=LarryLegend=
Starter
1. Rudy Fernandez, Trail Blazers
We knew he was an excellent perimeter shooter. And his energy in games is a difference-maker. But I didn't know he was such an excellent shot-maker.
Anyone who saw his one-legged jumper and his below-the-rim, left-handed lob finish against the Suns knows exactly what I mean. Fernandez looks to be in my top five all season.
2. Derrick Rose, Bulls
Quickness. Strength. Craftiness with his change of speed. An explosive jumper. A great first step. And the ability to finish with either hand around the rim.
When your point guard has all those qualities -- plus is hardworking and humble, as Rose is -- the All-Star Game is a mere formality. It may take some years, but he's headed in that direction.
3. Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
Like all good big men, Gasol knows he needs to spend time standing as close to the rim as possible early and late on most offensive possessions. Those are the two times post defense can be at its weakest, so hanging around down low can result in easy points or free throws without much work.
With that said, Gasol is not afraid of work. He's an impressive player.
4. Michael Beasley, Heat
Beasley is a solid shooter from the 15-to-19-foot range, but that may end up being a bad thing in the short term. He often elects to take a quick shot from that range even though opponents have a tough time keeping him from getting shots near the rim.
He's a special scorer who's capable of finishing creatively off the dribble inside and not just with back-to-the-basket moves.
5. Jason Thompson , Kings
He might have been No. 1 in these rankings if the Kings weren't so awful. That's how good he's been.
I've always stressed to college coaches and pro scouts that toughness is a talent. Well, this young man from Rider University is the best kind of tough. He does everything with strength and lacks any kind of negative baggage often associated with the toughest guys. He reminds me a lot of Al Horford, and that's a very good thing.
6. Kevin Love, Timberwolves
We know he'll never be able to outjump people when trying to finish inside. But he already knows how to use his body to create contact and put his defender out of shot-blocking position.
Remember, he's been a big man for a long time, so he's had years of practice. A player still growing into his body is not as fortunate.
7. Brook Lopez, Nets
Like most rookies, Lopez often plays too fast. At other times, he's a step slow. But I like how his teammates look for him on their pick-and-roll sets and in the post when the ball is in post-entry position. He presents himself well inside, creates a big target and does so at the right times. Once he gets the game pace down, he may see a jump in efficiency because of this action.
8. Mario Chalmers, Heat
The saying "greater than the sum of his parts" applies to Chalmers.
He's very active on defense, getting both steals and deflections. And he's working to initiate the offense while not being afraid to shoot, an important combination for a young point guard.
9. Darrell Arthur, Grizzlies
He looked like the steal of the draft on opening night, when he scored 11 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. But it always has been about consistency with the talented Arthur, so seeing that he scored just 12 points in his past three games on 5-for-18 shooting is not surprising. Arthur would be best served by doubling up his concentration on rebounding, an area in which he has the talent to be a force all season.
10. O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
My concern about Mayo always has been his inability to create going to the rim, which causes him to earn few short shots and, more importantly, free throws. He has attempted just six free throws in his first four games, and all six came in one game. In those other three games, he took 48 shots from the field without making a single free-throw attempt. Not good. But as a rookie, he won't get many calls. This statistic needs to be followed all season.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=thorpe_david&page=Rookies-081105
We knew he was an excellent perimeter shooter. And his energy in games is a difference-maker. But I didn't know he was such an excellent shot-maker.
Anyone who saw his one-legged jumper and his below-the-rim, left-handed lob finish against the Suns knows exactly what I mean. Fernandez looks to be in my top five all season.
2. Derrick Rose, Bulls
Quickness. Strength. Craftiness with his change of speed. An explosive jumper. A great first step. And the ability to finish with either hand around the rim.
When your point guard has all those qualities -- plus is hardworking and humble, as Rose is -- the All-Star Game is a mere formality. It may take some years, but he's headed in that direction.
3. Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
Like all good big men, Gasol knows he needs to spend time standing as close to the rim as possible early and late on most offensive possessions. Those are the two times post defense can be at its weakest, so hanging around down low can result in easy points or free throws without much work.
With that said, Gasol is not afraid of work. He's an impressive player.
4. Michael Beasley, Heat
Beasley is a solid shooter from the 15-to-19-foot range, but that may end up being a bad thing in the short term. He often elects to take a quick shot from that range even though opponents have a tough time keeping him from getting shots near the rim.
He's a special scorer who's capable of finishing creatively off the dribble inside and not just with back-to-the-basket moves.
5. Jason Thompson , Kings
He might have been No. 1 in these rankings if the Kings weren't so awful. That's how good he's been.
I've always stressed to college coaches and pro scouts that toughness is a talent. Well, this young man from Rider University is the best kind of tough. He does everything with strength and lacks any kind of negative baggage often associated with the toughest guys. He reminds me a lot of Al Horford, and that's a very good thing.
6. Kevin Love, Timberwolves
We know he'll never be able to outjump people when trying to finish inside. But he already knows how to use his body to create contact and put his defender out of shot-blocking position.
Remember, he's been a big man for a long time, so he's had years of practice. A player still growing into his body is not as fortunate.
7. Brook Lopez, Nets
Like most rookies, Lopez often plays too fast. At other times, he's a step slow. But I like how his teammates look for him on their pick-and-roll sets and in the post when the ball is in post-entry position. He presents himself well inside, creates a big target and does so at the right times. Once he gets the game pace down, he may see a jump in efficiency because of this action.
8. Mario Chalmers, Heat
The saying "greater than the sum of his parts" applies to Chalmers.
He's very active on defense, getting both steals and deflections. And he's working to initiate the offense while not being afraid to shoot, an important combination for a young point guard.
9. Darrell Arthur, Grizzlies
He looked like the steal of the draft on opening night, when he scored 11 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. But it always has been about consistency with the talented Arthur, so seeing that he scored just 12 points in his past three games on 5-for-18 shooting is not surprising. Arthur would be best served by doubling up his concentration on rebounding, an area in which he has the talent to be a force all season.
10. O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
My concern about Mayo always has been his inability to create going to the rim, which causes him to earn few short shots and, more importantly, free throws. He has attempted just six free throws in his first four games, and all six came in one game. In those other three games, he took 48 shots from the field without making a single free-throw attempt. Not good. But as a rookie, he won't get many calls. This statistic needs to be followed all season.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=thorpe_david&page=Rookies-081105
once agian the media and fans judged too soon, i hope he continues to improve his game.
