As the NBA post season approaches, one of the most discussed regular season awards has been the Rookie of the Year. Three names are often mentioned in this conversation. While one dazzles with fancy passes and another with marksman shooting, any NBA fan paying close attention will know there is only one candidate. Let’s take a look at the first two players before the answer becomes obvious.

On November 11th, Brandon Jennings hit 11-of-19 shots, 2-of-2 3-pointers and 8-of-8 free throws on his way to a career-high 32 points, four rebounds and nine assists as the Bucks won against Denver. It was an eye opener, specifically for all of the GMs who passed on Jennings based on the fear he was too much of a headache. On November 14th, those same GMs would be calling their scouting department to figure out how he could possibly have dropped to number ten overall. Jennings scored 55 points that Saturday, breaking the team’s all-time scoring record for a rookie, held previously by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He made 21-of-34 FGs, 7-of-8 three-pointers, and 6-of-8 FTs. Jennings came two points shy of Michael Redd’s franchise-record at 57. He set multiple records with his 55-point and was the biggest total by a rookie since Earl “The Pearl” Monroe dropped 56 (in overtime) in 1968. It was the most points by a player under age 21 since LeBron James scored 56 in 2005. He was three points away from tying Wilt’s Chamberlain’s record for most points by a rookie – ever. Jennings has since battled problems with consistency. While some of it is his play, his team has suffered from a similar dilemma. The Bucks are white hot at the moment, and are one of the most feared first round opponents as the playoffs approach. Jennings gets the FT3s NBA ROY Bronze medal.

Steph Curry has an elite NBA pedigree. His father, Dell Curry, was a fifteen year NBA veteran known for his dead eye shooting. Curry was drafted number seven overall in the 2009 NBA draft, and ended up with the Golden State Warriors. This was seemingly a match made in heaven for Curry, as the team is known for a heavy emphasis on many offensive possessions and little focus on defense. Curry had a season high 35 points on 13-of-21 shooting in last Saturday’s win over the Toronto Raptors. He hit five 3-pointers to go along with six rebounds, and ten assists. How Curry and teammate Monta Ellis would work together was heated debate at the start of the season, leading Ellis to public question his role with the team and the drafting of Curry. The issue is that neither player are traditional point guards, yet when pitted together one must play that role. This hasn’t affected either one in the least bit, as Curry is averaging 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists per game. Ellis feeds off of the respect teams must show Curry for his range, and is averaging a cool 25.6 points per game, good for sixth in the NBA. Curry gets the FT3s NBA ROY Silver medal.

Speaking of the league’s top scorers, Sacramento guard Tyreke Evans is currently in 19th place at 20.3 points per game. Evans is currently averaging 5.1 rebounds per game, and 5.6 assists per game. Why are these numbers so special? Only three other players in NBA history have ever averaged 20/5/5 as a rookie. It’s quite an elite group, consisting of:

1. Oscar Robertson 30.5/10.1/9.7
2. Michael Jordan 28.2/6.5/5.9
3. LeBron James 20.9/5.5/5.9

For further reference:

1. Magic Johnson 18.0/7.7/7.3
2. Larry Bird 21.3/10.4/4.5

Evans is an absolute physical specimen. At 6′6″, 220 lbs, he possesses a frame that allows him to play small forward, scoring ability to play shooting guard, and basketball IQ to play point guard. This versatility makes Evans an elite talent and a difficult matchup every night. The year began with the Kings playing Tyreke at point guard, which initially hampered his scoring. After Kevin Martin was injured, Beno Udrih assumed point guard duties and Evans flourished at the two. When Martin returned, it became obvious the two could not mesh and Martin was eventually shipped to Houston. This paved the way for Evans and he has been unleashed since, which is why he receives the FT3s NBA ROY Gold medal.

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