Don't Sleep On Damian Lillard

Don't Sleep On Damian Lillard
By P. Albert

Heading into the 2012-2013 NBA season, most basketball analysts and fans had their sites on Anthony Davis, the star forward from the University of Kentucky. Now that we are halfway into the NBA season (as of this writing), the hype surrounding Davis seems to have faded and has instead shifted towards Portland Trailblazers' rookie, Damian Lillard. Lillard has easily been the most surprising rookie this season because of the blowout year that he has been having.

While Davis is having a solid rookie year himself, Lillard's numbers for the season make Davis' look inferior in comparison. This is not a knock on Davis or anything since the kid is having a solid year, but for a number one pick, he has not lived up to the expectations surrounding him. Lillard on the other hand has been putting up some impressive offensive numbers this year including a career high 37 points in a losing effort against the Golden State Warriors.

Lillard also became only the third player in NBA history to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in his debut. He joins Isaiah Thomas and Oscar Robertson on that small list. Now that is some pretty good company to have right there. He also became only the second player in NBA history to score 20 points in his first three games as a rookie. You know who is the other guy to do it? Oscar Robertson. Again, Lillard is in the company of a legend.

One thing that has been very impressive about Lillard is how quickly he was able to adjust to the NBA game. Most rookies, especially those playing the starting point guard position, would have a hard time trying to adjust to the NBA's faster style. However, Lillard showed from the beginning of the season that he was ready to be in the NBA.

He has a sweet shooting stroke that makes him a threat from anywhere on the floor and in addition to his scoring, he is also a good playmaker. Portland definitely has found themselves a very promising young guard in Damian Lillard because as long as he stays healthy, he can only get better. For now, Lillard is the clear-cut choice for Rookie of the Year. Anthony Davis still has a chance to make a statement in that regard, but so far, Lillard seems to be holding on to that distinction with an iron clad grip.

If you are a fan of Damian Lillard or if you just love basketball or any other sport, head on over to AllSportsPeople to get an entire listing of all of your favorite athletes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=P._Albert
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dont-Sleep-On-Damian-Lillard&id=7517626