Tag: All-Rookie First Team

Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski named to NBA All-Rookie first team

After an impressive debut campaign with the Warriors, Brandin Podziemski earned a spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team.

After an impressive rookie showcase with the Golden State Warriors, Bradin Podziemski has earned a spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie first team.

Golden State’s 2023 first-round pick was listed alongside Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Charlotte’s Bradon Miller. Coming off the board at No. 19 in last year’s draft, Podziemski is the highest draft pick in the 2024 All-Rookie class.

In 74 games as a rookie, Podziemski averaged 9.2 points on 45.4% shooting from the field and 38.5% from deep to go along with 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 26.6. minutes per contest. Podziemski tallied 20 or more points four different times for the Warriors, including a career-high of 25 against the Los Angeles Clippers in February. The former Santa Clara standout notched seven double-doubles in his rookie campaign. Podziemski led the NBA with 38. charges drawn during the 2023-24 season.

Via @NBAPR on Twitter:

https://x.com/NBAPR/status/1792616309001470110

Via @warriors on Twitter:

https://x.com/warriors/status/1792616536789889351

While Podziemski represented the Warriors on the first team, Golden State’s other talented rookie was left off both the first and second All-Rookie NBA teams. Indiana product and 2024 second-round pick Trayce Jackson-Davis was snubbed from the All-Rookie honors.

Jackson-Davis carved out a key role with the Warriors in his rookie season, averaging 7.9 points on 70.2% from the field to go along with five rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16.6 minutes per contest. The rookie center started 16 games for the Warriors, including the Golden State’s appearance in the play-in tournament against the Sacramento Kings.

Dallas center Dereck Lively II, Houston’s Amen Thompson, Utah’s Keyonte George, Oklahoma City’s Cason Wallace and Memphis forward GG Jackson earned spots on the NBA’s All-Rookie second team ahead of Jackson-Davis.

Jackson-Davis earned 42 second-place votes, trailing Jackson by only a point to make the second team.

Podziemski became the first member of the Warriors to earn a spot on the All-Rookie first team since Eric Paschall in 2019-2020. Prior to Paschall and Podziemski, Harrison Barnes earned an All-Rookie first-team bid in 2012-13. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson earned spots on the All-Rookie teams after their rookie seasons.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and X! 

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Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace earn 2023-24 All-Rookie team honors

Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace earn 2023-24 All-Rookie team honors.

The NBA announced its two 2023-24 All-Rookie teams on Monday. The Oklahoma City Thunder had a pair among the 10 slots.

Chet Holmgren was listed on the All-Rookie first team. He joined Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Jaime Jaquez and Brandin Podziemski.

Cason Wallace was listed on the All-Rookie second team. He joined Amen Thompson, Dereck Lively II, Keyonte George and GG Jackson II.

This shouldn’t be a shocker. Holmgren had a phenomenal rookie campaign after missing last season while recovering from a Lisfranc injury. He was part of OKC’s trio — along with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams — that headlined the youngest first seed in league history.

Meanwhile, Wallace was a key rotation piece for the Thunder. He was their unofficial sixth starter when needed. The 20-year-old provided OKC with great perimeter defense and outside shooting.

Both rookies logged the full 82 games this season, an impressive feat. The Thunder enjoyed amazing durability this season as they didn’t suffer any serious injuries.

In 82 games, Holmgren averaged 16.5 points on 53% shooting, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks. He shot 37% from 3 on 4.3 attempts. He finished runner-up for Rookie of the Year behind Wembanyama.

In 82 games, Wallace averaged 6.8 points on 49.1% shooting, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He shot 41.9% from 3 on 2.9 attempts.

The full All-Rookie teams’ voting results can be viewed below:

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Both Holmgren and Wallace will be key pieces of the Thunder’s core for the next several years. This season saw OKC crack open a championship window that will likely span several seasons.

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Jalen Williams named on 2022-23 All-Rookie first team

The Thunder had a pair of rookies who received votes.

The NBA announced its All-Rookie teams on Monday, and a couple of Oklahoma City Thunder forwards made an appearance.

Jalen Williams was elected to the All-Rookie first team, making him the second player in Thunder history to be so honored. The first was Russell Westbrook in 2009.

This news shouldn’t shock anybody. Williams finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and was arguably OKC’s second-best player as it finished one win shy of a playoff berth.

In 75 games, Williams averaged 14.1 points on 52.1% shooting, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 35.6% from 3 on 2.7 attempts.

The All-Rookie first team:

  • Kings guard Keegan Murray
  • Pacers guard Benedict Mathurin
  • Thunder forward Jalen Williams
  • Magic forward Paolo Banchero
  • Jazz center Walker Kessler

Williams received 199 total voting points — 99 first-team votes and one second-team vote. Meanwhile, Jaylin Williams received seven points — one first-team vote and five second-team votes.

The full voting results can be viewed below:

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The Thunder drafted Williams with the No. 12 pick in the 2022 NBA draft. The 22-year-old was one of three lottery picks the Thunder added to their roster last offseason — the other two being Chet Holmgren with the No. 2 pick and Ousmane Dieng with the No. 11 pick.

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All-Time Gators Men’s Basketball Bio: Al Horford (2004-07)

Al Horford was a crucial contributor on the greatest Gators men’s basketball team which won back-to-back national titles from 2005-07.

Al Horford (2004-07) – Power Forward/Center

Al Horford was a crucial contributor on the greatest Gators men’s basketball team — and arguably one of the greatest NCAA teams, period — which won back-to-back national titles under head coach Billy Donovan from 2005-07.

Born in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, Horford was the son of professional basketball player Tito Horford, who played three years in the NBA and several more overseas. His family moved to Lansing, Michigan, in 2000 where he played basketball for Grand Ledge High School, setting seven school records — including most career points (1,239) — while averaging 21 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks per game his senior year en route to a Class A Player of the Year honor.

Horford, who was considered a four-star recruit and was listed as the No. 7 power forward and the No. 36 player in the nation coming out of high school, came to Florida and joined a program that was already on a meteoric ascent. His freshman season, he teamed up with David Lee to form a formidable front-court that won the 2005 Southeastern Conference Tournament championship; that team, however, lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The next two seasons represented the pinnacle of the program’s history, as Horford and company won both the SEC and national championships in 2005-06, only to return as a full team — despite high prospects for several players in the NBA Draft — to win a second-consecutive championship trophy. Horford averaged double-digit points per game during that stretch, including almost posting a double-double average his junior season with 13.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

Three days after winning the second title, Horford and the rest of the Gators’ starting five declared for the NBA Draft. The talented power forward was selected the highest of his peers, taken at No. 3 — the second-highest draft position in program history, tied with Bradley Beal —by the Atlanta Hawks.

He began his professional career in Atlanta strong, receiving a unanimous selection to the NBA All-Rookie First Team — the only player with that distinction for the 2007-08 season — while finishing runner-up for the Rookie of the Year honor. His superlative play earned him back-to-back All-Star Team selections the next two seasons, and in turn was rewarded with a five-year, $60 million contract extension sandwiched in between his two All-Star appearances.

After an injury-shortened season the following year, Horford put up his best numbers in 2012-13 averaging a career-high 17.4 points, a career-high 10.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals in 37.2 minutes across 74 games. He also recorded 43 double-doubles, including 20 20-point/10-rebound games, and even added one in points and assists to mix things up. The promising power forward earned his first Eastern Conference Player of the Week honor in November of 2012.

Horford oscillated between injury and all-star form the following seasons — playing a career-high 82 regular-season games in 2015-16 — before signing a max contract with the Boston Celtics as an unrestricted free agent in 2016. He had a moderately successful run in Boston over a three year period, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals twice but failing to advance any further.

After declining a player option in his contract with the Celtics, Horford moved on to the Philadelphia 76ers — where he currently plays — signing a four-year $97 million contract along with $12 million in bonuses as an unrestricted free agent. The abbreviated 2019-20 season was a disappointing one for the former Gators big man, putting up near career-lows across the stat sheet.

However, after this past season was canceled due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, the philanthropic power forward donated $500,000 towards relief efforts both back home and at all of his stops in the States.

So far over the course of his professional career, Horford has averaged 14 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 blocks per game in 13 seasons with three different teams along with five All-Star Game appearances. While Horford is not quite on an NBA Hall of Fame trajectory, he has still been a formidable force during his years in the league.

At this point, Horford is entering the twilight of his career and by the time all is said and done, the big man from the Dominican Republic will have a legitimate claim to a spot in the Pantheon of Gators greats.

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