The 2008 class of the year includes Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Danilo Gallinari, Eric Gordon, Brooke Lopez, Robin Lopez, Roy Hibert, Nicola Batum, George Hill, Nikola Pekovic, Sergill Ibaka, DeAndrew Jordan, Goran Dragic
Best Rookie: Derrick Rose
Best Rookie Squad (Rookie Stats):
Derrick Rose
16.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists
Russell-Westbrook
15.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.3 steals
O.J. Mayo
18.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals
Michael Beasley
13.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1 assist
Brooke-López
13 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1 assist, 1.8 blocks
The rookies of the class of 2008 were of very high quality, and the five men quickly became the team's main players after entering the league. But only Westbrook and Lopez the Great reached the expected heights.
Class of 2008 Players' Brief Review:
First gear, Hall of Fame level
Russell Westbrook (Thunder, 4th overall)
23.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.8 steals
Among the many physically strong defenders, Westbrook is the most powerful one. I used to think that Westbrook's way of playing might have caused him to retire prematurely, but it turned out that I underestimated his physical talent.
After Durant left the Thunder, Westbrook completely let go of himself and got the historical level of data, but at the same time, the team could no longer compete for the championship.
The way Westbrook plays has made him a shining star in NBA history. But if he wants to storm the championship, Westbrook must weaken his position on the team.
Second gear, All-Star level
Derek Rose (Bulls, 1st pick)
18.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists
Taking down the MVP and leading the Bulls to the rise, Rose had already opened the way to the Hall of Fame, but eventually fell in front of injuries.
The regrets of the Windy City Rose are lamentable, but compared to Auden and Roy, Derrick Rose is still lucky, and he is still writing his own story.
Kevin Love (Grizzlies, 5th pick, traded to Timberwolves)
18.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Timberwolves' Loaf got the league's top technical stats, but the team's results were dismal. After joining the Cavaliers to form the Big Three, his shortcomings began to be amplified and he was often criticized.
Love has a very good three-pointer, but it was developed by him the day after tomorrow. At the same time, his rebounding, especially in the frontcourt, is also very good. When defending, due to his lack of height, his ability to protect the frame is average.
Brooke Lopez (Nets, 10th overall)
16.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.8 blocks
Lopez is a tall, slow, low-post center with average talent but solid interior attacking skills. Rebounding is a weakness, and defensive ability is not outstanding.
Early in his career, López, as the nets' core player, struggled to bring the team to the edge of the playoffs. The ability to lead the team is relatively poor. Since entering the late stages of his career, he has developed the ability to make three-pointers and become an important member of the alphabet brother's side.
Segil Ibaka (Thunder, 24th overall)
12.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 2.1 blocks
He joined the league the following year after being drafted and quickly became one of the league's best defensive players. Ibaka's scoring ability is underestimated, he can do his job on the offensive end very well, and his scoring efficiency is also excellent.
DeAndre Jordan (Clippers, 35th overall)
9.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.9 blocks
Jordan Jr. has a blast of physical fitness, but fell to the second round because of rough technique. After joining the league, his status on the team has continued to rise, and he is an important member of the Air Connection City.
Jordan Jr. started his career relatively low, although gradually becoming the core of the team's defense, the playing time has also increased year by year. But in essence, Jordan Jr.'s progress is very limited, he has never developed any new skills, and he has never even been able to solve his own free throw problem.
Golan Dragic (Spurs, 45th pick, traded to Suns)
13.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1 steal
In 2011, the Suns traded Dragicga for a first-round pick to get Brooks from the Rockets. A year later, Dragic, who returned to the Sun, grew into an All-Star player.
Dragic is not very talented, but the ball quotient is very high, very good at using blocking to break through, and the defensive ability is mediocre but highly motivated. Is a player who will be able to reach the edge of the All-Star.
Third gear, main level
Michael Beasley (Heat, 2th overall)
12.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Drug use, arrest, suspected sexual assault, Beasley showed firsthand how a gifted player can self-destruct. Compared to his other problems, problems like laziness or lack of defensive prowess seem to be a no-brainer.
Beasley's gradual marginalization in the league was never because of his ability to play. He had to look around for work to pay for his mistakes.
O.J. Mayo (Timberwolves, 3th overall, traded to the Grizzlies)
13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1 steal
Debut is the peak, and then the state declines year by year. Drugs and character ruined his career.
Danilo Gallinari (Knicks, 6th overall)
16.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2 assists
Tall, large, small forwards, with poor athleticism. Have good three-pointers and also like to rush under the basket. The scoring ability is more prominent, and the defense is a weak underbelly.
Eric Gordon (Clippers, 7th overall)
16.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Gordon showed the potential of a star defender in the early days, but because of constant injuries, the development was not satisfactory. The current positioning is the sixth man of the team.
Robin López (Suns, 15th pick)
8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.2 blocks
Unlike Lopez the Great, Robin is defensive and likes to wrestle with opponents on the inside. Among the defensive players on the inside, it is at the sub-top level.
Roy Hibbert (Raptors, 17th overall)
10 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.7 blocks
From season 08 to season 14, Hibbert was the Pacers' main center.
Hibbert's career highlights were extremely limited, and was once considered a soft egg of 2.18 meters. The 12-13 playoffs were his pinnacle, averaging 17+10 per game to help the team reach game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Nicholas Batum (Rockets, 25th pick, traded to Blazers)
11.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists
Batum was well-rounded during his time with the Blazers, but he also had three-pointers and a flank defensive ability. These performances allowed him to successfully get Joe's check.
George Hill (Spurs, 26th overall pick)
11.1 points, 3.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds
A good team player, it seems that the scoring and assist ability is average, but as a role player, he can do his task well. There are still good contributions to the Thunder this season.
Nicola Perkovic (Timberwolves, 31st overall)
12.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 0.7 assists
Pekovic's style is very tough, the low post is aggressive, and there is a traditional interior style.
When Lavin entered the NBA in 14 years, he wanted Perkovic to give him his jersey number, but when Lavin looked for Perkovic, he saw that he was slamming into the sandbag and gave up the idea.
Class of 2008 Career Team:
Point guard: Russell Westbrook
Scoring guard: Eric Gordon
Small forward: Nicholas Batum
Big forward: Segil Ibaka
Centre: Brook Lopez
The class of 2008 did not have a good choice, and the combination of the unsuccessful Lefour and Jordan Jr. was not inferior to Ibaka and López.