Gorgui Dieng, the NBA Rookie Class, and a Record Losing Streak

In six starts, Gorgui Dieng is averaging 12.7 points and 14 rebounds on 59% shooting in just under 34 minutes a contest. That's pretty good.  I would suggest we slow our roll just a little, as the sample size for him in this stretch, and indeed the season as a whole, is very small.

On the other hand, it does appear that he has significant NBA skills that are useful when he's able to stay on the floor without fouling, which he seems to have picked up pretty fast, as he's also been averaging just over 3 fouls a game during this stretch.

There are 26 rookies who have played 450 minutes or more this season; Dieng has the 2nd highest WS/48 among them (to Mason Plumlee of Brooklyn).  He also barely makes the minutes threshold, so he hasn't had as big an impact as many, but on a per minute basis he's been pretty good.

Looking at that list...not a good year for rooks.  Steven Adams has been consistently effective for the Thunder and looks like he'll be the steal of the draft ultimately, and a few other guys have done OK, but the guys we thought might turn into stars have generally struggled.  That doesn't close the books on their careers, but you can't really point to anyone in this class and say with confidence that you expect them to be an All-Star one day.

Elsewhere, the Sixers are looking for their 26th straight loss tonight in Houston against the Rockets. I have confidence in them that they can get that done, tying an NBA record set by the 2011 Cleveland Cavaliers. The problem might come in their next game, when they attempt to break the record, at home against a Pistons team also out of the playoff picture. Stay tuned.

The NCAA tournament resumes tonight, so you can get a look at some draft prospects.  UCL-f'in-A (or UC-f'n-LA?) plays top seeded Florida at 8:45 Central.  My hometown Badgers of Wisconsin take on Baylor at 7:45: Frank Kaminsky will haunt your dreams.

Today in history

1513: Ponce de Leon "discovers" Florida.  Unfortunately, he missed the early bird special. 
1625: Charles I ascends the English throne
1802: Treaty of Amiens ends French Revolutionary War
1866: Andrew Rankin patents the urinal
1956: Government seizes communist newspaper "The Daily Worker"
1958: Khrushchev becomes Soviet premiere

Today's musical birthday is Johnny Clyde Copeland, bluesman born in 1937

Enjoy your day. Chat. Relax.