There were more than a few eyebrows raised during last June's NBA draft when the Memphis Grizzlies traded Shareef Abdur-Rahim to the Atlanta Hawks for Pau Gasol as part of a blockbuster trade.

At the time, some NBA skeptics felt the Hawks got a steal. After all, Abdur-Rahim had already established himself as one of the rising young stars in the league, while Gasol was an unproven commodity who played three pro seasons in Spain.

More than six months later, it looks like the trade was mutually beneficial for both teams. Abdur-Rahim was selected to the Eastern Conference All-Star team and Gasol is the odds-on favorite to win the NBA's Rookie of the Year award.

Gasol, an athletic 7-foot forward who has ballhandling skills of a point guard, showcased his considerable talents Thursday night at the Bradley Center as the Grizzlies played the Bucks.