Top NBA Rookies for the 2009-10 Season

It seems that every year in the National Basketball Association we see a surprising display of productivity from an unexpected player. This year it is none other than San Antonio Spurs rookie forward Dejuan Blair. Prior to his debut from the NBA, Blair was considered a silent prodigy who thrived in the paint while playing at the University of Pittsburg. Scouts and experts predicted he would rise around the top ten picks in last summer's NBA draft. Unfortunately, these so called experts were wrong and Blair dropped all the way to the second round of the draft which many consider it as the draft for mediocre players. Both collegiate basketball and NBA fans were shocked at Blair's misfortune, but he was lucky enough to be selected 37^th overall by the San Antonio Spurs. Recently, fans of other basketball teams have questioned their own teams as to why Blair wasn't chosen sooner. Skipping Blair will be something that the 2009 lottery teams may soon regret one day.

At only 6'7'', Blair is collecting nearly eight rebounds a game in only 17 minutes of playing time which is amazing for not only a rookie, but seasoned veteran as well. Only one player in NBA history has been solidly compared to Charles Barkley and that is the very same Dejuan Blair. Both are extremely undersized for their position (power forward) and are not afraid of getting into confrontations with players who are much taller than they are. Like Barkley, Blair can have bursts of speed and grab as many offensive rebounds as possible. And believe me, offensive rebounds are one of the hardest stats to garner. One needs to watch as many clips of Blair on youtube to make these comparisons because another thing he has in common with Charles Barkley are his low post moves. Barkley was best known for his wide array of powerful moves and intimidating personality. He was once a rival of Michael Jordan during the early 90s when Barkley was playing for the Phoenix Suns. Personally, I think Blair can easily be compared to Barkley during his tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers. Barkley has also stated that the NBA exaggerated his height by two full inches making him the shortest power forward of all time (that is if he is telling the truth).

The selection of Blair by the San Antonio Spurs could prove to be a blessing for both the organization and Blair himself since he's teamed up with the likes of Tim Duncan and Coach Greg Popovich who have won four championship titles in the last ten years together. If all does indeed go well with Blair's development, his journey could be similar to that of Tim Duncan who was also surrounded by tons of veteran leadership. Duncan was mentored by basketball legend David Robinson and Spurs' long time Spurs point guard Avery Johnson early on in his career. Now it is Blair's turn since he has Duncan himself, Ginobili, Parker, and Popovich to develop his career into something big! Blair is the type of player you can mold into a superstar according to many Spurs fans. Fans have given him the nickname "Grizzly Blair" due to his large frame.

Information on Charles Barkley's athletic bio was found in the well-known NBA Encyclopedia book.

Dejuan Blair's statistics and mini bio can be watched on both TNT and ESPN.

Info regarding the San Antonio Spurs was gathered from their official website.