Erick Blasco's 2008-2009 Preseason Rookie Report

Since NBA rookies have never played a meaningful game against the supreme competition of the league, it’s always uneasy treading when asked to predict how a rookie will perform.

However, this season’s particular rookie class is packed with talented youngsters who will be asked to perform significant roles for their teams. Let’s examine what we can expect from the best of this year’s rookie crop.

Greg Oden—Portland Trail Blazers

Despite being drafted in 2007, this season will be Oden’s rookie campaign. After needing microfracture surgery last offseason to heal his right knee, Oden was forced to miss the entire 2007-08 season while recuperating.

However, Oden is much more advanced than every other rookie this year. For starters, his body is much more NBA-ready than any other first year player‘s. Already blessed with massive shoulders and tremendous upper-body strength, Oden had the opportunity last year to get involved with Portland’s weight-training regimen, giving him a year of professional body work most rookies don’t have.

Oden also had the chance to observe Portland’s walkthroughs, film sessions, and practices, giving him an entire year of learning how to prepare for games, and what Portland head coach Nate McMillan expects in specific scenarios.

Finally, Oden is simply a special athlete. He has the physicality to be a terrific defender in this league, the strength to be a great rebounder, and the talent to be a capable post scorer sooner rather than later.

All rookies struggle defensively their first season, but the hope is that since Oden will be asked to provide defensively more than offensively, his defensive growth will be accelerated. Even watching film for a year should give him a better understanding of defensive positioning, when to rotate, and how to play help defense. His post offense isn’t refined yet, but he’ll score on dunks, put backs, tip-ins, and the occasional hook or duck-under in the post.

It isn’t out of the question to expect Oden to average a double-double this season with a couple of blocks and assists thrown in. It’s hard to expect him to reach his full potential until later in the season—but given that the Blazers are already stacked with talent across their roster, Oden can focus on being a complementary player and filling defensive, rebounding, and occasional post-scoring niches right off the bat.

Michael Beasley—Miami Heat

Like Oden, Michael Beasley was drafted onto a team that already has star talent. With Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion in Miami, Beasley doesn’t have to burden himself with being Miami’s main scoring option. And since Marion will most likely draw the opposition’s best defensive forward, Beasley will get opportunities to score from the post and off the bounce against lesser defenders.

While Wade and Marion are creative scorers, Miami doesn’t have many other consistent offensive options besides Marcus Banks’ erratic scoring, James Jones’ threes off the bench, and Udonis Haslem playing pick-and-pop. Because of that, Beasley can expect many opportunities to rack up points. He has the talent and is in the right situation to lead all rookies in scoring this year.

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