Which 04-05 Rookie will have the best career.

Dwight Howard will be the best by far. His nice 52% fromt the floor shows me that he will be a very consistent guy. I know most of them were from offensive rebounds and tip ins, but at the end of the year, the 19 year old was avg about 17 pts and 10 boards with Chris Jent as the coach with about 12 shots a game, rather than 8. Dwight Howard showed his versatility. Only 11 people in the ENTIRE NBA started all 82 games last year and Dwight was one of them. Like someone mentioned before he was the first to do that. He is going to be the face of the NBA in a couple of years(well with Lebron, Amare, Wade, etc). He will be a perennial all-star. I'm just praying that he will sign an extension and stay a Magic his whole career.

 

Auno if he'll be the face of the NBA with Lebron and D Wade there. He will be a great and talented player. I htink Livingston has the most potential though. His skills are incredible for a 6-7 point guard. I think he and Howard can go to the top of the league but I think that Livingston can become the best pg in the league in a few years.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GatorsowntheSEC:</div><div class="quote_post">Dwight Howard will be the best by far. His nice 52% fromt the floor shows me that he will be a very consistent guy. I know most of them were from offensive rebounds and tip ins, but at the end of the year, the 19 year old was avg about 17 pts and 10 boards with Chris Jent as the coach with about 12 shots a game, rather than 8. Dwight Howard showed his versatility. Only 11 people in the ENTIRE NBA started all 82 games last year and Dwight was one of them. Like someone mentioned before he was the first to do that. He is going to be the face of the NBA in a couple of years(well with Lebron, Amare, Wade, etc). He will be a perennial all-star. I'm just praying that he will sign an extension and stay a Magic his whole career.</div>

What does versatility have to do with starting 82 games? I think you meant durability.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">Howard and Livingston will be by far the best players of the draft. I dont get the feeling that Ben Gordon will be that great,</div>
I think he will as a Bull fan I guess I get that feeling from him. He in a sixth man role last season proved he could be a clutch time performer for the Bulls. He was probably one of the only people coming of the bench in the NBA that people considered the team leader. I don?t really think you can judge how good a player will be after simply one season names such as Penny Hardaway come up. Although, from all the signs that we have seen there is nothing to signal he will slow down.

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">I highly doubt he will ever be a top 3 SG in the league and Bulls fans are always thinking of other suitors for their starting SG spiot (Mickael Pietrus for example).</div>
I heard Warrior fans talk about a possible trade of Pietrus and Murphy go to the Bulls for Curry, but never heard any Bull fan discuss how great it would be having Pietrus to start over Gordon. Only guy Bulls fans have discussed as a starting shooting guard has this season other than Gordon has been Michael Finley, and even if that were the case he does not have many years left in him, and would likely come here to finish his career, and mentor Ben Gordon. He might even play fewer minutes than Gordon might if he truly embraced the role. It is unlikely they will acquire him though.

Anyway, as far as the best career goes. I will go with a couple players who might. These players I think will have good careers namely Andre Iguodala, Dwight Howard, and Ben Gordon. Iguodala has all the potential to be the next Scottie Pippen he has great overall ability. He was the only rookie last season to get a triple double. I think when Allen retires he will become the main scoring option in Philadelphia, which will allow his career to take off.

Howard I see as a Garnett/Stoudamire type player. He will be a great scorer, and also has a lot of different aspects he does well in with his game. I can see him scoring high twenties low thirties in the prime of his career. Perhaps even winning a MVP award.

Then Ben Gordon I think will be the next Bulls star. He will probably average around twenty something points in the prime of his career. If he starts this season he might even have a shot at averaging somewhere around the low twenties in scoring this season. He matured quickly last season and really proved to be clutch like I said before. As far as Emeka Okafor goes I think he will have a good consistent career in which he might average twenty points a couple of times, but I think he will average numbers similar to Elton Brand 18-11 or around that.

 

J.R Smith may not have made an immediate impact last season, but as the season went on he showed his supper star potiential and i think 10 years after he retiers pepole willl still talk about him so i think J.R. will have the best Career

 

In no particular order:

1.Andre Iguodala
2.Dwight Howard
3.Emeka Okafor

I think Andre Iguodala has the potential to be something very special. I agree when people say his style is similar to Pippen because it is. Both are very versatile, non-selfish players. When you look at the 04-05 rookies, Iguodala has the most versatility out of each and every one of them. All the talk about him not having a jumper is BS; his jumper was not bad at all. If anything he didn't shoot enough last season. The problem with his offensive game is that he struggles to create his own shot at times, once he learns how to become a scorer then he will be very good. Go look at Iguodala's stats; I don't think you can find anything negative out of them because they are so well rounded. He can score on the break, and can shoot the spot up shot, he plays defense and causes opponents to turn the ball over a lot, he has great athletic ability, and he is also very durable he played each and every game for the 76ers this season.

Dwight Howard is going to be a star in the future; as long as he stays healthy the sky is the limit for him. He needs to work on scoring inside and I'd like to see him develop more of a mid range shot as well. He is a great rebounder, and a solid shot blocker. 20 and 10 in the future is my guess for Howard.

Okafor is pretty self-explanatory, yes he had some health issues in college but he seemed to be ok in the NBA.

 

1. Dwight
2. Emeka
3. Livingston - who by the way, is still growing!!! Remember guys, the kid was drafted out of HS at 6'7. If Dwight can grow an inch or two out of HS then Livingston can very well grow to a 6'8, 6'9 PG!!! Man, that's gonna scary if your PG is just as tall as your SF or even PF....

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">What does versatility have to do with starting 82 games? I think you meant durability.</div>

Sorry yeah durability is what I meant.

 

I don't see Iguodala ever being a big scoring option. I think he's a guy you can run and offense through, and can be a great passer and playmaker, but not a #1 scoring option.

His game just doesn't seem like that to me, and while he can learn, he just doesn't seem to be that mold of a player. I think when AI leaves, the first season he'll put up numbers like 18 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and Philly will try to give him another scorer.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SupraJames:</div><div class="quote_post">1. Dwight
2. Emeka
3. Livingston - who by the way, is still growing!!! Remember guys, the kid was drafted out of HS at 6'7. If Dwight can grow an inch or two out of HS then Livingston can very well grow to a 6'8, 6'9 PG!!! Man, that's gonna scary if your PG is just as tall as your SF or even PF....</div>


That could be a bad thing as well. I mean, he could be fragile not have enough weight for the whole 6-9. I mean, he was already injured for almost a whole season and then if he grew some more then the risk of him getting injured would grow as well.

 

I think that Iguodala could have the potential to be a main scoring option, but I also agree that he is not really a main scoring type player. You may not see it in his game now but he has only been on the scene for about three years, two years in Arizona and a year in Philly. A lot of things can change between now and the time Iguodala may be called upon to be a main scoring option. Only time can tell, but I think in his best NBA season he can average about 20-23 ppg. While in his career he may average about 15-18 ppg.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't see Iguodala ever being a big scoring option. I think he's a guy you can run and offense through, and can be a great passer and playmaker, but not a #1 scoring option.

His game just doesn't seem like that to me, and while he can learn, he just doesn't seem to be that mold of a player. I think when AI leaves, the first season he'll put up numbers like 18 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and Philly will try to give him another scorer.</div>
I actually think he has the mold right now. He showed his first season that he is working on his jump shot, which was the only real question about him, when he came into the league. He shot the three ball pretty well this season somewhere in the mid thirty percent. Which although is not great is better than what he shot in college which was like somewhere in the mid twenties. One thing he already has to his game that a lot of young guys coming into the league these days seem to lack is that fire to attack the basket. He got a lot of points he scored this season, by taking his guy off the dribble, and coming down the baseline/lane. When he develops his mid range jumper a tad more that will force his opponents to respect that as well. With those two abilities combined, and the strength he has. I think he can be a main option for this team. He will also have a chance to be the most complete player in the league in the future in my mind. He is learning under in my opinion the best scorer and off the ball defender in the league in Allen Iverson. As well as a big man in Chris Webber who has built a career under being able to pass the ball well to the open player. Add those two things to his already above average rebounding and on the ball defensive abilities, and he will be one of the most complete players in overall skill in the NBA.

I understand what your saying when you don?t feel he has the mold of a main scorer, but I seem to think he does. I think that for the most part he is ahead of the curb when it comes to young players coming into the league, and being considered the future building block of their organization. I feel when Allen leaves they will make him into the main scorer, and bring in a second option to complement him. I don?t think they will struggle with finding a second scoring option to complement him, because he will be at a level which will allow him to play with whatever type of player they bring in.I guess we will just have to wait and see though, because you can never tell how much a player will develop.

 

Although he won't be the best of the draft. I think a lot of people will be surprised with Jameer Nelson. Not that I have any facts to back up the statment... It's just a hunch.

 

Emeka definately

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting lessthanjake:</div><div class="quote_post">i may be biased, but I'm gonna say josh smith. or maybe howard.... yeah howard, just because he's a big man, and they are in such high demand.</div>

I like the sound of Joshy, but what about JR? He showed us his athleticism in the dunk contest and if he develops his game I think he could resemble a Kobe-type player.

Iggy might develop into a franchise player in a few years. His main focus is defense and dunking, so when he matures and rounds out the rest of his game he'll be a dangerous scorer.

I don't know how Emeka will develop any more than right now. He doesn't have tremendous atheleticism, but he is SMART. I think he could be the rare type of player that knows how to outsmart faster, bigger opponents (think Larry Bird).

 

First of all, welcome to JBB. Second, I agree, Emeka might not turn into a Garnett type player like Howard, but he will be a solid defensive player for years to come. I'm thinking a consistent 19/12 in the upcoming years.

 

You guys all overrate shaun livingston imo. he already proved me wrong, i thought the kid was tall but had no tallent when he got drafted, now i still think he'll never be an all-star but a good player in thev league for a while. I don't think he'll ever be better than nelson, duhon, harris, or telfair. we'll see what happens. I think that in the long run though the best players in that draft were, in no particular order, dwight howard, emeka okafor, ben gordon, jameer nelson, chris duhon, delonte west, luol deng, al jefferson, and than probly telfair, after that i see little all-star potential. but lots of good players.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't see Iguodala ever being a big scoring option. I think he's a guy you can run and offense through, and can be a great passer and playmaker, but not a #1 scoring option.

His game just doesn't seem like that to me, and while he can learn, he just doesn't seem to be that mold of a player. I think when AI leaves, the first season he'll put up numbers like 18 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and Philly will try to give him another scorer.</div>

Disagree, since he's so athletic, he has the potential to become a scoring option. Remember McGrady on Toronto? Besides Dalembert (who averages around 7rpg) he could put some focus on each areas of the game depending on how his team is playing. AI not scoring? Put a few points on the board. Other team getting too many O boards? Hit the glass. I definitely like his game, and I'd like to see him develop.

Same with JR Smith. When he works on his outside jumper, and scoring off the dribble he'll be pretty hard to shut down defensively.

I've heard rumors about Josh Smith shooting the lights out from three point range in practice, but just lacks the confidence in games, but until he practices more to get his confidence up he'll only be a highlight reel in my eyes. He'd be able to score at will if he develops a consistent jumper.

 

What you guys aren't understanding is that I'm not saying he can't, it's that he's not that type of player. Something they said about him a lot in college was that he could dominate offensively against college players, but didn't. Remember he only averaged 12.9 PPG in his final year.

Now you could compare him to a guy like RJ who was just developing his offense, but RJ in College didn't have a handle, and not close to the skills AI has. He wasn't as good a shooter either. AI's offense in college was good enough for him to even be averaging 18 PPG, and at least in the 15 PPG range.

It reminds me of Odom, you see him, and wonder why he's never averaged 20+ PPG with all the skills he has, but it's just not his game.


<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Same with JR Smith. When he works on his outside jumper, and scoring off the dribble he'll be pretty hard to shut down defensively</div>
I never mentioned JR Smith. He's definately a guy that can and is willing to score a lot, he's not a guy who shy's away from taking shots. McGrady in Toronto came out of highschool, but he was never a guy who wasn't willing to score. He was a natural scorer that just needed his time to develop his offensive game more, from his first year he was averaging about 13 PPG per 33 mins.