Utah Jazz: NBA rookies getting the point

The following conversation was overheard recently in the sports department of a daily newspaper in an NBA city (names are not being used to protect the ignorant):

"Can you believe Brandon Jennings?"

"Brandon Jennings? The Green Bay Packers receiver? What he'd do?"

No, Brandon Jennings is not a Packer. He's not even related to Green Bay pass catcher Greg Jennings — even though they play professional sports in the same state.

Brandon Jennings is simply the early odds-on favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award. He's an up-and-coming star many casual NBA fans still don't know.

But if he keeps playing like he has so far for the Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings is about to become a household name.

And Jennings isn't the only rookie point guard doing big things already.

The 2005 draft — the one that featured Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Raymond Felton, among others — was an incredible year for point guards.

But, judging by the early results, 2009's draft may be even better — or at least deeper.

Here's a look at the point guard/combo guards who are already making an impact in the league:

Brandon Jennings,Milwaukee Bucks

The No. 10 overall pick in last June's draft is suddenly being mentioned in the same sentence as NBA legends Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson.

Jennings' first-ever NBA game was a near triple-double — he scored 17 points with nine assists and nine rebounds against the Philadelphia 76ers in just 34 minutes.

That impressive opener was no fluke. Jennings, who just turned 20 in September, garnered huge attention a week ago when he went off for 55 points against the Golden State Warriors — just three points shy of Chamberlain's all-time rookie record. He became the youngest player to ever score 50 or more points, too.

So far this season, he's averaging 24.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists.

One reason Jennings isn't as well known to basketball fans in the states as some of the other top rookies is that he didn't play college ball. The 6-foot-1 lefty originally from the Los Angeles area was the top recruit in the nation two years ago and he signed to play for Arizona, but opted instead to play professionally in Europe for a season before entering the NBA draft.

His inability to dominate in Italy — he averaged just 7.6 points, 1.6 assists and 1.6 rebounds in Euroleague games last season — certainly didn't suggest he'd be taking the NBA by storm so soon and caused his draft stock to drop a bit.

But it allowed the Bucks to get a steal.