Top Rookie Showings at the D-League
As the National Basketball Association’s Summer League continues, it is possible to finally flesh out the best rookies based on an actual performance rather than theorization. These are the best performing rookies thus far in the NBA Summer League:
Derrick Caracter: The Los Angeles Lakers look to have made a killing on Caracter, whom they drafted in the second round of the NBA Draft with pick No. 58. Caracter started his career off with three consecutive double-doubles and also put up 14 points, five rebounds, and four blocks in the Lakers' recent 90-84 loss to the Kings.
If Caracter continues this performance, he could be considered the wisest draft choice of the year.
DeMarcus Cousins: Many critics doubted Cousins’s ability to adapt his large physique to the more athletic rigours of NBA play. Cousins has steadily proved all naysayers wrong. He has had double-doubles in both of his last two games including a 19-point, 12-rebound outing against the Lakers.
Cousins has also been working on developing an outside shot and has avoided any notions of the behavioural issues he showed during his brief college stint at the University of Kentucky. He has the potential to develop into an elite player within a couple years.
John Wall: Being the No. 1 draft pick often means dealing with unrealistic expectations. The Kentucky alum has thus far met all expectations head on. In Monday’s Wizards game, Wall had 18 points and 10 assists. The only chinks in his armour were his eight turnovers, but Wall’s defensive brilliance and five steals essentially negated his missteps.
It is exciting to see how Wall blends with tumultuous star Gilbert Arenas and the top draftee has shown an ability to lead for which Washington has long been desperate.
Devin Ebanks: Ebanks is another one of the Lakers’ second-round picks, and he too has performed extremely well. After four games, Ebanks has had solid performances on both offence and defence. In his most recent outing, the former-West Virginia University forward had 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting while hitting his only 3-point attempt.
Ebanks has the potential to be a Trevor Ariza-type supporting small forward. Lakers star Kobe Bryant thrives with players like that on the court.
Patrick Patterson: Patterson was part of the University of Kentucky class which also produced Wall and Cousins. The big-man’s Summer League play has been up and down, but he has shown great potential during the ups. The Rocket had 14 points and nine rebounds in the team’s 100-91 loss to the Toronto Raptors.
When asked about his performance, Patterson said: "I'm just playing hard. I’m trying to provide a lot of energy."
Gani Lawal: The Suns also picked up a possible gem with No. 46 pick Gani Lawal. The power forward, who played collegiately at Georgia Tech, has had double digit points in all the games he has played. Most recently, he scored 15 as Phoenix defeated the NBA D-League Selected by a score 96-88.
Lawal has trouble with fouling though and due to the fact that there are no foul-outs in the D-League, holds the dubious distinction of having a triple double based on points, rebounds, and fouls.
Eric Bledsoe: The former Kentucky Wildcat has shown a lot of promise for the Los Angeles Clippers, but is still too raw to be considered a real asset to the team. In his Clippers debut, Bledsoe played head-to-head with former team mate and current Wizard John Wall.
Bledsoe was able to compete with 17 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Unfortunately, he also had an entirely unacceptable 10 turnovers.
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