NBA Rookies Beat the Sophomores for the Second Straight Year

For the second 12 months in a row, the rookies gave the sophomores a loss in the NBA All-Star Rookie Problem. Are the rookies making an attempt tougher than the sophomores, or are the gamers from the final two drafts higher than final 12 months’s picks? Previous to the 2010 sport, the sophomores had gained their final 7 video games, often by a large margin.

In 2010, the gamers had been sophomores Michael Beasley, Marc Gasol, Danilo Gallinari, Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, OJ Mayo and Russell Westbrook (Derrick Rose didn’t play). Rookies featured included DeJuan Blair, Stephen Curry, Tyreke Evans, Taj Gibson, James Harden and Brandon Jennings. Gordon, Love, Mayo and Westbrook ought to have been sufficient to fend off the rookies, however led by sport MVP Tyreke Evans, the rookies took the win 140-128.

The sophomores undoubtedly had the high heavy expertise on this sport, however the rookies have a bit extra depth. Gordon, Love and Westbrook is usually a contender’s second-best gamers, particularly contemplating a number of extra years of development, however the expertise wanes after that. The rookies have much more gamers who may very well be the third or fourth man in a contender with Curry, Harden, Gibson, Blair and Jennings. Other than these gamers and OJ Mayo for the second group, there’s not a lot to love. The 2011 sport options extra gamers that would grow to be high gamers in the future.

The highest rookies of 2011 are Demarcus Cousins, Blake Griffin, John Wall, Landry Fields, Gary Neal and Eric Bledsoe. The highest sophomores are Wes Matthews, DeJuan Blair, Stephen Curry, Serge Ibaka, and Brandon Jennings. John Wall bought the MVP with a Rookie Problem-record 22 assists, however Cousins ​​might have been the MVP with all his factors. The previous Kentucky teammates collectively gained the sport for the rookies. Wall and Cousins ​​had spoken earlier than the sport, Wall needed the help report, Cousins ​​needed the MVP. No different participant tried as arduous as these two did in the sport, so it made sense that the rookies would win. Wall doubtless gained the MVP when he carried out a ridiculous half-court bounce-pass alley-oop to the Clippers’ Griffin in entrance of the LA crowd. Watching the sport, it was simple to see that Cousins ​​took the sport very significantly, having just lately had some points with the Kings over a struggle with a teammate. Perhaps that is why the rookies gained the second years.

As the sophomores emerged final 12 months and with the rookie class arriving, there’s lots to love for the way forward for the NBA. There are a lot of younger gamers who might assist groups with superstars of their prime. Wall seems like a terrific PG of the future, and Cousins ​​is a headcase that in all probability will not mature till your late 20s when you can afford to maintain it that lengthy. Griffin is thrilling and offers hope to the Clippers together with Eric Bledsoe. Landry Fields and Gary Neal are two steals in the draft who can each assist their groups in the playoffs. Greg Monroe will emerge as a expertise with the Pistons that individuals might be speaking about after they can lastly disembowel the outdated group. The sophomores have had one other 12 months to develop and the future seems vivid for them too.

The NBA undoubtedly appears set for second fiddle and position gamers with these rookies and sophs as Durant, LeBron, Melo and the remainder of the high superstars look to create NBA dynasties.