For the last decade, the 11th pick in the NBA draft has been a crapshoot.
In 2011, the Golden State Warriors rolled a “yo” with Klay Thompson, who has shown All-Star potential. The previous year, however, the New Orleans Hornets selected Cole Aldrich, who has shown D-League potential.
For every Jerryd Bayless, there’s an Acie Law. For every J.J. Redick, there’s a Terrence Williams. And let’s not forget the immortal Fran Vasquez, who wants to come to the United States about as badly as Roman Polanski.
In June, Philadelphia 76ers GM Sam Hinkie had the 11th pick. He needed a point guard, having traded All-Star Jrue Holiday for the rights to Nerlens Noel. The two best point guards – Trey Burke and C.J. McCollum – were off the board.
So Hinkie grabbed Michael Carter-Williams. How’s that working out?
“I think it’s a point guard’s league,” coach Brett Brown said, “and I think Michael Carter-Williams is for real.”
I have to admit I wasn’t sure about Carter-Williams. I don’t watch much college basketball, and his two-point foulout in the Final Four didn’t exactly bowl me over. He compounded matters by launching bricks and throwing the ball away in the Orlando Summer League.
But I was intrigued by his 6-6 size and length. In that regard, he reminded me of a young Shaun Livingston. He could see and shoot over most of the guys he would be matched up with, which was promising. And his shooting and decision-making would certainly get better.
But I had no idea he would be the talk of the NBA less than a week into the season. And I don’t think anybody else did, either.
In his NBA debut, MCW had 22 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and nine steals, a record for a player in his first game – a stunning win over the two-time defending champion Miami Heat. In his second game, he directed a second-half comeback against the Washington Wizards and their $80 million point guard, John Wall.
The next night, MCW schooled an MVP. He had 26 points, 10 assists and three steals as he thoroughly outplayed Derrick Rose in a comeback win over the Chicago Bulls.
That was more than enough for the folks at Olympic Tower, who named him Eastern Conference Player of the Week. The only other rookie to debut as Player of the Week was Shaquille O’Neal in 1992.
“Coach gives me a lot of confidence out there,” Carter-Williams said. “I’m able to play freely and I just try to make things happen within the team.”
Led by Carter-Williams, the Sixers – projected for somewhere around 65 losses – temporarily knocked the league off its axis by winning their first three games. But Philadelphia isn’t going anywhere this season.
In fact, that mess on Monday night – a 110-90 home loss to Golden State in which Philadelphia shot 35 percent, committed 24 turnovers and trailed by 39 points – is a far better representation of what you will see from the Sixers for most of this season.
In that game, Carter-Williams had his first stinker. He made just 4-of-17 shots, committed six turnovers and offered no 
defensive resistance. It won’t be his last stinker, either. But that’s not important.
“How does a young guy respond?” Brown asked. “He doesn’t get fazed by the moment.”
The Sixers lost again Wednesday, but MCW was back on track with 19 points and eights assists, his averages thus far. While other rookies struggle to get their footing – top pick Anthony Bennett needed five games to score his first basket – or deal with injuries, Carter-Williams is off to a flying start.
As his coach said, he is for real.
On to the rankings.