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The Sports Report
THE NBA ROOKIE REPORT
By Rob Ward
Before the 2003 NBA draft it was impossible not hear the incessant hype about how great LeBron James is. It was, in fact, referred to as "The LeBron Draft." In between the praising of James we were treated to stories of Carmelo Anthony, a nice young man wearing a NCAA championship crown. If you were a fan of basketball you may have also heard about Darko Milicic, a 7-foot European teenager with a world of talent. After that, however, it required some homework to know the rest of the class. LeBron and Carmelo have been just as good as advertised, but Darko, it seems, will need more time to adjust. He is sitting so far down the Pistons bench that his coach, Larry Brown, needs a bullhorn to call his number. Surprisingly, a few of the other draftees (including second round picks) are coming on strong and showing that this was not just a two player draft. Here are the best rookies in the NBA with their selection number and current statistics.
LEBRON JAMES, Cavaliers (#1 pick): 20.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG
We have all heard the hype. James, a high school prodigy, they said, will be the savior of the NBA. Well, guess what? He is not yet the greatest player of all time. In fact, he has many areas of his game to sharpen. His man defense is pedestrian, often broken down by dribble penetration. He is a very streaky shooter and not very good from three-point range. At 6’8 he does not post-up smaller players well, and despite his impressive assist numbers, he turns the ball over far too much. That said, James is clearly the most talented player to enter the league in a very long time. He can score in bunches, has an uncanny ability to find passing lanes, and must be accounted for every minute he is playing. There is no telling if he will reach the lofty expectations set for him by the media (and the NBA’s marketing machine), but he is already dangerous and we can only assume he will soon become one of the league’s best players.
CARMELO ANTHONY, Nuggets (#3 pick): 18.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.9 APG
After playing just one season of college basketball, a glorious season, in which he carried the Syracuse Orangemen to the NCAA title, Anthony was somehow considered less valuable than both LeBron James and Darko Milicic. He slipped to #3 in the draft and was taken by the Denver Nuggets, who must now feel as though they won the lottery. He has been even better than expected, instantly becoming the Nuggets best player. His team has already won more games than they won all of last season, and he has been victorious over LeBron James and the Cavaliers twice. Anthony, 6’8 and strong, can shoot from anywhere on the floor, rebounds like a center, and his effort inspires his teammates to play better than they are. Anthony, without the massive hype, is perhaps as good as LeBron at this time, and that may not change.
DWYANE WADE, Heat (#5 pick): 16.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.4 APG
After three seasons of relative anonymity at Marquette, Wade became a star while taking his team to the Final Four last year. But NBA scouts had questions about his ability to play in the league. They called him a tweener – too short at 6’4 to play shooting guard and not a good enough ball handler to play point guard. The Miami heat did not listen to the critics. They drafted Wade at #5 and now have a big, strong, competitive point guard who may already be their best player. His ball handling has been stellar and he is equally adept at setting up teammates or muscling his way to the basket. Expect to hear a lot more about Wade in the second half of the season.
CHRIS BOSH, Raptors (#4 pick): 11.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG
This skinny, athletic 6’10 forward played one season at Georgia Tech and, though very talented, was not expected to make an immediate impact with the disoriented Raptors. He came out of the gates strong and impressed the team’s star Vince Carter, who publicly stated after the draft that the Raptors should have traded the pick instead of taking Bosh. Then, something odd happened, the Raptors traded their starting center and forced the 220-pound Bosh to play the position. But instead of being intimidated, Bosh has fought hard, often winning his battles with bigger, stronger men. He uses his quickness, long arms, ridiculous jumping ability, and surprising maturity to overwhelm his foes, and the Raptors have sprung back into the mix of teams competing in the East. Someday, the Raptors will find a true center and Bosh will move back to power forward, where he should become a star.
JARVIS HAYES, Wizards (#10 pick): 11.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG
When Jerry Stackhouse was sidelined by injury before the season began, the Wizards turned to Hayes, an unheralded 6’7 rookie from Georgia. He has been better than they could have imagined. He plays tough defense, is very athletic, and can shoot from distance. Hayes, along with Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes, form one of the most promising young back-courts in the league, and give the lowly Wizards reason to believe in the future of the team.
KIRK HINRICH, Bulls (#7 pick): 9.4 PPG, 5.4 APG
An All-American in college at Kansas, Hinrich, 6’3, is now the starting point guard for the Bulls. And although the team has struggled badly this season, Hinrich bears little or none of the blame. He has worked hard to adjust to the pro game and has been one of the few bright spots for the dismal Bulls. Expect him to continue to improve under the tutelage of new coach, and former NBA point guard, Scott Skiles.
CHRIS KAMAN, Clippers (#6 pick): 6.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG
Replacing the underachieving Michael Olowokandi as the starting center for the Clippers, a team with low expectations to begin with, may not sound like a difficult challenge, but Kaman has played very well while matching up against big men like Shaq, Yao Ming, and Brad Davis. After an initial bout of culture shock while coming from Central Michigan University, Kaman, an awkward-looking 7-footer, has steadily improved. It is unlikely that he will ever be mentioned as one of the leagues best, but if he continues to rebound, block shots, and guard opposing giants, his court-mate - Elton Brand, will find more freedom to score and the entire team will be better.
OTHER ROOKIE SURPRISES:
T.J. FORD, Bucks (#8 pick):
Many believed that he was just too small at 5’10 to handle the NBA, but Ford, last season’s NCAA MVP at Texas, is using his lightening-quick dribble to beat defenders and is getting more comfortable each game. His assist numbers are impressive and surely will get even better as his team improves.
JOSH HOWARD, Mavericks (#29 pick):
Not expected to provide much on a deep perimeter-oriented team, the 6’8 Howard, from Wake Forrest, has shown a willingness to do the little things (particularly on defense) that the Mavericks stars refuse to do. He can play three positions and has earned his playing time with great effort.
KEITH BOGANS, Magic (#43 pick):
A 6’5 guard/forward, Bogans learned to excel on the fast break while playing for the Kentucky Wildcats in college. He infuses the Magic with energy and toughness, and they seem to play their best when Bogans and Tracy McGrady are on the floor together.
STEVE BLAKE, Wizards (#38 pick):
A long shot to make the team after being drafted in the second round. He was needed when Gilbert Arenas was hurt and played so well that he appears to have a future as a back-up in the league after-all. The Wizards must be happy with their draft after landing Hayes and Blake.
KYLE KORVER, 76’ers (#51 pick):
A star at the University of Creighton, the 6’7 shooter has provided the 76’ers with a much-needed three-point threat in his limited minutes. Korver’s ability to shoot from distance opens the floor for the constantly driving Allen Iverson, and will earn him more playing time as the season progresses and Iverson returns from injury.
ZARKO CABARKAPA, Suns (#17 pick):
Early in the season, Cabarkapa, a 6’11 forward/center from Serbia, looked like he might be the steal of the draft. He runs like a dear, has a good feel for the game and provided even more energy to an already athletic roster. Unfortunately, an ugly flagrant foul by the Mavericks Danny Fortson broke Cabarkapa’s arm, sidelining him indefinitely. When he returns the Suns will get bigger, faster, and better.
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Copyright © 2004 Rob Ward. All Rights Reserved