<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Rip City Project &#187; thomas robinson</title>
	<atom:link href="http://ripcityproject.com/tag/thomas-robinson/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://ripcityproject.com</link>
	<description>A Portland Trailblazers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Sat, 18 May 2013 20:31:06 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1</generator>
		<item>
		<title>NBA Rankings: Preseason Rookie Top 25</title>
		<link>http://ripcityproject.com/2012/10/30/nba-rankings-preseason-rookie-top-25/</link>
		<comments>http://ripcityproject.com/2012/10/30/nba-rankings-preseason-rookie-top-25/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:27:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kristian Winfield</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NBA General]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Popular]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2012 nba draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andre drummond]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[andrew nicholson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anthony Davis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Austin Rivers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bradley beal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chris copeland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[damian lillars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dion Waiters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[donatas motiejunas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[harrison barnes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jae crowder]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jared sullinger]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jeremy lamb]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[john henson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jonas valanciunas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kendall Marshall]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[khris middleton]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meyers leonard]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nba rankings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nba rookie rankings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[perry jones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[popular]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[royce white]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[terrence jones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[terrence ross]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thomas robinson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tyler zeller]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[victor claver]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://ripcityproject.com/?p=7777</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>The NBA preseason has come to a close, and while some rookies have shown us glimpses of hope and stardom, many others have failed to live up  to the expectations that come with a high draft pick. This is just a really quick rookie ladder that&#8217;ll get updated as the season rages on. &#160; Honorable [...]</p><p><a href="http://ripcityproject.com/2012/10/30/nba-rankings-preseason-rookie-top-25/">NBA Rankings: Preseason Rookie Top 25</a> - <a href="http://ripcityproject.com">Rip City Project</a> - <a href="http://ripcityproject.com">Rip City Project - A Portland Trailblazers Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The NBA preseason has come to a close, and while some rookies have shown us glimpses of hope and stardom, many others have failed to live up  to the expectations that come with a high draft pick.</p>
<p>This is just a really quick rookie ladder that&#8217;ll get updated as the season rages on.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div id="attachment_7784" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 660px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/66674201.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7784" title="NBA: Preseason-Denver Nuggets at Portland Trail Blazers" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/66674201.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="508" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Oct 17, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Victor Claver (18) battles for a loose ball with Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) in the third quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. The Blazers won the game 97-80. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US</p></div>
<p><strong>Honorable Mentions: </strong>Miles Plumlee: F/C, Indiana Pacers; Arnett Moultrie: F, Philadelphia 76ers; Evan Fournier: G, Denver Nuggets; Moe Harkless (Hernia): F, Orlando Magic</p>
<p>25. Kendall Marshall: Point Guard, Phoenix Suns<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats: </strong><em>3.0 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.3 RPG<br />
</em><strong>Last 3: </strong><em>8 pts, 2 ast vs. GSW; 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. OKC; 4 ast vs. POR</em></p>
<p>Kendall Marshall can’t shoot, and that’s always a red flag for point guards. But he’s easily the best passer/playmaker in his draft class and has kept his assist-to-turnover ratio positive by making good decisions.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>24. Victor Claver: Forward, Portland Trail Blazers<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>3.6 PPG, 1.6 RPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>1 stl, 10 min vs. UTAH; 2 pts, 4 reb, 1 stl vs. GSW; 13 pts, 3 reb, 2 stl, 13 min vs. DEN</em></p>
<p>Victor Claver makes this list solely because of his performance against the Denver Nuggets. He&#8217;s been aggressive on defense and has shown an ability to score in a variety of ways.</p>
<p>If you don&#8217;t remember him, it&#8217;s probably because he was drafted all the way back in 2009.</p>
<p>23. Meyers Leonard: Center, Portland Trail Blazers<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>6.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.0 BLKPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>8 pts, 4 reb, 1 blk vs. UTAH; 4 pts, 6 reb, 1 blk vs. GSW; 6 pts, 3 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk vs. DEN</em></p>
<p>Many argued that the Blazers should&#8217;ve gone with Tyler Zeller over Meyers Leonard at No. 11, but he does everything Portland needs. He gets into heavy foul trouble (just like Greg Oden), but Leonard has been active on defense, somewhat crashes the boards and is super athletic, especially off the pick-and-roll.</p>
<p>22. Austin Rivers: Guard, New Orleans Hornets<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>7.3 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.0 APG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>6 pts, 4 ast vs. MIA; 0 pts, 14 min vs. DAL; 11 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl vs. ATL</em></p>
<p>I’d go out on a limb and call Austin Rivers the least efficient player in this draft class, and I’m probably right. He took 59 shots in the preseason and only nailed sixteen (16) of them—that’s a droplet over 27 percent from the field over eight games.</p>
<p>What makes it worse is that coach Monty Williams is being extremely patient with him. Rivers has played more minutes than any guard drafted with him not named Damian Lillard and only has 7.3 points per game to show for it. He’s quickly falling down my power rankings, and if he doesn’t step it up, he’ll fall right out of it.</p>
<p>21. Terrence Ross: Shooting Guard, Toronto Raptors<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>6.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>10 pts, 2 stl vs. MEM; 2 pts, 5 min vs. NYK; 5 pts, 2 reb, 2 stl, 1 blk vs. DET</em><em> </em></p>
<p>I haven&#8217;t seen Terrence Ross play yet, but his stats have proven him to be more efficient than Austin Rivers in significantly less playing time.</p>
<p>20. Jeremy Lamb: Shooting Guard, Houston Rockets <strong>TRADED TO OKC</strong><strong><br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong> </strong><em>6.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.3 APG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3: </strong></strong><em>0 pts, 2 reb, 6 min vs. ORL; 5 pts, 3 ast vs. NOH; 2 pts, 1 stl, 12 min vs. MEM</em><em> </em></p>
<p>I love Jeremy Lamb in Oklahoma City. He gets to be on a winning team that will demand nothing but the absolute best from him. This is exactly what he needed for him to get out of his shooting funk.</p>
<p>19. Royce White: Forward, Houston Rockets<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats: </strong><em>2.3 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 1.0 APG</em><em><br />
</em><strong>Last 3: </strong><em>2 pts, 2 ast, 13 min vs. ORL; 7 pts, 3 reb, 1 blk vs. DAL</em></p>
<p>I&#8217;m probably the only guy who still has faith in Royce White, but he hasn&#8217;t gotten playing time to show his skills. He needs to somehow beat his anxiety disorder and travel with the team, but I think that, once he gets settled in, White will become the dominating player we saw at Iowa State.</p>
<p>18. Khris Middleton: Forward, Detroit Pistons<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats: </strong><em>6.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.0 APG<br />
</em><strong>Last 4: </strong><em>3 pts, 1 ast, 1 stl, 4 min vs. ATL; 5 pts, 3 reb, 10 min vs. MIA; 5 pts, 1 reb, 8 min vs. ORL; 11 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. MIL</em></p>
<p>I&#8217;ve been so impressed with Khris Middleton&#8217;s ability to do so much in such a short bit of time. Lawrence Frank absolutely has to give this guy a solid spot in the rotation if he wants the Pistons to start turning the ship around.</p>
<p>17. Tyler Zeller: Center, Cleveland Cavaliers<br />
<strong>Pre-Season Stats: </strong><em>8.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG<br />
</em><strong>Last 3: </strong><em>13 pts, 7 reb, 1 blk, 1 stl vs. IND; 6 pts, 2 reb vs. PHI; 8 pts, 5 reb vs. ORL</em></p>
<p>Zeller hasn&#8217;t made much happen on defense, but we expected this. He&#8217;s a center that can pop out to around 15-18 feet and knock down jumpers. Great for Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters to have someone to dump the ball out to.</p>
<p>16. Dion Waiters: Guard, Cleveland Cavaliers<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>8.6 PPG, 2.1 APG, 2.0 RPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>12 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl vs. IND; 5 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. PHI; 8 pts, 2 ast vs. ORL</em></p>
<p>Not impressed with Dion Waiters one bit, especially since he skipped the line to get picked up third in the draft. They&#8217;ve given him every chance to show what he&#8217;s worth, and he still hasn&#8217;t lived up to the hype.</p>
<p>I didn&#8217;t watch much of him at Syracuse either, so here&#8217;s to hoping Cleveland didn&#8217;t blow it with their 2012 NBA Draft pick.</p>
<p>15. John Henson: Forward, Miilwaukee Bucks <strong>INJURED</strong><br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>7.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.6 BLKPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>4 pts, 1 reb vs. CHI; 12 pts, 6 reb, 4 blk, 4 ast vs. DET; 6 pts, 7 reb, 1 blk vs. CLE</em></p>
<p>Henson looked so promising until he sprained his left knee. Hopefully he doesn&#8217;t lose any of that bounce he had when he gets back to the court.</p>
<p>14. Perry Jones III: Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>9.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>2 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast vs. DAL; 14 pts, 4 reb, 1 ast vs. CHI; 4 pts, 2 reb, 1 stl vs. DEN</em></p>
<p>I haven&#8217;t seen Perry Jones play once this entire preseason, but the general consensus is that OKC got a steal for him late in the first round. I&#8217;ll come back next time with a better analysis after I&#8217;ve seen him play a few games.</p>
<p>13. Andre Drummond: Forward/Center, Detroit Pistons<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>9.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>13 pts, 10 reb, 2 blk vs. ATL; 2 reb, 9 min vs. MIN; 8 pts, 7 reb vs. CHA</em></p>
<p>People talk about Andre Drummond the same way they talk about Perry Jones. They can play at a high level if they feel like it. Their stats reflect that same mentality. Some games they put up monster numbers, and the next day, you can&#8217;t even find them on the court.</p>
<p>I do think, though, that Drummond will develop into the best center in this draft class.</p>
<p>12. Donatas Motiejunas: Forward-Center, Houston Rockets<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats: </strong><em>9.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG<br />
</em><strong>Last 3: </strong><em>12 pts, 3 reb, 1 ast vs. ORL; 8 pts, 5 ast, 1 blk vs. DAL; 16 pts, 8 reb vs. SAS</em></p>
<p>I almost forgot to include Motiejunas in this list because he was picked up in last year&#8217;s draft. I had him pegged as a sort of Dirk Nowitzki 2.0, but he&#8217;ll have to develop his jumper a lot more before earning that honor.</p>
<p>Motiejunas does many things well. He&#8217;ll have to bulk up to avoid getting shoved around down low, but his offensive game is so well-rounded, it more than compensates for his frame. Still, at seven feet and only 22-years old, the Lithuanian big man has a chance to become one of the better shooting bigs in the NBA.</p>
<p>11. Terrence Jones: Power Forward, Houston Rockets<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>10.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.2 BLKPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>4 pts, 2 blk vs. ORL; 15 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk vs. NOH; 9 pts, 5 reb, 2 blk vs. MEM</em></p>
<p>Terrence Jones has been a great blue-collar type of player who&#8217;s getting his minutes by doing all the grunt work down low. I&#8217;d like to see him get a few more looks in the low post, though.</p>
<p>10. Jae Crowder: Forward, Dallas Mavericks<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>11.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.875 STLPG, 1.6 APG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>11 pts, 5 reb, 3 ast, 2 blk vs. CHA; 21 pts, 9 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. OKC; 12 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk vs. NOH</em></p>
<p>Crowder made a name for himself as a do-it-all kind of guy in the Summer League, and has kept his reputation in tact. He&#8217;s rebounding better than some of the bigs drafted next to him and has been a better scorer than many of the bigger named guards picked up in the first round.</p>
<p>Talk about a steal for Dallas.</p>
<p>9. Thomas Robinson: Power Forward, Sacramento Kings<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>7.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.2 STLPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>17 pts, 8 reb,1 stl vs. PHX; 6 pts, 4 reb vs. LAL; 8 pts, 5 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl vs. LAL</em></p>
<!--YouTube Error: bad URL entered-->
<p>That is all.</p>
<p>8. Jonas Valanciunas: Center, Toronto Raptors<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>8.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.8 BLKPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>15 pts, 7 reb, 1 stl 1 blk vs. MEM; 10 pts, 8 reb, 4 blk, 1 stl vs. MIL; 4 pts, 10 reb, 1 blk vs. NYK </em></p>
<p>How many of you guys forgot that Toronto picked up Valanciunas in last year&#8217;s draft? He&#8217;s been a monster on the boards, and had a sick highlight where he had a monster dunk against the Wizards.</p>
<p>He&#8217;ll be a great piece to build around with Terrence Ross, DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry.</p>
<p>7. Harrison Barnes: Small Forward, Golden State Warriors<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>10.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>16 pts, 7 reb, 1 stl vs. PHX; 9 pts, 3 reb vs. LAC; 6 pts, 1 ast vs. POR</em></p>
<p>Once Harrison Barnes learns to create for himself, he&#8217;ll be the best player in this draft. Barnes shoots well, can defend and gets out on breaks, but if there&#8217;s a defender in his face (like Nicolas Batum was for Portland), the ball is coming right out of his hands.</p>
<p>6. Jared Sullinger: Forward, Boston Celtics<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>10.9 PPG, 7.0 RPG, </em><em><br />
</em><strong>Last 3:</strong><strong> </strong><em>11 pts,6 reb vs. PHI; 10 pts, 8 reb, 1 stl vs. NYK; 12 pts, 6 reb vs. BKN</em></p>
<p>I was a HUGE Sully fan back when he was at Ohio State, and seeing him destroy all the teams that passed up on him brings nothing but endless joy to my life.</p>
<p>Sullinger&#8217;s showed every facet of his game: He&#8217;s shot the ball well, posted up and crashed the boards. He&#8217;s not an athlete or a shot blocker, but Boston doesn&#8217;t need him to be. He&#8217;s filling the role of a stretch four very well.</p>
<div id="attachment_7782" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 660px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/6686774.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7782" title="NBA: Preseason-New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/6686774.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="433" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Oct 24, 2012; Uniondale, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets power forward Andray Blatche (0) fouls New York Knicks small forward Chris Copeland (14) at the net during the second quarter at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE</p></div>
<p>5. <strong>Chris Copeland: </strong>Forward, New York Knicks<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>15.5 PPG, 2.8 RPG<br />
</em><strong>Last 3:</strong> <em>16 pts, 3 reb, 3 ast vs. BKN; 15 pts vs. PHI; 34 pts, 6 reb, 2 stl vs. BOS</em></p>
<p>Here&#8217;s a guy who nobody knew about that came to arguably the biggest market of them all and hijacked the spotlight. The guy&#8217;s a 28-year old rookie that defied the odds and made the N.Y. Knicks&#8217; jam-packed roster.</p>
<p>Chris Copeland can fill it up, but like many of the Knicks on the roster, he struggles defensively. With Amar&#8217;e Stoudemire out for a couple weeks recovering from a knee injury, we might get an early dosage of Copeland in our diets.</p>
<div id="attachment_7781" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 660px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/6671474.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7781" title="NBA: Preseason-Indiana Pacers at Orlando Magic" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/6671474.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="428" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">October 19, 2012; Orlando FL, USA; Indiana Pacers center Luke Nevill (26) and power forward Miles Plumlee (13) defend Orlando Magic power forward Andrew Nicholson (44) during the second half at Amway Center. Orlando Magic defeated the Indiana Pacers 112-96. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE</p></div>
<p>4. <strong>Andrew Nicholson:</strong><strong> </strong>Power Forward, Orlando Magic<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>10.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.14 BLKPG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong> </strong><em>5 pts, 7 reb vs. HOU; 5 pts, 6 reb, 1 stl vs. MEM; 18 pts, 2 blk vs. SAS</em></p>
<p>I don&#8217;t know much about Andrew Nicholson, but he&#8217;s been great at helping Orlando forget about <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/dwight-howard">Dwight Howard</a>. Especially after that 18-point outburst against San Antonio, he and Jameer Nelson will become best friends once he gets set in the rotation.</p>
<div id="attachment_7780" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 660px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/6663142.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7780" title="NBA: Preseason-Washington Wizards at Brooklyn Nets" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/6663142.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Oct 15, 2012; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots over Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE</p></div>
<p>3. <strong>Bradley Beal:</strong><strong> </strong>Guard, Washington Wizards<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>11.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.5 APG</em><strong><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong></strong> <em>0 pts, 19 min vs. SAS; 9 pts, 4 reb, 3 stl, ast vs. MIA; 10 pts, 4 reb vs. MIL</em></p>
<p>Brad Beal&#8217;s been in attack mode all preseason long which is exactly what <a href="http://bleacherreport.com/john-wall">John Wall</a>needs to help get the Wizards back to being relevant in the NBA.</p>
<p>The young Ray Allen comparisons were a bit too extreme, but Beal&#8217;s got a cocked-and-loaded rifle that he&#8217;s unafraid to fire. Playing next to Wall, he should get plenty of open looks.</p>
<div id="attachment_7779" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 660px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/66846201.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7779" title="NBA: Preseason-Utah Jazz at Portland Trail Blazers" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/66846201.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="451" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Oct 22, 2012; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (0) speaks with Portland Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts during a break in the third quarter of the game at the Rose Garden. The Blazers won the game 120-114. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-US PRESSWIRE</p></div>
<p>2. <strong>Damian Lillard:</strong><strong> </strong>Point Guard, Portland Trail Blazers<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>16.2 PPG, 5.8 APG, 2.5 RPG</em><em><br />
</em><strong>Last 3:</strong> <em>12 pts, 5 ast vs. UTAH; 21 pts, 8 ast, 4 reb, 2 stl vs. UTAH; 15 pts, 7 ast vs. GSW</em></p>
<p>There have been a few menial rookie mistakes here and there, but Damian Lillard has been all that AND a bag of chips (yes, I went there) for the Portland Trail Blazers.</p>
<p>He&#8217;s a bit prone to turning the ball over, but Lillard&#8217;s shown a poise in running this Blazers team that no other rookie in the draft class has. He can shoot the three, but more importantly, he&#8217;s been great at running the pick-and-pop with LaMarcus Aldridge and dumping the ball out at the perfect moment.</p>
<p>Damian Lillard for president, anyone?</p>
<div id="attachment_7778" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 660px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/6690800.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7778" title="NBA: Preseason-New Orleans Hornets at Miami Heat" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/34/files/2012/10/6690800.jpg" alt="" width="650" height="432" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Oct 26, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; New Orleans Hornets power forward Anthony Davis (23) shoots over Miami Heat power forward Udonis Haslem (40) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-US PRESSWIRE</p></div>
<p>1. <strong>Anthony Davis:</strong><strong> </strong>Power Forward, New Orleans Hornets<br />
<strong>Preseason Stats:</strong><strong> </strong><em>14.9 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.57 BLKPG</em><br />
<strong>Last 3:</strong><strong> </strong><em>24 pts, 11 reb, 3 stl, 1 blk vs. MIA; 13 pts, 8 reb, 2 stl, 3 blk vs. HOU; 6 pts, 17 reb, 2 blk vs. DAL</em></p>
<p>We knew he&#8217;d make some noise in the NBA once he was selected to travel with Team USA, but Anthony Davis has lived up to and exceeded the hype that latches itself onto a No. 1 overall pick.</p>
<p>The Brow has been incredibly efficient, as any big man should be, but has also shown the ability to help from the weak side and close out on shooters on the wing.</p>
<p>While Lillard will give him a run for his money, Davis is looking like the clear front-runner for the 2013 Rookie of the Year Award.</p>
<table border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td>Player</td>
<td>Pos.</td>
<td>Team</td>
<td>PER</td>
<td>Chg</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1.</td>
<td>Anthony Davis</td>
<td>PF</td>
<td>NOH</td>
<td>16.43</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2.</td>
<td>Damian Lillard</td>
<td>PG</td>
<td>POR</td>
<td>14.50</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3.</td>
<td>Bradley Beal</td>
<td>G</td>
<td>WSH</td>
<td>10.12</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4.</td>
<td>Andrew Nicholson</td>
<td>PF</td>
<td>ORL</td>
<td>9.86</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5.</td>
<td>Chris Copeland</td>
<td>F</td>
<td>NYK</td>
<td>11.67</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6.</td>
<td>Jared Sullinger</td>
<td>PF</td>
<td>BOS</td>
<td>14.12</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7.</td>
<td>Harrison Barnes</td>
<td>F</td>
<td>GSW</td>
<td>8.88</td>
<td> &#8212;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8.</td>
<td>Jonas Valanciunas</td>
<td>F/C</td>
<td>TOR</td>
<td>11.83</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9.</td>
<td>Thomas Robinson</td>
<td>PF</td>
<td>SAC</td>
<td>9.17</td>
<td> &#8212;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10.</td>
<td>Jae Crowder</td>
<td>G/F</td>
<td>DAL</td>
<td>13.88</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>11.</td>
<td>Terrence Jones</td>
<td>PF</td>
<td>HOU</td>
<td>10.83</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12.</td>
<td>Donatas Motiejunas</td>
<td>F/C</td>
<td>HOU</td>
<td>9.83</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12,</td>
<td>Andre Drummond</td>
<td>PF/C</td>
<td>DET</td>
<td>12.83</td>
<td> &#8212;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>13.</td>
<td>Perry Jones III</td>
<td>F</td>
<td>OKC</td>
<td>10.00</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>14.</td>
<td>John Henson</td>
<td>PF</td>
<td>MIL</td>
<td>9.00</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>16.</td>
<td>Dion Waiters</td>
<td>G</td>
<td>CLE</td>
<td>5.14</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.dwn.gif" alt="" /><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.dwn.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>17.</td>
<td>Tyler Zeller</td>
<td>PF/C</td>
<td>CLE</td>
<td>9.71</td>
<td> &#8212;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>18.</td>
<td>Khris Middleton</td>
<td>G/F</td>
<td>DET</td>
<td>7.00</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>19.</td>
<td>Royce White</td>
<td>F</td>
<td>HOU</td>
<td>1.25</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.dwn.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>20.</td>
<td>Jeremy Lamb</td>
<td>G</td>
<td>OKC</td>
<td>7.50</td>
<td> &#8212;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>21.</td>
<td>Terrence Ross</td>
<td>G/F</td>
<td>TOR</td>
<td>5.2</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.dwn.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>22.</td>
<td>Austin Rivers</td>
<td>G</td>
<td>NOH</td>
<td>5.86</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.dwn.gif" alt="" /><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.dwn.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>23.</td>
<td>Meyers Leonard</td>
<td>C</td>
<td>POR</td>
<td>9.57</td>
<td> &#8212;</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>24.</td>
<td>Victor Claver</td>
<td>F</td>
<td>POR</td>
<td>3.8</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.up.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>25.</td>
<td>Kendall Marshall</td>
<td>PG</td>
<td>PHX</td>
<td>4.75</td>
<td><img src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/nba/nba/.element/img/2.0/sect/microsite/arrow.dwn.gif" alt="" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Any questions, comments,or concerns? Leave &#8216;em below, and I&#8217;ll be sure to address them!</p>
<p>Thanks for reading.</p>
<p><a href="www.twitter.com/#!/briscoxci">@BriscoXCI</a> | KrisWinfield@gmail.com</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://ripcityproject.com/2012/10/30/nba-rankings-preseason-rookie-top-25/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

<!-- Performance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: http://www.w3-edge.com/wordpress-plugins/

Database Caching 15/37 queries in 0.053 seconds using memcached
Object Caching 417/498 objects using apc
Content Delivery Network via cdn.fansided.com

 Served from: ripcityproject.com @ 2013-05-18 14:53:52 by W3 Total Cache -->