OK, maybe this isn't that crazy a prediction - but Yao Ming will be rookie of the year. He's had 3 double-doubles in a row and it's not even halfway thru his second month of the season.... So, here's my prediction in detail. Tell me if you agree. Yao Ming's avg's at end of season (rounded up): 16 pts 12 rebounds 3 blocks Rockets will make the playoffs (finally I'm seeing signs of a playoff team... WHEW!!!). They will make it to the second round before being eliminated. Yao Ming will be unanimous Rookie of the Year. (Oh, and he will also be voted as the starting center on the All-Star team).
Well, dont count out Wagner. The guy puts up some numbers. I think it will be close. Yao, however, will be an all-star.
Yao Ming has a legitimate shot at rookie of the year. ESPECIALLY if the Rockets make it into the playoffs. Think about the kind of "reversal of fortune?" With one move in the offseason, the Rox might be headed for 50 wins from 20+/30. Meanwhile, if any of you've been following the Jay Williams development, you know that Chicago is struggling and so is Jay with the Triangle offense. Talented kid, but i tell ya, I think Chicago is doing him an injustice by saddling him with so much leadership responsibility. Yao couldn't have ended up in a better place to give him a shot at Rookie of the year. Houston is PERFECTO for him. 15 pts/10 rebs as another poster noted, i think will be enough. The real Kicker??? FG% ~ 60%+ That is what sets this boy apart. Use any increment u want... 5% better than the rest, 10% better than average. People shooting 60% are THAT much better than the rest of the pack... esp if its off 10+ pts/game. Look at Stockton, he shoots 55% at 40 years of age. That is PHENOMENAL. Yao's FG% tells u he's special. The key is getting into the playoffs... If Rockets make it there, then Yao's a cinch, IMO.
I don't know if you were thinking this, but it won't really be the wins and getting into the Playoffs itself that gets Yao ROY, but that he's getting very respectable numbers on a winning team, contributing to wins in a very big way, and all the while helping the team get into the Playoffs. I wonder, does anyone know of any teams that got the #1 selection in the draft and went on to make it to the Playoffs afterwards? I'm thinking it's got to be a very small number...
I'm almost certain the Spurs did it after they drafted Tim Duncan. Was that their championship year? My memory is a bit hazy. Right now I think Yao is definitely leading the pack for the award. And barring any serious injury, he should have no problem winning it.
I don't think the writers initially base their decision about whether the ROY is on a winning team or not. Over the past 10 years, only two ROYs have made the playoffs...Webber and Duncan. Also, I don't think Yao's stats will be as good as Wagner's. But, that's fine with me. Let's have a fresh Yao in the playoffs rather than a hit-the-wall ROY.
It was the year before (when they drafted Duncan). Man...I love TimmyD and I think Yao will have the same impact. Does that mean a championship next year?!
I think the legual still adjust performance mostly base on score rather than imacts. Tony Parker last yr did not win ROY, but he is the point guard of a playoff run team. Wagner will avg more in points, cuz he will get as many shot as he like and he is not double teamed as Yao. but Yao certainly makes more impacts to the team stand of point. I really hope Yao could win ROY. if ROY means which rookie you would like to have in your team than who score the most points, Yao will get 100% vote
Yao will get it, Wagner is shooting 37%, when you're iverson and winning it's a little excusable, in wagner's case, he's just gonna be viewed as a ball hog. Also remember Yao's 6 rpg which i think is gonna be round 10 when he finishes, double double gets u ROY, Wagner gonna score but not much else. One more thing. Tony parker wasn't that much of an impact and he was even putting close to quality ROY numbers, Yao is or will now that he finally gets playing time.
remember when iverson won roy over marbury? iverson's philly team didn't make the playoffs, marbury's timberwolves did. and guess who dajuan wagner is being compared to? yep, allen iverson. (hoping i'm wrong)
Houston Rockets, when they drafted Hakeem. We went from 29 wins to 48, and were in the finals the next season. It will be interesting to see if we can set a team record for largest increase in wins this year.
No way Yao gets "unaminous" ROY. As dominating as Duncan was in his rookie year and as crappy as his fellow rookies were in comparison, 3 idiot eastern voters chose Van Horn as ROY. I believe Duncan even won every monthly ROY that year. Now add the fact that Yao's class of rookies is vastly superior to Duncan's, plus the inevitable "idiots" who will vote for anyone other than Yao. Remember all the Yao hating and resentment among the media members? Not nearly enough of that will disappear when voting time comes. Yao will and should win, though.
