Top 5 Sophomores

Jan 12, 2012

Here’s a preview of the top five players going into their sophomore seasons after taking a look at their rookie seasons. Listed are their achievements so far and where we see them headed in the future and where they will improve. First up is arguably one of the most exciting players in the NBA after just one season.

 
 

 
1- Blake Griffin
 
Age: 22
Listed Height: 6’10” (208 cm)
Listed Weight: 210 lbs (114 kg)
College: Oklahoma
Rookie Year Stats: 38MPG | FG: 50.6% | GP/GS: 82/82
22.5ppg | 12.1rpg | 3.8apg | 0.8spg | 0.5bpg | 2.7topg

 
NBA Rookie of the Year 2010-11
NBA All-Star
NBA All-Rookie First Team
NBA Slam Dunk Champion 2011
Best rookie season since Tim Duncan (1997-98) when he averaged 21.1ppg, 11.9rpg, 2.7apg, 2.5bpg

 
Blake. When you hear that name you’ll hear the cracking of rims. You’ll hear the “oohhhhhs” and “aaaahhhs” from basketball fans, and if you’re playing with him then you’re lucky because you have already expected him to do what he does to opponents. If you’re playing against him he’s probably dunking on you.

 
In his first year, Griffin didn’t even look like a rookie. His talent and potential are limitless and he’s nearly unstoppable when he’s coming off the pick and roll or attacking the basket in the post or off the dribble. Griffin dunks the ball into the rim as if it’s his enemy. He viciously overpowers foes on his path down low and throws it down.

 
Griffin is the kind of a player where it’s hard to find gaps in his game. He’s a solid scorer (22ppg – 12th in league in ppg and 10th in total points in the 2010-11 season), a great passer (3.8apg – 2nd among centers and power forwards in the league), a very good rebounder (12.1rpg – 4th in the league in rpg and 3rd in total rebounds last season), an explosive mad dunker (2nd in the league in total dunks with 214 dunks) and also a double-double machine (3rd in double-doubles with 63 – in front of him were only Kevin Love with 64 and Dwight Howard with 66). What’s really amazing about it is that he does it night in and night out with the same energy and approach each game.

 
The combination of strength and athleticism is what Griffin represents. He’s a new breed of big man. It’s like combining Amaré Stoudemire and Karl Malone in one person! One thing that’s for sure is that he’s going to dunk his way through the history books of the NBA.

 

 
2- John Wall
 
Age: 21
Listed Height: 6’4” (193 cm)
Listed Weight: 195 lbs (88 kg)
College: Kentucky
Rookie Year Stats: 37.8MPG | FG: 40.9% | GP/GS: 69/64
16.4ppg | 4.6rpg | 8.3apg | 1.8spg | 0.5bpg | 3.8topg

 
All-Rookie First Team

 
Wall smashed records while playing at Kentucky. Those records ranged from scoring the most points in a season by a UK (University of Kentucky) freshman to the most assists in a season by a UK player. He ended his freshman campaign by being the first UK player to be drafted 1st overall in last year’s NBA draft, when he was drafted by the Wizards.

 
His name was buzzing all over the nation. His records and achievements were piling up day by day, and you have to like his signature dance “The John Wall dance” that spread through the internet and became popular all over the country. He was picked as the most outstanding player in the 2010 Las Vegas Summer League after averaging 23.5ppg, 7.8apg, 4.0rpg and 2.5spg in 32.3mpg.

 
It didn’t take Wall a long time to blend into the NBA. In only his third game he tied a franchise record with nine steals and became the second player in NBA history to get nine assists or more in each of his first three games following only Magic Johnson. Then he dropped the BOMB when he recorded his first triple double against the Rockets on Nov.10 when he scored 19 points and added 13 assists and 10 rebounds to go along with 6 steals and one block in 42 minutes to become the second rookie ever to post a triple-double with at least six steals within his first six games, again joining NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson, who attended the game.

 
Wall was phenomenal at running the offense and setting up his teammates (6th in the league in assists per game with 8.3apg). He’s not just a point guard he’s a PURE one! He can pass like Nash, penetrate like Wade and dunk like Rose. One thing Wall should take care of next season is turning over the ball – he was second in the league behind Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook with 3.8topg.

 
One thing that’s for sure is that the Wizards have an All-Star in the making. You’d better watch out and Wall up because next time Wall hits the court he’ll be a sophomore and ready to perform and amaze yet again.

 

 
3- DeMarcus Cousins
 
Age: 21
Listed Height: 6’11” (211 cm)
Listed Weight: 270 lbs (122 kg)
College: Kentucky
Rookie Year Stats: 28.5MPG | FG: 43.0% | GP/GS: 81/62
14.1ppg | 8.6rpg | 2.5apg | 1.0spg | 0.8bpg | 3.3topg

 
Cousins was picked 5th in last year’s draft by the Sacramento Kings. He’s a big bulky center that always has that bad boy look on his face, and that’s not just his face but also his personality. To cut it short he’s a head case (Just as an example: Coach Paul Westphal was fired immediately when Cousins publicly accused him of not being the right fit for the team, and that he wanted to be traded if Westphal stayed).

 
Last season Cousins played at the power forward position, but now that Dalembert is gone and Chuck Hayes is there, DeMarcus could easily switch to center. With the kind of body and size he has, he’ll surely be effective down low. The only thing that’s holding him back from elevating his game to the next level is his attitude. He’s a good rebounder and a good post player that can knock down mid-range shots or go into the paint and slam in the face of any defender. He has the ability to dominate the paint with his skill set and force the ball in there when needed.

 
Cousins is a very talented player, he’s like a muscled up Zach Randolph with more power in dunking. His maturity remains a concern and if he doesn’t work on it it’ll interfere with his evolution in becoming an All-Star caliber player. If it’s up to me I believe he can be so.

 

 
4- Greg Monroe
 
Age: 21
Listed Height: 6’11” (211 cm)
Listed Weight: 250 lbs (113 kg)
College: Georgetown
Rookie Year Stats: 27.8MPG | FG: 55.1% | GP/GS: 80/48
9.4ppg | 7.3rpg | 1.3apg | 1.2spg | 0.6bpg | 1topg

 
With all the drama that was going on last year in Detroit, Monroe found a way to emerge from a packed but underachieving Piston team that misused the talent of their players. Monroe proved last year that he was a consistent and reliable player on the squad and he showed why he was picked 7th overall in the draft. His game is based under the basket and his shot selection was very good, shooting 55.1% (7th in the league for FG %) from the field. Although he was considered as a forward, he was used as a FC in the Pistons lineup and delivered consistent production in the second half of the season, averaging a double-double in all 25 games after the All-Star break and taking over the starting position in the Pistons lineup.

 
The only bright light in last year’s season for the Pistons was Monroe. He gave hope to a team that’s still looking to find their old swag. Pistons fans, take a deep breath! After drafting point guard Brandon Knight in the 2011 draft your team looks promising.

 

 
5- Landry Fields
 
Age: 23
Listed Height: 6’7” (201 cm)
Listed Weight: 210lbs (95 kg)
College: Stanford
Rookie Year Stats: 31MPG | FG: 49.7% | GP/GS: 82/81
9.7ppg | 6.4rpg | 1.5apg | 1.0spg | 0.2bpg | 1.3topg

 
Fields is by far the steal of last year’s draft class. He was the 39th pick and was drafted by the Knicks. Fields was directly inserted into the starting lineup on opening night and that was enough to show that he was ready for the NBA.

 
He earned his minutes on the floor by going for hustle plays and put back dunks. Fields also rebounded the ball well, leading the league in RPG for guards with 6.4rpg. After the Melo trade, Fields was taken out of the offensive scheme but kept rebounding and scoring when he had the chance to do so. The Knicks should include Fields more on offense in order to click on all cylinders offensively, and one thing that’s for sure is that he’s going to only get better this season.