Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Ben Simmons were unanimously selected to the 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team after receiving first-place votes on all 100 ballots from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (99 First Team votes) fell one vote shy of joining Mitchell and Simmons as a unanimous selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. The First Team also features Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma (93 First Team votes) and Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen (76).
Mitchell, Simmons and Tatum are the three finalists for the 2017-18 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year award. The winner will be revealed at the 2018 NBA Awards presented by Kia on Monday, June 25 on TNT (9pm ET). The second annual NBA Awards, honoring this season’s top performers, will take place at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California.
The NBA All-Rookie Second Team consists of Lakers guard Lonzo Ball, Sacramento Kings guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks forward/center John Collins, Phoenix Suns forward Josh Jackson and Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr.
The voting panel selected five players for the First Team and five players for the Second Team at any position. Players received two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote.
Complete voting results by media members will be posted at pr.nba.com the night of the NBA Awards presented by Kia.
2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team
Kyle Kuzma, Lakers (16.1 ppg/6.3 rpg/45.0 FG%/36.6 3FG%): Kuzma, the second-leading rookie scorer behind Mitchell, became the first rookie ever to record at least 1,200 points, 450 rebounds and 150 3-pointers in a season. He joined Kobe Bryant (2007-08) as the only Lakers players to reach those marks.
Lauri Markkanen, Bulls (15.2 ppg/7.5 rpg/36.2 3FG%/84.3 FT%): Markkanen became the fastest player in NBA history to make 100 3-pointers, hitting the mark in his 41st game. The 7-footer from Finland tied for fourth among rookies in scoring average and ranked second in rebounding average and free-throw percentage.
Donovan Mitchell, Jazz (20.5 ppg/3.7 rpg/3.7 apg/1.49 spg): Mitchell became the first rookie to lead a 45-plus-win team (48-34) in scoring since the San Antonio Spurs’ David Robinson in 1989-90. The four-time Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month set the NBA rookie record for 3-pointers made with 187.
Ben Simmons, 76ers (15.8 ppg/8.2 apg/8.1 rpg/1.73 spg): Simmons joined Oscar Robertson (1960-61) as the only rookies in NBA history to average at least 15.0 points, 8.0 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game. A four-time Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month, the Australian native led rookies in rebounding, assists and steals average while helping the 76ers (52-30) finish with the third-best record in the East.
Jayson Tatum, Celtics (13.9 ppg/5.0 rpg/47.5 FG%/43.4 3FG%): Tatum led rookies and ranked eighth among all NBA players in 3-point field-goal percentage. The Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for December started in all 80 of his appearances for the No 2 team in the East (55-27).
2017-18 NBA All-Rookie Second Team
Lonzo Ball, Lakers (10.2 ppg/7.2 apg/6.9 rpg/1.69 spg): Ball ranked second among rookies in assists and steals average and fourth in rebounding average while playing a rookie-leading 34.2 minutes per game.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kings (11.8 ppg/3.3 apg/44.6 FG%/39.2 3FG%): The Serbian guard was the fourth-leading rookie in both 3-point field-goal percentage and 3-pointers made (129).
John Collins, Hawks (10.5 ppg/7.3 rpg/1.08 bpg/57.6 FG%): Collins set a franchise rookie record for field-goal percentage and became the sixth rookie in Hawks history to average at least 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds.
Josh Jackson, Suns (13.1 ppg/4.6 rpg/1.04 spg/25.4 mpg): Jackson averaged 18.5 points and 6.1 rebounds in his final 29 games of the season, and he scored at least 15 points in each of his last 12 games.
Dennis Smith Jr, Mavericks (15.2 ppg/5.2 apg/3.8 rpg/1.03 spg): Smith, the first Dallas rookie to post a triple-double since Jason Kidd (1994-95), tied for fourth among rookies in scoring average and was third in assists average.
Below are the voting results for the 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie Teams. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP.
2017-18 NBA ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM
Player, Team 1st Team (2 Pts.) 2nd Team (1 Pt.) Total Points
Donovan Mitchell, Utah 100 — 200
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 100 — 200
Jayson Tatum, Boston 99 1 199
Kyle Kuzma, Los Angeles Lakers 93 7 193
Lauri Markkanen, Chicago 76 21 173
2017-18 NBA ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM
Player, Team 1st Team (2 Pts) 2nd Team (1 Pt) Total Points
Dennis Smith Jr, Dallas 9 78 96
Lonzo Ball, Los Angeles Lakers 7 73 87
John Collins, Atlanta 5 66 76
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento 6 63 75
Josh Jackson, Phoenix 1 43 45
Other players receiving votes, with point totals (NBA All-Rookie First Team votes in parentheses): Bam Adebayo, Miami, 44; De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento, 34; OG Anunoby, Toronto, 25 (2); Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn, 18; Dillon Brooks, Memphis, 14 (1); Jordan Bell, Golden State, 5; Royce O’Neale, Utah, 4; Zach Collins, Portland, 3; Milos Teodosic, LA Clippers, 3 (1); Luke Kennard, Detroit, 1; Frank Mason III, Sacramento, 1; Malik Monk, Charlotte, 1; Frank Ntilikina, New York, 1; Semi Ojeleye, Boston, 1; Sindarius Thornwell, LA Clippers, 1.
First appeared on NBA.com
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DIKEMBE MUTOMBO TO RECEIVE CRAIG SAGER STRONG AWARD
NBA News –
First appeared on NBA.com Global May 23, 2018
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo will receive this year’s Sager Strong Award at the NBA Awards on TNT, presented by Kia, to be held Monday, June 25.
The Sager Strong Award, named for iconic Turner Sports sideline reporter Craig Sager, is presented annually to an individual who has been a trailblazer while exemplifying courage, faith, compassion and grace. The award is bestowed upon the recipient in the form of a colorful suit jacket, a replica of the one worn by Sager during his unforgettable “Time is simply how you live your life” speech in 2016.
One of basketball’s most respected defensive players and rebounders, Mutombo is also well regarded beyond the game for his humanitarian work around the world. Two decades ago he created the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, dedicated to improving the health, education and quality of life for the people of his native Democratic Republic of Congo.
Among the many achievements for DMF, the organization opened the Biamba Marie Mutombo hospital in 2007 and the facility has since treated nearly a quarter-million patients.
In 2009, Mutombo was named a global ambassador for the NBA by NBA commissioner emeritus David Stern.
The basketball Hall of Famer originally came to the United States in 1987 on an academic scholarship to Georgetown. Later, the school’s legendary coach John Thompson invited him to try out for the basketball team. Eventually, he would be a first-round NBA Draft pick in 1991, and go on to play 19 years in the NBA before retiring in 2009.
The 2018 NBA Awards on TNT – presented live from historic Barker Hangar in Los Angeles – will honor all of the league’s top performers from the 2017-18 NBA season, including the exclusive unveiling of the Kia NBA MVP, Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Kia NBA Rookie of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award among others.
The second annual NBA Awards on TNT will once again feature current and former NBA players, coaches, musical performances and celebrity presenters throughout the evening. Additionally, the Sports Emmy award-winning Inside the NBA studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal will be integrated throughout the show. Additional details will be announced at a later date.
Last year’s first-ever Sager Strong recipient was Monty Williams, who has spent more than two decades as a player, coach and executive with the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (as head coach), Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. His legacy throughout the basketball community extends beyond the court, as someone who has repeatedly faced adversity while remaining a beacon of compassion, loyalty, faith and family.
Courtesy: NBA.com
