Rose's rookie class joins Lebron's 03' draft as best in decade

Only if the NBA draft were anything like American Idol would the NBA then have ratings higher than MLB.

General managers would be the contestants and the fans would be the voters. But instead of Paula, Randy and Simon, we could have Charles Barkley, Bill Walton and comedian Lewis Black.

I love Lewis Black's odd, liberal, well-articulated rants that almost end in "well...that's just (expletive) insane."

And who wouldn't want to see Kevin McHale, Bryan Colangelo or Steve Kerr as contestants?

Each general manager will have to explain their decisions over the past few years, particularly on draft night. There will even be mock competitions where fictional players with scripted profiles will perform in scrimmages and perform one-on-one taped interviews for the show.

We can have the under-achieving, talented prima madonna who needs to add 20 pounds of muscle to their frame (think Anthony Randolph or Stephen Jackson).

We can have the really tall, white guy with great hands and footwork but zero athleticism with little room to improve (Aaron Gray).

Or we can have the European big-man who has impeccable shooting skills for his 6'10 frame and decent dribbling ability. He has little interest in playing defense, averages about four rebounds a game and cannot back anyone down in the post (about every European big-man that comes into the league).

Why wouldn't Barkley ask Kerr: "Man, you tell me why you picked up a fatter, more-out-of-shape ballplayer than me to play that run-and-gun offense?"

It's fun to think that way because fans are often so willing to give our opinions before, during and after the draft. We're especially smart about a year after the draft.

Nevertheless, the 2008-2009 rookie class is looking as strong as any since LeBron James and company was drafted in 2003.

Witness that class for a moment: James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Chris Kaman, Kirk Hinrich, Michael Pietrus, David West and Josh Howard. Of course, Darco Milicic is part of that list.

But, even Joe Dumars misses at times. Still great fodder for American General Manager, though.

Take a look at the 2008-2009 rookie class thus far. Pretty good. In fact, there are arguably two all stars already produced in Derrick Rose and O.J. Mayo, and many potential "players" in this class.

Michael Beasley: He is struggling as of lately, and doesn't get in often during the fourth quarter. He does score with ease, and will always have a place in the NBA...even if it's not on the Heat.

Mayo: He's Dwyane Wade without the vertical and long arms. He can create his own shot and is a bona fide star in the making. Cue up Walton, who is staring down McHale: "Do you do anything right?"

Russell Westbook and Eric Gordon will be in the NBA for a long time. D.J. Augustin possesses a rare combination: He's slight, yet explosive enough to get through traffic and score. He shredded Rose in their first meeting.

George Hill is so good, it looks like he's been the league for years. Leave it to the Spurs to make another late-round steal. He's athletic, smart and can already shoot. The guards in this draft will impact the NBA for years to come, and they're noticeably polished.

Brook Lopez: He deserves an assessment altogether on his own. Lopez is everything I thought he wasn't. He's strong, deceptively athletic and mobile. He runs the floor extremely well for a 7-footer and can score consistently. While Devin Harris is certainly part of New Jersey's revival, Lopez has given them a new dimension.

Jason Thompson, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Rudy Fernandez, Anthony Randolph, Marc Gasol, Courtney Lee are all looking like valuable role players, and in many cases, steals.

It's really an astonishing list. While we're only a quarter through the season at this point, it's exciting to witness a class that has had such an instant impact on the league.

Certainly, we don't know if it has the super stars that the 03 class offers (probably not), but it's early and it's looking like there is more depth here.

It's an embarrassment of riches for the NBA.

And often times, it's an embarrassment for some GMs--cough, McHale--who whiff on these kinds of classes.

"Listen, when you decided to take Danilo Gallinari at No. 6, you just wanted to be unique right? New system. Open-court, open style? Get the Italian kid who could run?" Lewis Black says to Donnie Walsh. "Well, that's just (expletive) insane."