We'll start off with the easiest one (in my mind),............
1. Derrick Rose - CHI (18.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 5.6 apg, 46.8 fg%, 38.3 mpg)To me this is heads and shoulders pick for ROY of the year so far. Yes, there have been people that may have scored more (Mayo, Beasley), but this guy is THE main cog for a bad Bulls team. He brings it every night and produces. He's already working on his jumper, and if that becomes a weapon, the sky is the limit for him.
2. Ryan Anderson - NJN (9.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, .6 apg, 56.7 fg%, 16.6 mpg)Anderson has shown, in limited time that those California guys (Leon Powe included) can't be slept on. He has played well and had a career night (yeah, any night is a career night when you're a rookie) against the Hawks with 17 points and 5 boards (4-5 fg, 6-6 free throws, including 3 three pointers).
3. JaVale McGee - WAS (9.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, .2 apg, 53.8 fg%, 19.8 mpg)The Washington Wizards are hurting right now with injuries, but this is giving McGee a chance to play. Many thought he would have been the first person chosen had he had that 'killer' in him and a work ethic to go along. To go along with those stats above he's averaging a little more than a block per game. Brenden Haywood is probably on his way out the door in Washington, so McGee could be the Wizards center of the future.
4. Jason Thompson - SAC (11.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.0 apg, 58.3 fg%, 24.7 mpg)One of the sleepers of the draft, Thompson has delivered for a very bad Sacramento Kings team. He's getting on the floor and he's able to score in the paint but the thing that helps him is his legs. The guy runs the floor like a faster version of Chris Webber. In that up and down style that the Kings play this guy is going to put up his numbers. Good solid rookie who's got some room to grow.
5. Michael Beasley - MIA (16.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.6 apg, 45.7 fg%, 34.2 mpg)In my mind the guy the Bulls should have picked, but that's old news. Right now Beasley is helping the Heat stay above water and respectable. He is able to score inside and outside at will and has even shown that he can play defense at some point in his career. Right now he's getting more playing time with the Matrix out, but they seem to but the same type of player right now. Beasley will continue to put up numbers and I think will definitely move up this list as the season ages.
What are your thoughts? Did NYSTOM leave anyone off this list? Let him know.
