Rookie Rankings...

[blue32]

Isn't it a little weird that both Brook Lopez and Marc Gasol are ahead of Oden in the rookie rankings?

Are we misusing him a little bit, or is his talent level after surgery just not there yet, OR, is he just not as good as those guys even though we thought (everyone did) he's the next Shaq?

Of course, there's plenty of season to go so this is more of just a discussion starter on some of you guys' thoughts on the other two rookies ahead of him compared to Oden..

Just bored at work and was checking out the Rookie Rankings. At least he's ahead of Beasley

 

[Mediocre Man]

If he can actually stay in a game or two he will be fine.

 

[Entity]

Here are their per-36-minute numbers right now:

Greg Oden: 12.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 1.9 bpg, .529 FG%
Brook Lopez: 10.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.0 bpg, .467 FG%
Marc Gasol: 13.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.1 bpg, .523 FG%

I think Oden would be ahead of them both if they all got the same minutes. Just needs to bring down those fouls.

 

[Further]

I just get the feeling watching Oden that he is not being coached properly, run through the right drills in practice or shown the right tapes. I have no proof, but I just don't see improvement in some of the simple things that a big man coach should be drilling into him. This is not a knock on Nate, as every coach is not a big man coach. It is more of a knock on Mo and on the organization for not going out there and finding the best big man coach in the league, instead of just one that has ties to the Blazers.

 

[blue32]

^ I tend to agree when I see him doing the same fouling every game. Then sometimes I wonder, is he just trying to dominate guys that come in the paint, trying to show everyone hes the man?

 

[MrJayremmie]

Greg hasn't played as good as those two this year. I think they are justified ahead of him.