For a time in the 2009-10 season, it looked as if Kentucky coach John Calipari would extend his streak of NBA Rookie of the Year products to three. He coached Derrick Rose at Memphis in the point guard's sole collegiate season before becoming the No. 1 pick of the Chicago Bulls in 2008; he was an easy choice for Rookie of the Year in 2009. Right around January 2010, Tyreke Evans became the clubhouse leader for the 2010 award after having starred for Cal at Memphis, too.
Blake Griffin Breaks John Calipari’s Rookie Of The Year Streak At Two
Meanwhile, point guard John Wall was leading the Kentucky Wildcats -- Calipari's new team -- to an excellent regular season, along with beastly DeMarcus Cousins. Wall was the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft (even after the 'Cats flamed out in the tournament), and the point guard was the favorite for R.O.Y. ... until Blake Griffin recovered from injury.
Once we caught a glimpse of what Griffin could do when healthy, the race was over. Wall, Cousins, Landry Fields -- no one else had a chance. Wall was actually really good this season, and in most seasons would have won the award. But Griffin, an All-Star, left no room for debate. If he hadn't missed 2009-10 due to injury, he would have beaten Evans handily (assuming he would have played as he did this season).
For Calipari to get back on the board, Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight, a projected top-10 pick, will need to overcome his question marks and make an immediate impact in the NBA next season. Kyrie Irving, the favorite to become the No. 1 pick, will be a favorite for R.O.Y., but as we saw with Evans, you don’t need to be at the top of the board to take the trophy.
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