NBA All-Rookie Team 2014-15: First, Second Team Selections, Reaction and More
On Monday, the NBA announced the All-Rookie teams from the 2014-15 season. Howard Beck of Bleacher Report passed along the selections:
Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Andrew Wiggins was hardly a surprise selection. The top overall pick in the 2014 draft won the league's Rookie of the Year award after averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game and leading all rookies in scoring.
Chicago Bulls forward Nikola Mirotic finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting after a sterling season, averaging 10.2 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel, meanwhile, didn't play last year due to an injury but came back strong this year, giving the team a young and stout defensive presence and posting 9.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.
Rookie point guards from the Orlando Magic—Elfrid Payton (8.9 PPG, 6.5 APG, 4.3 RPG)—and Los Angeles Lakers—Jordan Clarkson (11.9 PPG, 3.5 APG)—rounded out the first-team selections.
The one surprise may have been that Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting, was left off of the first team. Smart averaged 7.8 points, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game, was an excellent defender and helped lead Boston to a surprising postseason berth, combining with Avery Bradley and Isaiah Thomas in a solid three-guard rotation for head coach Brad Stevens.
Regardless, big things will be expected for the players who were selected to the All-Rookie teams. While this wasn't the most consistent rookie class in recent memory, it was somewhat hampered by injuries to two of the top three picks in last year's draft, the Milwaukee Bucks' Jabari Parker and Philadelphia's Joel Embiid.
It was a bit of an odd year in that respect, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders noted:
Still, players like Wiggins appear to have legitimate superstar upside going forward. The Timberwolves will certainly be hoping he can continue to impress after his excellent rookie season.
