Rookie Rankings: Matthews handed reins in Utah

Wesley Matthews' unbelievable rookie season with the Jazz just keeps getting better.

Earlier this season Matthews had surprisingly become a fixture in the Jazz's rotation, starting in 19 games thanks to cheap clothes for sale of doing "whatever you need me to do." But at the trade deadline, the Jazz dealt three-year veteran Ronnie Brewer to the Memphis Grizzlies, in essence sending Matthews a message: You're our guy.

"Everybody was mad," Matthews air jordan of ESPN.com's TrueHoop. "I was mad and I benefited the most out of it. Brewer was like my older brother. We still talk every day. He took me under his wing as soon as I stepped foot here in Utah."

Since the deal, Matthews has started all seven games, averaging 10.3 points in 28.4 minutes while hitting 47.5 percent of his shots.for one of the West's powers just seven months after being passed over by all 30 teams in the 2009 Draft. More importantly, the shooting guard out of Marquette is starting

"It's incredible," Matthews of his meteoric first season. "It's a testament to all the young kids out there that if you work hard and are ready, good things can happen."If you've got an issue with the rankings, or have a question or comment for Drew Packham,. You can also . For past week's rankings,

NBA.com's Rookie Rankings are just one man's opinion and are released every Wednesday during the season.