NBA Primetime's Top Three Upcoming Point-Guards Destined For Greatness

NBA Primetime presents another new series of rankings consisting of the young athletes in the league that will surely be on the rise during the upcoming season. From here on out, an article will be written periodically, ranking the top three upcoming stars for every position. NBA Primtime's Top Three Upcoming Point-Guards Destined For Greatness 1. Derrick Rose (PG, CHI) After capturing the Rookie of the Year Award last season, point-guard Derrick Rose heads into his sophomore year with massive expectancy to produce at an elite level. Although only 20 years of age, Rose has already established himself as arguably a top five point-guard in the league today. His extreme agility, explosiveness, and awareness enables him to attack the rim with emphasis, create contact, and still manage to finish the play strong. With the Bulls leading scorer Ben Gordon now in a Pistons jersey, Chicago can expect D-Rose's PPG numbers to increase significantly. Even though Rose is just entering his second season in the league, he is 100 percent physically and mentally prepared to carry the Bulls team on his shoulders and fight for a playoff seed during the upcoming season. Rose should be drafted in fantasy with much anticipation of exceeding projections and expectations. Projected '09-'10 season stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.5 APG, 4.5 RPG 2. Russell Westbrook (PG, OKC) With all the hype surrounded by last season's rookies such as Derrick Rose, O.J. Mayo, and Michael Beasley, UCLA guard Russell Westbrook received the golden opportunity to play behind the curtains and ultimately end the '08-'09 season as the second best in the overall Rookie of the Year rankings. Westbrook proved to the NBA last season that he could not only distribute the ball to his teammates (5.3 APG), but score (15.3 PPG), rebound (4.9 RPG), and steal the rock (1.34 SPG) at a rather exceptional level, especially for a 20 year old rookie. Surrounded by youth, Westbrook and Co will continue to gain experience, improve their arsenals, and most importantly compete for a playoff spot within the next few seasons. RW's speed and high-flying athleticism will allow him to take the next step in the NBA from being a solid rookie to a potentially top 5 point-guard in the league. Projected '09-'10 season stats: 16.0 PPG, 7.0 APG, 5.5 RPG 3. Lou Williams (PG, PHI) The Philadelphia 76ers reported that Lou Williams would assume the starting point-guard duties for the '09-'10 season after veteran guard Andre Miller departed from the organization during the current offseason. Since entering the league straight out of high-school, Williams has gained much needed experience, improving his averages each and every season in both PPG and MPG. With the possibility of averaging around 30+ MPG, the crucial question will be whether or not Williams can actually produce at a high and consistent level. If so, not only will Williams be a huge late round sleeper in all of fantasy leagues, but yet another young and upcoming point-guard with tons of upside (only 22 years of age) to emerge at a top tier level. Projected '09-'10 season stats: 10.5 PPG, 4.5 APG, 2.0 RPG