NBA ROOKIE WATCH: WEEK 11

By MVP Staff
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Updated: January 12, 2011

Rookie Watch returns for the New Year. How has this year’s draft class been faring so far in 2011?

1. Blake Griffin | PF | Los Angeles Clippers | 1st Pick 2009
21.8 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 0.7 BPG, 37.1 MIN
Here’s a few words you didn’t expect to hear in the same sentence: The Clippers have won seven of their last ten games. Pick up your dropped jaws, because it’s true and all down to the rookie beast Blake Griffin. The All-Star candidate has had a whopping 23 consecutive double-doubles, and he’s passing well after drawing double-teams…even getting seven assists in a win against Denver. Is there anything he can’t do?

2. DeMarcus Cousins | PF | Sacremento Kings | 5th Pick 2010
12.9 PPG, 7.7 APG, 0.6 BPG 26 MIN
Don’t think that Griffin is the only power forward making waves this season. Cousins has been playing great since the end of December, where he had a 21 point and 16 rebound performance on the 29th. Since then he’s been getting starters minutes and is almost averaging a double-double. Last five games he averaged 21.2 points and 7.8 rebounds. He’s finally edging out Jason Thompson and Carl Landry for playing time.

3. John Wall PG | Washington Wizards | 1st Pick 2010
15.4 PPG, 8.8 APG, 1.8 SPG, 36.3 MIN
It’s good to see Wall back from nagging injuries that have kept him on the bench in November. He’s nearly at the level he was at the beginning of the year, in his last five he’s averaged 15.2 points and 9.6 assists. Now that Gilbert Arenas has been traded to the Orlando Magic, Wall’s place as franchise point guard is secured, although Agent Zero’s departure was hardly a surprise. The edition of Rashad Lewis should help him get a couple more assists too.

4. Landry Fields | SF | New York Knicks | 39th Pick 2010
10.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 31.9 MIN
You can maybe forgive the rookie for his abysmal performance against the Magic on the 30th. In 28 minutes, the usually consistent Fields didn’t score a single bucket. Coach D’Antoni punished him by playing him just 13 minutes the next night. He redeemed himself by scoring 10, and has been solid since then, scoring double digits in his last four games. He even notched a double-double on Friday. There’s no doubt he was a steal in the second round of the draft.

5. Derrick Favors | PF | New Jersey Nets | 3rd Pick 2010
6.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 0.6 BPG, 18.8 MIN
If the rumours are true, Favor’s time in New Jersey may be coming to an end if the Nets make the trade to land superstar Carmelo Antony. Maybe if the Nuggets do get Favors, they’d do him one by give him some more playing time. The last couple of games he’s been playing with much more confidence, getting 12 points and 6 rebounds in both games. He even had an impressive 5 offensive boards against the Wizards. We’ll see if he’s in the same jersey next week.

BEST OF THE REST
Wesley Johnson and Evan Turner have had an equally mixed week. Both are playing below expectations for where they were drafted. Turner had a nice game on Saturday, scoring 19 points, but the two games before he’d only scored 4. Philly may be wishing they picked Cousins instead.

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