Derrick Rose looking good for Rookie of the Year

[Jamfan]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-12-derrick-rose-bulls-chicagapr12,0,422263.story

Many league observers from Vinny Del Negro, who's obviously biased, to Mike D'Antoni, who's not, have said it: Derrick Rose is the NBA Rookie of the Year.

Kevin Durant, last year's winner, joined the chorus in the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine.

But those voices, while obviously informed, don't decide who wins the award from an extremely deep rookie class. Writers and broadcasters do.

So the Tribune sought out voters to gauge what they are thinking. And while nothing is official, Rose's chances to win the award appear extremely strong based on feedback from roughly one-third of the 123 voters across the United States and Canada.

In fact, of the 42 people who revealed their balloting decision to the Tribune, all planned to vote Rose first. That's 210 points right there in a scale that awards five points for a first-place vote, three points for second and one point for third.

"As much as this class is unsung, I don't understand how there's any debate," said Ric Bucher, who covers the league for ESPN and is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine.

"Without Rose carrying the Bulls through the first half of the season, they wouldn't have been in position to make a playoff run. Then he seamlessly keeps everything rolling despite the introduction of Brad Miller and John Salmons. And does Tyrus Thomas become a factor without Rose as his point guard?

"This may be the best rookie debut from a basketball IQ standpoint that we've seen since Magic [Johnson]."

That's high praise, but Bucher wasn't alone in offering it.

"This will be a no-brainer, right?" said Chris McCoskey, Pistons beat writer for the Detroit News.

"Rose not only put up incredible numbers, helped his team survive a first-year coach and several roster and rotation alterations and got his team into the playoffs, he did it at the hardest position for a rookie to master. He's the guy."

Brian Windhorst knows a little about greatness covering LeBron James and the Cavaliers for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He's voting for Rose from a deep class that includes O.J. Mayo, Brook Lopez, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, Marc Gasol, Greg Oden, Michael Beasley and others.

"From almost Day One he looked comfortable, which is rare for such a young rookie playing point guard," Windhorst said. "His speed with the ball and his size instantly reminded me of Deron Williams and Jason Kidd.

"When I vote, I don't just consider what he did this season but what he'll become. Watching him, he has the tools and talent to be an All-Star."

Marc Berman, who covers the Knicks for the New York Post, offered some humor while supporting Rose's candidacy: "Rose is the more valuable player now than Mayo and for years to come. And Rose is still a bigger deal in Memphis."

Indeed, Mayo seemed Rose's strongest competition as he came to Rose's college town and averaged 23.1 points per game for the Grizzlies in November. But while Mayo still leads all rookies at 18.3 ppg, he tailed off to 14.7 points in March.

That's when Rose won his third Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award, averaging 16.9 ppg. Overall, Rose ranks second in scoring and minutes to Mayo (16.6 and 36.9), first in assists (6.2), first in assists-to-turnovers (2.47) and has seven double-doubles.

Plus, he's playing the most prominent role of any rookie on a playoff team.

"I remember when the last Bull to win the award put up some very good numbers in 2000," the New York Daily News' Mitch Lawrence said of Elton Brand. "But the Bulls won all of 17 games, a mere four-game improvement, so what exactly did Brand do?

"To me, the great rookies make their biggest impact on their team's record. Rose has done that, befitting a No. 1 overall pick."

The Bulls already have won six more games than last season. Do the math.

Any way you crunch the numbers, Rose appears poised to join Brand and Michael Jordan as the only Bulls to win Rookie of the Year.

 

[TheStig]

I really can't see anyone else winning it. the clinching factor is that we are in the playoffs and Rose is the type of player who generates highlights. I haven't heard much about any other rookie except lopez, mayo and westbrook and all have disappeared during parts of the year while rose was going strong.

 

[dougthonus]

If this was a presidential poll they'd already call the election. 25% of the voters already declared and took Rose unanimously. No way it goes in any other way, and really, I'm not sure that it should

 

[clonetrooper264]

I don't think there's anyway that DRose doesn't get ROY. He's been one of our best players from the start and will probably be the best player out of that draft. His impact on this Bulls team has been greater than any other rookie's impact because he's been really consistent throughout the whole season. I'd say this is a no brainer.

 

[J-Mart]

Reerrick Rose looking good for Rookie of the Yea

I agree, it would take a conspiracy for Rose not to win it. He clearly is ROY, which is impressive because of how strong of a class this has been. It may still be too early to tell, but I believe this will be up there for one of the stronger rookie classes in the NBA.

I can't imagine if we didn't get Rose, how bad of a season could this have been? I suppose we could have gotten Lopez, but I wouldn't have been any where near as happy. 1.7 will always be remembered.

 

[collisrost]

Reerrick Rose looking good for Rookie of the Yea

"This may be the best rookie debut from a basketball IQ standpoint that we've seen since Magic [Johnson]."

Wow. That really is saying something. Do you guys think that Rose has actually done it with his basketball IQ? I mean when I watch I see talent oozing out of the kid, but he does make mistakes. I suppose most rookies make mistakes, maybe he's a lot less mistake-prone than most, I don't know. And since he's a point guard he's got to make lots and lots of decisions all game long, inevitably leading to the occasional bad decision.

I will say that Rose really looks like a classic point guard a lot of nights, he can score, but he looks to get his teammates involved a lot. 6.2 assists for a rookie is pretty impressive.

 

[Ton]

The Chicago Blackhawks 1st round draft selection (26th overall) in the 2011 Entry Draft will report to the American Hockey League's Rockford IceHogs for the remainder of the season.



Danault completed this past season with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Victoriaville Tigres, amassing 18 goals and 53 assists for a total of 71 points in 62 games. Phillip captained his team to a first round exit where they were swept by the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. Danault was able to help his team with 3 assists in the 4 postseason games.



The 18-year old ranked second in the QMJHL with 830 face-off wins during the regular season and completed the playoffs with another 66 wins at the dot. Danault also earned the 2011 Guy Carbonneau Award which is given each year to the best defensive forward in the QMJHL.



In three seasons with the Tigres, Danault registered 166 points (51G, 115A) and a plus-47 rating in 187 regular-season games, as well as 19 points (5G, 14A) in 29 postseason games.



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[Ton]

ChrisBlock ‏ @ChrisBlock

Phillip Danault will make his #IceHogs debut tonight vs San Antonio.

 

[Rex]

Danault starting the season hot so far



5GP 6G 3A 9PTS