-
Andrew LopezESPN
Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, the 2021-2022 NBA Rookie of the Year, highlights the league’s All-Rookie teams announced on Wednesday.
Barnes was one of three players to receive the maximum of 100 first-place votes for the first team along with Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley.
The All-Rookie teams, unlike the All-NBA teams, are not voted on by position.
Joining those three on the first team were Orlando forward Franz Wagner and Houston guard Jalen Green. The first four selections in last year’s NBA Draft — Cunningham (No. 1), Green (No. 2), Mobley (No. 3) and Barnes (No. 4) — all made the first team.
Barnes, the first Raptor to win the Rookie of the Year since Vince Carter in 1998-1999, averaged 15.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while starting all 74 games for Toronto. He came on strong at the end of the season to nab the award from Cunningham and Mobley.
Cunningham averaged 17.4 points, 5.6 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game and became the sixth rookie since the merger (1976-1977) to average 20 points, five assists and five rebounds per game after the All-Star break, joining Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Grant Hill and Michael Jordan.
Mobley was one of just four players this season to accumulate 100 blocks and 50 steals. He averaged 15 points and 8.3 rebounds for a Cavaliers team that remained in the playoff hunt throughout the season before injuries derailed them late.
Wagner finished with the fourth-most points and picked up 99 of a possible 100 votes (84 first team, 15 second team). He’s the first Orlando player to make First Team All-Rookie since Elfrid Payton did so in 2014-15.
The No. 2 overall pick, Green averaged 17.3 points per game which was good enough for second among all rookies behind only Cunningham.
The second team, in order of votes, was New Orleans forward Herb Jones, Oklahoma City guard Josh Giddey, Denver guard Bones Hyland, Chicago guard Ayo Dosunmu and Indiana guard Chris Duarte.