The NBA season is on hiatus, and it very well may end up being canceled despite optimism from the league that they can resume, so now is the time to look back at the 2019-20 season and hand out some awards.
Philadelphia 76ers rookie Matisse Thybulle has been a big surprise this season as he has gone from 20th overall pick to a guy who has a fixture in a playoff team’s rotation. He has become one of the best perimeter defenders in the game, rookie or otherwise, as he is averaging 1.4 steals and he has totaled 40 blocks all while playing just 19.5 minutes per game.
All of that has earned him the attention of ESPN’s Zach Lowe and FiveThirty Eight’s Chris Herring who joined Lowe on The Lowe Post podcast. They gave out their All-Rookie Team predictions and Thybulle earned a spot on the Second Team from Herring.
Thybulle absolutely deserves a spot for his contributions to a winning team. The Sixers have not exactly lived up to expectations, but Thybulle has been better than expected defensively. Obviously, his offense has been up and down and that will need work, but his defensive impact cannot be overlooked. He is tied for 17th in the league in steals despite playing less than 20 minutes a night. [lawrence-related id=29969,29960,29953]