With every year comes a new crop of star players.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, along with a pair of Minnesota Timberwolves — Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams — were widely expected to lead this year's rookie class. Irving and Rubio have met, or even exceeded, those expectations, while Williams has shown some flashes but hasn't quite developed enough of a feel for the pro game.
The list of first-year players making big contributions on this young season extends well past them, though.
Iman Shumpert
Although the New York Knicks are getting plenty of attention for the ups and downs of their own version of "The Big Three," guard Iman Shumpert is quietly putting together a solid rookie campaign. His turnover (2.7/game) and field goal percentage (under 40 percent) numbers may not be ideal, but at nearly 12 points per game, he's very valuable in coach Mike D'Antoni's fast-paced offense.
Ricky Rubio
We've told you all about the Spanish phenom before. His per game line: 10 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds. Ricky Rubio's play is surprising many league insiders as his outside shooting (44% from three-point range) and on-the-ball defense have vastly improved since coming over from Europe. More importantly, Minnesota is no longer marked down as an easy W on opposing teams' schedules.
Markieff Morris
Former Kansas Jayhawks big man Markieff Morris is giving the Phoenix Suns quality minutes off the bench. His defensive presence has translated to the pro game, with his per 40 minutes rebounding numbers at a solid 10.1. Throw in 9 points every game and you've got a very good NBA backup.
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