Which NBA rookies are riding high and succeeding on the NBA level? Chip Crain takes a weekly look at which NBA rookies are rocking rims, getting important playing time, and excelling in the NBA. In this report we will attempt to spotlight the best rookie performances of the preceding week as well as rank the top 10 rookies so far in the season.
December 4, 2008
Rookie Spotlight:
O.J. Mayo has been scoring like nobody’s business, especially not a rookie’s business. Averaging over 21 ppg so far Mayo has already had two sets of back-to-back 30 pt games. That’s four 30 pt games in his first 17 games. The only other rookies to accomplish that feat in the last 26 years were Terry Cummings, Michael Jordan, and Allen Iverson. That is pretty exclusive company. Mayo could be the first rookie to average over 20 ppg in a season since the 2003 year when LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade all passed that threshold. Mayo finished the month of November with the highest scoring average of any rookie in his first full month since Iverson in 1996!
Mayo has reached double figures in every game this season. Something no one else in this year’s rookie class can claim. Mayo is scoring rather efficiently as well. His FG% is already higher than Kobe Bryant’s career average. Not surprisingly Mayo won the Western Conference Rookie of the Month award for November.
Mayo has also been doing his scoring at the proper time. His lowest scoring output outside the 10 pts scored in the first game of the season was 11 pts in a blowout win over the Sacramento Kings. When he isn’t needed he shares the wealth, but when the game is tight and his team needs a basket Mayo is ready to step up. He had 16 points in the 4th quarter against the Phoenix Suns in pulling the Memphis Grizzlies back from a 17 pt hole for instance. The one thing Mayo has not been able to accomplish yet is lead the team in scoring in a game the Grizzlies won. Also, Mayo’s defense leaves something to be desired despite his 1.3 spg and his turnovers need to be reigned in at 2.59 a game, but these are issues most rookies have to overcome.
Top 10 Rookies
Note: Stats in bold indicates rookie leader
1. Derrick Rose, PG, Chicago Bulls
18.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
2. O.J. Mayo, SG, Memphis Grizzlies
21.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG
3. Michael Beasley, SF/PF, Miami Heat
14.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG
4. Marc Gasol, PF/C, Memphis Grizzlies
12.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG
5. Rudy Fernandez, SG, Portland Trail Blazers
11.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 PBG
6. Greg Oden, C, Portland Trail Blazers
7.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.69 BPG
7. Jason Thompson, PF/C, Sacramento Kings
10.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG
8. Russell Westbrook, PG/SG, Oklahoma City Thunder
12.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG
9. D.J. Augustin, PG, Charlotte Bobcats
12.6 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 4.3 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.0 BPG
10. Brook Lopez, PF/C, New Jersey Nets
9.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.7 BPG
Honorable Mention:
Darrell Arthur, Nicolas Batum, Mario Chalmers, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute