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The NBA on Saturday announced the finalists for the six awards to honor the top performers for the 2019-20 regular season, which are based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
The awards voting ran from July 21-28 and was based only on games played from the start of the regular season through March 11 after the NBA announced that the eight “seeding games” will not count toward the season awards in order to create a fair voting process for players on all 30 teams in the league.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson were the three finalists for the Rookie of the Year award.
The NBA today announced the finalists for six awards that honor top performers for the 2019-20 regular season.
The finalists, based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, are listed in alphabetical order. pic.twitter.com/Qi58kFMHUq
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) August 8, 2020
Of course, Morant has emerged as the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year after his strong season with the Grizzlies. Morant is averaging 17.8 points, 7.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds and leads all first-year players in scoring, assists and field goals made
Morant views himself as the choice for Rookie of the Year, too.
In April, Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn anointed himself the Rookie of the Year in an interview with the Sun-Sentinel, a claim that Morant laughed off on social media. Nunn is averaging 15.2 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game and is second to Morant in points and field goals.
While Williamson was the preseason favorite to win, his 19-game sample size prior to the season suspension was too small for most voters to seriously consider him to win the award, though he will likely make the All-NBA Rookie First Team.
The awards will be announced on TNT during its coverage of the NBA Playoffs.
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