From Day 1, Brandon Jennings has made you look. After his Euroleague stint & unorthodox draft night debut, Jennings proved you can take a different route to the NBA–as well as to the stage to shake David Stern’s hand.
After dropping 55 points vs. the Warriors in his 7th NBA game, the media gave Jennings the top slot in the rookie of the year race. And when his shots stopped falling, everyone took it away.
Jennings once called the 55-point game both a blessing and a curse. With that spectacular performance, Jennings had raised the bar to an unrealistic level. He not only put himself on the map, but he consequently put his name on every single scouting report. And once every team broke down his baskets and came up with defensive strategies, Jennings would struggle and then have to adjust. The adjustment period for a rookie is a natural process, although for Jennings, it happened so quickly.
So naturally, his shooting percentage dropped, and people began to notice Tyreke Evans–the 4th overall pick who was putting up numbers only achieved by Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James.
However, while Jennings’ scoring wavered, his production in other areas remained consistent. Filling up the stat sheet with assists, rebounds, and steals, Jennings proved that as a rookie he not only had a well rounded game, but the composure necessary to overcome a rough shooting stretch.
Coach Scott Skiles deserves a lot of credit for the maturation of Jennings as a player because of the confidence he had in the rookie to run the Bucks’ offense. While many players have stepped up in the Bucks system, Jennings is the constant and his quickness and floor vision are directly related to his teammates’ increased production.
Jennings has also seemed to earn the trust and respect of his teammates, who are quick to put the ball in his hands and let him set up plays.
It is definitely easier to run an offense with Andrew Bogut putting up career numbers and additions Jerry Stackhouse and John Salmons absorbing some of the scoring load. However, before these acquisitions, Bogut missed time due to injury & the Bucks lost their all-star Michael Redd for the season. It was up to Jennings to keep the team competitive.
But most importantly, Jennings, with his infectious confidence, made the Bucks relevant and exciting. The focus on him began to shift to the team as fans took notice & ESPN put them on primetime. Now 5th in the East with one of the best records since all-star break, the Bucks look to be a tough matchup for whichever team they face. And if one judges impact over statistics, then Jennings should still be in the top slot for rookie of the year.
As many analysts have said, it is easy to put up big numbers on a losing team. Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry & Darren Collison look like they will be forces in the league for years to come, but based on this season, my rookie of the year choice is Jennings.
