NBA Awards 2012: Picking the NBA All-Rookie Team
Every season the NBA adds 60 talented players through the draft. The 2011 draft was no different. But while many of these players showed that they'll have long, productive careers in the NBA, only a select few were good enough to make the All-Rookie Team.
Selections are based on individual performance throughout the season. So a player with high upside that didn't make an impact as a rookie won't make the team. If a player missed a significant portion of the season, that's also taken into consideration.
Here are the selections:
Guard—Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers
The No. 1 overall pick in the the 2011 NBA draft certainly didn't disappoint. Irving led all rookies in scoring (18.5 points per game) and efficiency rating (17.7). He was also second in assists (5.4 assists per game) among rookies. Needless to say, he's the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award.
Although it affects the ratings, Irving also probably has the most upside of any rookie in the class. He's only 20 years old, and he has amazing athleticism and quickness. The sky's truly the limit.
Guard—Isaiah Thomas, Sacramento Kings
If Irving was expected to be good because of where he was drafted, the exact opposite can be said of Isaiah Thomas. Thomas was the 60th and final selection in the 2011 draft. Given where he was drafted, just staying on the roster all season would have been an accomplishment. Instead, Thomas proved himself to be a good NBA player.
Thomas was sixth in scoring among rookies (11.5 points per game). He was fourth in assists (4.1 assists per game) and ninth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.53). Thomas also played a big role on the Kings this season. He was the team's starting point guard over its final 37 games, averaging 14.8 points, 5.4 assists and posting a 2.67 assist-to-turnover ratio during that span.
Forward—Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets
Faried is a no-brainer for the All-Rookie team. He led all rookie forwards in scoring (10.2 points per game), rebounding (7.7 rebounds per game), offensive rebounding (3.1 offensive rebounds per game), double-doubles (12) and efficiency rating (15.3). Amazingly, he did all of that while only playing the third-most minutes per game (22.6) among rookie forwards.
Forward—Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
It seems like every Spurs rookie ends up being a good player. The same can be said of Kawhi Leonard. This selection came down to Leonard vs. Chandler Parsons of Houston, but Leonard's numbers were a little bit better. Leonard was fourth in scoring (7.9), second in rebounding (5.1) and second in efficiency among rookie forwards.
Center—Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers
Thompson, like Faried, seemed to lead all rookie centers in virtually every category. He was first in scoring (8.2), first in rebounding (6.5), first in double-doubles (nine) and first in efficiency rating (9.7). He also led all rookie centers in minutes per game (23.7). The only other player worth consideration is Bismack Biyombo of the Bobcats, but Biyombo's overall numbers don't match up with Thompson's.
Honorable Mentions
Guard—Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves
If Rubio stays healthy all season, he's definitely on the All-Rookie team instead of Isaiah Thomas. Rubio led all rookies in assists (8.2), steals per game (2.22) and minutes per game (34.2). As a pure point guard, Rubio has more potential than any other rookie. But because he missed the last 25 games, he's only an honorable mention.
Forward—Chandler Parsons, Houston
Parsons was a second-round pick by the Rockets, so it's surprising to see him on the list. He started 57 games for Houston and averaged 9.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He's only an honorable mention because his efficiency rating wasn't on par with Kawhi Leonard's.
Center—Bismack Biyombo, Charlotte Bobcats
Biyombo looks like he'll be a defensive force for the next 10-plus years. He averaged 1.83 blocks per game—the most among rookies and ninth in the NBA. He was also second in rookie centers with 5.8 rebounds per game. Biyombo's an honorable mention because he didn't do enough on the offensive end to beat out Tristan Thompson.
