With less than a month left in the regular season, it’s time to start focusing on the awards. For NBA Rookie of the Year there are many worth candidates. Here’s a look at the top five candidates to take home the 2008-09 NBA ROY award:
5. Eric Gordon, Los Angeles Clippers
Once given a starting spot, Gordon took off. Although he doesn’t have great height for the shooting guard position, he’s built like a tank and his strength makes him dangerous anywhere on the court.
4. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Early on, it appeared as if Westbrook could be a bust. But he …read more

Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose started the season with a lot of exciting performances and a lot of people automatically gave him the NBA Rookie of the Year award. Since then, he’s had some bad outings and his defense has been exposed as non-existent. That said, he’ll still probably win it.
OJ Mayo, Memphis Grizzlies
In college, everyone thought OJ Mayo was a ballhogging moron. But on the NBA level, he has proven that sentiment to be wrong. He’s been a very smart scorer who doesn’t overly force the action. Playing in Memphis hurts his chances.
Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers
Greg Oden was …read more