The rookies involved in the 2004 NBA Draft pool were seen as a relatively weak group when compared to the star-studded draft class of the year before that produced stars Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade, among others. Few people expected any of the rookies beyond the first few picks in the draft to have any immediate and significant impact on their new squads. However, several rookies have silenced their doubters and become important parts of their teams' success.
One of the most unheralded rookies picked in the lottery was Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers. His athletic ability was recognized, but many thought his game did not extend much beyond his athleticism. However, he is the only Sixer to start every game this season and has emerged as a pleasant surprise in a somewhat disappointing season for the team.
Iguodala has averaged 8.9 points and 5.8 rebounds in 32 minutes per game, as well as an impressive 1.68 steals per contest. He has combined with Allen Iverson to form a formidable defensive tandem in the Philly backcourt, and his versatility at both ends of the floor should make him a fixture in the Sixers' lineup in the future.
While Ben Gordon gets the most credit for boosting the Chicago Bulls in their breakout season, the impact of two of his rookie teammates, Luol Deng and Chris Duhon, on the success of the "Baby Bulls" cannot be disregarded. Deng and Duhon, who were teammates at Duke for a season before they were drafted, were reunited when Chicago acquired Deng on draft day from the Phoenix Suns.
In just over 27 minutes a game, Deng is averaging 11.7 points and 5.3 rebounds a game, while Duhon is second on the team in assists and steals as the sidekick for Kirk Hinrich. Speaking of steals, Duhon was just that in the draft. He slipped to the 38th overall pick on concerns mainly about his scoring ability. Now, the rookie trio has been a key ingredient of the turnaround in Chicago this season.
Jameer Nelson was the 2003 AP National Player of the Year in his senior season at St. Joseph's. However, his lack of size and fast-break speed caused him to fall out of the lottery to the 20th pick, where he was selected by the Denver Nuggets and then traded to the Orlando Magic. Nelson has carried over his penetration ability and range to the professional level, and in the past several weeks has gotten a chance to prove himself with the trade of Cuttino Mobley and injury to Grant Hill. He has responded by averaging 15 points, five assists and four rebounds since late February, seemingly proving his ability at the next level in the process.
While some of the aforementioned players were good pickups in the draft, the player who appears to be the best steal of the draft is Trevor Ariza of the New York Knicks, who didn't go until the 43rd pick. General Manager Isiah Thomas, who has made several dubious moves in his tenure with the team, seems to have found significant potential with Ariza. Ariza, who made the leap to the pros after only one year of college ball at UCLA, surprised many scouts who found it foolish that he opted against staying in college at least one more year to improve his draft stock.
Ariza has the size and athletic ability to make it in the pros, and his basketball skills have been surprisingly solid since he began playing with the Knicks. He will only continue to get better, and is still a few months shy of his 20th birthday, which will give him that much more time to fine-tune his game. Currently, New York only has Ariza signed for this season, and it would be a serious surprise if Isiah Thomas didn't reward the youngster with an extension and the opportunity to develop alongside the tandem of Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury.
After the high level of talent contained in the 2003 NBA Draft, a major letdown was expected for the skill level of this year's rookies. However, while the talent has not been quite as good, the high-profile picks such as Emeka Okafor, Dwight Howard and Gordon have lived up to their billing, while several of the other later draft picks have surprised many with their emergence right out of the gate.
The 2004 NBA Draft was deeper than originally thought, and it looks to have produced several legitimate players poised to make contributions throughout their careers.
