2008-09 NBA Rookie of the Year Candidates

Taking a look at the talented draft class, it's easy to see that their are several candidates who could be viewed as solid Rookie of the Year considerations. This draft class also included several players who we should expect to be key contributors on their teams this season. However, much of a rookie's first-year success depends on the situation he lands in. Let's take a look at the possible front-runners for the 2008-2009 ROY award.

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls - The number one pick in the draft, Chicago's Derrick Rose seems poised to take over the helm for the Bulls. Rose is lightning quick, has good size for a point, and has great athletic ability. This combined with his stellar court vision had people comparing him to a Dwyane Wade/Jason Kidd hybrid. Rose was able to lead the Memphis Tigers to the national championship game as a freshman. The Bulls clearly need to head in a new direction, and I think Rose will be their best bet at the point this season. But if Rose's limited Summer League appearances are any indication, it could be a rough transition (Rose shot 5-17 in SL over 2 games). Rose's progress will likely hinge somewhat on how the Kirk Hinrich and Ben Gordon situations play out. But even in the unlikely event that they both return, Rose should be able to co-exist with both of them and earn enough time to be productive.

Michael Beasley, Miami Heat - Certainly one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the draft, Beasley tore up the college ranks last year posting a ridiculous 26 ppg and 12 rpg as a freshman. At 6'8" and 240 lbs, Beasely is a bit of a positional tweener, but he will likely be playing power forward for the Heat this season. Beasley is a strong lefty with a sweet midrange shot, and should be a nice scoring option for the Heat alongside Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion. Along with Marion, the Heat do have some depth in the frontcourt with Udonis Haslem and James Jones, but I would still expect the Heat to find a way to get Beasley 30+ mpg. Beasley had an up and down summer league experience, but he ended up averaging 19 ppg and 7 rpg in five games, despite shooting poorly (38%) and being turnover prone (17).

Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers - Oden is undoubtedly one of the most heralded and hyped up rookies ever in the NBA. Coming into the 2007 draft, the general concensus that Oden was a franchise center with a Hall of Fame career, health permitting. But health didn't permit him to play his first season last year, as he underwent a microfracture surgery that sidelined him for the entire season. Oden is now back practicing, working himself back to 100% and is fully expected to be ready to play in the Blazers' season opener. Oden has put on some beef, and recent videos have him throwing down thunderous slams in practice. While I think that Oden has the potential to put up ROY numbers, my guess is that the Blazers wont push him too hard physically unitl they are completely confident with his health. I would also expect Oden to need some time to develop to the NBA game, and we will see a lot of foul trouble woes from him throughout the learning process. That being said, Oden will have as much opportunity to excel in Portland as he can handle, as they are essentially building the team around him.

O.J. Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies - Widely considered to be one of the most talented players in this year's draft, Mayo should make an instant impact for the Grizzlies. Mayo had a decent summer league averaging 19 ppg and shooting 48% from downtown, although giving up nearly 5 turnovers per contest. He is an athletic combo guard that should see playing time immediately. One reason I think Mayo might be a frontrunner for this year's ROY is that the Grizzlies are so talent depleted - meaning Mayo will get an excellent opportunity to contribute. With the absence of Mike Miller, the Grizz will need to find more scoring options, and Mayo is certainly ready to do just that.

Who do you see winning the ROY this year?