Hoopsworld.com’s Alex Kennedy takes a look at the upcoming NBA season and looks at the Rookie of the Year race.
Of course, to no Kentucky fan’s surprise, Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are 2 of the guys in the running for the award.
[QUOTE]
[B]Anthony Davis, New Orleans Hornets[/B][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Verdana] – Davis didn’t participate in the Las Vegas Summer League because he replaced Blake Griffin on Team USA. While Davis missed the chance to suit up alongside fellow Hornets rookie Austin Rivers in Las Vegas, but he’s currently in London receiving the best NBA prep course imaginable. He’s learning from the league’s elite players and the Olympic experience will certainly give him an edge over his peers. Even though Davis is one of the youngest players in this draft class, he’s NBA-ready and will have every opportunity succeed from day one in New Orleans. He’ll enter the season as a starter and will be a focal point of the Hornets’ attack. Davis didn’t have any trouble during his first year in college, and he’ll receive the minutes and touches to have similar success during his rookie season in the NBA. At this point, he’s the frontrunner to win the Rookie of the Year award.
[/FONT][/COLOR][B]Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Charlotte Bobcats[/B][COLOR=#000000][FONT=Verdana] – When the Bobcats selected Kidd-Gilchrist with the second overall pick, many people were surprised. Throughout the pre-draft process, Kidd-Gilchrist was labeled as a great second option, but talent evaluators weren’t sure if he would ever be a franchise player. In Las Vegas, Kidd-Gilchrist turned heads and silenced many of his critics. While he was only able to play in one game before a knee injury sidelined him, he was outstanding in his debut, finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals. He and Kemba Walker formed an excellent one-two punch and he was able to get out in transition, where he thrives. Similar to Davis and Lillard, Kidd-Gilchrist will play big minutes from day one. One of the benefits of playing for a rebuilding team like the Bobcats is that he’ll get plenty of touches and have the opportunity to play a big role right away. If Charlotte is able to make a significant improvement and Kidd-Gilchrist fills the stat sheet, he’ll be a legitimate candidate.
[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]
[URL=”http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-pm-the-2012-rookie-of-the-year-race/”]Read Entire Article[/URL]
I don’t think anyone can argue that Davis is the frontrunner and I think that is just based on his defensive prowess.
Getting to play with the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler will surely improve his defensive more.
Scary.
