Wednesday, January 28th, 2009 at 2:48 pm  |  177 responses

Rookie Challenge Rosters Announced

by Ryne Nelson

Being one of the deepest and most talented classes in recent history has its setbacks. Undoubtedly, there were some tough snubs in this rookie-sophomore match, mostly from the Class of 2008. While every player named to the Rookie Team is deserving, good cases could be made for Kevin Love, Mario Chalmers, D.J. Augustin, Jason Thompson and Marreese Speights. The rookies may be stacked, but they have history to deal with–Sophomores hold a 7-2 advantage over the first-year players.

Catch the game Sat., Feb. 14 at 9 p.m. ET.

ROOKIE TEAM ROSTER
Player Team
Michael Beasley Miami
Rudy Fernandez Portland
Marc Gasol Memphis
Eric Gordon L.A. Clippers
Brook Lopez New Jersey
O.J. Mayo Memphis
Greg Oden Portland
Derrick Rose Chicago
Russell Westbrook Oklahoma City

Head Coach – TBD
Assistant Coach – Dwyane Wade

SOPHOMORE TEAM ROSTER
Player Team
Aaron Brooks Houston
Wilson Chandler New York
Kevin Durant Oklahoma City
Jeff Green Oklahoma City
Al Horford Atlanta
Luis Scola Houston
Al Thornton L.A. Clippers
Rodney Stuckey Detroit
Thaddeus Young Philadelphia

Head Coach – TBD
Assistant Coach – Dwight Howard

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  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    TAD, I did watch him play in college. In fact, I saw a few HS games films of him- He went to Kentwood HS (Josh Smith currently goes there). I’m not saying he can’t fill it up. I am saying he can’t drop 40 points on Derrick Rose or Rudy Fernandez. Period. Also, I agree with killianc14 about B-Easy going off in this game- The pace suits his skill set very well (If you need further reference check the Elite 24 game when he destroyed it).

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    I see Durant dropping 40 pretty easily. Who is going to guard him? Rudy? All the other rookie SGs are like 6’4″ at best(Rose, Gordon, Mayo, Westbrook) Durant will just raise up. But the Rooks will have a chance if they shoot the lights out. They do have a bunch of scoring guards and a couple of lightning-quick PGs. I still think the Sophs win it going away.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Beasley could go off, but the Sophs have a ton of uber-atheletic 3/4s (Jeff Green,Thad Young, Al Thornton, or even Wilson Chandler) that could potentailly make life very difficult for him.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    I think this game IS going to be better than the ASG.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Love, Chalmers and Augustin would deserve to be on a rookie all-star squad… but who do you take off?! Maybe Love over Gasol, but that would still be a stretch. And over what guards do you take Chalmers or Augustin?

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    Um, Fernandez and Rose are not exactly known for defense. I would have took it more serious if you said Westbrook. He is the Rooks best perimeter defender.

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    no I know TAD, I just dont see Westbrook guarding Stuckey- I see Westbrook manning up Jeff Green or maybe even Durant. Yeah, it’d be a size disadvantage, but athletically it fits.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    ^ Which is why Durant and Stuckey will torch them.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Jeff Green is 6’9″ and so is Durant. Westbrook on either guy is not a good idea.

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    I don’t think Stuckey will torch them, I do think Durant will. I just don’t see Stuckey making the attempt to assert himself THAT much offensively from a shooting standpoint. Not with the way he’s played in Detroit, his game is more even keeled than the days in Eastern Washington and Kentwood High..

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Actually, I’m not sure anyone will be playing much defense in this one. 150 to 140 could happen, and the rooks will definitely have a chance in a scoring fest.

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    Either way, i’m actually more excited about this game then the actual All Star game.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    But thats just it. Stuckey is playing more conservatively BECAUSE he’s in detroit, in that ofense with established guys around him. I can see him deferring to KD, but the Sophs will need Stuckey to score. The Sophmores have a huge frontcourt advantage though.

  • http://slamonline.com Tzvi T

    Not sure that Gasol belongs ahead of some of the people that were omitted. I guess that’s the globalization of the game for ya. The NBA is trying to appeal to an international crowd. If they just wanted National fans Chalmers would be up there (or Love).

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    So am I TAD.

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com nbk

    The game is going to be a dunkfest like every year. It will not be competitive until the last 2 minutes if it is even close, which it probably wont be. One team might score 150 points

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    Idk Tzvi, I just don’t think Kevin Love deserves to be ahead of Gasol outside of the fact that he’s the big man version of the American “great-white-hope” and ESPN desperately wants him to succeed.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Unless Beasley plays the entire game, the Rooks are going to have to play 2 of these guys at the same time: Oden, Brook Lopez, Marc Gasol. Not great in a super fast paced matchup.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Gasol has had a better seasopn than Kev Love, he has played a lot more minutes though.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    I’ll be interested to see if these guys take this game as seriously as we already are… :)

  • miggy

    ROOKIES BY FIVE.

  • mr. carter

    WHERE IS JOEY DORSEY!!!!

  • mr. carter

    (just kidding)

  • Julius J. Hornswaggle IV

    K-Love deserves to be on the list. “Just a month ago, many experts were bashing the Wolves for the Mayo-Love trade. I, too, admitted that it looked like a big mistake, even though I loved the deal on draft night. The thing is, we forgot how long the season is and how special a player Love is. What Love has really shown lately is his incredible combination of skill and size, and his feel for the game — he’s often in the perfect position to make a play. He’s now No. 2 in Player Efficiency Rating for rookies and is tops in all three rebounding metrics (offensive, defensive and total rebound rate). That’s impressive, considering his poor start. (David Thorpe – ESPN – 1.29.2009)

  • Wiz

    WHERE THE HELL IS NICK YOUNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Wow! All 3 rebounding metrics!!!

  • http://www.shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    Actually, Nick Young should be there over Aaron Brooks. Good call Wiz.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    I thought about Nick Young as well(instead of Aaron Brooks), but that would’ve left Stuckey as the only PG. I dont understand why there’s only 9 spots on these teams. Seems like it should atleast be 10.

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    I hate the PER. I really do. ESPN has partially ruined basketball with that ANNOYING stat.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    PER can be useful, but it obviously over values players who are productive in limited roles.

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    exactly. which is why I don’t like that PER is the best stat ESPN touts.

  • http://www.alllooksame.com Tarzan Cooper

    the sophs will destroy, they have thornton, horford, green, thad, and scola. blowout!

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    but the rookies have the oscar nominee for best actor in the movie benjamin button

  • doi

    isn’t al horford injured?
    who should be his replacement if he doesn’t play.
    carl landry maybe?

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com nbk

    PER should only be used when comparing MVP candidates. Or players who play over 25 minutes a night.

  • Julius J. Hornswaggle IV

    Boys, “tops in all three rebounding metrics…is not based on PER.” K-Love even leads in raw numbers despite playing less ticks. Conversely, “Mayo’s shooting only 32 percent from 3 this month, down from 39 percent in December and 42 percent in November.” – Thorpe

  • SCHW

    I do not want to read every comment but just this question: Dont you think that this is the year that rookies are the favourites to win this thing? And my thought on the pick: nobody that was picked should be left out but that does not mean some of them should be let in… if there would be a 12 man roster…

  • Julius J. Hornswaggle IV

    Like I said, K-Love could use the rest, but he is deserving…

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Also, is that a David Thorpe quote from the future?! (tommorrow is 1.29.2009)

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    Julius, that’s all fine and dandy, but Love still isn’t playing better overall than OJ. And if we get off statistics, you can watch a game and see that Kevin Love doesn’t have the same impact in the game positively for his team that OJ does. And if we make the argument for even Big men that some people think K-Love needs to supplant in this rookie challenge, I don’t think he gives the same impact for his team that Gasol does or Oden, and I’m not some huge Oden fan.

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    also Julius if everything were based off simple stats in basketball, Zach Randolph would be considered one of the top players in the LEAGUE. He’s averaging 20 and 10 for the past few seasons. Also, Michael Redd would be considered better than Ray Allen- statistically in PPG he gets more, but we all know Ray is a better basketball player. Stats can help you out, but they don’t make you the player. Intangibles, as well as just PLAYING the game make you the player

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Kev Love could be a nice player in a year or two but his FG% is still pretty awful,(43.8%) especially for a guy who is supposedly so “efficient”, and he’s really not a great defender either.

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    co-sign ciolkstar. co siiiign

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Here’s a question: should I start Rondo (vs Sac)or Eric Gordon (vs Chi) tonight? Gordon had an off night in his last game but should bounce back, and I think I’m sensing another Celtic blowout. Which, I guess, could be good or bad for Rondo’s prospects.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    ^ sorry for the fantasy nonsense. But I’m really torn.

  • Jared Smith

    I agree, no Oden for sure

  • http://www.ballislife.com Justin Walsh

    from a fantasy standpoint, I see Gordon doing WELLLLL tonight against Chitown.

  • http://allday-fadeaway.blogspot.com nbk

    what matters more in your league, points and 3′s or assists and steals?

  • Julius J. Hornswaggle IV

    Justin, you are absolutely wrong. I have NBA League Pass. I watch the Griz, Wolves, and just about every other team. Don’t get me wrong, OJ is a very good player. But his numbers are falling while K-Love’s are going up: in pts, field goal percentage, and rebounds. For all the non-sense about K-Love’s lack of size, he exceeds Brooks Lopez in rebounds (the next highest) even though Lopez plays 7 more minutes per game.

  • http://ittakesanationofmillionstoholdthissac.blogspot.com ciolkstar

    Well, this week I’m way ahead in stls and assists, barely ahead in points and trailing slightly in 3s. I’m just worried Rondo won’t play big minutes in Sactown. Also, I know Granger cut his finger pretty badly last night, anyon know about his statuas for tonight? If he’s out, then I can play both Rondo and Gordon.

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