Click the pics below to see which veteran each rookie should study.
Next >
Julian Wright
New Orleans Hornets
Ron Artest
Sacramento Kings
Wright has really come on lately offensively, but it's on the defensive end where I think he has a chance to be special. Artest combines amazing balance with strength and aggressiveness, and it allows him to defend up to four positions in any given game. Wright has that kind of potential, but it takes a special mind-set to pull it off. Artest has many things on his mind, but one of them is always defense.
Photo credits: (l-r) Sam Forencich/NBAE/Getty Images, David Sherman/NBAE/Getty Images
David Thorpe is an NBA analyst for ESPN.com and the executive director of the Pro Training Center at the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., where he oversees the player development program for NBA and college players. To e-mail him, click here.