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Rookie Watch: Best of 22

Damian Lillard is the frontrunner in the rookie of the year race and a future star even at the age of 22. Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports

We've ranked the teen rooks, the 20-year-old rooks and the 21-year-old rooks. Now it's time for the 22-year-olds.

This is the first age where we see some guys who played four years of college. In many cases, that is not a great sign for long-term potential. Not because they are too old to get better, as is often cited, but because most players with strong NBA potential enter the draft before they turn 22.