3035 Rookie Ladder (714 views)

[Face-in]

That's a great smiley

[Lazy Pete]

Final Rankings

1. Gilbert Arenas PG 20 6'3'' 191 B+ B- B- B C A       LR: 1



The software ROTY goes wire to wire on the rookie ladder. His scoring and efficiency make him the breakout star of this rookie class.


2. Zach Randolph C 20 6'9'' 260 B+ C- C B A- A       LR: 2



Neck and neck with Gil for most of the season but always just a little behind. 20 PPG and 12 RPG with that kind of efficiency for a rookie big is rarely seen.


3. Tyson Chandler C 19 7'2'' 245 C C- C- B+ B+ A       LR: 4



My favorite out of a crowded group of D/R bigs this season. Chandler's shot blocking will need some attention, but I think he's a future DPOY candidate.


4. Jason Richardson SG 20 6'6'' 215 B+ B- C B C B       LR: 7



Now that he's scoring a little better, I'm ready to anoint JRich as the best wing in the rookie class. He shot with volume and his defense is strong. Turnovers are a concern though.


5. Shane Battier SF 23 6'8'' 220 B- B+ C B+ B B       LR: 5



His minutes got cut as the season went on and the Bulls tinkered to find a lineup that works. Still, I love what Battier did this season. If his offense can catch up, I will go as far as to say I think he could be the next Stanley Robinson.


6. Rodney White SF 21 6'9'' 238 B+ B C B+ C+ B       LR: 6



Six feels right for Rodney White. His FG% took a nose dive over the last few weeks, although his rebounding improved. With some good TCs he could end up as a top 5 player from this draft.


7. Joe Johnson SG 20 6'7'' 220 B- A- B C+ C A       LR: 8



Idk, pretty similar to the other wings except he shot 3s and FTs better but struggled a lot more on TOs and probably w/ defense. I think he's got good long term prospects still but I was disappointed w/ this rook.


8. Eddie Griffin C 19 6'10'' 220 B C D+ B+ B+ A       LR: Unranked



I can't figure out how Griffin shot so little considering he's got classic scoring big grades. Whether or not that keeps up, one thing is sure: this guy plays D. 3 blocks and 9.3 rebounds in 26 minutes is a huge effort.


9. Pau Gasol PF 21 7'0'' 250 B+ C- C+ A- B+ A       LR: 10



I'm high on Pau's future, but this season showed he's got a lot of work to do. Some highlights: he generated 526 FTs, and his stat line compares favorably w/ Chris Webber's after his rookie season. As has been mentioned before, he really needs some help to his offensive game in SCs and RCs to make sure he lives up to his lofty potential.


10. Eddy Curry C 19 7'1'' 290 B+ C- D B- B+ A       LR: 3



I was high on Curry most of the season, and he still shows tremendous promise as a scoring big. However, with his FG% dipping over the last few sims, it's hard to justify putting him very high. His defense is a real problem that will need to be addressed with some extra help. Eddy and Eddie are a very interesting pair in Denver, as one looks to be all defense and no offense and the other is the opposite.


Previously ranked: Richard Jefferson


Overall impressions of the class:
Arenas and Randolph were in a tier to themselves, as they were the only rookies truly ready for starting slots. I was a little surprised none of the scoring wings had a strong season, but I guess with a class this young it is reasonable to expect their development to take a little longer. This class was as deep as advertised, there were a lot of really deserving rookies that I wasn't able to fit on the ladder this year. My biggest question after this season is how many in this class become stars rather than just starters. If a handful make that leap, this may go down as one of the best classes ever.

[Majic]

[Deleted]

JRich and Battier over White as top wings

[Deleted]

hopefully victorj24 doesn't kill JoJo by trying to turn him into a PG

[gbgalla24]

Well done, Pete. Can't argue with these results.

[Lazy Pete]

This is a fun reread. Dump is a supreme talent evaluator

[IanBoyd]

is JRich still in the league?

[[Account Deleted]]

What a draft class