The fans have elected rookie outfielder Jason Heyward of the Braves to start in the All-Star Game next week.  If he plays in the game he will be the 12th youngest player to appear in the mid-summer classic.  He’s currently on the D.L. with a bruised thumb but he’s going to try to convince the Braves’ front office to let him play in the game.  He has played in 71 games for the Braves this season and he is 64 of 255 (.251 avg, .821 OPS) with 41 runs scored, 11 homers, 45 RBIs and 5 stolen bases.  Here is a look at the 12 players who were younger than Heyward and what their careers turned out like:

Dwight Gooden:  Dwight Gooden burst on the scene in 1984 with the Mets.  He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1984 by starting in 31 games in which he was 17-9 with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP.  Drugs ruined what could have been a Hall of Fame career as no one had better stuff than Dr. K.  Gooden pitched in 430 games (410 starts) in his 16 years in the majors and he was 194-112 with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP.  Gooden made 4 All-Star Teams and he won 1 Cy Young Award in his career but he should have been much better than he was.

Butch Wynegar:  Catcher Butch Wynegar finished second for the Rookie of the Year Award for the Twins in 1976.  He played in 149 games for the Twins that year and he was 139 of 534 (.260 avg, .719 OPS) with 58 runs scored, 10 homers and 69 RBIs.  Wynegar played in 1,301 games in his 13 years in the majors and he was 1,102 of 4,330 (.255 avg, .695 OPS) with 498 runs scored, 65 homers, 506 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.  Wynegar made two All-Star games in his career as he was a solid player.

Jerry Walker:  Starter/Reliever Jerry Walker had his best year of his career as a rookie in 1959 for the Orioles.  That year he pitched in 30 games (22 starts) for the O’s and he was 11-10 with 4 saves, a 2.92 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP.  It was the only All-Star game he pitched in.  Walker pitched in 190 games (90 starts) in his 8 years in the majors and he was 37-44 with 13 saves, a 4.36 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.

Al Kaline:  Tigers’ outfielder Al Kaline made the All-Star team for the first time in the second year in the majors (1955).  In 1955, Kaline played in 152 games in which he was 200 of 588 (.340 avg, .967 OPS) with 121 runs scored, 27 homers, 102 RBIs and 6 stolen bases.  In Kaline’s 22 years in the majors (all with the Tigers), he played in 2,834 games in which he was 3,007 of 10,116 (.297 avg, .855 OPS) with 1,622 runs scored, 399 homers, 1,583 RBIs and 137 stolen bases.  Kaline was an All-Star 15 times in his career and he also won 10 Gold Gloves.  He was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1980.

Johnny Bench:  Johnny Bench made his first All-Star team in 1968 and he was also the Rookie of the Year in the N.L. that year.  Bench played in 154 games for the Reds in 1968 and he was 155 of 564 (.275 avg, .743 OPS) with 67 runs scored, 15 homers and 82 RBIs.  He played in 2,158 games in his 17 years with the Reds and he was 2,048 of 7,658 (.267 avg, .817 OPS) with 1,091 runs scored, 389 homers, 1,376 RBIs and 68 stolen bases.  Bench played in 14 All-Star Games, won 2 N.L. MVP Awards and he won 10 Gold Gloves for the Reds.  He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

Ivan Rodriguez:  Ivan Rodriguez made the All-Star Team in his second year with the Rangers.  That year he played in 123 games for the Rangers in which he was 109 of 420 (.260 avg, .659 OPS) with 39 runs scored, 8 homers and 37 RBIs.  Rodriguez has now played in 2,444 games in his major league career (20 years) and he is 2,772 of 9,270 (.299 avg, .805 OPS) with 1,326 runs scored, 306 homers, 1,290 RBIs and 127 stolen bases.  Rodriguez has played in 14 All-Star Games, he has won 13 Gold Gloves and 7 Silver Slugger Awards.  Rodriguez was the MVP of the A.L. in 1999.  He is still hanging on likely trying to get to 3,000 hits in his career.  To me he is a very likely player to make the Hall of Fame despite whispers about steroids.

Ken Griffey Jr.:  Ken Griffey Jr. made his first All-Star Game in his second year in the majors.  He played in 155 games in 1990 in which he was 179 of 597 (.300 avg, .847 OPS) with 91 runs scored, 22 homers, 80 RBIs and 16 stolen bases.  Griffey Jr. has played in 2,671 games in his 22 years in the majors and he was 2,781 of 9,801 (.284 avg, .907 OPS) with 1,662 runs scored, 630 homers, 1,836 RBIs and 184 stolen bases.  Griffey Jr. made 13 All-Star Teams, he won 7 Silver Slugger Awards and he won 1 A.L. MVP Award.  Griffey Jr. will be a first ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes elgible.

Bob Feller:  Bob Feller made his first All-Star Game in 1939 in his fourth year with the Cleveland Indians.  He pitched in 39 games (35 starts) for the Indians in 1939 and he was 24-9 with 1 save, a 2.85 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.  He pitched 18 season for the Indians appearing in 570 games (484 starts) in which he was 266-162, with 21 saves, a 3.25 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.  Feller was a 8-time All-Star and he missed time in his career to serve in World War II.  Feller was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1962.

Fernando Valenzuela:  “FernandoMania” took it’s hold of Los Angeles when Valenzuela burst onto the scene in 1981 for the Dodgers.  Valenzuela started 25 games for the Dodgers in 1981 and he was 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP as he won the Rookie of the Year Award in the N.L. and the Cy Young Award!  Valenzuela pitched 17 years in the majors working in 453 games (424 starts) in which he was 173-153 with 2 saves, a 3.54 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.  Valenzuela was a All-Star 6 times, he won a Gold Glove and 2 Silver Slugger Awards as he came up to the plate hacking.

Frank Robinson:  Outfielder Frank Robinson burst onto the scene in 1956 for the Cincinnati Reds.  He played in 152 games for the Reds in 1956 and he was 166 of 572 (.290 avg, .936 OPS) with 122 runs scored, 38 homers, 83 RBIs and 8 stolen bases.  Robinson played in 2,808 games in his major league career (21 years) in which he was 2,943 of 10,006 (.294 avg, .926 OPS) with 1,829 runs scored, 586 homers, 1,812 RBIs and 204 stolen bases.  Robinson was an All-Star 12 times, he was a MVP twice and he won 1 Gold Glove.  Robinson was inducted as a player to Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1982.

Claudell Washington:  Outfielder Claudell Washington made his only All-Star Game in his second year in the majors with the A’s.  He played in 148 games for the A’s that year and he was 182 of 590 (.308 avg, .769 OPS) with 86 runs scored, 10 homers, 77 RBIs and 40 stolen bases.  He played in 1,912 games in his 17 years in the majors and he was 1,884 of 6,787 (.278 avg, .745 OPS) with 926 runs scored, 164 homers, 824 RBIs and 312 stolen bases.

We may only be a month into the season, but there are more than a few rookies in baseball that are already making an impact for their respective clubs.  The 2010 MLB rookie class could turn out to be one of the best one in years, with guys like Jason Heyward, Austin Jackson, and David Freese already hitting the ball like seasoned vets.  Then you’ve got pitchers like Mitch Talbot, Jaime Garcia, Wade Davis, and Mike Leak mowing down major leaguers like they have been doing it for years.  There hasn’t been this many rookies making an impact so early in the season in quite a while, showing the future is very bright for baseball.  We haven’t even seen the highly touted, hard-throwing Stephen Strasburg yet, who was recently promoted to AAA by the Nationals but has yet to make his major league debut.  Here is a list of some of the top rookies early in this 2010 season…

Position Players:

Austin Jackson, CF, Detroit Tigers - .369 BA, 1 HR, 9 RBI, .421 OBP, .508 SLG, 5 SB, 28 games played

The 23-year-old, 6′1″, 185 lbs Jackson was named the AL Rookie of the Month for April.  He is leading all rookies in hits and batting averaged, and is second in all of baseball in average behind his teammate Miguel Cabrera.  Jackson had provided the Tigers with a great bat and a reliable, speedy center-fielder.  He has been their leadoff hitter and has done a great job thus far.  The only knock on Jackson is that he is striking out too much, but that is expected from a rookie.  He is already starting to improve on that though, with only 3 of his 34 strikeouts coming in the last 9 games.  He has also been a threat on the base-paths, with 5 steals in only 6 attempts so far.  The Tigers knew they were getting a talented player when they acquired Jackson in the Curtis Granderson trade, but I don’t think anyone saw him producing like he is this early.

Jason Heyward, RF, Atlanta Braves - .289 BA, 8 HR, 24 RBI, .412 OBP, .627 SLG, 25 games played

Jason Heyward showed just what kind of player he was going to be when he homered in his very first at bat as a major leaguer.  He became the youngest player in 60 years to hit a homerun in his first at bat in the big leagues, and there will be plenty more to come from the 20-year-old.  Other than maybe Strasburg with the Nationals, the lefty Heyward is probably the most highly touted prospect in this year’s rookie class.  So far he has been living up to, and surpassing, early expectations for the Braves by winning the NL Rookie of the Month award for April.  He has drawn comparisons to Cliff Floyd, Fred McGriff, and even Hank Aaron.  Now that last one is a stretch, but the point is that this guy is already gaining a ton of respect around the league only a month into his major league career, and he is only 20!  He has been on a major tear lately too, with 9 hits, 4 HRs, and 8 RBIs in his last 5 games.  This guy could be a superstar in this league for years to come.

David Freese, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals - .360 BA, 3 HR, 19 RBI, .404 OBP, .547 SLG, 1 SB, 24 games played

Many expected David Freese to emerge as the Cardinals starting third baseman last season, but injuries delayed his development and he spent most of the year in triple AAA during the 2009 season.  It looks like that extra time in the minors paid off, as Freese has emerged as one of the best hitters in the league early this season.  His bat has been outstanding, but he has struggled a little at 3B so far with 4 errors already.  His improving each day though, so he will likely turn into a decent defensive third basemen.  His great hitting is making up for his poor defense though, and he was recently named NL Player of the Week.

Gaby Sanchez, 1B, Florida Marlins - .263 BA, 1 HR, 12 RBI, .371 OBP, .408 SLG, 24 games played

The Florida Marlins have been excited about Gaby Sanchez and what he could do for their ballclub since they drafted him in the fourth round in 2005.  Sanchez was expected to win the starting job at 1B last year, but struggled in spring training and got one more year to fine tune his swing in the minor leagues.  This year Sanchez won the spot and he has been swinging the bat very nicely for the Marlins.  The 26-year-old Sanchez has a great bat and decent power, and could be a perennial .300 hitter for the Marlins.  He also is pretty fast for a 235 lbs first baseman, and although he wont steal a lot of bases he gives the Marlins some more speed on the basepaths.  Sanchez is already proving he has a major league bat, and look for him to continue to provide the Marlins with a solid bat all season long.

Tyler Colvin, LF, Chicago Cubs - .289 BA, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .365 OBP, .600 SLG, 24 games played

With Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome solidifying the starting spots for the Cubs corner outfield positions, Tyler Colvin has not been an everyday player for the Cubs so far this season.  That hasn’t stopped him from making an impact though, as the 24-year-old out of Clemson has been making the most of his playing time.  In only 45 at bats he already has 13 hits, 3 HRs, and 7 RBIs.  He does have 12 strikeouts already though, so he needs to shorten up his swing.  Although he has shown he has power, it isn’t overwhelming power.  He is getting the job done for the Cubs off the bench though, and if the Cubs grow too weary of the free swinging, streaky Soriano and his fat contract, they know they have a young talented player to fall back on with Colvin.

Pitchers:

Jaime Garcia, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals - 5 GS, 3-1, 1.13 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 23 K’s, 32.0 IP

Jamie Garcia has been a great surprise for the Cardinals this season, and has been by far the best end of the rotation pitcher in baseball so far this season.  He has a good fastball in the lower 90’s with a lot of movement and natural sink to it.  His curveball has good late break to it, but he has issues with control at times.  Garcia already has 13 walks in 32 innings, but he has done a good job of keeping those free passes from scoring.  Garcia may not be able to continue at the pace he has been going, but he has proven he can be a good major league pitcher and the Cardinals’ pitching rotation is looking great thanks a lot to Garcia.

Wade Davis, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays - 5 GS, 3-1, 2.79 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 22 K’s, 29.0 IP

The Tampa Bay Rays are the best team in baseball right now, and having a rookie starting pitcher like Wade Davis has really helped their cause.  The 24-year-old Davis has made an immediate impact for the Rays, debuting the season with 7.0 scoreless innings on just 3 hits.  Davis has a strong fastball with very good velocity up in the mid-90’s to go along with his 11-to-5 curveball.  He mixes in a cutter and changeup to keep the hitters guessing, but he is mainly a fastball-curveball guy.  Davis struggles with control though, and he hasn’t been able to get deep into ball games due to high pitch-counts.  He already has 16 walks in only 29 innings, but Davis is off to a very promising start.

Mike Leake, RHP, Cincinnati Reds - 5 GS, 2-0, 2.94 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 22 K’s, 33.2 IP

Mike Leake became the first player in 10 years to go straight from the draft to the majors without making a stop in the minor leagues.  Leake had an outstanding career at Arizona State University and the Reds thought he was good enough to start his rookie year in the big leagues.  They made the right move, since Leake has given the Reds five straight quality starts and he could easily be 5-0 so far this season.  He has five different pitches he can go to that keeps hitters off-balance.  Leake was known as having good control in college, but he has had some major control problems lately.  He has 12 walks in his last two starts, and only 4 in his previous three starts.  Leake has still been getting outs though, and he has been pretty impressive with a bat in his hands as well.  He is 4/11 (.364) with 1 run and 1 walk.  This guy is just a great overall ballplayer.

Mitch Talbot, RHP, Cleveland Indians - 5 GS, 3-2, 2.88 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 12 K’s, 34.1 IP

Talbot battled through an elbow injury last season in the minors with the Rays organization last year, but he is healthy this year with the Indians and proving to be a very solid starting pitcher.  He’s not a hard-thrower, with his fastball right around 90, but it has good movement and he has a great slider, and deceptive change up to go along with it.  He is more of a contact pitcher, with only 12 strikeouts in 34+ innings of work so far this season.  You don’t need to strike out a lot of people to be a good pitcher though, and the Indians have to be happy with the way he is throwing the ball early in his career with them.

Brian Matusz, LHP, Baltimore Orioles - 6 GS, 2-2, 3.93 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 31 K’s, 36.2 IP

Brian Matusz is already exceeding expectations for the Orioles and he is leading all rookies with 31 strikeouts.  Although he has a strong arm, he isn’t overpowering hitters to get those strikeouts.  He using a hard low-to-mid 90’s fastball to set up a good change-up, and a hard breaking curveball.  He can be a little wild at times, with 13 walks already to prove that.  Matusz is off to a great start for the Orioles, and he could end up being their number one pitcher down the road.

The 2009 NBA Draft class proved to be a very talented one, with more than a few players making immediate impacts on their respective teams.  This year’s top rookie class was dominated by guards, but there were a few big men who put together some very nice rookie campaigns.  Many players were able to adapt to the NBA game quickly, showing why they belonged in the league, but there were some who it took a few months for their game to flourish.  Some guys got off to hot starts, but slowed down as the season progressed. See how the final rookie rankings compare to the rookie rankings I did early in the season here.

1) Tyreke Evans, 6′6″ 220 lbs G, Sacramento Kings - 20.1 PPG, 5.8 APG, 5.3 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 46% FG, 26% 3pFG, 75% FT, 37.2 MPG

Tyreke Evans has been the top rookie since the first day of the season and is the easy choice for this year’s Rookie of the Year Award.  Evans was the best player on his team all season long, but unfortunately he didn’t have much help and the Kings finished the season at 25-57.  They would have been much worse without Evans though, who became only the fourth rookie in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists.  The other three guys to do that were Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James, so he is with some pretty impressive company.  Evans has a unique package of size, strength, quickness, and athleticism while also having a good feel for the game.  He does turn it over a little too much and his outside shot needs a lot of work, but at only 20-years-old he is off to an amazing start for his NBA career.

2)  Stephen Curry , 6′3″ 185 lbs G, Golden State Warriors - 17.5 PPG, 5.9 APG, 4.5 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 46% FG, 44% 3pFG, 89% FT, 36.2 MPG

Stephen Curry was definitely the most exciting rookie to watch this season and he could end up being the best player out of his rookie class when it is all said and done.  Whether it his quick crossover,his deadly silky-smooth jumper, or his undeniable great court vision, Curry has a full arsenal of weapons to attack you with on the court. Obviously he needs to bulk up, but his size was supposed to keep him from being a great rookie and it didn’t.  Curry is stronger than he looks though, and with a “wiry” frame he is still able to get to the basket and finish.  His three point shooting was probably the most impressive part of his game this season, and even though everyone knew he was a great shooter because of his days at Davidson College, not too many people expected him to adapt to the much deeper NBA three-point line so effortlessly.  He ended up 6th in the NBA in total three-pointers made and 7th in percentage. Curry also proved he wouldn’t be a big liability on defense, which many though he would be due to his size and lack of elite level quickness.  Although he wasn’t a lock-down defender, he has a knack for the ball and reads the passing lanes as good as anyone in the league, finishing with nearly 2 steals per game.  Overall, I love this guy’s game and his basketball IQ is off the charts, so he will be bringing Warriors’ fans to their feet for quite a while.

3)  Brandon Jennings, 6′1″ 170 lbs G, Milwaukee Bucks - 15.5 PPG, 5.7 APG, 3.4 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 37% FG, 37% 3pFG, 82% FT, 32.6 MPG

Brandon Jennings was passed over in the draft a few times for other point guards, as it seemed some GM’s were weary of Jennings and his less than successful numbers in Europe.  However, I think Jennings’ decision to skip college and go to Europe helped him prepare for the NBA and its lifestyle.  He took his licks in Europe and didn’t enjoy it,but it help he and his game mature in order to be ready for the NBA.  He got off to a hot start, exploding for a 55-point game in only the seventh game of the season.  He has great quickness and court vision, and has a little bit of Allen Iverson in his game.  He can dish the ball very well to his teammates and is a good three-point shooter, but he can become a little trigger happy and have too much Iverson in his game (chucking them up in bunches).  His lack of size proved to be one of his biggest hurdles, as he was not a good finisher in the lane and shot a very poor percentage unless left open from three.  Not too many guys shoot worse from inside the arc than out, and Jennings managed to do that.  Still, the 20-year-old Jennings was a solid starting point guard on a playoff-bound team and proved that he could make an impact in this league.  Also, at such a young age his body could still be developing and he will definitely put on some muscle over the next few years.  The future is bright for Jennings and the Bucks.

4)  Darren Collison, 6′0″ 160 lbs G, New Orleans Hornets - 12.4 PPG, 5.7 APG, 2.5 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 48% FG, 40% 3pFG, 85% FT, 27.8 MPG

Darren Collison only played 5 minutes total in his first six NBA games and his playing time did not increase much until Chris Paul went down with an injury and missed 8 games in November.  Collison showed flashes of the player he could be, but as soon as Paul returned Collison went back to riding the pine.  Then about two months later, Paul was out due to injury once again, this time for almost 2 months.  That is when Collison really started to shine and the Hornets realized they have a star point guard to go along with the superstar point guard they already had.  Collison has superior quickness and can still make plays in the lane despite his small stature.  He shot the ball very well from outside and he showed off his has great court vision, proving he can play the point guard position at an extremely high level in this league.  Paul had an injury riddled season, but Collison did his best impression of Paul by averaging 18.8 points and 9.6 assists in the 37 games that Paul missed.  If Collison weren’t on the same team as arguably the best point guard in the NBA, he would have played a lot more and would likely be higher up on this list.  Either way, Collison has a very bright future and is on his way to becoming one of the elite point guards in this league.

5)  Ty Lawson, 5′11″ 185 lbs G, Denver Nuggets - 8.3 PPG, 3.1 APG, 1.9 RPG, 0.74 SPG, 52% FG, 41% 3pFG, 76% FT, 20.2 MPG

Ty Lawson’s number may be a little less than his fellow top rookie guards, but the numbers that Lawson put up in just 20 minutes per night are pretty damn impressive.  Has Lawson not had to miss some games and deal with a shoulder injury, his numbers would probably be even more impressive.  Lawson wasn’t expected to get much playing time at all coming into this season as a rookie on what of the most talented Western Conference teams, but his stellar play forced George Karl to keep playing him.  He was a huge weapon off the bench for the Nuggets, due to his amazing speed and quickness.  He also is as strong as a bull, which makes up for his size.  Lawson’s great shooting was a surprise as well, especially from behind the arc. I don’t think anyone expected Lawson to hit 40% of his threes. Lawson quieted all of his doubters (especially the ones who said he was too short) this season and he has shown that the hype that he did get coming out of college, was more than deserved.

6)  Marcus Thornton, 6′4″ 205 lbs G, New Orleans Hornets - 14.5 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 45% FG, 37% 3pFG, 81% FT, 25.6 MPG

Marcus Thornton got off to a very slow start this year, but he really came on strong the final three months of the season.  Thornton doesn’t have overwhelming athleticism or quickness, but he is strong and has a motor like few in the NBA do.  He works harder than his opponent night in and night out, doing what it takes to get the ball in the whole.  His outside shot is effective, but it can be very streaky at times, so there is room for improvement there.  He has a good basketball mind and can read the defense well, and with his work ethic Thornton will continue to improve and be a great player for the Hornets for years to come.

7)  Taj Gibson, 6′9″ 225 lbs F, Chicago Bulls - 9.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.3 BPG, 0.6 SPG, 49% FG, 65% FT, 26.9 MPG

Taj Gibson is the best defensive player in this rookie class, showing why he was the PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Year last year in his final collegiate season.  The athleticism of the NBA didn’t stop his defensive prowess this year, and he is already shown he is one of the better shot blockers in the league despite less than impressive athleticism.  He has long arms and a great knowledge of where to position himself on defense. He was no slouch on offense either, where he shot a good percentage and routinely hit 15-foot jumpers. Gibson was a key reason why the Bulls made the playoffs this season and he was the biggest steal of the 2009 Draft, with the Bulls getting him with the 26th pick.

8)  James Harden, 6′5″ 220 lbs G, Oklahoma City Thunder - 9.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 40% FG, 38% 3pFG, 80% FT, 22.9 MPG

James Harden isn’t outstanding in any particular skill set, but he does just about everything well. He plays like he has been in the league for years, yet he is only 20 years old.  He is not the most athletic guy, but he is strong and positions himself well on defense. He has good hesitation moves on offense and showed this year that he can hit the outside shot, especially from the NBA three-point distance. Harden has proven to be a very valuable asset for the Thunder, and they will need him to fill up the stat sheet like he did all season long if they want a chance against the Lakers in the first round of this year’s playoffs.

9)  Jonny Flynn, 6′0″ 185 lbs G, Minnesota Timberwolves -  13.5 PPG, 4.4 APG, 2.4 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 42% FG, 36% 3pFG, 28.9 MPG

Jonny Flynn brought the passion and excitement he had in college at Syracuse to the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves this year.  Flynn showed he is an ultimate competitor, and although he didn’t shoot the ball great from the field he could still go off for a big scoring game on any given night.  His size wasn’t too much of a problem for him, as he had that great quickness to make up for it and decent strength.  He does get a little trigger happy at times, but he still averaged a good amount of assists.  Flynn will be a key part of the Timberwolves rebuilding process.

10)  DeJuan Blair, 6′7″, 265  lbs F, San Antonio Spurs - 7.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.5 BPG, 0.6 SPG, 56% FG, 55% FT, 18.2 MPG

DeJuan Blair was not expected to play much at all on the veteran led San Antonio Spurs, but his strong work ethic earned him some minutes.  His lack of height did not deter him from attacking the boards and giving the Spurs a strong inside presence off the bench. Blair has shown he belongs in this league and he will be a great asset off the bench for the Spurs in this year’s playoffs.