6 Rookies To Watch When The NBA Season Starts

The NFL lockout has come and gone almost as quickly as summer itself, and fears of there being no season have vanished into thin air. Those fears have now been replaced by excitement over fantasy football, pre-season hype, and Brett Favre chatter. But while the NBA is in the middle of their own lockout, the only thing that NBA fans can do is hope and pray to what ever deity they prefer that the NBA lockout ends quickly. But even though the odds of having a full season are grim, there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel, but we just don't see it. But what is keeping some fans excited and hopeful is the arrival of their recent draft picks. There are 6 rookies that I find to be of particular interest out of the entire draft field. Not that the rookie watch stops at 6, but there are 6 guys who I think are going to be the most watched, scrutinized, and also potentially praised during their rookie campaign.
The first rookie I would like to talk about is the number one pick himself, Kyrie Irving. In 11 games played at Duke, Kyrie Irving averaged 27 minutes, 17.4 points and 4.3 assists per game. Solid numbers for a college freshman. In the point guard obsessed world that we now live in, it only seemed natural for the Cleveland Cavaliers to want to take a chance on a kid who seems to have the knack for being a star point guard in the NBA. They are looking for their own Derrick Rose who can combat the Bulls and push their team into the upper echelons of the NBA.
Many teams have been built around point guards throughout NBA history and have succeeded. Take a look at the Utah Jazz with John Stockton, two Finals appearances back-to-back and consistent playoff appearances. The Los Angeles Lakers with Magic Johnson won 5 titles. The Pistons with Isaiah Thomas won 2 titles back-to-back and made 3 straight finals appearances. The Milwaukee Bucks with Oscar Robertson won their only NBA title. The Seattle Supersonics with Gary Payton reached the finals. These are only some of the teams that benefited from having great point guards. The Cavs don't have an NBA title in their history and they desperately want to change that. A good point guard is a good starting piece towards being a contender.
The reason why Irving is one of the 6 rookies to watch, is because he's the number one overall pick, he's expected to be a franchise player, and yet he's only played a handful of college games. I think of all the rookies entering the NBA, Irving has the most to prove. Nobody really knows how good he really is. Is he legit starter? Is he a legit collegiate player? Was it smart to gamble a number one pick on a college freshman who's only played 11 games? These are questions that he has to answer and the Cavs are going to expect that he proves his value to the rest of the league. Otherwise, the Cavs are going to look really stupid for taking him.

The second rookie to watch is the number two pick the NBA draft, Derrick Williams. The Minnesota Timberwolves picked Derrick Williams because they feel he was the best available player and also the best player in the draft (a belief held by many scouts). In his sophomore year at Arizona, Derrick Williams averaged 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds. He's an athletic and powerful kid at 6 foot 8 and 240 lbs. The Cleveland Cavaliers toyed with the idea of taking him, but they went with the 6'2 180 lb Irving. Derrick Williams was saying that he was the best player in the draft and also that he's going to be a Star in the NBA. If so, this could make the Wolves very happy and save David Kahn's butt from getting fired.
The Wolves are in need of another Star player, but headcase and fellow phenom Michael Beasley plays the same position and has a similar game to Derrick Williams. How they are going to co-exist could be a challenge. But if Williams lives up to the hype, then he'll be worth the challenge. Wolves also are going to have Spanish Basketball sensation Ricky Rubio, who is drawing more attention for his pathetic numbers over seas then his flashy style of play. Rubio looks like the Dmitri Martin of the NBA, and that's not a good thing. But while Rubio isn't one of the 6 rookies to watch, he is going to affect how Derrick Williams plays and could be key in D-Will's development.
The reason Williams is on this list is simple. He's the number two pick, and he claims he's going to be a franchise player. He looks like he's got the game, now lets see if he can back up his claim.

The third rookie to watch is yes, the number 3 pick in the draft, Enes Kanter of Turkey. The 6 foot 11 inch Turk drafted by the Utah Jazz is a force to be reckoned with, and could solve the Utah Jazz problems down low. He was unable to play at Kentucky last season, and so a lot of us didn't get to really see what he could do. But he's got an impressive body frame, and plays very physical down low. The Jazz believe that he's another Karl Malone in the making but only bigger. He can also stretch the floor and score in a variety of ways. His association with Utah Jazz Center and fellow countryman Mehmet Okur should make his transition to Salt Lake City easier, and he's got a solid young crew of guys around him to help him have a productive season. He's in the best position of all rookies, because he's not expected to deliver right away. The Jazz will be patient with him like they have been with Gordon Hayward who started to blossom towards the end of the year.
The reason to watch Enes Kanter is because we don't really know what he's about. We have heard all these glowing things about his game and seen footage of the Nike Hoop Summit Game, but we don't know for sure if he's the real deal. The knees are also a concern, and seeing how healthy he can be during a full rugged 82 game schedule will be key to watch.

The fourth rookie to watch is Kemba Walker, the point guard of UCONN. The Charlotte Bobcats got a kid in Kemba who is tough, gritty, and great in the clutch. A great offensive weapon, and a warrior. He lead his team to the national championship of the final four, and also the Big East Tournament crown as well. He has the make up of a superstar in his personality and style of play. He's not afraid to hit the big shots, and take over the game if needed. He averaged 23.5 points and 4.5 assists in his Junior year at UCONN. He's got the ability to put the ball in the hole and to come through in crunch time.
The reason to watch Kemba Walker is because he's only 6'1 and only weighs 172 lbs. He's a small kid, and whether or not his size will restrict him is a big question. The Bobcats either got a steal or a bust with this pick. We're gonna have to see whether or not he's going to be a star, a role player, or a bust. Time will tell, and that may take a few years to determine.

The 5th rookie to watch is Kawhi Leonard of San Diego State, drafted by the Indiana Pacers, but traded to the San Antonio Spurs for George Hill. Everybody was flummoxed over the trade, and many were scratching their heads after the deal was made. The Spurs had found a diamond in the rough in George Hill, who seems to have the make up of a star PG in the NBA. Perhaps dealing an aging Tony Parker or Manu Ginobli would have made more sense. But alas, the Spurs dealt Hill to get Kawhi Leonard. Now the benefit of Leonard is his versatility. He can score, play some defense, and is a long and athletic young man. Perhaps the most athletic player in the draft. He has the feel of Tayshaun Prince or Andrei Kirilenko minus the heavy shot blocking. Long and athletic, this kid surely has the body frame and make up of a very skilled and talented small forward.
The real reason to watch Kawhi Leonard is too see if the Spurs out fooled everybody again. The Spurs are a smart, crafty, and solid organization. They don't make very many bad decisions. Everybody tends to lean towards giving the Spurs the benefit of the doubt on the trade, but it's really a leap of faith for some people. Especially since the Spurs liked Hill so much.

The 6th and final Rookie to watch is Bismack Biyombo, drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats. Bismack Biyombo has the physical tools to be a great player in the NBA, and the Bobcats may have found a real treasure in this kid. Oh wait, did I say Bismack Biyombo? Sorry, I meant Jimmer Freddette of Brigham Young University!! Haha! For all my fellow BYU friends out there, I hope you were thinking "How did he forget about Jimmer?!!?". Of course I didn't forget about Jimmer Fredette, the most electrifying player in college hoops last year. "Where in the gym could Jimmer not hit from?" seemed to be the question as Jimmer would drill long three point shots way beyond NBA range like he was hitting free throws. Jimmer's shooting range is unreal, and frightening to watch. It's like you throw Reggie Miller into the body of smaller white kid and give him springs like a jack rabbit. That's what Jimmer Fredette is. Reggie Miller trapped in the body of a smaller white kid fused with Jack Rabbit DNA. It's scary. He can create his own shot from anywhere on the floor, and he also is clutch in the big moments like Kemba Walker. He isn't afraid to hit the big shot or take the game winner. He has a lot of confidence and really has the mental fortitude to be a star. The only concern is his lack of defense. The way people "Defend" the "No Defense" argument is that he had to expound so much energy on offense to help his team. I can buy that for now, but I wanna see some defense in the NBA out of this kid soon. Overall, I expect him to make the Sacramento Kings very happy.
The reason to watch Jimmer is because he's an exciting player to watch. I guarantee he will have his own mixtape at the end of his rookie year. Will he prove his doubters wrong? Will the Kings be the big winners of the draft when all is said and done? Only time will tell after the Lockout ends.

US Open Tennis Preview: Which is better? A 3 Horse Race On The Men's Side Or A Wide Open Field On The Women's Side?

The US Open for Tennis starts in only a few weeks starting at the End of August going 2 weeks ending in early September. While both the Men and Women draws seem likely to be interesting tournaments filled with great tennis, the competitive nature of both couldn't be more different. On the Men's side, it's a 3 horse chase, featuring Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Roger Federer. The Women's Side has a completely wide open field with Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Serena Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Vera Zvonareva, Caroline Wozniaki, Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters, and many other talented young players chasing after the US Open title like it's anyone's to take.
There is no real favorite on the Women's side, while on the Men's side, Novak Djokovic is heavily favored to take the US Open crown back to Serbia. This polarizing effect of Men's tennis being limited to three contenders and Women's tennis being limited to nobody (even Wild Cards seem to have a shot now) makes watching both sides of the Men and Women very different experiences.
The Men seem to be following the same trend. Federer has an intense fight with either Nadal or Djokovic in one semi-final, and Andy Murray is on cruise control until he gets mauled in the other Semi-Final match by Nadal or Djokovic. It's that simple. Your final consisting of the winner of the Federer match, and whoever got the blessing to publicly humiliate Andy Murray. It's that simple. So, you know your going to get a final consisting of 2 of 3 people. Rafal Nadal, Novak Djokovic, or Roger Federer. All of which make great matches, but still nonetheless repetitive from one final to the next. I must say, that this is an improvement from the days when it was just Federer, and no challenger at all. At least now there's 3 instead of 1 contender like it used to be. But I can basically assure you, that the winner of the US Open will be Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, or Rafael Nadal. I can guarantee you that.
As far as the Women are concerned, I have no idea what in heaven's name is going to happen. Will Kim Clijsters repeat as US Open Champ? Will Serena Williams steal the crown back from her? Will Maria Sharapova come out of her slump and will another grand slam? Will Li Na have one final hurrah? Will Caroline Wozniaki break through? Will Ana Ivanovic, Vera Zvonareva, or Andrea Petkovic take the title? Or will somebody else entirely win it like Petra Kvitova won Wimbledon this year? Will a complete stranger like Sabine Lisicki come out of nowhere and reach a semi-final or win the whole title as a Wild Card? Any of the above or more are possible on the Women's side, which makes it a very interesting and compelling tournament, because it could go any number of directions.
So, I've just made it sound like the Women's side is better to watch because it's less predictable, more unstable, and more dramatic because you have no idea what will happen. But there is a drawback in the Women's game that the Men's game doesn't have. That would be star power. While the Men lack unpredictability and drama from that standpoint, they do have definitive stars. Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer are all stars, and even Andy Murray has become a lovable loser and star in his own right. People know who they are going to watch, and they love it. The fans love having stars to watch, and knowing that in the finals they are going to see two recognizable stars, who are superstars in the sporting world. That's a benefit. Not only for the fans, but also for the value of the sport from a monetary perspective. Stars sell tickets, and make money for the sport. Ticket prices for a Novak Djokovic/Rafa Nadal final or a Rafa Nadal/Roger Federer Final will sell better than a Juan Martin-Del Potro/Robin Soderling Final. Especially in the US, where stars are wanted. This really makes Men's Tennis better on the Final Weekend from a certain view. The Finals are often more exciting because they have bigger names. Women's tennis may have more surprises, but as of late they've had less stars.
Women's tennis can still get stars tho. They also have more options to go with. A Sharapova/Clijsters final would be nice. An All Williams Final would be great too. A Williams/Sharapova match would work. As would any final involving the number one ranked Caroline Wozniaki. The Women have more options in the star department, which helps, but the problem is, they aren't certain if they will get those stars or not. Li Na and Francesca Schiavone are nice players and all, but they're not really STARS. Vera Zvonareva and Ana Ivanovic are both really good as well, but they are less recognizable. The Women have more potential star matchups in the final for the US Open, but also a lot higher chance of seeing a final that lacks star power. That's a concern for Women's tennis. Nobody wants to be the front runner, favorite, or target. Everybody is sort of on the same level, all equally likely to win, but none really standing out.
The Men have 3 guys who are the front runners who all have massive targets on their backs. This makes things exciting when they get beaten, and when they face each other. They've embraced this role, and they all live up to the pressures that follow for having that target on their backs. The rest of the Men are fighting for a Semi-Final appearance. Even that seems to be locked in as belonging to Andy Murray. The Men are too predictable and the Women are too unpredictable. I can't think of a time when it's been more polarizing than it is now.
So at the end of the day, which is better? I personally lean towards the Women's side, since I like watching competition that I don't know the outcome of. For me, it makes it more interesting to genuinely not know what will happen. The NBA and MLB have been too predictable over the years, and I like the fact that Women's tennis is so unpredictable, much like the NFL. However, I think both sides could become more like the other. The Men could have a few more challengers, and the Women could have a few more heavy weights. Perhaps some of these top ranked Women could be more consistent, and perhaps some of these higher ranked Men like Soderling and Murray and Monfils could give Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic more of a run for their money. But until that happens, or if that happens. We have to live with what the US Open will give us this year. Things won't change overnight. So, until something changes, lets enjoy both the US Open Men and US Open Women for the benefits that they bring and now that no matter what happens, we are in for some incredible tennis!