Rookie Rankings (October)

The 2008 NBA Draft came with a lot of Buzz; as this was to be the first class that would be affected by the 1 yr College Rule imposed by the NBA.

So how will the Rookies fare on the next level? Nobody really knows, but we can always debate and argue all season until the Rookie of the Year is crowned,

I have divided them in 3 categories..Superstars, Sleepers, and Busts. Just like the Power Rankings; these will be updated every month, so bring a good argument to the table if you don't agree with my pics.







SUPERSTARS

1. Mike Beasley-In my opinion he is the most ready out of any of the other rookies in the entire draft. After torching foes in the Big 12, he should see the floor and the ball plenty in the Sunshine State. The only downside is I'm not sure which position he will play, but after seeing him in action during the preseason its obvious that he can get his shot off while playing the 4. His care free attitude makes for a great interview but could backfire in the business driven world of the NBA. He is my pick for R.O.Y, cant wait to see how he pans out.

2.
O.J. MAYO-Yes I have Mayo at #2, not because I think he is the second best player in the draft but because he is the most dynamic. Not only is he ready to step in and produce right away, but has the potential to be the #1(probably Gay) scorer on the team. For some reason Mayo reminds me of Kobe (yeah Kobe) if he had went to school for a year. The explosiveness will come, and the fact that he can play both guard spots all but ensures him to be able to dial up his own number. It will be a close race between him and Beasley for R.O.Y.


3.
DERRICK ROSE-Some may wonder why the #1 overall pick comes in third on my list but its for good reason. Point Guard is the toughest position on the floor in the NBA and maybe in all of sports. Not only will he have to adapt to the speed of the league but also learn how to become a leader on a team with established players and egos. Rose struggled in the preseason but showed flashes of brilliance late, it will take time to see him in rare form as he was in Memphis during the NCAA tournament. Long term he has the potential to be the best player to come out of the draft.





SLEEPERS

1.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK-The athletic guard out of UCLA raised his stock with little fanfare, but may be the steal of the draft. He can play both guard positions and is turning into a great compliment for Kevin Durant and company in OKC. If he learns to become a lock-down defender(he's already close) then at 6'4 he will give most point guards problems in this league.








2.
ANTHONY RANDOLPH-At 6'10 200 pounds, one may think he is not ready for the wear and tear of an 82 game NBA season..until you see him play. With a smooth left hand stroke, Randolph is a dynamic player that can run up and down the court in Golden State and make plays on both ends. Don't be fooled by his size he can actually handle the rock as well, which gives Don Nelson plenty of options whenever he decides to play small ball. Randolph likely wont be R.O.Y but will make an impact and see the floor in Golden State.





3.
ERIC GORDON-Derrick Rose's old teammate finds himself coming in third on this list but its not in spite of his talent. He will have the luxury of being able to study the game under Cutino Mobley and Baron Davis during his rookie year in L.A. I doubt he will crack the starting rotation in the guard happy offense unless he continues to drop 29 like he did 2 nights ago in the pre-season. Great range and an underrated defender.





BUSTS

1.
Danilo Gallinari-Is it me or does he even look liker Darko a little bit. LoL. Still scratching your head over how the Knicks took him with the #6 overall pick? Yeah me too. After a lackluster preseason it looks as if Gallinari might start his career off in the D-League. According to sources since Gallinari missed significant time in the preseason he may be regulated to the NBA's farm league in order to get his wind and stamina back. Not sure why teams are so high on young foreign players who have to be twice as good to off set the learning curve that is the NBA. At only 6'8 I don't see how he fits into the system in New York, or even breaks the rotation. The upside is he is only 19 years of age, so he can only get better. For now, he is my #1 Bust pick for the year.


Hope you enjoyed the Rookie Rankings, if you favorite rookie did not make the list then drop a comment and state your case.

'Peace
Agent 34