Rookie of the Year challengers Damian Lillard | Portland Trail Blazers Summer stats: 26.5 ppg (44% shooting), 4 rpg, 5.3 apg, 0.5 spg In my eyes, Lillard was the best rookie in Vegas. His talent as a floor general, as well as his ability to shoot and score, proved that you don't have to play in the ACC or Big East to become an elite player. And that's what Lillard projects to be right now. He's a slightly downgraded version of Derrick Rose, with some Chauncey Billups mixed in, who will likely start from Day 1 and will be the favorite to win ROY since he'll have the ball in his hands a ton. The Disappointments Soup Juggler | Cleveland Cavaliers Summer stats: 12.3 ppg (30% shooting), 3 rpg, 3 apg, 1 spg Waiters looked like a combo guard, and often more like a point guard without great passing skills. Which would be OK if Cleveland didn't already has one of the top young point guards in the league. I know the staff is high on Waiters, based on scouting him all season, but no one in Vegas saw what they had seen all year. He'll likely play a good amount, so he'll have plenty of chances to figure things out.
That would be great if he did win ROY, but i just can't see anyone beating Davis unless he sucks or gets hurt.
I think there's more of a learning curve for big men in the NBA.... unless the refs coddle them like a newborn (see Griffin, Blake).
Here's a pretty good non-insider story about some of the stuff at summer league: http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-120722/daily-dime There's also some funny awards that should get a light chuckle at least. For example: Jerryd Bayless Award (For the player who exploded at summer league but won't be a star)
I doubt it, mostly because Anthony isn't exactly an offensively polished player like Griffin was coming in.
I don't see Davis winning it. He just doesn't have the offensive game that wows the voters. Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
Yeah.... Griffin is also a highlight machine, which immediately put him on Stern's "big boy" list. I think Davis will most likely struggle, simply because that team is fucking terrible outside of Gordon.
I do know one thing, he's going be swatting shit out of the gym 3-4 times per game ... that should get him some ESPN replays.
Yeah, long term I think he's going to be great. It will be interesting to see how the refs handle him. I thought Oden would get the preferential treatment but he never did.
True, but Oden had so much trouble getting right physically that his rookie year (well sophomore year technically) was mostly him just trying to play catch up and teams exploited the hell out of his rawness. Davis just looks like a more natural player than Oden was, but you're probably right, expecting preferential treatment from the refs is right out the window.
Plus, ROY voting seems to be based heavily on stats, and if Lillard puts up numbers anywhere near like the ones he had in SL, he'll be a shoo-in. That is unless Davis puts up 20/10, but I think that's unlikely.
I agree ... Besides Griffin, I wonder who the the last rookie big was to put up 20/10? EDIT: Nevermind, I decided to look it up myself http://www.basketball-reference.com...tat=&c5comp=gt&c6mult=1.0&c6stat=&order_by=ws
Thanks, MM. Remember that the most flattering comp. for Davis is Garnett, and that Damon Stoudamire won ROY in Garnett's rookie year.
Hey, everyone thought he was great his rookie year. Remember this? [video=youtube;JbiWmAkCUEE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbiWmAkCUEE[/video]
I like Lillard's chances if he can prove he can be a good floor general. He has the talent, but I wonder how he will use that talent under pressure. I don't see him as one that will hang his head low if he makes a mistake. If I guessed right, I think he will have no problem running this offense. Now if we still had Nate as coach; I would be worried.
Davis wont win because he will have that train wreck of a backcourt gordon and rivers trying ro prove who is more of a ball hog. Davis will have to score off rebounds.
