2008, April 1: ESPN.com – Rose’s Ballot: Best 23-and-under players
June 24, 2008
April 1, 2008 –
We asked our writers two questions:
Rank 1 to 5: Which players age 23 or under would you want as the foundation
of your team?
Wild card: Who else has the greatest upside?
Here are ESPN NBA analyst Jalen Rose’s picks:
1. LeBron James
Cleveland Cavaliers
Small Forward
Age: 23
An unselfish leader and point forward, LeBron is one of the best all-around
performers the game will ever see. He’s the standard at any age.
2. Dwight Howard
Orlando Magic
Center
Age: 22
none.
3. Carmelo
Anthony
Denver Nuggets
Small Forward
Age: 23
Versatile and a prolific scorer, Melo will go down as one of the best small
forwards in league history.
4. Deron
Williams
Utah Jazz
Point Guard
Age: 23
He’s Jason Kidd with a deadly jump shot.
5. Chris
Paul
New Orleans Hornets
Point Guard
Age: 22
Quick hands, classic floor general, the next Isiah Thomas. The sky is the limit
for this winner.
WILD CARD: Josh Smith
Atlanta Hawks
Power Forward
Age: 22
Scary upside and crazy athleticism. Among the league’s leaders in blocks and
steals, he’s also a good defender.
