It's a young season thus far, but already, some of the NBA's newest talents have begun to draws 'oohs' and 'aahs' and raise a few eyebrows.
Latinos Post ranks the Top 5 NBA Rookies after the first week of the NBA Season:
1. Damian Lillard, Point Guard, Portland Trail Blazers
The kid picked No.6 out of Weber State is ranked No. 1 with a bullet after averaging 19.3 points per game and 8.0 assists in his last four games. Against future Hall of Famer Steve Nash-in his first-ever regular season game-Lillard's 23 points and 11 assists were a key reason as to why the Blazers powered to a 116-106 win against a talent-laden Lakers squad.
How did he follow that up? He scored 21 points and 7 assists against All-Star counterpart Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder, and 20 points and 9 assists against Jeremy Lin and the Houston Rockets. He has poise, he has playmaking ability, and he has the skills that have a panel of ESPN bloggers calling him the best rookie in the league during the first week.
We'd be hard pressed to disagree.
2. Anthony Davis, forward/center, New Orleans Hornets
He's only played one full game, but oh, what a game it was. Against the San Antonio Spurs on Halloween Night, the newest Hornet scored 21 points, grabbed 7 rebounds and blocked a shot as he held his own against four-time world champion Tim Duncan and a veteran Spurs cast. Though the Hornets lost a thriller, 99-95, Davis sure left an impression. Currently, he is out after suffering a concussion in last Friday's game against Utah, but with the little taste of his skills that he has left Hornets fans with, New Orleans is no doubt clamoring for his return.
3. Dion Waiters, guard, Cleveland Cavaliers
As if the explosive Kyrie Irving, last year's Rookie of the Year, wasn't enough for Cleveland opponents to fear, here comes the 6'4" and 215 pound Waiters, whose production has been steadily increasing with each game, averaging 16.3 points inn the last 4 Cavs games. The most noteworthy, without question, was his Monday game against Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers, where Waiters scored 28 points to power the Cavaliers to a 108-101 win. If Waiters continues this kind of production alongside Irving, Cleveland might have one of the best backcourt tandems in the East for years to come.
4. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, forward, Charlotte Bobcats
After struggling in Friday's 90-89 win against a tough Indiana Pacers squad-scoring only 2 points- Kidd-Gilchrist rebounded with a strong performance against Dallas on Saturday, scoring 13 points with 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a block. So far, the Kentucky Wildcats college standout is only averaging 7.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in his first two games, but if the game against Dallas was any indication of what's to come, Charlotte may have found a vital piece to build around that they lack desperately.
5. Kyle Singler, forward, Detroit Pistons
The 0-3 Pistons might be struggling, but new rookie Singler is not. In fact, Singler has been an unexpected surprise in the last three games for the Pistons, averaging 8.7 points and 3 rebounds. Against the Lakers on Sunday, Singler had a solid 11 point, 5 rebound showing, despite the Pistons getting blown out 108-79. At 6'8" and 230 pounds, Singler adds a big, young body to Detroit's front line. Granted, he may not be the answer for all their woes, but with time and effort, he could become part of the answer.
For more information on NBA rookies, visit the NBA's official website.
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