There are so many choices. From where I sit, I see at least 7, and my team the Portland Trailblazers have 3 of them! I'm going to be a total homer here and, of course pick 2 of our (P-town's) rookies as my top candidates. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to see them supplanted by either Rose or Beasley or even any other of the candidates I have,or (haven't . . . Gallinari, Randolph?) listed. But wha'ts the fun in having a favorite team if your not a total homer, right? Fell free to write in your own selections if your a total homer too, and I didn't list your teams top draft pick selection here (Knick fans?, Warriors fans?)
The candidates(listed alphebtically by last name):
Jerryd Bayless - Projected by many to be the 4th best player in the 2008 NBA Draft, he sllipped all the way to 11th and taken by Indiana and traded to Portland. College quick stats - 19.7 ppg 2.7 rpg 4.0 apg. Summer League MVP - 29.8ppg. Member of the "USA Select Team"
Michael Beasley - projected as a Number 1 Overall Pick in the NBA Draft for most of the college basketaball season until Derrick Rose's great NCAA Tournament run, he was taken 2nd overall by the Miami Heat. College quick stats - 26.2 ppg 12.4 rpg 1.2 apg, 28 double doubles (a freshman record). Led Orlando Summer League in scoring with 19.6 ppg.
Rudy Fernandez - Portland acquired the draft rights to Rudy Fernandez from the Suns for cash in the 2007 NBA Draft. If you watched the Gold Medal game last night between USA vs. Spain, then you know this guy can ball. 2004 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto MVP; 2006 Catalan League Winner; 2006 FIBA EuroCup Winner; 2006 FIBA EuroCup Final Four MVP; Euroleague 2006-07 Rising Star Award; 2008 Catalan League Winner; 2008 Catalan League MVP; 2008 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto Winner; 2008 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto MVP; 2007-08 ULEB Cup Winner; 2007-08 ULEB Cup Final MVP
Kevin Love - Taken with the 5th Overall Pick in the NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies and traded to Minnesota in a package that included O.J. Mayo. Touted as the best high school player in the country coming into the college basketball season last year. Pac-10 Freshman of the year. Final 4 participant (losing to Derrick Rose and Memphis). College quick stats - 17.5 ppg 10.6 rpg 1.9 apg. Vegas Summer League quick stats - 18 ppg 13.5 rpg 1.8 apg. Member of the "USA Select Team"
O.J. Mayo - Taken with the 3rd Overall Pick in the NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and traded in a package that included Kevin Love to the Memphis Grizzlies. College quick stats - 20.7ppg 4.5 rpg 3.3 apg (3.5 t/o . . . ouch!). Vegas Summer League quick stats – 18.8 ppg 3.6 rpb 2.6 apg. Member of the "USA Select Team"
Greg Oden – Taken with the Number 1 Overall Pick by the Portland Trailblazers in the 2007 NBA Draft. Due to Oden's season ending micro-fracture knee surgery he did not play in a single NBA game last year, making him eligible for R.O.Y this season. Coming into the 2007 Draft Oden was unanimously declared a "once in a decade talent." A wrist injury kept him from playing a full season at Ohio State and he was never 100% healthy. College quick stats – 15.7 ppg 9.6 rpg 3.3 bpg. He might be a dark-horse candidate at this point, but only because he's yet to play a basketball game (in college or the NBA) at full strength and health and people tend to move on the newest and coolest thing very quickly, speaking of newest and coolest thing . . .
Derrick Rose – Taken with the Number 1 Overall Pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 2008 NBA Draft. He is considered, unanimously, to be the best pure PG in the draft. His stock rose sharply during the NCAA tournament when he put his team on his back and carried them to a record number of wins in a season (38) and to one of the best NCAA championship games in history, but his team fell just short of the ultimate prize, losing to Kansas in that final game. College quick stats – 14.9 ppg 4.5 rpg 4.7 apg. Played only 2 games in Orlando Summer League and his stats are hardly worth posting, so I won't.
So who's it going to be? Give me two.
My picks: Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez
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