Five early candidates for NBA’s Rookie of the Year

While the good folks in Portland already have a space in the trophy case reserved for Greg Oden’s Rookie of the Year trophy, they might want to hold up on engraving his name on the front.

Oden’s going to get a nasty fight for top rookie honors from another member of his team (Rudy Fernandez) and several other members of the draft Class of 2008.

So while Oden is certainly the leader in the clubhouse, he’s far from a lock for the award.

Five other rookies who could walk away with the iron this season:

• O.J. Mayo, Memphis

• Why Mayo? He’s going to score like few other rookies this season, and he’s going to do it on a team that needs every bit of the scoring he can provide.

• The skinny: After a rough long distance shooting start to the preseason (2-for-14 from beyond the 3-point line), Mayo went berserk in a victory over Indiana last week. Mayo shredded the Pacers for 26 points, including a 6-for-8 showing from deep. The No. 3 pick in the June draft, the expectations for Mayo this season will be immense. Good thing he has the skills to meet the challenge. Whether that shines through during what should be a rough season for an extremely young Grizzlies team remains to be seen.

• Rudy Fernandez, Portland

• Why Fernandez? No rookie in the league has better credentials than Fernandez, who has been a star in the Euro League for years.

• The skinny: Anyone who missed his star turn during the Beijing Olympics needs to get to Youtube and see Fernandez in action. He wasn’t just the best Spaniard on the floor during the gold-medal game against the U.S. team, he was one of the five best players on the floor on either team. Fernandez can score from anywhere on the floor and will have plenty of opportunities to do exactly that on a loaded Blazers team.

• Eric Gordon, Los Angeles Clippers

• Why Gordon? No other player in the class has better range or a more versatile offensive arsenal than Gordon, who has drawn favorable comparisons to Dwyane Wade at the same stage.

• The skinny: Gordon stumbled out of the gate with a nine-point showing his preseason debut. He bounced back with a 33-point effort, including a 6-for-11 showing from beyond the 3-point line, in a win over Sacramento last week. Gordon’s sole focus will be to score points for the Clippers, who will need his input with so few viable scoring options outside of Baron Davis and Al Thornton.

• Michael Beasley, Miami

• Why Beasley? He enters the league as perhaps the most complete offensive player in either of the past two drafts, and yes that includes reigning Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant.

• The skinny: Had Beasley shown up to any other franchise than Miami, his defensive shortcomings wouldn’t be an issue. But new Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is getting inside Beasley’s head about it through the media (showing he’s learned well from his mentor and boss Pat Riley). The Heat’s “defense first” mantra is cute. But they would be wise to unleash Beasley on opposing teams and not stifle his natural talents in the name of their faulty system.

• Derrick Rose, Chicago

• Why Rose? He was the No. 1 pick in the June draft for a reason. Rose already has showcased his playmaking abilities and is poised to assume a leadership role for a rudderless Bulls team.

• The skinny: Rose might be the only bright spot in an otherwise dreadful season for a franchise that just two years ago was poised to become an Eastern Conference power. If new coach Vinny Del Negro can’t get things turned around quickly, the Bulls might have no choice but to turn to this celebrated native son to carry the entire franchise. And whatever Rose lacks in scoring polish and experience he more than makes up for with ultra-competitive nature and overpowering physical prowess.