NBA.com: Rookie Rankings - April 24, 2006

Rookie Rankings - April 24, 2006

By John Schuhmann

Here we are. Our final Rookie Rankings of the 2005-06 season. Our Top 10 remains the same, but we'll do our best to update you on how the rookies did in the final (shortened) week. The season goes on for Andrew Bogut, Danny Granger, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Francisco Garcia and a few others. Most of our list is now off to ponder where they're going on vacation and how they can get better next season.

Plenty of rookies got extra burn this week, as you can see by our extended Noteworthy section below.

We'll have our final Rookie Rankings Mailbox later this week, so e-mail us if you've got a question or a comment. Who do you see as breakout sophomores next season? Who needs more playing time? How does your guy need to improve? Let us know.

Overall Rankings - The Road to ROY

1. CHRIS PAUL, G, NEW ORLEANS/OKLAHOMA CITY

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
36.0	16.1	5.1	7.8	2.24	0.08	.430	.282	.847

Last week: 1
The numbers speak for themselves, but what it all comes down to is that Chris Paul led the Hornets to 20 more wins than they had last year, while dealing with the affects of Hurricane Katrina. Pretty amazing.

2. RAYMOND FELTON, G, CHARLOTTE

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
30.1	11.9	3.3	5.6	1.28	0.10	.391	.358	.725

Last week: 2
Raymond Felton capped off his third straight award-winning month by averaging a double-double in two wins over the Knicks and Sixers.

3. CHARLIE VILLANUEVA, F, TORONTO

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
29.1	13.0	6.4	1.1	0.74	0.78	.463	.327	.706

Last week: 3
Charlie Villanueva had his second-highest scoring game in the Raptor finale Wednesday night in Chicago, scoring 29 points and adding 10 boards.

4. ANDREW BOGUT, C, MILWAUKEE

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
28.6	9.4	7.0	2.3	0.60	0.83	.533	.000	.629

Last week: 4
Andrew Bogut finished the season strong and looked pretty good in Game 1 in Detroit Sunday. All-Rookie First Team should be a lock for the No. 1 pick.

5. DERON WILLIAMS, G, UTAH

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
28.8	10.8	2.4	4.5	0.75	0.21	.421	.416	.704

Last week: 5
Deron Williams finished his season by tying a career high with 13 assists in a win over the Warriors on Wednesday. We knew that this was a strong point guard class coming in and they did not disappoint one bit.

6. CHANNING FRYE, C, NEW YORK

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
24.2	12.3	5.8	0.8	0.46	0.72	.477	.333	.825

Last week: 6
Channing Frye looks to start running in about a month and will hopefully be ready for summer league.

7. DANNY GRANGER, F, INDIANA

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
22.6	7.5	4.9	1.2	0.74	0.79	.462	.323	.777

Last week: 7
Danny Granger got his first taste of playoff action Sunday. He will be counted on to give the Pacers a lift off the bench.

8. RYAN GOMES, F, BOSTON

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
22.6	7.6	4.9	1.0	0.57	0.08	.487	.333	.752

Last week: 8
Ryan Gomes was another rookie who finished his season strong, scoring 19 points and going 10-10 from the line in the Celtics' final game Wednesday against Miami.

9. LUTHER HEAD, G, HOUSTON

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
28.9	8.8	3.3	2.7	1.11	0.11	.403	.361	.699

Last week: 9
Luther Head had one of his best games of the season on Wednesday as well, scoring 17 points and grabbing seven boards in a loss to the Spurs. Head led all rookies with 113 threes for the season.

10. MARVIN WILLIAMS, F, ATLANTA

MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3P%	FT%
24.7	8.5	4.8	0.8	0.61	0.30	.443	.245	.747

Last week: 10
Marvin Williams scored in double-figures in his last six games, averaging 15.0 points and 7.0 boards over that time period.

NOTEWORTHY

McCants

On the outside looking in:
Francisco Garcia (SAC), Joey Graham (TOR), Sarunas Jasikevicius (IND), Rashad McCants (MIN), Johan Petro (SEA), Nate Robinson (NYK), Salim Stoudamire (ATL)

Alan Anderson (CHA) scored a career-high 18 points in the Bobcats' win in New York Monday.

Ike Diogu (GSW) finished the season by averaging 16.0 points and 7.6 boards while shooting .571 from the field in his last seven games.

Joey Graham (TOR) scored in double-figures in six of his 10 games in April, including back-to-back 18-point performances to end the season.

Orien Greene (BOS) scored a career-high 14 points on Monday against Cleveland and then matched it Wednesday against Miami, adding five steals (another career-high).

Amir Johnson (DET) scored 18 points, shooting a perfect 6-of-6 from the field (including 2-of-2 from downtown) and 4-of-4 from the line in just 18 minutes of action Monday in Milwaukee. In the same game, Jason Maxiell (DET) recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 boards.

Dwayne Jones (BOS) played twice as many minutes in the last two games as he did the entire season until then and responded by grabbing 13 boards on Monday and 10 on Wednesday.

C.J. Miles (UTA) set several career highs in the final game of the season, scoring 23 points, grabbing six boards and dishing out four assists against he Warriors on Wednesday.

A pair of Memphis rookies had career games on Wednesday as well. Anthony Roberson scored 14 points while Lawrence Roberts recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 boards in Minnesota.

James Singleton (LAC) scored a career-high 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting Tuesday in Memphis.

Bracey Wright (MIN) went off for 19 points on 8-of-14 from the field in the Wolves' final game Wednesday night against Memphis.

RED = Rookie Leader

Got beef with our rankings or have a comment or question for us? Send us an
e-mail and we may respond to it here this week.

THIS WEEK'S RANKINGS
1. Monta Ellis (GSW) 17.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.50 SPG, .438 FG% in 2 games 2. Raymond Felton (CHA) 15.5 PPG, 11.5 APG, 3.50 SPG, .343 FG% in 2 games 3. Charlie Villanueva (TOR) 21.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, .405 FG% in 2 games 4. Ike Diogu (GSW) 18.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, .458 FG% in 2 games 5. Deron Williams (UTA) 15.0 PPG, 8.5 APG, .500 FG% in 2 games

ROOKIE LINE OF THE WEEK
Monta Ellis (GSW) 04.19 @ UTA 27 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 11-25 FG

ROOKIE STATS -- LEADERS
Scoring \| Rebounding \| Field Goal % Blocks \| Assists \| Steals

LETTER OF THE WEEK

I am quite disappointed that you would drop CV31 down to number 3. The guy has proven throughout the season, even though struggling, that he is the second best rookie in the league. I don't know if this is just hate against Toronto, but Charlie V doesn't get any plays ran for him. The guy is like the fourth option on our team this year, and look what he has been able to accomplish. If he was the first option like Chris Paul is he would be the ROY for sure. Ray Felton should not be listed as the number 2 rookie, its that plan and simple. Look at Charlie's numbers. They are better than Felton's. Charlie is the second best rookie this year, and just accept it. Everyone in Toronto knows that, and I think that the NBA should start acknowledging that their is a team in Toronto. We do exist, and we have very solid players up here. Just accept that, and start respecting our team a little more. Sure Kobe lit us up with 81 points, but we got Charlie V who is going to be a great TEAM player.
Jack - Mississauga, Ont.

Rookie Report: This letter represents the mail we've received this past week pretty well. Toronto fans were quite upset with the shakeup in last week's rankings. We've said it before but I guess it bears repeating. Villanueva has been terrific, but Felton has been better. We have nothing to do with the Rookie of the Month awards, but those who do apparently agree.

The world is not out to get you Toronto, and life goes on.
Write us

DOWN TO THE D-LEAGUE
04.20 - Rawle Marshall (DAL) to Fort Worth

ROOKIE PHOTOS OF THE WEEK
Monta Ellis Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images
Anthony Roberson Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE/Getty Images
Hakim Warrick Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images