So far this season, rookie point guards have emerged as the surprise story in the NBA. Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn, Stephen Curry, Ty Lawson, Brandon Jennings, and Eric Maynor were all drafted in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft. Each player has made an immediate impact on their respective teams, leading some people to wonder if the 2009 draft class could be one of the best ever. A bold statement considering number one overall pick Blake Griffin has yet to show the world what he can do in Los Angeles. For fantasy owners who were smart enough to draft one of these point guard prodigies in the mid-to-late rounds, they are being rewarded with steady production.

Although all the point guards have exceeded expectations, only one has emerged as the runaway leader to claim the Rookie of the Year award while becoming a top 10 fantasy point guard in the process. Jennings started the season off strong, almost notching a triple-double in his NBA debut against the Sixers and dropping 32 points and 9 assists in a close win over the Nuggets.

But no one could have predicted what would happen next. Jennings went from being a solid rookie to a bona-fide sensation after dropping 55 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds against the Golden State Warriors, setting the record for most points scored in a single game for a player under 21 years of age. He followed up that historic performance with a 25 point, 7 assist, 8 rebound effort against the Dallas Mavericks, further proving that “Young Money” is the real deal. His ability to shoot three-pointers (2.6 per game) and get steals (1.1 per game) adds to his value, making him a must start for fantasy owners.

Overshadowed in Brandon Jennings breakout game was fellow rookie Stephen Curry, drafted three picks ahead of Jennings by Golden State. Unlike Jennings, Curry has had a hard time finding his rhythm from beyond the arc (0.8 per game) and has played inconsistent minutes under Don Nelson. In his first three games, Curry started off strong with a 14 point, 7 assist, 4 steal performance against the Houston Rockets and a 7 point, 9 assist, 5 rebound effort against the Memphis Grizzlies, an encouraging sign of things to come for Curry’s fantasy owners. Then came a five-game stretch where Curry’s production tapered off significantly, where he failed to score over 10 points in a game while only playing two minutes in a win over the New York Knicks. With the recent trade of disgruntled forward Stephen Jackson to the Bobcats and starting guard Kelenna Azubuike out with an injury, things could be looking up again for the former Davidson star.

Don Nelson has been forced to give Curry more playing time, and the rookie has responded by scoring 14 points in his last two games against Cleveland and Milwaukee. With his ability to consistently put up assists (4.4 per game) and get steals (1.2 per game), Curry is a special player who should eventually find a way to make an impact in games and in fantasy lineups. If he can continue this type of production, Curry should be considered a safe play who will only get better once he finds his shooting touch. Although these two young players have been enjoying different levels of success, it will be interesting to see what the future will bring. The only thing we can know for sure, it will definitely be fun to watch.

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