Sheridan Hoops Rookie Rankings: Week 17

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NBA scouts may have overlooked Bradley Beal’s best quality.

When Beal declared for the 2012 draft, his combination of 6-5 size and excellent mechanics made him the top shooting guard prospect. After a slow start to the season – somewhat attributed to the injury absence oF backcourt mate John Wall – he has found his rhythm and is shooting better than 46 percent from the field since New Year’s Day.

However, Beal also has shown remarkable mental and physical toughness throughout his rookie campaign, which you love to see in a 19-year-old.

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Sheridan Hoops Rookie Rankings: Week 15

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Last week, rookie big men Tyler Zeller and Andrew Nicholson weren’t even in these rankings.

This week, they are in the Rising Stars contest that kicks off All-Star Weekend on Friday night.

Zeller, the center of the Cleveland Cavaliers, was among the original field of nine rookies chosen for the game. Nicholson, a power forward for the Orlando Magic, was added this week to replace injured Detroit Pistons big man Andre Drummond. 

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Sheridan Hoops Rookie Rankings: Week 11

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Over the last four weeks in our Rookie Rankings, Toronto Raptors guard Terrence Ross ascended from ninth to sixth to fourth before plummeting entirely out of the table.

That staged climb and quick descent somewhat resembles Ross in the open court, where he has unleashed some of the more memorable dunks this season.

But dunks aren’t enough to get a spot in these rankings. Anyone who regularly reads this piece knows that I cut these kids very little slack. You don’t just have to play; you have to play well. You can’t have a good game here and a solid game there; you have to display some semblance of real consistency that proves you belong.

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Sheridan Hoops Rookie Rankings: Week 10

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There were more than a few folks wondering if Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal had hit the Rookie Wall. To silence those folks, Beal broke through it.

Right about the time rookies start to feel the rigor of their first NBA season – somewhere between 30 and 40 games, with back-to-backs and extended travel college players don’t face – Beal produced his best week of the season and showed why everyone was so high on him in June.

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Sheridan Hoops Rookie Rankings: Week Nine

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Over the last two weeks, readers of this weekly feature have let it be known that I am undervaluing Detroit Pistons big man Andre Drummond.

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