NBA Power Rankings: Final 2011 Report Cards for Blake Griffin and Top 24 Rookies
Now that the NBA Finals are underway, let's go ahead and take a look back at how the latest bunch of rookies performed throughout the 2010-2011 season. Interestingly enough, neither Miami nor Dallas has a single rookie that made this top 24.
Please keep in mind that the grades are given based on multiple criteria. The first is the actual performance of the players, the second is the performance weighed against the opportunity given to the player to succeed and the third is the performance weighed against the expectations placed upon the player when they were selected.
So, with that noted, read on to see the grades doled out to Blake Griffin, John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and the rest of the top 24 rookies from this past year.
Al-Farouq Aminu
1 of 24
Drafted out of Wake Forest by the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 8 pick of the 2010 NBA draft, Al-Farouq Aminu wasn't asked to contribute much during his rookie season.
When it was all said and done, Aminu averaged just 17.9 minutes per game but made those sparing minutes on the floor count. The forward put up 5.6 points, 0.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game in that time.
One disturbing trend though was that Aminu hit his peak in the beginning of the year as November was undoubtedly his best month. He hit the rookie wall rather early and never recovered.
Grade: C+
Eric Bledsoe
2 of 24
Another rookie contributor for the Los Angeles Clippers was Eric Bledsoe.
The young guard was drafted by Oklahoma City at No. 18 but spent his entire season playing home games at the Staples Center. Bledsoe offered very consistent production throughout his first season.
He averaged 6.7 points, 3.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game despite only playing for just under 23 minutes per contest.
Grade: B
Trevor Booker
3 of 24
With a PER of 15.32 on the season, Trevor Booker managed to do a lot with the few minutes he received for the Washington Wizards.
After drafting John Wall with the first overall pick, the Wizards ended up trading for the former Clemson Tiger after the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him with the 23rd pick.
Booker was on the court for more and more time as the season progressed, finally finishing up his inaugural campaign averaging 16.4 minutes per game and making them count for 5.3 points, 0.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game.
But Booker showed what he could do in bulk during the month of March when he averaged 10.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
Grade: A-
Jordan Crawford
4 of 24
Drafted out of Xavier by the Atlanta Hawks at the end of the first round, Jordan Crawford was forced to ride the pine in Atlanta for a while until the Hawks traded him away to Washington, receiving Kirk Hinrich in return.
Crawford exploded once he was given a chance in Washington and averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game, much better than the putrid four points per game he was averaging in Atlanta.
That's what happens though when you increase a talented scorer's minutes from 10.0 per game to 33.3 per game.
The shooting guard also managed to score 39 points in one game and put up a triple-double in another.
Grade: A
DeMarcus Cousins
5 of 24
If it weren't for John Wall and Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins' rookie season would have gotten the attention it deserved.
Cousins was the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft and immediately started out contributing for the Sacramento Kings, who spent the pick on him.
When the season drew to a close, Cousins was one of the few bright spots in Sacramento, averaging 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds per game on the year.
Cousins actually improved after the All-Star break as well and looks to be a double-double lock for the foreseeable future.
Grade: A+
Ed Davis
6 of 24
Ed Davis was viewed as a very raw talent when he declared for the NBA draft out of North Carolina, but the Toronto Raptors like his high upside and selected the power forward with the 13th pick.
Davis, as was to be expected, started out slowly. But then he picked up the pace significantly and now looks as though he'll be one of the key players in Toronto during next year's season.
The former Tar Heel ended up averaging 7.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game but his numbers were much better after the All-Star break than they were before. His most impressive month was the season's final one, when he averaged 12.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
Grade: A-
Christian Eyenga
7 of 24
Even though Christian Eyenga, a shooting guard from Congo, was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 30th pick of the 2009 NBA draft, he decided to play overseas in Spain during the 2009-2010 season, making him a rookie this past year.
Eyenga played in 44 games, starting 18 and averaging just over 21 minutes per contest. In that time, he managed to average 6.9 points, 0.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game.
That said, his production waned as the season went on and it still isn't a certainty that Eyenga will ever have a significant role with the Cavaliers.
Grade: C
Derrick Favors
8 of 24
Derrick Favors was drafted third-overall by the New Jersey Nets but the former Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket made more news with his role in potential Carmelo Anthony trades than anything else, even though they never came to fruition.
Instead, Favors was the key piece in the trade that brought Deron Williams across the country, forcing Favors to go west to Utah.
The production by the power forward was fairly similar on both teams. For New Jersey he averaged 6.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. For Utah he averaged 8.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.
Grade: B
Landry Fields
9 of 24
Landry Fields was the most surprising player of the early season in the discussion for potential Rookie of the Year winners, but he eventually slipped down to a less noticeable role with the New York Knicks.
Fields was drafted at No. 39 by the Knicks but still managed to find his way into the starting lineup quite often en route to averages of 9.7 points, 1.9 assists and 6.4 rebounds per game, numbers that were surely boosted by the presence of Mike D'Antoni on the sidelines.
But it is still important to note that his production slipped consistently as the season dragged on.
Grade: A-
Blake Griffin
10 of 24
What can I even say about this guy?
Blake Griffin, the winner of the Rookie of the Year Award, averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Astoundingly, he only got better and better as the season progressed.
Griffin became an internet sensation, a new potential future MVP candidate and provided countless highlight-reel plays.
He was amazing.
Grade: 100
Manny Harris
11 of 24
I was a huge fan of Manny Harris while he played for the Michigan Wolverines and was rather surprised to see him slip all the way to the undrafted portion of the 2010 draft class.
But Harris surprised everyone when the Cleveland Cavaliers gave him an opportunity to ply his trade. In only 17.3 minutes per game, the guard managed to average 5.9 points, 1.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds per contest.
It will be interesting to see what kind of success he can have with more minutes. In January, Harris received 27.3 minutes per game and responded by scoring double-digits on average.
Grade: B+
Gordon Hayward
12 of 24
Everyone's favorite baby-face Butler Bulldog was drafted in the lottery last year by the Utah Jazz and I think most people expected for him to become a bust.
Gordon Hayward didn't receive too many opportunities at the beginning of the season, but he shined when he was allowed to at the end of the season, scoring 19, 22, 10, nine, 14 and 34 points in his last six games of the season.
Over the course of the year though, all Hayward could muster was 5.4 points, 1.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game.
Grade: C+
Damion James
13 of 24
The former Texas Longhorn was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks at No. 24 but immediately swapped with the New Jersey Nets for Jordan Crawford.
Damion James didn't get too many opportunities during his first season at the game's highest level, playing in just 25 games and starting only nine. Despite not being on the court too often, James still managed to produce in his limited minutes.
The small forward averaged 4.4 points, 0.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Grade: B-
Wesley Johnson
14 of 24
The fourth-overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft swapped Syracuse's orange uniforms for Minnesota's blue ones when he was drafted by the Timberwolves, who had very lofty expectations for him.
Wesley Johnson eventually made it onto the All-Rookie Second Team, but he still had a disappointing season. Despite receiving 26.2 minutes per game, Johnson could only average 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game from the small forward position.
Johnson was very consistent throughout the season and will need to improve if he's going to eventually leave his mark on the league.
Grade: B
Greg Monroe
15 of 24
Hailed as one of the best passing big men to come out of college in quite some time, Greg Monroe levied the hype surrounding him into a top 10 pick when the Detroit Pistons drafted him at No. 7.
The former Georgetown Hoya started off his professional career slowly, but eventually improved and became the fourth best rookie in the draft class, behind Blake Griffin, DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall.
Monroe averaged 9.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game throughout the season, but after the All-Star Break he was putting up 13.7 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists on a nightly basis.
Grade: A-
Gary Neal
16 of 24
Undrafted out of Towson, Gary Neal was barely even expected to make an NBA roster. The San Antonio Spurs decided to take a chance on him and didn't regret their decision for even a single second.
Neal ended up making the All-Rookie First Team while averaging 9.8 points, 1.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game. After the All-Star break though, the point guard averaged over 12 points per contest.
With no expectations to even speak of, it's safe to say that Neal exceeded them.
Grade: A
Patrick Patterson
17 of 24
Well, not every Kentucky Wildcat in the 2010 draft class could have a great rookie season. Eric Bledsoe, John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins stole all the magic from Patrick Patterson.
Drafted by the Houston Rockets with the No. 14 pick, Patterson struggled through his first season in the pros, averaging 6.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game.
The power forward with the all-around game was much better during the season's second half though and should become a contributor for the Rockets next season.
Grade: C+
Samardo Samuels
18 of 24
It was hard to find a picture that actually featured Samardo Samuels in a Cleveland uniform because, well, he just wasn't on the court that often.
After going undrafted out of Louisville, Samuels found a home with the Cavaliers and ended up averaging 18.9 minutes of action in each of the 37 games he played.
With that time, Samuels averaged 7.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game as a power forward. The Jamaican was much more successful after the All-Star break, as were many other rookies.
Grade: B
Larry Sanders
19 of 24
After a successful career at VCU, Larry Sanders was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks one pick after the lottery range drew to a close in 2010.
Sanders ended up turning in a disappointing rookie campaign, averaging just 4.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. While he did block quite a few shots for a power forward, Sanders did not exactly light the world on fire during his first season.
Then again, he was only allowed to play 14.5 minutes per game.
Grade: C
Tiago Splitter
20 of 24
Even though Tiago Splitter received just 12.3 minutes per game, the Brazilian forward managed to make those minutes count, as you can see by his PER of 16.02.
Splitter, who was drafted with the 28th pick of the first round by the San Antonio Spurs, averaged 4.6 points, 0.4 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game, but he was also a solid defensive presence.
He did improve as the season wore on, but only marginally.
Grade: B
Evan Turner
21 of 24
Other than John Wall, Evan Turner was probably the prospect coming out of the 2010 draft that I was most excited to watch. He just seemed to have all the tools necessary to succeed.
But Turner got off to a ridiculously slow start, forcing the Philadelphia 76ers, who used the No. 2 pick on him, to give him drastically less playing time. The shooting guard would rebound though and average 7.2 points, 2.0 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game.
He wasn't a complete bust by any stretch, but Turner was not exactly a successful pick for Philadelphia. Fortunately though, he has time to turn that around.
Grade: C-
Ekpe Udoh
22 of 24
The power forward from Baylor is another player who suffered through a very disappointing rookie season. Ekpe Udoh was drafted by the Golden State Warriors, who immediately brainwashed him into only playing offense, with the sixth pick of the 2010 draft.
Udoh went on to post one of the worst PERs of any rookie: 9.73. He averaged just 4.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game during his first season as a professional.
Sadly enough, Udoh didn't improve too much as the season went on and may end up being a member of the exclusive bust club from the 2010 draft class.
Grade: C-
Greivis Vasquez
23 of 24
The highlight of Greivis Vasquez's season had to be hitting a couple of big shots, if you can even call them that, in the triple-overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder during the playoffs.
Other than that, Memphis' first-round draft pick didn't do much at all. With a PER of just 9.47, Vazquez averaged an unimpressive 3.6 points, 2.2 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game.
He did perform significantly better in the postseason, leading some to call him a potential breakout candidate for the 2011-2012 season, but I guess it won't be too hard to improve upon this past year.
Grade: C-
John Wall
24 of 24
If Blake Griffin didn't exist, John Wall easily would have been the Rookie of the Year.
The immensely talented point guard from Kentucky was drafted first-overall by the Washington Wizards and immediately took the league by storm, imposing his will and ridiculous quickness on hapless defenses.
Wall averaged 16.4 points, 8.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game for the Wizards while improving as the season went on. The former Wildcat was an assist away from a double-double in his debut, swiped the ball from the other team nine times in his home debut and became the third-youngest player to ever record a triple-double, adding six steals and just one turnover in the process.
We all knew he was special and he proved it.
Grade: A+
