FanPost

Loaded with FABULOUS rookies (?)

Can this be for real? Can we really have a good to great upcoming core of players and then we've just added an awesome rookie class?

According to David Thorpe of ESPN.com we have 4 of the top 20 rookies of 2009.

奥登# 2

Rudy #3

Bayless #12

Batum #19

Though I agree with the rankings of our top 3, more or less, I've got to admit I'm pretty surprised that Batum was ranked so high after hearing mixed reports on and after the draft. It's going to take some pretty impressive play in the summer league to get me believing that Batum slipped past half of the GM's in the league. Batum is playing in Vegas isn't he?

Now I realize that rookies rarely make as big of a splash as the media would like us to believe, but this list is pretty impressive, if it's to be believed. Personally, I think the impact that each of these guys will have has been a bit over-hyped. To hear some people, Oden and Rudy are going to step in and be perennial all-stars from Day 1. I think they're going to suffer through the normal rookie mistakes, but slowly mature into good or very good NBA players.

Here's the link:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/rookies/rankings?season=2009&playerRankingType=1&period=1&set=1