<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">2007-08 NBA.com Rookie Survey Posted Aug 3 2007 11:53AM SECAUCUS, NJ, August 3, 2007 -- The incoming rookie class has received a lot of hype over the last year. With top picks Greg Oden and Kevin Durant, along with a slew of other potential All-Stars, this class could be one of the best in recent memory. Since the draft, the media has weighed in on which rookies will have the most impact, both right away and down the line. But now, it's the rookies' turn to tell us themselves who stands out among their group. NBA.com posed the following 10 questions to the 44 rookies in attendance at this year's Rookie Photo Shoot on July 27, and this is how they responded. Percentages are based on the pool of respondents to the specific question, rather than all 44 rookies, as not every rookie answered every question. Players were not allowed to vote for themselves. </div> -Who will be the Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant-23/44 votes -What rookie is the most ready to contribute right away: Al Horford-13 -What rookie will play in the most all-star games: Kevin Durant-24 -What rookie is being the most overlooked: Nick Young-6 -What rookie is the most athletic: Al Thornton-14 -What rookie is the best shooter: Morris Almond-9 -What rookie is the best defender: Corey Brewer-17 -Which rookie is the best playmaker: Mike Conley Jr.-19 -What rookie do you know the least about: Yi Jianlian-7 See rest of the players who recieved votes Source: NBA.com I thought it was interesting that Oden didn't win a single one, while Durant led the way with 2. I also thought it was interesting that Durant won Rookie of the Year in a wide margin, but didn't win most likely to contribute right away.
Corey Brewer over Greg Oden as best defender? Why do people always assume "best defender" means best one on one perimeter defender. A great defensive center is so much more valuable to a team's defense.
Two things I found interesting: 1) Greg Oden didn't win a single category. Pretty surprising with all the hype around him. 2) Someone said they can't wait to play against J.J. Redick. Who the hell would say that?
<div class="quote_poster">Swish Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Two things I found interesting: 1) Greg Oden didn't win a single category. Pretty surprising with all the hype around him. 2) Someone said they can't wait to play against J.J. Redick. Who the hell would say that? </div> josh mcroberts is my best guess. either that or another very smart person .
<div class="quote_poster">durvasa Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Corey Brewer over Greg Oden as best defender? Why do people always assume "best defender" means best one on one perimeter defender. A great defensive center is so much more valuable to a team's defense.</div> These are actual players that got drafted not the general media, so I doubt they would assume that. I was also shocked that Brewer beat Oden by that convincing of a margin in that category. I mean that was the 4th highest percentage of votes out of all categories, so it wasn't even close.
What a useless survey. All this says is who's best buddies with who. Al Horford the most NBA ready prospect over Oden and Durant? Joakim Noah the fourth most likely to be a perennial All-Star? Corey Brewer a better defender than Greg Oden? There are also clearly a lot of players who have never played against their fellow draft picks and are just going on the word of mouth and by who recieved the most media attention during the collegiate season. There seems to be an Oden/Durant backlash too. Even Kendrick Perkins got mad the other day and called Durant out, saying that this draft class was overrated outside of Oden. I want to see the media's perspective.
<div class="quote_poster">Swish Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Two things I found interesting: 1) Greg Oden didn't win a single category. Pretty surprising with all the hype around him. 2) Someone said they can't wait to play against J.J. Redick. Who the hell would say that? </div> So they can beat him everyday
Sorry Voodoo, I thought we were finally over your Gator hatred, but since the only 3 people you single out were Gators, here we go..... <div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">What a useless survey.</div> Why is the survey useless? Is it because it talked good about the Gators? <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">All this says is who's best buddies with who. </div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Al Horford the most NBA ready prospect over Oden and Durant? Joakim Noah the fourth most likely to be a perennial All-Star? Corey Brewer a better defender than Greg Oden? There are also clearly a lot of players who have never played against their fellow draft picks and are just going on the word of mouth and by who recieved the most media attention during the collegiate season.</div> Yeah, since Horford, Noah, and Brewer obviously got more hype then Greg Oden and Kevin Durant did this entire season. Noah is the only one that even came remotely close to Oden/Durant. Brewer got 17 votes for best defender. I don't believe there were 17 Gators that took this poll..... Horford got 13 votes, same thing. About the bold, You say that they didn't play against the players, but how many of these analysts/writers that are critiquing every little thing have? btw, are you really complaining that 1 person voted Noah in the most likely to be a perennial all-star? 1/44 and you are complaining? Not to mention Noah was tied for 3rd in that voting, so it's rigged! <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">There seems to be an Oden/Durant backlash too. Even Kendrick Perkins got mad the other day and called Durant out, saying that this draft class was overrated outside of Oden.</div> Does anyone actually take Kendrick Perkins seriously in regards to Oden? <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I want to see the media's perspective.</div> It'd be interesting at least to get a compilation of all the media's predictions.
<div class="quote_poster">GatorsowntheNCAA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Sorry Voodoo, I thought we were finally over your Gator hatred, but since the only 3 people you single out were Gators, here we go.....</div> You're a paranoid ****. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Why is the survey useless? Is it because it talked good about the Gators?</div> ...talked well* about the Gators? No, because it's a player survey. It's inherently useless. Somebody voted D.J. Strawberry for MVP for god's sake. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, since Horford, Noah, and Brewer obviously got more hype then Greg Oden and Kevin Durant did this entire season. Noah is the only one that even came remotely close to Oden/Durant. Brewer got 17 votes for best defender. I don't believe there were 17 Gators that took this poll..... Horford got 13 votes, same thing. About the bold, You say that they didn't play against the players, but how many of these analysts/writers that are critiquing every little thing have? btw, are you really complaining that 1 person voted Noah in the most likely to be a perennial all-star? 1/44 and you are complaining? Not to mention Noah was tied for 3rd in that voting, so it's rigged!</div> You're missing the point. What I'm saying is that there's an Oden/Durant backlash. The players, who haven't played them before, are bitter about all the attention from their draft going to those players. Even Perkins spoke out about it, and btw, what he said was in regard to Durant.
