Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes called it an honor to be named the 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year after narrowly topping Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley in the voting.
Barnes received 48 out of a possible 100 first-place votes by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. He finished with 378 total points, just topping the 363 points by Mobley. The 15-point difference between Barnes and Mobley was the smallest margin in the balloting under the current voting format, which began in the 2002-03 season.
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham finished third with 153 points.
The fourth pick averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 74 games. He led all rookies in minutes and ranked third in points and rebounds, and fifth in assists, steals and blocks. Barnes became the third player in team history to win, joining Damon Stoudamire (1996-97) and Vince Carter (1998-99).
“I was just super happy,” Barnes said. “I just couldn’t wait to get the news, really. They take forever to announce the awards now so I was just waiting for it to come back.”
The Raptors enlisted Carter to present the award to Barnes. Carter recorded a short video message for Barnes that the team played for him after practice this week. Barnes was immediately swarmed by his teammates once Carter delivered the news.
“I was wondering what he was going to talk to us about and he was just going on,” Barnes said. “Of course, it was a goal of mine all year to try to win it but I didn’t really try to overthink it or try to do too much. I just did my role and did what I had to do and winning helps with it, as well.”
Barnes, who started every game he played, became the first rookie in team history to record at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 250 assists in a season. He also set the franchise rookie record for offensive rebounds with 195, which were 15th among all players this season.
The award came at perhaps the best time for the Raptors, who trailed the Philadelphia 76ers 3-0 in their first-round series entering Game 4 on Saturday. The team was in a bit of a lull considering how the series had been going, but the award helped the group recapture its positive atmosphere.
“That is an amazing accomplishment for anybody to get it as a rookie,” Gary Trent Jr. said. “He came in, showed improvement and put in the work. He’ll continue to get better and continue to grow. It was a great moment. We were all happy. He had been chipping at it and in the talks for it all year so for it to finally pay off and get the award, I’m happy for him.”
Scottie Barnes lifts his #KiaROY trophy! pic.twitter.com/FKLqqRrEhO
— NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2022
Barnes returned on Saturday after suffering an ankle injury in Game 1, recording six points, 11 rebounds and two assists as the Raptors defeated the Sixers to avoid elimination. He had missed the previous two games but was finally cleared to play in Game 4.
Certainly, win or lose against the Sixers, Toronto has a star in the making on its hand in Barnes. He emerged from one of the best rookie classes in recent memory as the top player and appears to be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.
“It is great. Like I said a few weeks ago, that is a big award,” head coach Nick Nurse said. “That is one of the biggies. I don’t know how many people have it, less than 100, right? So, it puts you in a pretty cool category.”
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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