On Tuesday, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards and Toronto Raptors guard Malachi Flynn were named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for the month of April.
Edwards led all rookies in scoring during the month after averaging 21.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals in 16 games. On the other hand, Flynn took home the award after posting 12.7 points, 4.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 15 games.
While Flynn ultimately won for the Eastern Conference, another player thought that they had a compelling argument to win the award: Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony.
Anthony returned from a 25-game absence on April 7 following a rib injury and put forth a strong campaign during the month. In 13 games, Anthony averaged 14.1 points, 5.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds on 43.2% shooting from the field.
Despite not winning, Anthony ranked first in scoring average among Eastern Conference rookies, first in field goals and second in assists. He scored in double figures in 12 of his 13 games played during the month and also hit a game-winning shot on Saturday.
Anthony reacted to his apparent snub on Twitter:
Lol guess I gotta take it to another level
— Cole Anthony (@The_ColeAnthony) May 4, 2021
What likely gave Flynn the nod over Anthony is his shooting numbers.
Flynn shot 40.8% from beyond the arc, compared to 30% for Anthony, and posted a higher true shooting percentage, 56.2 versus 51.5. Flynn also put up his numbers on a team that went 8-7 while Anthony and the Magic were 2-11 with him in the lineup.
In any case, Anthony looks to be using the snub as motivation to finish off his rookie campaign on a high note. The Magic have seven games remaining in the season and Anthony will be looking to build on his recent momentum.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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