When rookies forward Renaldo Balkman (6-8, 208-pounds) and guard Mardy Collins (6-6, 198-pounds) were introduced as the newest members of the New York Knicks last June, fans and members of the media held their breath, not quite sure if president of basketball operations and head coach Isiah Thomas knew what he was doing with his draft picks or his team’s future.

 

And while it seemed, at first glance, that fans may have had a reason to stand behind their Draft Day surprise, these rookies both proved that it’s not necessarily how you start…but how you finish.

 

Balkman entered the NBA surrounded by scrutiny having been chosen with the 20^th overall pick in the first round of the NBA Draft after not cracking the NBA’s list of the top 300 draft prospects.

 

The forward caught the eyes of the one who mattered and Thomas signed the rookie to a contract following his three years at the University of South Carolina – a college career that famously included leading the Gamecocks to the NIT Championship at Madison Square Garden.

 

In 68 games off the bench (also started one game in Nov.), Balkman averaged 4.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 15.5 minutes while shooting just over 50 percent from the field.

 

While his statistics did not jump off the page, Balkman’s efforts, especially post-All-Star and in the wake of Quentin Richardson’s season-ending back surgery, were recognized by the national media.

 

On April 5, ESPN Insider’s John Hollinger listed Balkman as fourth on his 2006-07 All-Improved Team, where he joined such young stars as Atlanta’s Josh Smith, New Orleans’ Tyson Chandler and Philadelphia’s Andre Igoudala.

 

Hollinger, who ranked the 15 most improved players within the season, noted the rookie’s post-All-Star averages of 14.0 points (on 61 percent shooting from the field), 11.4 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 41.0 minutes, as well as his PER of 20.36 since late January as the proof he needed to consider Balkman “a high-flying rookie…(who) fills the stat sheet in so many ways that he’s been a star.”

 

(the full text to the April 5 story can be found here http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=All-Improved)

 

The media finally understood what Thomas had seen in the rookie all season. “I loved what I have seen from Renaldo the whole year,” Thomas explained in late March, “Defensively, he can change the game. Whenever we give him 30-plus minutes, he normally has double figured rebounds and double figured points.”

 

April, which started out as the best month of Balkman’s young career, included a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double vs. Philadelphia, but was cut short as Balkman missed the last six games of the season with a stomach virus.

Despite the illness, Balkman’s late season numbers and continued improvement through his rookie season prove that he is a first round pick that Knicks fans can look forward to having in the lineup as an all-around contributor.

 

And one of Balkman’s motivations for getting better – proving the booing fans of Draft Day wrong.

 

“I just want to show the fans what I can do,” he insists. “I want them to love me like I love them.”

 

After an infamous start to his rookie season, one that featured a six-game suspension for his role in the Dec. 16 brawl with the Denver Nuggets, Collins, the 29^th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, was listed among the candidates for April’s Rookie of the Month award as he posted astounding numbers during the month.

 

In 10 games to close the season (nine in April), the former Temple Owl recorded averages of 14.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.9 steals and 44.2 minutes.

 

Among rookies, his averages for those 10 games would have ranked him as second in points behind T-Mobile Rookie of the Year Portland’s Brandon Roy and first in rebounds, assists, steals and minutes.

 

For Collins, he simply needed the confidence and the opportunity to showcase his ability.

 

“For me to get out there and get some playing time builds my confidence,” he said on March 2 after seeing just 39 minutes in the entire month of February.

 

After playing for 18 minutes (and recording five points and two rebounds) that night, Collins saw action in every remaining game leading up to his impressive finish.

 

Recognizing the work he has to do this summer to sustain the late season performance of his rookie year, Collins says, “In the summer, I am going to work my butt off as if I’m going to play major minutes. I am going to work hard regardless.”