Mike Monroe: Kings Rookie May Be Best

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                 Kings rookie may be best in his class

                 By Mike Monroe
                 Denver Post Sports Writer

                 Feb. 14 - Two weeks into the 1999 season - the NBA can
                 continue to call this the 1998-99 season, if the league
                 insists, but we know otherwise, don't we? - and it's
                 beginning to look like the latest crop of rookies is one
                 of the best in years.

                 No fewer than 15 rookies are making significant impacts
                 already, some of them on teams that appear headed for
                 outstanding seasons.

                 The best of them might turn out to be a player who would
                 have gone much higher had it not been for questions about
                 his character.

                 Sacramento's Jason Williams went into weekend play
                 averaging a rookie-best 18.0 points and running a
                 surprisingly successful Kings show from the point-guard
                 position. Williams also was averaging 4.1 assists and 3.5
                 rebounds.

                 Even NBA personnel types who passed on Williams are
                 raving about his early performance.

                 In Boston, point guard Kenny Anderson is convinced he
                 made a fool's promise when he told Paul Pierce he'd give
                 him the Rolex off his wrist if Pierce were named rookie
                 of the year.

                 The Nuggets are beginning to believe Raef LaFrentz can
                 average a double-double for points and rebounds, and the
                 Grizzlies think Mike Bibby can do the same for points and
                 assists.

                 In Toronto, the agent for John Wallace is whining for a
                 trade because the Raptors are giving all of Wallace's
                 court time to rookie Vince Carter. And in Philadelphia,
                 Larry Brown thinks Larry Hughes' potential is so great he
                 is actually giving him significant court time, something
                 he hates to give rookies.

                 Dallas' coach/vice president in charge of everything, Don
                 Nelson, drools while talking about his prize rookie from
                 Germany, Dirk Nowitzki, whom he believes is nothing less
                 than a 7-foot Detlef Schrempf.

                 And we haven't yet mentioned the first pick in the draft,
                 the Clippers' Michael Olowokandi.

                 Olowokandi has come off the bench thus far this season.
                 Nevertheless, he's averaging 14.3 points and 7.0
                 rebounds.

                 Here's a very subjective, very early ranking of the top
                 five candidates to be rookie of the year:

                 1. Williams, who has millions of incentives not to be
                 given the boot by the Kings, as he was by both Marshall
                 and Florida.

                 2. Pierce, averaging 17.3 points for the Celtics and
                 getting raves from his teammates. "He's the truth,''
                 Anderson said.

                 3. LaFrentz, who won't make Nuggets fans wonder if Dan
                 Issel made a mistake as long as he puts up the kind of
                 numbers he accumulated through the first four games.
                 Issel, the G.M., was convinced the skinny LaFrentz would
                 be able to rebound, even against more physical players,
                 and his performance against Shaquille O'Neal on Wednesday
                 seems to bear out such confidence.

                 4. Bibby, who will get all the court time needed to put
                 up gaudy numbers in Vancouver and will be among the
                 league leaders in assists.

                 5. Olowokandi, the graceful 7-footer who will make the
                 most improvement from opening game to last game. Said
                 Clips G.M. Elgin Baylor, already feeling the need to
                 justify Olowokandi's selection: "You can't judge by just
                 one year in a short season. Big players generally take
                 longer to develop than smaller players. I just think he
                 has a good chance to get better.''

                 Yes, there's also a leading candidate for early draft
                 bust. Golden State's Antawn Jamison went into Friday's
                 game averaging only 5.0 points.