Star potential as averaging 16.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game thus making him a player to keep an eye on despite not being able to properly pronounce his name.
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28
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Golden State Warriors Selected 35th Overall
2012 NBA Draft
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Despite averaging a shade under three points per game and shooting .327 from the field, Draymond Green still played all but three games in the regular season and was also a crucial factors in the Warrior's miracle run. He certainly made an impact in the post season as his number doubled as he posted his best numbers in the first round against the Denver Nuggets averaging 7.3 points, 4.5 boards, 1.5 assists and 0.8 blocked shots per game helping his team to pull of the stunning first round upset of the third seeded Denver Nuggets. His playoff performance certainly has given Warriors fans something more to look forward to watching next season as they will certainly hope that it would lead to bigger things in the future.
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27
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When the Magic selected Kyle O'Quinn at near the bottom of the NBA Draft, not many expected that he would even make the team let alone make any real impact in the team whatsoever; however, Kyle managed not only to claim a spot on the roster, but also gave Orlando an exceptional contribution coming off the bench. In the 57 games he played, Kyle O'Quinn averaged nearly four points, four rebounds and a block per game in just 11.2 minutes of playing time while shooting an extremely efficient .513 from the field thus making him a sheer steal for the Magic who hit the jackpot with this low risk asset they required. O'Quinn would be one of the numerous feel good stories for the Magic as they team looks toward a long and hard rebuilding process.
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26
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Selected 33rd Overall |
At the ripe old age of 27, Bernard James was the oldest player selected in the 2012 NBA Draft and was certainly one of the feel good stories in the draft having spent much of his youth serving his country in the Middle East before he played at Florida State. James certainly managed to maintain his heroic image as he played 46 games for the Mavericks and averaged three points and three boards per game shooting .513 from the field in under 10 minutes of playing time. Due to his age, James does not have as much upside as his far younger counterparts, but he has certainly shown his ability to provide solid minutes in the paint with the same courage and determination that he showed fighting for his country.
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25
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Selected 37th Overall |
As a second round pick who did not have guaranteed contract, Quincy Acy certainly proved to his Raptor teammates and his opponents that he belonged in the NBA. Although rather undersized for a power forward at just 6' 7" and 225lbs, Acy provided plenty of toughness and a strong physical presence inside for the Raptors while providing a steady contribution in limited minutes averaging four points and three rebounds per game while shooting a scintillating .560 from the field and almost perfect from the free throw line at .816. With his almost unreal athleticism and ability to jump out of the building to go along with his gritty hard nosed style of play, Quincy Acy looks to have a very prosperous career whether he be in Toronto or anywhere else.
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24
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Selected 27th Overall
2012 NBA Draft
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Arnet Moultrie did not get a chance to play until nearly the halfway point of the regular season, but once he got an opportunity at some playing time he certainly made the best of it as he took advantage of the few minutes per game in which he was allotted. In 47 games and just a over 11 minutes of playing time, Moultrie averaged four points and three boards per games while being almost automatic from the field as he made .586 of his shot attempts. He certainly showed that his game had plenty of upside as the regular season winded to the end as he posted his best numbers averaging nine points and seven boards per game when he was given significant minutes in the last five games.
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23
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Selected 20th Overall
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Donatas Montiejunas originally started to shine in the NBA's Developmental League where he played on the Rocket's affiliate team, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers as he averaged nearly 21 points and 10 rebounds in his seven game stint there. Upon being called back up to Houston, Montiejunas went on to prove that his D League performance was no fluke as he posted rather solid numbers in limited playing time he was given--in 44 games played, he finished the regular season with averages of nearly six points and two rebounds per game in just twelve minutes of playing time. Along with his rather impressive D-League performance, Rockets fans certainly have much more to look forward to in this curious and enigmatic 22 year old seven footer.
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22
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As it is the case with most post players in the Milwaukee Bucks, John Henson was not really able to show his capabilities as the ball was dominated on the offensive end by perimeter players; however, despite his limited minutes and touches, he still showed glimpses of potential that can give Bucks fans a little hope for the future. In the 63 games he played, the former University of North Carolina Tar Heel averaged six points and close to five boards per game in just over 13 minutes of playing time. Given more minutes and shot attempts, this 13th pick of the 2012 Draft might just become something special provided that Milwaukee provides him with what he needs to flourish in this league.
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21
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Before getting the call to finally be able to play in the NBA, Brian spent much of his basketball playing career abroad playing first in Israel, then in Germany, and at 27 became one of the oldest members of the 2013 Rookie class. In his first season in the Hornets, Roberts provided solid production as a backup point guard playing in 78 of 82 regular season games as he averaged seven points and three assists in just 17 minutes per game. He was exceptionally proficient from beyond the arc as he shot .389 from beyond the arc with his best performance coming at the end of the season where he averages twelve points and five assists in the Hornets' last five games.
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20
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Orlando Magic Selected 14th Overall |
The Magic received Harkless as a thrown in the mega trade that sent Dwight Howard to the Lakers, but the 20 year old product from Saint John's proved to be so much more. Along with playing 76 out of 82 regular season games, Harkless started in all but 17 of them while averaging a rather respectable 8.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting .461 from the field. Over the course of the season he went from averaging just under five points per games to becoming on the Magic's key offensive threats by the end of the season averaging close to 13 per game. Harkless is one of the surprising feel good stories of the league; however, he is not the only Magic player in this countdown.
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19
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At a glance, John Jenkins does not seem very impressive as he finished the 2013 season average a solid, yet unspectacular 6 points per game, while shooting a respectable .446 from the field and .387 beyond the arc; however, stretch his production over a 48 minute span you'll see a completely different story. Hypothetically in 48 minutes, Jenkins would have averaged 19.8 points per game and if his 15.2ppg performance in April was any sign of things to come, then the Hawks may have quite the diamond in the rough in their hands. Despite being picked rather low in the first round, John Jenkins might actually be considered as one of the biggest steals in the draft as he looks to build upon a solid rookie campaign.
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18
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Many take a look at the regular season stats of the oldest rookie of the 2013 class and may not even give them the slightest though; however upon closer examination, the 36 year old Pablo Prigioni's play was certainly more than meets the eye. Consider the fact that Prigioni was the third point guard on the Knicks roster playing behind Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd, but still managed to play in 78 regular season games and produce rather efficiently as well in very limited time. In just 16 minutes, Pablo average 3 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds and almost one steal per game while at the same time made .455 of his shots and .396 from beyond the arc proving to many that age is nothing but a number.
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17
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Toronto Raptors Selected 8th Overall
2012 NBA Draft
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When Terrence Ross was selected eighth overall by the Toronto Raptors, he was billed as a very similar to Raptors starting shooting guard, Demar Derozan, except he was much longer, far more athletic, and with a much better perimeter shot; however, Ross lacked the consistency to prove himself worthy of upsetting the status quot and usurping Derozan as a starter. He shad a few big games that showed a lot of promise and even won the Slam Dunk Championship during the All Star Weekend; however, it was not nearly enough to show Raptor fans that he was the team's two guard of the future. His offense was rather streaky as he finished the season shooting a rather inefficient .407 from the field while only averaging 6.4 points per game showing Raptors fans that he still has quite a ways to go.
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16
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Selected 2nd Overall |
For the second overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist did not not provide the immediate impact that many had anticipated considering that he had just come from winning the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Tournament with the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Although MKG played in 78 games for the Bobcats starting in 77 of them, he was not much a factor on either the offensive or defensive ends just averaging 9 points and a shade under six boards per game. He certainly proved that he still has plenty of work to do on his overall game as he mainly counted on his athleticism and lacked the fundamentals to be anything more than a flashy run and dunk player. Hopefully, he will come back with a more diversified and developed game than he had last season and maybe life up to the expectations that both Michael Jordan and Richard Cho had when they had originally drafted for him.
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15
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Dallas Mavericks
Selected 34th Overall
2012 NBA Draft
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Crowder was considered a draft day steal having fallen all the way to the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft right in the Dallas Mavericks' lap and he certainly did not disappoint. The 6' 6" Jack of all trades played a significant role for the Mavericks playing in 78 of 82 regular season games starting in 17 of them providing much needed energy and toughness on a Dallas team that so desperately needed it. Although his offense was rather shaky shooting just .382 from the field, he compensated for his offensive shortcoming with his effort of the defensive end as he used his blend of size, speed and quickness to guard numerous positions. It with with that diversity of skills and talent that makes him a crucial piece in the Mavericks' rebuilding efforts and a play to keep an eye on for years to come.
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14
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Selected 11th Overall
2012 NBA Draft
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On what could have been considered as the having the worst bench in the NBA, this long lanky big man from the University of Illinois was the sole bright spot on a bench that produced just 33.6 points and 18.1 rebounds per game while shooting .315 from the field. Despite playing just 17.5 minutes per game, Meyers Leonard still posted solid number of 5.5 points and 3.7 boards per game while shooting at a rather efficient .545 clip. He also shot rather efficiently from the charity stripe at around .810 which is pretty much unseen by most young big men in the league. If given more minutes and touches, Meyers Leonard must just be considered as one of the biggest steals in the 2012 NBA Draft.
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13
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Not many expected this skinny 6' 6" 24 year old Russian point guard to get much playing time as he was way down the roster food chain, but a slew of injuries changed that giving the young Alexy Shved a chance to shine. And he certainly did for the maligned Minnesota team as he played 77 games and averaged nine points, 2 rebounds and four assists per game in just under 24 minutes of playing time. His poor .372 field goal shooting remains much to be desired, but considering he was in a new environment and was put in a position to do more than both he and his team had anticipated, that can be easily overlooked. It will be interesting to see how Shved will follow up from his solid rookie campaign.
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12
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When Washington selected Beal with the third overall pick in the draft, many saw him as the perfect complement to the Wizards' star point guard John Wall as he had the perfect blend of size, strength, and athleticism to keep up with Wall along with a deadly shooting stroke. Unfortunately, he was not able to showcase his skill set for much of the season as he missed 26 games and struggled greatly with his offense when he did actually play. Although he averaged a solid 13.9 points per game, he did it shooting a rather unimpressive .410 from the field; however, most of that was due to Wall missing a good chunk of the season due to his own injuries. Hopefully with a full season and a healthy John Wall at opening tip-off, Beal will live up to the promise that the Wizards envisioned from him when they selected him so high in the draft.
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11
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High expectations were also put upon Dion Waiters as he was selected fourth overall in the draft; however, due to an injury riddled rookie campaign where he would miss 21 games, Waiters failed to live up to them. Although he was second among rookies in scoring as he averaged 14.7 per game, Waiters did so rather inefficiently as he shot just .412 from the field and an even more woeful .310 from beyond the arc. In the first two months of the regular season, Waiters jacked up close to 16 shot attempts per game only making less than .350 of them making him more of a hindrance than a help to his team. If he wants to be taken seriously as a player in the NBA and a building block for the Cavaliers' future, Waiters needs to work on his shot selection because the last thing he would want to be known as a ball chucker.
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10
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Jeff Taylor's name was not exactly one to roll off easily off one's lips as barely anyone had heard of him; however he certainly made his presence felt in the Charlotte Bobcats despite being selected in the second round. The 24 year old swing man from Vanderbilt earned himself the reputation of being quite the defensive stopper which earned him the privilege to play in 77 regular season games starting 29 of them. He finished the season quite respectably for someone picked in the second round as he averaged just over six points, two boards, one assist, and nearly a steak in just under 20 minutes of playing time. Taylor even managed to upstage his fellow rookie teammate, Michael Kidd Gilchrist who had more notoriety coming into the NBA draft and had been selected higher as well.
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9
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Much was expected from Tyler Zeller after finishing a stellar career at the University of North Carolina as one of the top big man prospects in the NBA draft. Unfortunately, despite his remarkable college credentials, he had shockingly dropped to number 17 and was quickly picked up by the Cavs in a draft day trade. Nonetheless, Zeller made the best of a bad situation as he worked his way into the staring lineup, playing in 77 games and posted respectable, albeit unspectacular numbers of 7.9 points and 5.7 boards per game. His .438 shooting from the field showed that he still has work to do, but at least he had shown that he had plenty of potential to be an elite big man in the league how much of a mistake it was for 16 other teams to overlook him.
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8
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Although selected rather low in the first round of the NBA draft, Andrew Nicholson certainly made a name for himself on an Orlando Magic team that was on the verge of rebuilding. Despite receiving just 16.7 minutes of playing time per game, Nicholson put up an impressive show averaging eight points and six boards per game while shooting a team high .527 from the field. Had he played more minutes, one can only imagine how gone he really would have been as his per 48 minute averages came up to 23.0 points and 18 rebounds per game. Hopefully Nicholson's impressive rookie campaign will lead to greater things and a very fruitful NBA career.
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7
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Andre Drummond came into the league so raw that he could have brought salmonella and e-coli to his team as he had no real fundamental skills other than his freakish athleticism and no real semblance of a post game. He certainly proved his doubters wrong when he average a rather respectable 8 points and eight rebounds per game while coming off the bench. Along with that, Drummond also led his team in field goal percentage (.608) and blocked shots per game (1.6) as well. Despite the critcism on certain aspects on his game, especially in the free throws department (.376 for the season), he has proven to have almost unlimited upside and may be a potential force in the league for years to come.
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6
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He did not have the momentous arrival that many Toronto fans had hoped for, but Jonas Valunciunas certainly showed that he has what it takes to make it in the NBA. He started in 57 of the 62 games he had played and posted rather solid numbers in rather limited minutes--around nine points, six boards and a blocked shot per game in under 24 minutes, to be exact. What was even more impressive was Jonas' efficiency on the court as he hit .557 of his less than six shot attempts per game and was pretty accurate from the free throw line making .790 of them as well. If he works on getting stronger and remains injury free, he will certainly have the potential to be a force a force in the NBA and possibly the best center the Raptors ever had since . . . oh yeah, right, the Raptors never really have had a great center did they?
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5
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By all accounts Anthony Davis had to have been the biggest let down of the 2013 NBA Rookie class as his play was not anywhere near advertised and did not provide the immense impact for the newly named Pelicans as many, especially fans in New Orleans has hoped. He played good, but not great, and it seemed like during the season he was simply comfortable with being a simple role player instead of the franchise player that Hornets fans hoped for. Davis was supposed to be this big time catalyst to help expose the Hornets to the worldwide stage, but his rookie season was so unremarkable, that he barely even made a spark. Hopefully he will come into next season much stronger and more hungrier because that poor offering of a rookie season, for a player with so much skill and talent as his, was simply an embarrassment.
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4
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Spending a year overseas certainly did Kyle Singler plenty of good as he arrived to Detroit more NBA ready than many would have anticipated from a second round pick. Singler was the only one of the few rookies to actually play all 82 regular season games while starting in 77 of them and averaged a very respectable 8.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and nearly an assist and steal per game in just 28 minutes of playing time. He was certainly a bright spot on a Pistons team that finished 29-53 in the regular season and looks to be a permanent fixture to the Detroit and in the NBA for years to come.
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3
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Golden State Warriors
Selected 7th Overall
2012 NBA Draft
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Statistically he did not greatly outshine his fellow rookie classmates averaging moderate numbers of 9.2 points, 4.2 boards and 1.2 assists per game; however, unlike his fellow rookies, he helped his team reach within two games from the NBA Western Conference finals. Also, unlike a majority of his fellow rookies, Harrison Barnes also started in every games that he played and at just the tender age of 21, he still has plenty of room to grow and develop as a player. With the Warriors coming off one their best seasons EVER, Barnes is in a solid and stable winning environment and should be considered as one of the key Warriors who brought them to this points. Hopefully, like his team, Barnes' rookie performance will be more than just a one season affair.
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2
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New York Knicks Rookie Free Agent |
At 29 years old, Copeland can be considered as one of the best rags to riches stories in the 2013 NBA season. After spending most of his career bumming around in minor league, Copeland finally got his shot at the big leagues when he managed to make the Knicks' final roster as a preseason walk on. Upon arriving, Copeland made an immediate impact on the Knicks as an energy player off the bench averaging nearly nine points and two boards per game in just 15 minutes of playing time. Add the fact the he also shot .421 from beyond the arc made Copeland one of the key players that helped New York to its first 50 plus win season since 2000.
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1
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Portland Trailblazers Selected 6th Overall |
Many met his selection by Portland with confusion and dismay since he came from a rather small school in a nondescript conference in the NCAA; however, Damian Lillard silenced all his doubters by having a breakout rookie season which earned him the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He was certainly the brightest spot on what has otherwise been a rather bland and disappointing rookie class. Lillard finished the regular led all rookies in scoring averaging 19 points per games while leading his team in assists per game with nearly seven to his credit. In fact his performance had created such an impact on the team that Portland might just make him the face of the franchise as they look to start rebuilding after another rather marginal period in its history.
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Friday, October 5, 2012
NBA Rooks: Golden State Warriors
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Taking a Look Back on Last Season: SDH presents the Top 30 Rookie Performers of the 2012 NBA Season
The Class of 2012 can be considered as one of the most surprising in NBA History as many of the players drafted were not considered "star"or "franchise player" material. Sure there were their share of busts, especially when it came to a certain white boy that entered the draft with so much critical acclaim; however, they also had their share of surprises as well--player's who were not even expected to make a significant contribution, yet made major impacts on the teams that they had played for. Attached are the names thirty of the best performing rookies of the 2012 NBA season as selected by me, the Slap Dog. Some of the names you probably never heard of and some of the names will have you thinking: you put THIS guy in your list? One thing that won't be a surprise however is who will be at the number one spot (go on, I dare you to guess who it is, LOL), so go ahead and take your time in viewing this countdown and also stay tuned in the following days for my succesive posts showcasing the thirty best performers in each position.
30
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Undrafted Rookie Free Agent
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Steisma can be considered a “rags to riches” story
as he had bounced around in minor leagues and abroad before getting a chance
to play in the big leagues. At 26 years
of age, he finally got his chance when the Celtics picked him up by giving
Boston a solid backup and the much needed physical toughness in the paint
that the Celtics lacked.
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29
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Selected 40th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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For a little known player picked midway in the
second round, Jon Leuer proved to be quite a solid and efficient contributor
in his rookie season. In the 47 games he played, 12 of which he started,
Leuer posted solid numbers (4.7ppg, 2.8rpg, .508FG%) in limited action—just a
little over 12 minutes per game.
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28
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Milwaukee Bucks
Selected 19th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Tobias Harris proved to be a rather solid yet
unspectacular player for a rather unspectacular team such as the Bucks.
Harris played in 42 games for Milwaukee and posted rather solid
numbers—5.0ppg, 2.4rpg s and .467FG%—while playing rather sparingly with just
a shade over eleven minutes per game
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27
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Selected 39th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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While being drafted, Tyler was known more as a high
school dropout who bounced around in professional leagues due to his attitude
and poor work ethic; however he carved quite a niche for himself while
playing in Golden State. Although he did not play for much of the season,
Tyler impressed many in the last month of the season starting for the
warriors and posting solid numbers in that period averaging 8.9 points and
5.8 rebounds in about 24 minutes per game.
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26
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Selected 13th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Morris started off the season rather well for
Phoenix averaging 7.8 points per game while shooting .611 from the field in
the first four games; however, his production started taking a dip once the
Suns coaching staff gave him more minutes and responsibilities. He continued to struggle throughout the
seasons his minutes dropped along with his inability to attain any sort of
consistency on the offensive end.
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25
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Golden State Warriors
Selected 44th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Charles Jenkins proved to be a pleasant surprise for
the Warriors as he got the chance to play major minutes due the team’s injury
depleted roster. In the lockout
shortened season, Jenkins played in 51 of 66 games starting in 28 of them and
averaged close to 6 points and a little over 3 assists per game in a shade
less than 18 minutes of action.
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24
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Selected 22nd overall in 2010 NBA Draft
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After spending more than a season on the injured
list, Elliot Williams showed signs of being quite a shiny diamond in the
rough for a down and out Portland team.
Although he just played in 24 games this season, Williams averaged an
impressive 3.7 points per game and shot .500 from the field while just
playing in just 6.2 minutes per game.
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23
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Selected 34th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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The man who led Butler University to two straight
NCAA Final Fours before going pro proved to be one of the few bright spots of
a rather dismal Washington Wizards team.
Mack played in 64 of this season’s 66 games and gave solid
contributions of around four points and two rebounds per game in a little
over 12 minutes of action.
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22
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Washington Wizards
Selected 18th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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His stats may not show it—just 4.6 points in 22
minutes per game while shooting just .367—but, Chris Singleton’s effort and
hustle on the defensive proved too much for Wizards coach Randy Wittman to
ignore. In fact, Wittman was so
impressed by Singleton’s energy and work ethic that he placed him in the
starting lineup over Nick Young which led to him being subsequently sent to
the Los Angeles Clippers in the March trade deadline.
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21
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Washington Wizards
Selected 6th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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At first, Vesely did not show that he was that much
worthy of being picked sixth in the NBA draft as all he was known for was the
hot smooch he gave his even hotter girlfriend on draft night. He played rather sparingly throughout the
season and not producing much; however, Jan blossomed at the end of the
season as a result of getting more minutes to late season trade that
Washington made and proved to quite the prize averaging 9 points and seven
boards while shooting .555 from the field in the month of April giving Wizards
fans some hope for the future.
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20
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Selected 2nd overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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For the second overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft,
Williams’ performance seemed rather underwhelming considering the
performances of his fellow classmates who were picked after him. Williams never really seemed to fit in as
he never really had a defined position and as a result of the logjam of
forwards on the roster, he never had a defined role on the team. Hopefully,
with a trade here and there, he will get the minutes to be a solid complement
to all star Kevin Love in the Wolves’ front court which unfortunately did not
happen this season.
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19
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Golden State Warriors
Selected 11th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Klay Thompson looked to be a potential bust and
another one of the Warriors’ draft day blunders as he was yet again another
guard selected on a team already crammed with backcourt players. He struggled through much of the season,
but seemed to find his game with the trade of the team’s leading scorer,
Monta Ellis, and finishing the season averaging close to 20 points per game
in the last two months earning him All Rookie First Team honors.
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18
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Selected 12th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Burks spent much of his rookie season unnoticed as
he was literally buried under a team that was high in physical size and
strength, but rather low in terms of talent in the backcourt. Despite being virtually ignored by the
media and even his fans, Burks put up rather solid numbers in limited minutes
averaging about 7 points, 2 rebounds and half a steal per game in just around
16 minutes of action.
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17
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Selected 28th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Norris Cole looked to be one of the league’s best
kept secrets as he came blazing out of the gates averaging close to ten
points per games to start the season and giving the Heat’s starting point
guard, Mario Chalmers, a run for his money.
That began to change, however, as Cole’s production started to cool
off and showed the growing pains of being a rookie point guard in the NBA;
however Cole still proved to be a solid backup point guard on a team that may
be heading soon to the Eastern Conference Finals.
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16
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Utah Jazz
Selected 3rd overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Some may find this rather high considering the fact
that Enes Kanter did not play that much and produced rather humble number for
the third overall pick in the NBA Draft, but mark my words: this kid is going
to be a star. Here’s a 19 year old kid
whose only basketball experience was playing in prep school and a Nike hoops
summit tournament entered the greatest basketball league in the world so
green that you could have sprouted seeds and flowers on him. Yet despite his obvious handicaps, he
managed to pull off a very solid yet efficient season in his first campaign
making jazz fans beam brightly about their future.
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15
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Undrafted Rookie Free Agent
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Talk about a literal unknown in the NBA—this guy did
not even have a photo on his profile page until very late into the
season. Coming from Mexico of all
places with little or no exposure whatsoever, Ayon burst onto the scene
playing and making a difference on probably one of the littlest exposed teams
in the league—the New Orleans Hornets.
At 27 years old he became not only one of the most pleasant surprises
in the NBA, but also one of the catalysts on a New Orleans team that was low
on talent, but high on heart.
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14
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Selected 16th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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His name was harder enough to pronounce than
expecting that he would make a major impact being such a low draft pick;
however he proved his doubters wrong by playing in 51 games of a 66 game
season starting in 15 of them. In
those games, Vucevic posting solid numbers of amount six points, five boards,
and close to a block a game in less than 16 minutes of action. He has certainly earned the confidence and
respect of Doug Collins which is a tall order considering the fact that
Collins is a coach known more for favoring veterans and ignoring
rookies.
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13
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Philadelphia 76ers
Selected 50th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Talk about Cinderella Stories: here’s a hometown boy
coming out of Temple University picked by his home team near the end of the
draft that not only has managed to get playing time, but also managed to
become a major contributor coming down the stretch to the NBA playoffs. Lavoy Allen played in 41 games starting in
15 of them and played so far in all 11 playoff games logging in major minutes
(20 per game—a lot for a rookie that was picked late in the second round) and
averaging around 7 points, 5 boards and a blocked shot per game. With such a glistening diamond in the
rough, the Sixers may have found their starting power forward of the future
in Allen.
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12
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Undrafted Rookie Free Agent
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At 28 years old many players in the NBA have trouble
staying in the league let alone starting in it making Ivan Johnson the oldest
rookie in the 2012 NBA Season. Johnson
spent most of his career bouncing around in minor leagues and internationally
before he got his chance to play in the NBA. Despite being somewhat
undersized and old to play a significant role in the power forward position,
Johnson proved any naysayers wrong by posting a rather decent stat line
(6.2ppg, 4.0rpg, .513FG% in 16.7minppg) and has become a fan favorite and
folk hero on his team in the league.
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11
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Selected 8th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Although Brandon Knight had a rather impressive
season as he started in 60 of the season’s 66 games and averaged solid number
of 12.8 points and 3.8 assists per game, he still did not give the Piston
what they truly needed: a point guard to facilitate the offense and involved
his teammates. Knight just followed
his fellow backcourt teammates such as Rodney Stuckey, Ben Gordon and Will
Bynum in looking to find their own shots thus continuing the downward spiral
of Pistons basketball.
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10
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Selected 7th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Although the Bobcats finished the season with the
worst record in NBA History, their season did have a silver lining in that
they had a solid performance from a 19 year old kid from the Congo. Although he was not much of an offensive
threat, Bismack Biyombo proved to be quite the defensive presence leading the
Bobcats in blocked shots in his inaugural season and giving Charlotte fans
(the few there are) something to look forward to as the 2012 season trudged
through.
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9
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Charlotte Bobcats
Selected 9th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Kemba Walker was both a blessing and a curse for the
dismal Charlotte Bobcats as he provided plenty of energy, hustle and
toughness on both sides of the floor; however, because of his lack of size
(listed at 6’1” but was probably 5’10” in reality), he could not play
alongside starting PG DJ Agustin, who also measures around the same
height. Given his numbers, Walker
could be potential force in the league if he is given the minutes, but Rich
Cho and company will have to decide whether or not to let go of their other
talented point guard in DJ Agustin.
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8
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Selected 4th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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The highest Canadian Draft pick had an up and down
season as he started rather well producing rather efficiently in limited
minutes but unfortunately an injury hampered his development as he played
sparsely and struggled with his shot.
That all changed, however when he was granted to start at the end of
the season and he showed plenty of toughness and an uncanny ability of
getting to the basket with his gifts of physical strength and natural
athleticism giving Cavalier fans even more hope of a bright post-Lebron
future.
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7
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Selected 17th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Many scratched their heads when the GM at the time,
Donnie Walsh, selected Shumpert in last summer’s draft as the Knicks needed
more size and rebounding rather than another perimeter player; however, he
silenced his doubters with his solid perimeter defense, the tenacity he
showed on both ends of the floor and his ability to facilitate the offense
while the Knicks struggled to find an answer at the point guard position. It will be interesting what the Knicks will
do as they have a solid player in Shumpert who can be a prospect for the
future but already have a logjam in talented shooting guards with JR Smith
and Landry Fields playing there as well.
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6
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Selected 25th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Many did not expect Marshon Brooks to have such an
immediate impact for the then New Jersey Nets as he was drafted rather low by
the Boston Celtics and then immediately traded to the Nets once they picked
him; however, it would be the Celtics loss as Brooks blossomed his rookie year
averaging close to 15 points per game in the first months of the season. For much of the regular season, Brooks was
second behind Kyrie Irving, the first overall pick in the NBA draft and
reigning Rookie of the Year, in scoring amongst rookies and proved to be
quite the draft day steal for the New Jersey Nets.
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5
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Selected 60th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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He was selected with the final pick of the NBA draft
and nobody would have expected him to make the team let alone start for it
and had Sacramento Kings fans saying “Jimmer who?” Isaiah Thomas would have been one of the
best underdog stories in sports if it were not for that Taiwanese Harvard grad that took all the attention and acclaim away; however, being placed in
JT’s Hoops Blog’s top five rookie
performers of the 2012 NBA Season can be considered quite the impressive
consolation prize as well.
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4
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Selected 15th overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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Not many Spurs rookies are able to even crack the lineup
let alone start for the team, but Kawhi Leonard made what was considered
unthinkable at one point possible as he became the defensive stalwart on the
perimeter that the Spurs craved. In
fact, the spurs had so much faith in Leonard that they decided to ship off
their veteran small forward, Richard Jefferson, for little if nothing in
order for Kawhi to get even more playing time. Leonard has rewarded his team’s faith by
helping them reach the NBA Western Conference Finals for the first time in
three years.
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3
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Selected 22nd overall in 2011 NBA Draft
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When the Denver Nuggets picked him 22nd
in the draft, I knew that the Nuggets got a surefire steal—so much so that I
predicted him to be a dark horse favorite for league rookie of the year. I even had him starting at one point;
however it started to look bad when Faried was not playing at the start of
the season, but when Denver had that string of injuries midseason and he
finally got his chance, I finally got exonerated for my blind faith in
someone that no one really knew about or bothered to pay attention to. If it were not for the stellar play of
Kyrie Irving and the surprise performances from this rookie class, I still
would have had Faried winning rookie of the year.
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2
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Minnesota Timberwolves
Selected 3rd overall in 2010 NBA Draft
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Ricky Rubio certainly lived up to his hype as he had
a splendid debut in the league averaging a near double-double in points and
assists along with leading the league in steals per game before an injury cut
short his season. It was because of
him that Minnesota improved so much and if he would have managed to play for
the rest of the regular season, the Timberwolves would certainly have been
contending for the playoffs and he would have probably been Rookie of the
Year instead of this guy. . . .
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1
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Cleveland Cavaliers
Selected 1st overall in 2010 NBA Draft
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It was already a foregone conclusion that he would
be named as the top rookie of the 2012 NBA season considering that: a. he won
the Rookie of the Year award; b. he led all rookies in scoring; and c. gave
the city of Cleveland a light of hope after Lebron-gate. He certainly lived up to his billing
despite the skepticism because of his injury trouble while in his only year in
college and his limited basketball experience. Thanks to Irving, now Cleveland’s
rebuilding efforts will be on the fast track to becoming respectable and
possibly a contender in the near future.
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