All Rookie Team

[Lurker]

I agree with Thorpe's picks and he summarizes the discussion for each player well.  Hard to pick anyone else for the top 5 based on this year's performance.


Here is the all-rookie team as picked by ESPN's "expert" on rookies, David Thorpe:

First team

G: Brandon Jennings, Bucks
Jennings' ability to quarterback the Bucks has probably been one of the five most surprising storylines of the entire NBA season. While it was obvious in summer league that he had talent and was fun to play with, running a team coached by Scott Skiles would be a much tougher assignment. But Jennings has been up to the task from day one, and the future of this franchise looks brighter because of him.

G: Stephen Curry, Warriors
Memo to all of the NBA scouts who strongly suggested Curry could not be a point guard in this league: That's a swing and a miss. He projects to be a special player with the ball in his hands. That he can play off the ball as well only adds to his value. Although his puffed-up statistics are partly due to Golden State's style of play, make no mistake that Curry would be excellent playing in any system.

G: Tyreke Evans, Kings
It's still unknown what his best position will be going forward, but he proved that he'll be a huge scoring presence in this league from any of the guard or wing spots. I'm especially impressed with his rebounding talent; the ball doesn't just find him, he goes and gets it. And like with Curry, it helps the team's draft options when its best player can play on or off the ball.

F: DeJuan Blair, Spurs
He broke into the rotation for a top-level NBA team. Averaged 7.6 points and six rebounds in just 18 minutes a game. Shot 55.8 percent from the field despite being smaller than most other power forwards. Put up 28 and 21 in Oklahoma City. Played in every game this season on ACL-less knees. And made far more fundamental plays on defense than almost any other rookie. Pretty amazing accomplishments.

F: Taj Gibson, Bulls
The winner for "best draft pick" goes to the Chicago Bulls for their selection of Taj Gibson. There were better players taken later, like Marcus Thornton, but Gibson went higher than anyone expected and was the right call for the Bulls. He's been a perfect fit, both in temperament and play. And the great thing about him is that he has the game and mindset to be an effective player off the bench if the Bulls acquire a great power forward this summer.

His second team is:

Lawson (nuggets)
Collison (hornets)
Thornton (hornets)
Ibaka (thunder)
Jerebko (pistons)

[westkoast]

I agree his list is pretty good.

[Reality]

F: DeJuan Blair, Spurs
He broke into the rotation for a top-level NBA team. Averaged 7.6 points and six rebounds in just 18 minutes a game. Shot 55.8 percent from the field despite being smaller than most other power forwards. Put up 28 and 21 in Oklahoma City. Played in every game this season on ACL-less knees. And made far more fundamental plays on defense than almost any other rookie. Pretty amazing accomplishments.

don't forget 27 and 23 vs MN also.

Lurker, again could you use those accounting skills to tell us (particularly Vancil) when was the last time a rookie did 20/20 in the same season. 
(All the moreso impressive when you figure Blair only got 30+ minutes about 9 games due to Popazit).