ranking the sophs?

[spectator]

espn insider has an article on the sophomores; anyone willing to post? i'm curious where hill ranks (top 15?)

[draft87]

espn insider has an article on the sophomores; anyone willing to post? i'm curious where hill ranks (top 15?)


Welcome to the first edition of our sophomore rankings, in which we'll break down the top 20 second-year players every other week all season long.
We'll evaluate these players strictly on the merits of this season to date, including how they are impacting their teams (if two players are playing at about the same level, I'll rank the player on the more successful team higher). What these players did last season, or what I think they'll do over their careers, will have no bearing on this report. So a player like Derrick Rose, who obviously has a brilliant future but is currently struggling, will not score well here until his on-court production improves.
With these things in mind, here's our first look at the top 20 sophomores. And yes, it's all about the bigs this week.

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Gasol
1. Marc Gasol (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3206), Grizzlies
Lost in all of Memphis' early misery has been the play of Gasol. He finishes shots. He grabs defensive rebounds. He hits perimeter shots. And he's the Grizzlies' best team defender. If Memphis is to survive these tough times and ever returns to the playoffs, they will need someone steady like Gasol to do his thing every night.
2. Russell Westbrook (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3468), Thunder
Westbrook still has the upside we all saw last season: He's capable of carrying a team on offense while making play after play on defense. But like all young points trying to learn the position, it's been a roller-coaster ride. In a five-game stretch this season, he amassed a whopping 29 turnovers. Then on Tuesday he killed the Heat with 24 points on 13 shots, seven assists, a steal, a block and just two turnovers in a huge road win. That's the Westbrook we should be seeing more of in the near future.

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Hibbert
3. Roy Hibbert (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3436), Pacers
Hibbert is on the early list for most improved player. For a guy with a nice perimeter shot, he's using his size to pound the paint instead -- he's getting 69 percent of his baskets in the paint. His rebounding numbers are way up, too. And more importantly, he's helping the Pacers win; they've won five of seven games this month with Hibbert scoring in double figures and shooting better than 50 percent shooting in each game. Earlier this week, he had 19 points (on 9-of-11 shooting), 10 rebounds and three blocks against fellow soph Brook Lopez (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3448).
4. Jason Thompson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3462), Kings
Thompson has had some monster games for the resurgent Kings, showing his promise as both a power forward and a center. His activity inside, combined with his size and length, create many opportunities for him as both a scorer and a rebounder. Unfortunately, it also puts him in frequent foul trouble. As he learns to play smarter, the Kings will have a legit starting big man.

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Oden
5. Greg Oden (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3225), Trail Blazers
This big guy's confidence is coming on strong. He's averaging 11 points, eight rebounds and two blocks a game in November, while hitting almost 62 percent of his shots. All in just 24 minutes a game. (It's not his fault the Blazers have the best rebounding center in the league playing behind him.)
He's often been dominant on the defensive end and on the backboards. If he begins to assert himself more on offense, we'll be talking about All-Star Game appearances soon.
6. Brook Lopez (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3448), Nets
Lopez has been solid, improving in a few areas since last season. Unfortunately, he is far from being able to carry a team on his own. At least this injury-plagued team. He's also not shooting well from the perimeter right now -- just 36 percent outside the paint. His shooting skill is what made him such a tough cover last season, when the floor was better spaced with scoring threats around him. As the Nets get healthier, Lopez's numbers should, too.

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Anderson
7. Ryan Anderson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3412), Magic
What a difference a trade makes. Anderson now plays for a team that not only can contend for a title, but employs an offense that fits perfectly with his talents. His 3-point shooting (40 percent) and hustle in the paint allow him to serve as a Rashard Lewis (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=469) clone. He has already had a big impact in many games, and his upside on this team is considerable.
8. Anthony Randolph (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3455), Warriors
Who would have guessed that Randolph, who looked the part of an immature teenager at times last season, would end up being more professional than many of the people around him on his team? Despite the turmoil in Golden State, Randolph has played some excellent basketball. He's third among all power forwards in the NBA in defensive rebound rate, he's hitting 85 percent of his free throws (40-for-47) and he's scoring 12 points a game in just 20 minutes per game. And he just turned 20 this past summer -- he's younger than DeJuan Blair (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3965) by three months and a few months older than Tyreke Evans (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3983) and Brandon Jennings (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3997).

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Fernandez
9. Rudy Fernandez (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3204), Trail Blazers
Some guys take major and obvious steps forward in their second season. Others, such as Fernandez, take incremental but pivotal steps that significantly impact their team. Fernandez is still shooting and making a lot of 3s this season (19-for-47 -- 40 percent), but it's his defense that has people taking notice. Fernandez may well be the Blazers' best perimeter team defender. In other words, their defense may be at its best when he's in the game compared to any other guard or wing.
10. Chris Douglas-Roberts (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3422), Nets
Injuries have opened major minutes for CDR, and he's taken advantage of the opportunity. He's coming off back-to-back career highs (27 and then 31 points) and getting to the free throw line a good deal. More impressively, he pulled down 22 rebounds in those two games combined. Injuries or not, CDR looks to have earned a place in the Nets' rotation.

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Mayo
11. O.J. Mayo (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3450), Grizzlies
It's not his fault his team is crummy, although his overall defensive production hasn't been that good (but I'm not sure he's to blame). Mayo was projected as a guy who was ready to play when he entered the league, and that's been pretty on the mark. His production -- scoring, shooting, trips to the line -- has been pretty much the same as last season. On a better team, we'd hear about him more often.
12. Eric Gordon (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3431), Clippers
Gordon has not played since Nov. 7 due to a groin injury. But he was playing at a fairly high level before then, averaging 18 points and four assists per game, while shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point territory. He has outplayed every guard in this class so far, except maybe Westbrook.

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Gallinari
13. Danilo Gallinari (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3428), Knicks
Since he was drafted, there has been a lot of buzz from Knicks personnel about what a great shooter Gallo is. He's proving them right. He has hit 34 of 72 3s (47 percent) and 22 of 25 free throws (88 percent). He can change a game with that kind of shooting, and already had a game in which he made 8 of 16 3s. However, he's doing little else of impact right now. He's not among the top 50 power forwards in defensive rebound rate. To be worthy of his draft slot, he needs to do more.
14. George Hill (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3438), Spurs
Hill is quietly becoming a very solid NBA player. He has nice range on his shot (10-of-24 from 3 -- 41.7 percent), rarely turns the ball over (just 11 turnovers after 10 games) and, most importantly, plays terrific defense on the ball. He is in San Antonio's regular rotation and is averaging more than 30 minutes a game in November due to Tony Parker's injury.

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Ilyasova
15. Ersan Ilyasova (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=2767), Bucks
Drafted in 2005, this is only his second season playing in the NBA. His feel for the game and coordination at 6-foot-10 give him the ability to be a strong role player in this league. But his 19-point, 12-rebound game against Dallas and his excellent 3-point shooting suggest he may have the potential to be even more.
16. Donte Greene (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3432), Kings
No player has been a more pleasant surprise than Greene, who is playing extremely well in just 13 minutes a game. I've always loved the spirit he brings to games as a benchwarmer, but now he's doing it on the court with his play. He's scoring off the dribble and in transition, and he recently recorded a career-high 24 points on 19 shots against the Bulls. If he stops taking so many 3s and focuses on his game inside 16 feet, he might earn himself a starting spot in Sacramento.

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Chalmers
17. Mario Chalmers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3419), Heat
Chalmers is another guy who has improved slightly since last season, specifically as a shooter. This is great on a Miami team that needs its perimeter players to make shots, of course. Most of his other metrics, however, are down a tad at the moment, though they'll likely improve to last season's levels. Still, he's starting for a playoff contender, playing solid team defense and averaging almost two steals per game.
18. J.J. Hickson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3437), Cavaliers
After barely playing at the start of the season, Hickson exploded last week with games of 18, 20 and 21 points on a combined 23-of-31 shooting. He's starting to figure out how to play next to LeBron and within the offense. By taking fewer perimeter shots, he's giving himself a chance to use his athletic talents and size around the paint. Watch out for him; he's capable of earning a top-10 spot in our rankings by April.

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Rose
19. Derrick Rose (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3456), Bulls
Rose is almost unrecognizable right now. The 2008-09 rookie of the year is worse in almost every statistical category this season, and his ability to blow past defenders is nonexistent. It appears his ankle injury is the reason for the latter, but that doesn't explain his poor shooting mechanics currently on display. He has one of the lowest player efficiency ratings of our top 20.
He does, however, seem completely aware that he has to play better for the Bulls to win consistently. I suspect he will and, thus, will rise up our rankings. His second half against the Lakers on Thursday night was a step in the right direction.
20. Michael Beasley (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3418), Heat
Beasley has been even more disappointing than Rose this season. Like Rose, his numbers have dropped in almost every statistical category, and his perimeter shooting has been awful.
On the plus side, Beasley appears to be making some strides playing team defense. But too many of his classmates have outplayed him thus far, and he's fortunate to even make our top 20. If he pays more attention to the little things and shows more passion in the big things (such as rebounding), he's sure to zoom up this report.
Honorable mention: Marreese Speights (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3460), 76ers
No player in this class was playing at a higher level this season than Speights, who has quietly become one of the best finishing big men in the game. He is the PER leader for all sophs, and outperformed Elton Brand (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=91) early on. Unfortunately, a knee injury (torn MCL) will sideline him for a couple of months.

[spectator]

thanks draft

[urunobili]

appreciated draft :tu

[TimDunkem]

Bad news about Speights. He's a very good role player. He brings a lot of different things to that Sixer team, and fits perfectly. I hope he recovers quickly.

[5in10]

Can someone please post the new article that was on espn today?

[5in10]

and maybe blairs rookie ranking too if possible.

[blkroadrunners]

I forgot Ersan Ilyasova was a sophomore. He's been ballin for the Bucks lately.

[5in10]

Can someone please link the new sophomore rankings?

[Bukefal]

I forgot Ersan Ilyasova was a sophomore. He's been ballin for the Bucks lately.

Yeah, Ilyasova has been great this season.

[dirk4mvp]

OJ at 11 is total horseshit.

[Bukefal]

What about Kevin Love? He is great, one of the best rebounders in the league. Damn, the guy is really underrated.

[timvp]

Sophomore 20: Large and in charge
By David Thorpe
Scouts Inc.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=thorpe_david&page=Sophs-100115

Even though Derrick Rose and a few other second-year guards are playing great ball, the bigs are still the story for this class. So for this Sophomore 20 report, I've ranked the top big men and top guards separately.

For the bigs, there are 10 deserving candidates. For the guards, there is a major dropoff in production after the top 5. Let's take a look.

Top 10 bigs

1. Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
Although he was limited to three straight sub-double-digit scoring games recently, Gasol has been a rock for Memphis all season long. He is averaging almost 15 points and 10 rebounds a game. Bigs who require double-teams on offense but don't normally need help defending the post are a coach's dream. Gasol fits that bill.

The Grizzlies will need him to produce if they want to remain in playoff contention -- he averages 16 points per game in wins and 13 in losses. That's a big swing.

2. Brook Lopez, Nets
Lopez's success last season was no fluke. He's very good. That he's playing for the worst team in the league shouldn't change our opinion of him. Although he's not shooting well from midrange, he's killing people down low and blocking two shots a game.

As the Nets' franchise center, he needs to be the guy who leads the team back to respectability. A tough self-critic, Lopez is sometimes too focused on his own play and not focused enough on his whole team.

3. Kevin Love, Timberwolves
The best rebounding forward in basketball, Love is already a master of positioning. And a few more seasons of leaning out and getting more athletic will serve him well. If someone were to ask me who will have the most rebounds this decade, I'd probably say Love or Dwight Howard.

In addition, Love is a solid paint scorer who is starting to get to the free throw line with more frequency -- this is an important part of his overall development. He has earned a double-double in all but five games this season.

4. Danilo Gallinari, Knicks
Gallo still looks like the best shooter in this class despite his 0-for-7 outing in Oklahoma City on Monday. And like great shooters do, he has been able to bounce back from poor showings with strong performances. Check out what he did after three games in which he missed all of his 3-pointers:

On November 21, he made 3 of 8 shots from deep. On November 29, he made 4 of 5. And on December 17, he roasted the Bulls with 6 3s in 15 attempts.

5. Michael Beasley, Heat
Beasley may have some consistency issues off the court, in terms of focus and work ethic, but not on the court. Look at his monthly totals: In November, he averaged 14.2 ppg and 6.6 rpg; in December, he averaged 17.3 ppg and 6.6 rpg; and through seven games in January, he is averaging at 17.3 ppg and 6.7 rpg. Those are solid numbers for a No. 2 guy on a playoff team.

One of the best young bucket-getters in basketball, he's shooting well from the field, too. If he cuts down his 3-point attempts (16 for 59), he'd be even more effective.

6. Roy Hibbert, Pacers
Hibbert is becoming an important piece on the Pacers, albeit a situational one at times. He's had some terrific games against teams with legitimate big men inside, like his 26 and 8 game against Orlando and his 21 and 7 against Minnesota. But against smaller teams, like Toronto, he barely plays.

Overall, he's been just as productive as last season. And since he's getting nine more minutes a game than he did in his rookie season, his stats are better. But as the Pacers look to the future, it's still not clear if he's more than just an effective role player.

7. Jason Thompson, Kings
Thompson looked like a lock for this year's rook-soph game. However, he is really struggling now, averaging only 8.5 ppg and 7.3 rpg in January. What's worse is that his foul problems have increased -- he's averaging four a game in just 28 minutes.

The Kings thought they had their power forward of the future. But Thompson must fight for his spot going forward; Sacramento will likely be able to land a starting 4 through free agency or the draft if it so chooses.

8. Ersan Ilyasova, Bucks
Ilyasova appears to have hit a wall, averaging just 6 ppg in the new year after scoring 11.9 ppg in each of the season's two previous months. In fact, going back to December 21, he had five different games where he made just one field goal.

Part of his problem is shot selection -- almost half of his shot attempts have been 3s lately; in November and December, 3s accounted for only 35 percent of his overall shots. He's at his best when he's moving and finding shots inside the perimeter, as he's an excellent finisher.

9. Ryan Anderson, Magic
Struggling since Rashard Lewis returned to the lineup, Anderson averaged only 6.8 ppg on 33.3 percent shooting from 3 in December. So, he was benched for two games last week.

The Magic promptly lost at home to Toronto then again at Washington, so Van Gundy put Anderson back into the lineup. He responded by scoring 26 points in the next two games combined, making 4 of his 8 3-point attempts. And the Magic won both games. That is how you earn back rotation minutes.

10. Anthony Randolph, Warriors
Before going down with an ankle injury, if any player deserved more playing time, it was Randolph. Consider that his minutes had gone down to 19 per game this month and that he still averaged almost 12 ppg -- the same as he did with more playing time in November and December. His rebounds per game had been almost exactly the same from month to month as well.

Many young players let the roller coaster of playing time negatively impact their performance, but Randolph has avoided that with smarter shot selection despite the reduction in minutes. He may have some maturity issues behind the scenes, but any GM would be proud of a young player who has remained committed to getting better in an environment as strange as Golden State's.

Top 10 guards

1. Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Westbrook has been a better all-around player this season and it's showing in his stats and in the Thunder's win column. Exactly a year ago, Oklahoma City had a total of six wins. Six. It currently has 21.

The quarterback for his team, Westbrook is as much a reason for the Thunder's success as Scott Brooks or Kevin Durant. His turnover rate (11.1) is down, his assist rate (26.7) is up and he can still score 25-plus points when necessary. If you ever read about the impossibility of teaching a 2-guard to play the point, just revel in what's going on in Oklahoma City.

2. Derrick Rose, Bulls
Ah, normalcy reigns again in this report. After ranking 12th on this list last month, the reigning Rookie of the Year is moving up the charts. He has been the catalyst for the resurgence in Chi-town, scoring 21.3 points a game on 51.4 percent shooting this month -- not an easy feat considering teams still lay in wait for him.

It's hard to balance scoring and setting guys up when you are as explosive off the dribble as Rose is, but he's learning to do just that. And his shot looks smoother, too. He may never see the floor the way Steve Nash, Chris Paul or Deron Williams do, but he sees it well enough to be a fun guy to play with. I like him as a player more now than ever.

3. Eric Gordon, Clippers
Gordon is averaging 17 points per game and has a true shooting percentage of 58.7. Only one other shooting guard in the league is averaging more than 12 points a game with a true shooting percentage that high. Ray Allen, who averages 16.5 points a game and also boasts a 58.7 TS%. That's pretty special company for an undersized shooter like Gordon.

And Gordon is so much more than a shooter. He also gets to the line, where he averages almost four made free throws a game. And he's one of the more dynamic transition players in the NBA, too, as his strong build, combined with his agility and body control, make him very difficult to stop when he pushes the ball. He's still a bit of an "either/or" guy -- he either takes the 3 or drives to the rim -- but it seems only a matter of time before he improves his midrange game.

4. O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
If the 3-point contest were held tonight, Mayo would be the favorite. He's making 54.8 percent from behind the arc since Jan. 1. But the thing I like the most when I watch Mayo now is how invested he seems to be in winning.

Despite all the hype that surrounded him in his rookie season, he doesn't appear to have any obvious issues conceding to the likes of Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay and even Marc Gasol. Mayo could easily be a top-two or top-three option on a number of teams, but he is basically No. 4 in Memphis. Accepting a lesser role has helped turn the Griz into a potential playoff team, and he deserves some credit for it.

5. George Hill, Spurs
Hill is having an outstanding January, combining hot shooting with solid and sometimes spectacular defense. He's shooting 25 of 37 from the field (7 of 12 from 3) this month while playing over 20 minutes a night for a team that's won 12 of its last 16. His accuracy from deep and energy on D make him a perfect role player in San Antonio.

The 26th pick in the 2008 draft, Hill is another example of the Spurs getting great value for their selections.

6. Jerryd Bayless, Blazers
Bayless has been a strong part of Portland's rejuvenated rotation, where he finds way to score from the perimeter, on drives and, of course, from the free throw line. He's taken 124 free throws in 560 minutes, whereas Mayo has only 121 free throw attempts in over 1,400 minutes. If Bayless can develop a consistent shot, his value would jump way up.

7. Mario Chalmers, Heat
In our rookie report last year, we mentioned that even though Chalmers was starting at point guard, he was not playing well enough to guarantee himself that spot in the future. That future arrived last weekend in the form of Rafer Alston, and now Chalmers is battling Carlos Arroyo for the backup spot. He's in the lead now, but that probably will be a race that goes back and forth until April.

8. Chris Douglas-Roberts, Nets
With the strong play of Yi Jianlian, who is getting some of the offense run through him in New Jersey, CDR's numbers have taken a hit.

He's scoring just 10 points a game this month and his three-point outing against Boston on Wednesday marked a season low. He can still get buckets if given a chance, but it appears the Nets see him ultimately as a bench player.

9. Courtney Lee, Nets
Defense is still his strong suit -- he's among the league's top 20 in steals per game and is the Nets' best perimeter shut-down guy. But his offense is improving, too, with better shot selection and a stronger eye for passing. He recently set a career high in points (28) and in 3s made (5), so perhaps he's close to breaking out as a shooter. His current 12.00 PER is also a career high.

10. Anthony Morrow, Warriors
Morrow has seen fewer shots and minutes ever since Stephen Curry started to come on strong. His last 20-plus point game was back on December 2 and his scoring average has dipped below 8 ppg this month.

[Bukefal]

Oh there he is KLove :) Thanks Timvp for posting this article :toast

[5in10]

Thanks timvp!

[dirk4mvp]

1. Russell Westbrook, Thunder
Westbrook has been a better all-around player this season and it's showing in his stats and in the Thunder's win column. Exactly a year ago, Oklahoma City had a total of six wins. Six. It currently has 21.

The quarterback for his team, Westbrook is as much a reason for the Thunder's success as Scott Brooks or Kevin Durant. His turnover rate (11.1) is down, his assist rate (26.7) is up and he can still score 25-plus points when necessary. If you ever read about the impossibility of teaching a 2-guard to play the point, just revel in what's going on in Oklahoma City.

2. Derrick Rose, Bulls
Ah, normalcy reigns again in this report. After ranking 12th on this list last month, the reigning Rookie of the Year is moving up the charts. He has been the catalyst for the resurgence in Chi-town, scoring 21.3 points a game on 51.4 percent shooting this month -- not an easy feat considering teams still lay in wait for him.

It's hard to balance scoring and setting guys up when you are as explosive off the dribble as Rose is, but he's learning to do just that. And his shot looks smoother, too. He may never see the floor the way Steve Nash, Chris Paul or Deron Williams do, but he sees it well enough to be a fun guy to play with. I like him as a player more now than ever.

3. Eric Gordon, Clippers
Gordon is averaging 17 points per game and has a true shooting percentage of 58.7. Only one other shooting guard in the league is averaging more than 12 points a game with a true shooting percentage that high. Ray Allen, who averages 16.5 points a game and also boasts a 58.7 TS%. That's pretty special company for an undersized shooter like Gordon.

And Gordon is so much more than a shooter. He also gets to the line, where he averages almost four made free throws a game. And he's one of the more dynamic transition players in the NBA, too, as his strong build, combined with his agility and body control, make him very difficult to stop when he pushes the ball. He's still a bit of an "either/or" guy -- he either takes the 3 or drives to the rim -- but it seems only a matter of time before he improves his midrange game.

4. O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies
If the 3-point contest were held tonight, Mayo would be the favorite. He's making 54.8 percent from behind the arc since Jan. 1. But the thing I like the most when I watch Mayo now is how invested he seems to be in winning.



The writer just can't do things like that. I guess when Gay's gone next year and Juiceman is averaging 23, he'll be moved up on the 3rd year player's list. Westbrook is good, but he doesn't have the potential to be a #1 scoring option on a team. And Derrick Rose? He's not even the best PG to come out of Memphis in the last 2 years.

[Mel_13]

For the guards, there is a major dropoff in production after the top 5.

1. Russell Westbrook, Thunder

2. Derrick Rose, Bulls

3. Eric Gordon, Clippers

4. O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies

5. George Hill, Spurs
The 26th pick in the 2008 draft, Hill is another example of the Spurs getting great value for their selections.




6. Jerryd Bayless, Blazers

7. Mario Chalmers

8. Chris Douglas-Roberts


George in a group with 4 of the top 7 picks in the 2008 draft. Nice.

[HarlemHeat37]

I can't really disagree with any of the guys ahead of Hill, so good list..what a steal..