Choosing the Youth

One thing that I always really enjoy doing is debating who is better among youth in the National Basketball Association. There are so many young and exciting players in the league right now, that it can be quite a chore to choose between the two. For this exercise, I am going to compare two rising starts at each position on the floor, then choose between the two to build a starting 5.

Point Guards:

Kyrie Irving (18.1 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.5 rpg, 20.74 PER)

John Wall     (16.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 5.1 rpg, 17.96 PER)

Wall and Irving are two of the most exciting point guard prospects in the league. This past weekend, Irving showed that he was the better perimeter shooter of the two, hitting 8 of 8 from the three point line in route to winning the Rising Starts MVP. John Wall showed his elite athleticism in the same game, putting on a dunk exhibition.

If I had to choose between these two exemplary young guards, the decision would be the most difficult on this list. Irving has shown more maturity than Wall, leading his team to upsets over good teams, while Wall has a higher potential based on his athleticism and size. If a gun was put to my head, at this point I would have to choose Irving.

Shooting Guards:

Eric Gordon *  (22.3 ppg, 4.4 apg, 2.9 rpg, 18.56 PER) 

James Harden (16.8 ppg, 3.6 apg, 4.1 rpg, 21.03 PER)

Remember, we are building a starting five out of these young players, so you don’t necessarily just want the 5 best scorers out of the bunch. James Harden has emerged as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, leading the Thunder bench unit and finishing games on the court, much as Jason Terry does for the Mavericks. He is a great slasher and shooter, and his distributing/playmaking abilities are improving.

The other player in this pairing, Eric Gordon, has only played 2 games this year because of injuries. He is a prototypical 2 guard who can mix deadly outside shooting with slashing into the paint. However, because of the injury bug, for this edition of this column, I have to take Harden over Gordon, even though Gordon projects to be one of the better shooting guards in the NBA over the next 10 seasons. He must prove that he can stay healthy before he gets in my starting five. This round goes to Harden.

Small Forwards:

Gordon Hayward (9.4 ppg, 3.2 apg, 2.8 rpg, 13.77 PER)

Paul George          (12.1 ppg, 2.2 apg, 5.5 rpg, 15.18 PER)

The small forward is an oft-forgotten spot on the floor, because these players tend to do a lot of things well, but nothing at an elite level. (Lebron is an exception, so just shut up) These two players are exactly the kind of glue that can hold a starting lineup together. Paul George is an exciting, athletic player who just participated in the NBA Slam Dunk contest this past weekend, and represented himself well. He is an improving shooter, and will really go to another level as a player when his ball handling skills improve to an acceptable level.

Gordon Hayward is a young player for the Utah Jazz who has proven that he can deliver on the big stage. (NCAA Final Four 2009) He is a jump shooter with a surprising amount of athleticism who can really facilitate well for his teammates. He is the consummate locker room guy, and would be a great addition to any roster. However, Paul George has the larger potential on both ends of the floor. He is quick enough to effectively shut down guards on defense, and will eventually become a great scorer on offense. I choose George.

Power Forwards:

Blake Griffin (21.4 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 23.41 PER)

Kevin Love    (25.0 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 24.70 PER

Lots of words have been written about this debate already. However, I will not waste too much of your time. The argument is very simple – Loud vs Quiet. Griffin’s Dunks, rebounds and blocked shots are very loud. Love’s rebounds, 3’s, and boxing out are very quiet. Which one do you prefer? I have no clue. I abstain from choosing in the Power Forward category. You literally cannot go wrong with either player.

Centers:

Javale Mcgee              (11.9 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.7 bpg, 19.64 PER)

Demarcus Cousings (16.4 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 20.83 PER)

Our final category may be the most interesting one of the bunch. These two young centers have both shown a surprising ability to be stupid. Whether is is Cousins getting his head coach fired (we know it was all him), or Javale McGee running back on defense and missing an entire possession because he didn’t care to turn around, these players have made a habit of making themselves look bad. However, they both are also dripping with potential. McGee is in the top 5 in the NBA in blocked shots, and is slowly improving his all around offensive game. Cousins has shown himself to be a double-double machine, and has the girth to bang in the paint with anybody. If there is one factor separating the two, it is that Cousins already has a good handle on his offensive game. Both players have myriad areas to improve in, but Cousins is already a consistent low-post presence. My starting center is Cousins.

Now, for those of you that know me, you know that I have chosen against my favorite players in the sg and sf positions. It was tough, and I cried a little, but it was worth it to have a starting 5 that will be All-Star caliber players for 12 years or more. Thoughts? Comments? Snarkiness from Adam Roof?