With the news that Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose is going to be out for another season with another knee injury (the right one this time). Add to the fact that Westbrook is coming off a knee injury himself. Those two are the only two beside Tony Parker and Chris Paul who have enough playoff experience to have a argument to being the best pure point guards in the game. That got me thinking about the best young point guards in the league who are a year or two away from putting their name in the hat.
So I compelled a list of the top five point guards who have not been in the NBA no more then 4 years, and don't get talked about like John Wall, Kyrie Irving, or Stephen Curry.
5) Jeff Teague
Jeff is the elder statesman of the list this being is fourth year. Since he was drafted in 2009 Teague has done what every organization wants from their player which is improve. Jeff playing time has increase every year and you can see the difference in his scoring. Averaging only 3.2 his rookie year he has now jump up to 18 points per game this season. Helping the Atlanta Hawks to a 8-6 record which is good enough for third in the eastern conference.
4) Kemba Walker
Kemba Walker makes the list not because he is from the New York area (Bronx). But because he is one of the main reasons the Charlotte Bobcats is showing some signs of being a surprise team this year. I could see the potential in Walker during his last year at UConn which ended in the Huskies winning the national championship and Walker winning Most Outstanding Player (MOP). Once he got to the league he proved he was the real deal averaging 17 points with 5.7 dimes his rookie season. This year his numbers are down (not by much 15ppg) it is only because he now has better players around him.
3) Ricky Rubio
Unlike the other two before him there was anticipation when the Timber Wolves drafted him 5th in 2009. All you heard was that Ricky was the Spanish vision of Steve Nash. It took Ricky two years to get over to the States, but when he did you could see what all the fuse was about. Averaging 10, 8, 2 for his rookie season. Which is good for somebody who only played 41 games. And it was good enough for him to finish second in the rookie of the year voting. With a healthy Kevin Love this year look out for the 1-2 punch that will remind you of John Stockton & Karl Malone.
2) Eric Bledsoe
Unlike the other players Bledsoe was a starter then was moved to the bench. Now that might hurt the development of most players, but it only help Eric become one of the best young point guards in the league today. Eric was drafted to Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2010 and was traded to the Clippers on draft night. That season he started 25 games and average 6 points. With the trade of Chris Paul that off season it seem to hurt Bledsoe's game improvement because of the lack of playing time. But last year he showed that 2011 was just a hiccup. Averaging 8.5 points a game up 5 points from his 2010 average. Bledsoe is showing all he needed was playing time, which he is getting becoming the starter for the Suns.After being traded there this off season he is having the best season of his young career. Scoring 20 points and dishing out 6 assists per game.
1) Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard is the best not talked about point guard in the NBA hands down. But Damian is type use to not being known or talked about. Coming out of high school Damian was not heavily recruited and attend Weber State. Where once again he went unnoticed despite putting up big time numbers (18ppg for his college career). Even though he was drafted sixth by the Portland Trail Blazers I'm not quite sure the Blazers knew what they had. Damian once again let his on court performance do all the talking for him. It started in the summer league of his rookie season where he average 26 points and was co-MVP of the league. That success spill over into the first game of the seaon when he had 20 points and 11 dimes ( being one of three other players to do so Oscar Robertson,Isiah Thomas). By the end of that rookie seaon Lillard racked up 3 western conference rookie of the month honors, and also took home the Rookie of the Year award. Last year was carried over to this season, cause not only is Damian having a terrific year(19.9 6.8),but the Blazers have one of the best records in the NBA (12-2).
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