NBA: The Next Generation of Superstars
Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio was well worth the two-year wait for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Photo Credit: Joe Bielawa, Flickr.com
They say defense wins championships. However having a couple of superstars on your team does help a lot too. Those indispensable players are the guys that teams can’t seem to function without and everyone else wants and in the NBA, there’s always a new crop ready to take the title upon themselves.
Here’s five to look out for:
Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia 76ers
Jrue Holiday has been one of the lone bright spots for the Philadelphia 76ers this season. (Photo by Keith Allison/Flickr.com)
The point guard position is arguably the most important position in basketball and having a great one can do wonders for your team. The NBA is full of great point guards and I believe Philadelphia’s Jrue Holiday will soon be considered one of the league’s premier point men.
Holiday has grown by leaps and bounds in his four years the NBA, partly because he’s had to, with Andre Iguodala being traded away. But at just 22, the UCLA product has plenty of time to perfect his trade and he is well on his way improving his assist numbers to a fourth-best 8.5 assists along with 18.5 points per game.
The trade for big man Andrew Bynum hasn’t worked out as well as the 76ers hoped; he hasn’t played a single second this season, but Holiday has given the Philly faithful something to smile about.
Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves
Forget Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki or the Gasol brothers–Pau and Marc. Ricky Rubio is the new poster boy for international basketball.
The 6’4” Spaniard is the engine that drives the Minnesota Timberwolves offense with some spectacular passes. Dare I say; it’s like watching a younger, slightly hairier Steve Nash when he’s working, except his jump shot isn’t something to brag about.
Back in the 2009, Minnesota general manager David Khan raised more than a few eyebrows when he selected two point guards back-to-back early in the NBA Draft, especially when he knew he had to wait at least a year to get Rubio.
Fast forward to 2013 and Khan now looks like a genius. OK, maybe not a genius, but the move really worked out for the T-wolves. Were it not for the injuries to Kevin Love and Rubio, they would’ve easily been in the playoff hunt in the meat grinder that is the Western Conference.
DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins is one of the best centers in the NBA . (Photo: Scott Mecum, Flickr.com)
DeMarcus Cousins slipped to being the fifth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft–not because of his basketball talents, but his attitude. Many feel that his attitude is problematic and he needs to tune it down a bit and I agree … to a certain extent.
The center’s attitude is actually what makes him worthy of being on this list because he has the utmost confidence in himself and his game. Granted sometimes he thinks he’s a know-it-all and runs his mouth a bit too much, but hey, if Shaquille O’Neal or Charles Barkley didn’t believe in themselves, would they be Hall of Famers?
He scores and he rebounds with the best of them at the center position in the game, averaging 17 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, good enough for fourth and 11th, respectively. Then you add the active hands defensively that result in 1.5 steals a game, which the leads all centers.
Did I mention that DeMarcus Cousins is 22 years old?
James Harden, Houston Rockets
We all know from his Oklahoma City Thunder days that James Harden was a very good player, but OKC didn’t feel he was worth the $60 million price tag and they jettisoned him to Houston.
I don’t know if it’s because of his new lead role, the money, a chip on his shoulder or all of the above, but Harden turned his game up to a new level–an MVP-type level. The fourth-year guard is the leading scorer of the play0ff-bound Rockets with 26 ppg in the hell hole that is the Western Conference.
To add icing on the cake, Houston is the top-scoring team in the NBA. tied with OKC at 106 ppg.
At 23 years old, the NBA will have plenty of time to watch the beard at work.
Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
Even during his 11 games at Duke, it was pretty clear to see that Kyrie Irving was special player and so far, he hasn’t disappointed at all.
Though his Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t exactly tearing up the Eastern Conference, they’ve improved somewhat in the last two seasons. And the transition to the post-LeBron James era has been made easier after a disastrous 2010-11 season and future looks bright for the Ohio outfit.
Racking up 23 points, five assists and 1.6 steals per game in his sophomore year, Uncle Drew has taken his game to the next level. And his efforts were rewarded with an All-Star Game call up in February, the first of many more to come.
The scary thing is he’s only 21 years old.
Honorable Mention: John Wall (Washington Wizards), Paul George (Indiana Pacers), Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers).