The Race for the NBA Rookie Of The Year

Emeka Okafor won the award in 04-05 and posted 15.1 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 1.7 bpg in 73 games playing 35 mpg.

Amare Stoudamire won it in 02-03 posting 13.5 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg in 71 games playing 31 mpg.

I think these are more likely the type of stats we will see from Oden this year except I think the blocks will be higher, 2.5 to 3 bpg is where I feel the big guy will be and I don't think he will score as much.

I also don't think Beasley will get the minutes he needs to win the award. As soon as I read he was being fined for that nonsense in the rookie induction, I just shook my head.

I read reports on how Pat Riley was embarrassed by Chalmers invlolvement, then Mike comes clean much later than he should have.

If anyone doesn't think the rookie Heat coach is being guided by Pat Riley then I would love to live in your optimistic world. Minutes will be harder to come by this year for the Heat new boys.

The Heat line up on the first game will be in my opinion, one of their points (not Chalmers), Wade, Marion, Haslem and probably Blount.

So who's left? Well the trend for RotY winners seems to be minutes, most have played consistently high minutes for bad teams, Durant, Roy, Paul, Okafor and L.B.J. In recent years (hence why the had high picks in the first place). That prompts me to look at Russell Westbrook, Eric Gordon and O.J. Mayo.

Westbrook is a great player and is joining Durant and Green in a young Oklahoma city team. His only competition for the starting job is Earl Watson, a good player, but for a talent like Westbrook is beatable for the starting job.

For a team with no real playoff ambition this guy should get all the burn he needs to put up the kinds of stats to be in the thick of the debate for the best rookie.

Gordon is more of a reach because I don't see him starting. He might be in the sixth man talk coming off the bench because the guy can flat out score! If Ben Gordon can do it so could Eric, plus it would be fun for the first two rookies to win that award to have the same name.

His RotY chances are slimmer as the Clippers have back court scorers all ready. Baron is the starter and will play heavy minutes when healthy and Mobley will most likely be a locker room distraction unless he starts and gets his minutes and shots. Then there's Thornton (whom I think will be an all star in the next year or two) and touches for Kaman and Camby.

I don't think that leaves enough for Gordon to win the award unless someone goes down and he gets a shot. A real possibility on this team which is why I thought of him.

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