Rookie duo driving Kings toward the future

MIAMI -- Tyreke Evans is the hottest new player in the NBA and the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award. Yet he might not be the most popular player for the Sacramento Kings, even though he's the most dynamic.

Everywhere the Kings go, Evans hears the same calling from the fans. And he loves it even though it's not for him.

Tyreke Evans has impressed his coach with his ability to work through the defense and get to the rim. (Getty Images)

"They chant his name," Evans said Saturday night before a loss to the Miami Heat. "Om-ri, Cass-pi. He has the most fans -- even more than me. It's crazy."

Omri Casspi is the first player born in Israel to play in the NBA, and he has a large contingent of Jewish fans. But NBA fans in general enjoy watching Casspi and Evans play as the rookies help the Kings (15-28) during a rebuilding phase.

It starts with Evans, who was the No. 4 overall pick from Memphis. He is averaging 20.7 points, 4.9 assists and 4.7 rebounds, and he was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for November and December.

Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings, who is averaging 17.9 points and 6.1 assists, is providing the main competition for Evans for Rookie of the Year, but Kings coach Paul Westphal doesn't think it's close.

"As long as he stays healthy, it's a pretty sure bet he'll be the Rookie of the Year this year, and it's well-deserving," Westphal said of Evans. "He's been the most consistent player we have, and the most amazing thing about him is how consistent he has been. Usually rookies are up and down, and he very seldom has a poor game."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is impressed with Evans. Before the game, Spoelstra went as far as to compare the 6-foot-6 Evans to Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

"What Evans is doing right now, few people have done at his age," Spoelstra said. "He is playing at a high level for a long enough period of time. You can do that the first few weeks of the season and then everybody starts to adjust, but he is still doing it and teams are scheming against him, trying to take the ball out of his hands. He is a very talented, gifted player, particularly in his ability to get to the rim."

Westphal said if teams didn't double Evans, "he would go for 40 a night." Evans said he came into the NBA hoping to make an impact, but he has exceeded his expectations.

He said his goal was to "average about 10 or 11 points and next year get better each game." So just how good can he be?

"I can get better if I keep working hard," Evans said. "The sky's the limit for me."

That's a scary thought, and it's what the Kings are banking on to improve, especially with the third-youngest team in the NBA behind Memphis and Oklahoma City. But they know it will take more than Evans, and the Kings have a solid nucleus to build around with Kevin Martin, Jason Thompson, Evans and Casspi.

Casspi, 21, has turned into a nice surprise. He was the No. 23 overall pick, and he is averaging 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds. He also has an interesting story.

Casspi signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv, which is considered the best team in Israel and one of the best in Europe, when he was 17. Jason Levien, the assistant general manager for Sacramento, said the Kings have been following Casspi for years.

It's hard to live in Israel and not know about Casspi, as Levien said, because he was voted the most popular athlete in the country. "I heard that he's the Michael Jordan over there," Evans said.

Fans follow Casspi wherever he goes -- there were Israeli flags being waved at the Heat game -- and he has embraced his role as an ambassador for his country. He continues to observe Sabbath and keep Kosher, and he also chose the No. 18, which in Hebrew means "life."

"There's a dynamic following for him," Levien said. "It's inspired him and even encouraged him to play hard. He's breaking boundaries for Israelis to envision where they can go in basketball. The game of basketball is very popular in Israel. It's exciting to see that. I spend a lot of time in Israel, and Omri is their homegrown guy right now. It's fun to see it."

Said Casspi: "It's very nice. It's nice to be part of it. You see a lot of Israelis coming to support me. It's a great feeling."

Casspi posed with fans for pictures Saturday, and again they chanted his name. His popularity continues to grow.

And if Evans wins the Rookie of the Year award, as expected, the Kings will have plenty to build on with their two prized rookies. There is reason to believe it should be a bright future in Sacramento.