Passin' the Torch - Small Forwards

"I leave the game in good hands. So many great stars are rising and playing the game. I have passed on the things that Dr. J and some of the great players--Magic Johnson, Larry Bird--have passed on to me; I pass on to these All-Stars here, as well as to the rest of the players in the NBA. I want to thank you all for your support. Now I can go home and feel at peace with the game of basketball."
Michael Jordon, 2003 NBA All-Star Game

Welcome back to Passin' the Torch! I would like to first apologize in advance for not sticking with my own rules for this particular post. Most of these guys are not 25 years of age and younger, but they all fit the most important criteria of this series: players who are/will be the future of the NBA. When I first decided to do "Passin' the Torch", I was particularly excited about doing the small forwards post. So let's get right to it!


Rudy Gay (24)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.466	.327	.753	5.9	1.9	1.5	0.8	2.1	19.6

Rudy Gay is one of the most athletic players in the NBA today. Time and time again I've seen his high-flying highlights on the NBA TV Top 10. Although he's known more for his spectacular dunks, he is also a gifted offensive player. He is the best wing scorer the Grizzlies have and that's been proven by his ability to slash to the rim and hit the occasional jumper. What Gay needs to work on now, to supplant himself as one of the best small forwards in the game, is a consistent jumper and his defensive skills. Gay has yet to really prove himself as the go to scorer on the Grizzlies, but this year is a great opportunity for him to take his game to the next level and prove that he's worth all those millions the Grizzlies spent on him this past summer.


Andre Iguodala (26)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.443	.310	.733	6.5	5.8	1.7	0.7	2.7	17.1

Andre Iguodala is what you call a "Jack of all trades" type of basketball player. That simply means that he can do anything and everything on the court. He led the 76ers in points, assists, and steals and was second in rebounding. He's had some trouble producing wins on a struggling Sixers team, but he is still one of the better small forwards in the NBA. He's very athletic and a great defender. He played very well along side Kevin Durant this past FIBA Tournament as the lock-down defender for Team USA. During the season Iguodala only averaged 13-14 shot attempts a game, whereas players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant averaged at least 20 shot attempts a game. Iguodala is better suited as a sidekick than the head honcho. As proven this past summer, Iguodala played well next to Durant, who was the unquestioned number 1 option of Team USA. With all the pressure of scoring off of Iguodala, he could focus on other parts of the game, like defense.


Carmelo Anthony (26)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.458	.316	.830	6.6	3.2	1.3	0.4	3.0	28.2

Carmelo Anthony is one of the most gifted offensive players in the NBA today. He can literally score from anywhere around the court. At 6'8 and 230 pounds, he's very strong and deceptively quick. He can hit jumpers from anywhere around the court and take it to the rack with strength, as proven by his 8-9 free throw attempts a game. Carmelo is already a top 5 small forward in the NBA, but not in the top 5 of best players in the NBA. He's definitely worthy of the title of a franchise player, but he will need to continue to grow his leadership to ever want to reach the title of the best in the game. Whether Carmelo stays in the Mile High City or moves to a place with brighter lights, he'll need to lead his team deep into the playoffs to reach the status Durant and James.


Kevin Durant (22)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.476	.365	.900	7.6	2.8	1.4	1.0	3.3	30.1

Here is where we start getting to the elites. Kevin Durant is in conversation to be one of the top 3 players in the NBA and he's only 22 years old. He led the Thunder to the playoffs last year scoring 30 points a game and more impressively, led team USA to the gold medal in Turkey. Watching him play in the FIBA tournament proved to me that this kid is no fluke. The way he scored under pressure and constantly delivered when it counted showed how good he really is. Durant and James will definitely be battling for the title of the best in the NBA once Kobe is gone. He's shown so much maturity and talent at a young age. I wouldn't count out OKC as the number 2 seed in the West, behind the Lakers. The Thunder will definitely be a dark horse in the playoff race and contenders for the title for years to come.


LeBron James (26)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.503	.333	.767	7.3	8.6	1.6	1.0	3.4	29.7

Hate him or love him, LeBron James is one talented basketball player and there hasn't been anyone as gifted and versatile since Magic Johnson. His ability to find team mates and make his team better is a gift that only the greats have. He took a horrible, and I mean horrible Cavaliers team to the playoffs multiple times and even to the NBA Finals one year! For him to average almost 30 points, 7+ rebounds, 8+ assists, 1 block, and 1 steal a game is beyond insane. He wasn't a 2 time MVP for nothing. He's been this successful on a bad team, but imagine what he can do with a good one. I see LeBron and the Miami Heat winning multiple championships in the near future and far future. Once Kobe retires, I wish every other team in the NBA team good luck. If James wins multiple championships (by multiple I mean at least 4 or 5), he will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Runner Ups: Danny Granger (27 - No one in the NBA (25 years of age and younger) has a chance at beating out these players to be the best, but I give Granger credit in being a very talented player. If he was 25, he'd definitely be ahead of Gay on the list)

Check out Passin' the Torch - Point Guards edition and Shooting Guards edition if you haven't already! Link is below:
Passin' the Torch - Point Guards
Passin' the Torch - Shooting Guards

Passin' the Torch - Shooting Guards

"I leave the game in good hands. So many great stars are rising and playing the game. I have passed on the things that Dr. J and some of the great players--Magic Johnson, Larry Bird--have passed on to me; I pass on to these All-Stars here, as well as to the rest of the players in the NBA. I want to thank you all for your support. Now I can go home and feel at peace with the game of basketball."
Michael Jordon, 2003 NBA All-Star Game

Welcome back to Passin' the Torch. What I would like to do in this series is highlight young players who will be considered the best of the best. When Jordan gave that speech at the All-Star game, players like Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan were listening. Now Kobe and Duncan are considered the best and will soon (or not so soon) be giving up their titles as The Best. This week's edition will be focusing on shooting guards in the NBA that are 25 years of age and under. Personally, I feel that the shooting guard position is a bit lacking when it comes to young talent in the NBA, but there are a few notable players in the shooting guard spot.

O.J. Mayo (22)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.458	.383	.809	3.8	3.0	1.2	0.2	2.5	17.5

Simply put, O.J. Mayo is a scorer. Since his days at USC, he's always been known as a player who puts the ball in the hoop. Whether it be through penetrating through the paint or hitting a deep three, scoring is what Mayo does best. If he wasn't on a team with people who dominate the ball, he could easily be scoring 20+ points a game. Even with Zach Randolph AND Rudy Gay on his team, he found a way to score 17.5 points a game last year. Although he is one of the better young guards in the game, his skills are limited to scoring. Whether that be the fault of being on a team with people who need the ball in their hands or a lack of skill, Mayo doesn't have what it takes to be called the best. Until he takes his game to the next level, he'll just be known as one of the better scoring guards in the game.


Eric Gordon (21)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.449	.371	.742	2.6	3.0	1.1	0.2	2.3	16.9

Eric Gordon has really been impressive the last couple years. He's a very solid wing scorer who can slash to the hoop or knock down the open jumper. He has a big body so he's strong when going to the hoop to draw a foul and can play defense with his size and strength. His inability to score more points is more because of him being on a team with players who demand the ball (i.e. Baron Davis, Chris Kaman) and less because of a lack of talent. Although Gordon is a very solid player, the best he will ever be is a very good role player. The Clippers are quickly becoming Blake Griffin's team, but that should only help Gordon as he should find more shots opening up for him with defenses focusing more on Griffin and Kaman. Look for Eric Gordon to be more aggressive on offense and defense this upcoming season.


Tyreke Evans (21)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.458	.255	.748	5.3	5.8	1.5	0.4	3.0	20.1

Besides Tyreke Evans, only three other players in the history of the NBA averaged 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists as a rookie. This just proves how talented of a player Evans is. Not only is Evans strong, but he is also very quick. His ability to penetrate through the lane with his size and quickness gave many defenses difficulties in guarding him. Along with his scoring ability, his rebounding and assisting are very impressive. Not many guards have a knack for rebounding, but that is not the case for Evans. Playing alongside DeMarcus Cousins this year should only further prove how talented Evans is. The main thing Evans will need to work on is a consistent jump shot. Once he's able to hit consistently from long range, he'll be almost impossible to guard. Look for Evans to really improve this year and possibly lead the Kings to surprise playoff berth.


Monta Ellis (25)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.449	.338	.753	4.0	5.3	2.2	0.4	3.8	25.5

If there's one thing that Monta Ellis is good at, it's putting the ball in the hoop. He was 6th in the league in scoring this past year. Ellis is such a talent on offense because he can do everything with the ball. He can hit the open jump shot, he can take it to the hoop, and he can even dish it to open team mates from time to time. Although Monta Ellis is one of the better young guards in the game, he will not be known for much if he doesn't start winning. Now that he has a future All-Star running mate in Stephen Curry and low-post talent in David Lee, he'll have lots of help to put up some W's for the W's. He probably won't score as much as he did last year, but that is a fine price to pay if his team will start to win some more games.


Brandon Roy (26)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.473	.330	.780	4.4	4.7	0.9	0.2	2.0	21.5

Alright, so let me explain myself. I understand that Brandon Roy is 26 years old and technically, he should not belong on this list. But, come on, this list needed someone worthy at the top. Like I said earlier, the shooting guard position is a bit lacking when it comes to superior talent, so I had to include some top notch talent. Brandon Roy is the 3rd best shooting guard in the league, only behind Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. He's the leader of the Blazers and their best player. The question to ask here is, "What can't Roy do?" Watching this guy play is amazing because he can do anything and everything with the ball. He can score, he can pass, he can rebound, he can play defense, and the list goes on. He's probably one healthy Greg Oden away from a deep playoff birth. If Brandon Roy can stay healthy this year and the Blazers can get all their players back safe and sound, this Blazers team will be a surprise threat in the West.

Runner Ups: Not sure if any runner-ups belong here because the talent pool is pretty shallow. If I could, I would probably put Mayo and Gordon in the runner-up list, but I needed at least 5 players.

Check out Passin' the Torch - Point Guards edition if you haven't already! Link is below:
Passin' the Torch - Point Guards

Passin' the Torch - Point Guards

"I leave the game in good hands. So many great stars are rising and playing the game. I have passed on the things that Dr. J and some of the great players--Magic Johnson, Larry Bird--have passed on to me; I pass on to these All-Stars here, as well as to the rest of the players in the NBA. I want to thank you all for your support. Now I can go home and feel at peace with the game of basketball."
Michael Jordon, 2003 NBA All-Star Game

Michael Jordan "passed" on the game to a handful of amazing superstars: Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson etc. Who would these superstars pass on the game to once it's their time to go? This is the first part of a five part series I would like to call, "Passin' the Torch." In this series I would like to highlight the top 5 players (25 years of age and below) in their respective positions (PG, SG, SF, PF, C), currently playing in the NBA today. This first part will focus on point guards.

Stephen Curry (22)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.462	.437	.885	4.5	5.9	1.9	0.2	3.1	17.5

Stephen Curry is as complete as they come when it comes to point guards. He can shoot, dish, rebound, and play some defense. He's quick on his feet and with his brain. Although he was just a rookie last year, he displayed great maturity being able to lead the Warriors at the point and co-exist with Monta Ellis in the back court. This year is looking good for him as his assist totals should go up with the pick and roll machine, David Lee, working with him. I see Stephen Curry becoming one of the top PG's in the NBA in the near future. But to be considered one of the all-time greats, he's going to need to start leading his team to wins and possibly some championships.


Russell Westbrook(22)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.418	.221	.780	4.9	8.0	1.3	0.4	3.3	15.7

Westbrook is probably the most athletic point guard in the NBA today. His ability to get to the rim is amazing because of his quickness and athleticism. Westbrook's mid-range jumper is also very solid. Although he never really had a starting gig as a point guard in college, he learned quickly how to lead a group when coming to the NBA (thank you Tae for the correction!). Playing alongside Kevin Durant and the rest of the Thunder, he averaged an astounding 8 assists per game. Not only is he getting his assists, but he got just under 5 rebounds a game. He will definitely be flirting with a few triple-doubles this coming year. His defense is also notable being able to average a steal a game. He is definitely one of the better defenders in his position. The only downside to Westbrook's game is his field-goal percentage. He only shot about 41%, so he needs to work on his shot selection and consistency.


Derrick Rose (22)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.489	.267	.766	3.8	6.0	0.7	0.3	2.8	20.87

Rose is quite possibly the fastest and strongest point guard in the game today. He is a beast when going to the rim and any player would have trouble keeping up with him. He can single-handedly break down defenses, even good defenses (i.e. 2009 playoffs against the Celtics). With a post player to pass the rock to now, Rose's assists should go up this year and even more solidify his status as one of the best point guards in the game. The biggest downfall to his game is his lack of a jumper (from beyond the arch) and lack of defense. He's the only point guard on this list that doesn't average at least 1 steal a game. Not being able to hit beyond the arch is not that big of a deal, but if he adds that to his already dominating game, who knows what his limit is? This guy could soon enough be the best point guard in the NBA if he continues his growth.


Rajon Rondo (24)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.508	.213	.621	4.4	9.8	2.3	0.1	3.0	13.7

Rajon Rondo is probably the best team leader on this list. With or without the Celtics Big 3, Rondo has proven his leadership abilities. He was able to help guide the Celtics to the 2008 NBA Championship, and I would be hard pressed to think the Celtics could of done it without him. Although he might not be the scorer that Paul or Rose is, we all know that Rondo can score when he needs to. Rondo is very crafty with the ball. You don't know if he's going to drive it to the hoop or pass the ball to find an open team mate. His court vision is excellent and he is definitely one of the best passers in the game today. Another highlight is Rondo's defense. His length and quickness definitely helps and is one reason why he was the league's steals leader this past NBA season. Although Rajon Rondo's abilities on both ends of the floor are excellent, one thing he really lacks is a consistent jumper. He won't scare teams away with his jump shots or free-throw shooting, so that is something he can definitely work on. But despite this crutch, Rondo's playing-making ability and defense are more than enough to rank him as one of the best point guards in the game.


Chris Paul (25)
2009-2010 Stats

FG%	3P%	FT%	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
.493	.409	.847	4.2	10.7	2.1	0.2	2.5	18.7

CP3. What can I say? This guy is THE best point guard in the league right now. Although he only played 45 games last year, when healthy, this guy is unstoppable. I know a lot of people will say Deron Williams is the best point guard right now, but I have hope in Chris Paul. He is the ideal point guard. He can score, dish, rebound, defend, and win. He's led the league in assists and steals in previous years, his FG%, FT% and 3P% are amazing and he can grab rebounds. A point guard is supposed to lead his team on the court and make his team mates better. That is exactly what Chris Paul does. He even made Tyson Chandler look good! Barring any more injury to Paul, I believe he'll take the title as the best point guard in the league.

Runner Ups: Deron Williams (26 - Would be up there on the list, but is 1 year too late!), John Wall (20 - still has a lot to prove, but will be on this list sooner than later), Aaron Brooks (25 - lightning quick and a scoring machine, didn't quite make the list b/c he isn't as complete as his fellow pg's above), Brandon Jennings (21 - talented beyond his age, but not as good as the top 5)