The NBA's Most Intriguing Rookies

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Oct 27, 2009

The NBA's Most Intriguing Rookies

Blake Griffin

The No. 1 pick looked like an instant difference-maker in the preseason, when he received rave reviews from opposing coaches and players alike. But before he can make an impact on the Clippers, Griffin will have to recover from a broken kneecap that is expected to sideline him for the first six weeks of the season.

Tyreke Evans

Evans is a point guard in a shooting guard's body who will be asked to direct Sacramento's turnaround. The Kings love his versatility in being able to handle the ball, post up and finish in the paint. ''Once he develops his jump shot, he's going to be really hard to handle,'' assistant coach Mario Elie said.

Stephen Curry

On a team with as much drama as the Warriors, the 21-year-old Curry might end up being a steadying force. Most notable about his preseason is that he has demonstrated an ability to be a playmaker, averaging nearly five assists. Monta Ellis, who said at the start of camp that he didn't think he could play with Curry in an undersized backcourt, has been impressed. "He's better than I thought he was," Ellis said recently.

James Harden

Harden has been battling Thabo Sefolosha for the starting job at shooting guard. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Harden will give the Thunder some much-needed scoring punch at that position.

Jonny Flynn

With Flynn and Ramon Sessions, point guard appears to be a strength for the rebuilding Timberwolves. Minnesota star Al Jefferson is expecting big things from Flynn, who has started the entire preseason. ''I think he's got a chance to be just as good as Chris Paul,'' Jefferson told reporters at the start of camp.

Brandon Jennings

The 20-year-old has struggled with his shooting in the preseason, but he's also among the league leaders in assists and steals. Coach Scott Skiles hasn't ruled the possibility of starting Jennings ahead of veteran Luke Ridnour on opening night.

DeJuan Blair

Blair, who fell to the 37th pick in part because of his history of knee problems, appears likely to be the biggest steal of the draft. During an eye-opening preseason, the 6-foot-7 forward-center has averaged 14.7 points and 8.2 rebounds in only 18.0 minutes.

Chase Budinger

No team is in search of offensive weapons more than the Rockets, who must replace Yao Ming, Ron Artest and Tracy McGrady (for at least part of the season). Budinger, an athletic swingman with deep shooting range, looks like he could be part of the solution: He's been Houston's third-leading scorer in the preseason.

Jeff Teague

Teague is staking his claim to regular minutes in a backcourt that features Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford. The combo guard is living up to his reputation as an explosive scorer: He is averaging 13.8 points in 27.0 minutes.

Hasheem Thabeet

Thabeet's shot-blocking ability is well known. The question is how quickly he can develop on the offensive end. He's averaged fewer than four points during the preseason.

DeMar DeRozan

The 6-foot-7 shooting guard started throughout the preseason, but he'll have to hold off Antoine Wright to keep the job. DeRozan can score, but he's averaged only 0.7 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 26.4 minutes a game.

Taj Gibson

With an impressive preseason, Gibson is putting pressure on Tyrus Thomas, the Bulls' incumbent starter at power forward. Gibson, the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year at USC last season, has averaged 12.3 points and 5.9 rebounds.