NBA Rookie of the Year: Who's My Pick?

Derrick Rose (16.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, 3.6 rpg)

Rose was the number-one pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. Being picked so high comes with many expectations and Rose has proven worthy of the selection.

Rose leads a team which has been in the middle of an identity crisis since firing Scott Skiles. This team went from being defensive-minded to being completely incapable of stopping opposing offenses.

Yet Rose allows the Bulls fans to hold their heads high. He is scoring well, he has hit somewhat of a rookie wall but has fared much better than expected, and his assists are off the charts for a rookie as inexperienced as he.

Why Rose will win: Rose will win the ROY award for being the leader the Bulls desperately needed and proving he'll do anything to help them win.

O.J. Mayo (18.9 ppg, 2.9 apg, 4.1 rpg)

Mayo is blossoming as the go-to scorer for a dreadful Memphis Grizzlies team. He's a legitimate threat to score from deep and penetrate with his above-average first step.

The one thing I've begun to notice about Mayo is that lately he's been playing more point guard, and allowing Rudy Gay to score more. I'm sure he'll end the season somewhere around 3.2 apg, which isn't bad for a comboguard.

The knock on Mayo is he does nothing but score, with his stat line looking much more like Richard Hamilton's of the Detroit Pistons than LeBron James', who he was compared to in high school.

Why Mayo will win: Mayo will win if the voters vote for a player who can't be stopped scoring-wise.

Russel; Westbrook (15.8 ppg, 5.1 apg, 4.8 rpg)

Westbrook has been a surprise since stepping into the starting lineup for the Oklahoma City Thunder in every month this year.  His scoring, rebounding, and assists have gone up. He is explosive off the dribble, scoring more on drives than on jump shots. His jump shot is sub-par but he has been known to stick a three or two. He, along with last year's rookies Kevin Durant and Jeff Green, have paved the way for a beautiful next decade for the Thunder.

The knock on Westbrook is that he turns the ball over too much. Through the first two months of the season, he was up around four tpg. He now has it down to 3.3 tpg.

Why Westbrook Wins: He continues to get better with every passing game. He's the only rook with a triple double this season, and has had three 30-point, 10-assist games.

Likely winner: Derrick Rose

My pick if i could vote: Russell Westbrook