Tag: rookie of the month

OKC Thunder news: Jalen Williams wins Western Conference Rookie of the Month for Oct/Nov

The Thunder young core continues to shine.

The Oklahoma City Thunder continues to add to their young core and that was highlighted on Thursday when the NBA announced 21-year-old wing Jalen Williams won Western Conference Rookie of the Month for October and November.

In 18 games, Williams averaged 10.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 52.4 percent shooting.

The timing of the announcement was impeccable as it comes a day after Williams scored a career-high 27 points with 20 coming in the second half in the Thunder’s comeback win against the San Antonio Spurs.

Joining Josh Giddey, the Thunder has now won the award in five of the past six months. Williams becomes the third player in Thunder history to win the award.

Williams was drafted 12th overall in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft out of Santa Clara.

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2 Seahawks players win Rookie of the Month honors

The Seahawks’ rookie class of 2022 is making history again.

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The Seahawks rookie class of 2022 is making history again.

Cornerback Tariq Woolen has won the Defensive Rookie of the Month award while running back Ken Walker was named Offensive Rookie of the Month. That’s the first time in NFL history a pair of teammates have won those awards.

In five games, Woolen posted three interceptions and recovered two fumbles. For the season he’s only allowed a 47.1 passer rating and a 52.9% completion rate.

As for Walker, he earned his first start in Week 5 against the Lions. In the four games since he’s averaged 100.75 rushing yards per game and scored five touchdowns.

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Jaguars’ Devin Lloyd named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month

Devin Lloyd is the first Jaguars player to be Defensive Rookie of the Month in 16 years.

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Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month on Thursday.

The first-round pick finished the month of September with 24 tackles, two interceptions, and an NFL-best six passes defended in three games played. Earlier this week, Lloyd jumped ahead of the Jaguars’ No. 1 overall pick Travon Walker in the race for Defensive Rookie of the Year, according to oddsmakers.

Lloyd is the fifth player in Jaguars history to earn Defensive Rookie of the Month honors, and the first since linebacker Clint Ingram in 2006. The other three were Tony Brackens (1996), Donovin Darius (1998), and Rashean Mathis (2003).

He’s also the third Jaguars player in the last four seasons to be a Rookie of the Month, joining the team’s former quarterback Gardner Minshew and current running back James Robinson.

Lloyd previously starred at the University of Utah where he was a two-time First Team All-Pac-12 linebacker and a consensus All-American as a senior. The Jaguars picked Lloyd with the No. 27 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft after trading second-, fourth-, and sixth-round selections to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to get another first-rounder.

2021-22 NBA awards voting ballot: Josh Giddey made 98 of 100 voters’ All-Rookie teams

Two out of 100 voters did not include Josh Giddey in their All-Rookie teams.

The NBA released the complete voting ballots for all awards and teams on Wednesday. The only player on the Oklahoma City Thunder roster to be selected for an award or team was guard Josh Giddey, who made the All-Rookie Second Team.

Giddey ended up collecting the seventh-most points among all rookies with 122 — 24 First Team and 74 Second Team. Out of the 100 eligible voters, it appears only two didn’t vote Giddey into a single All-Rookie spot in ESPN’s Dave Pasch and New Orleans Times-Picayune’s Scott Kushner.

In 54 games, Giddey averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists on 41.9 percent shooting before being forced to miss the entirety of the post-All-Star break — minus the first game — due to hip soreness. When healthy, Giddey won four of the five Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards handed out this season.

The full ballot can be found here.

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NBA Twitter reacts to Josh Giddey being named on All-Rookie Second Team

The reception was not kind among those in Thunder Twitter, which includes Josh Giddey himself.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team on TNT Wednesday before Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks. Giddey, who played just 54 games, had a phenomenal rookie season when healthy as he averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists.

Giddey missing one-third of the season was probably the biggest reason as to why he wasn’t named as a guard on the First Team. Let’s take a look at what NBA Twitter — even Giddey himself — had to say about Giddey making the second team despite winning Rookie of the Month in four of the five months during the regular season.

Josh Giddey named on NBA All-Rookie Second Team

Despite winning Rookie of the Month four out of five times, Josh Giddey fails to make the All-Rookie First Team.

The NBA announced their All-Rookie teams on Wednesday and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey ended up on the All-Second team.

Giddey, who won four of the month Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards in October/November, December, January and February, failed to take one of the two guard spots on the All-First team due to missing 28 games that includes the entirety of post-All-Star break sans one game due to a hip injury.

The 19-year-old was taken sixth overall in the first round of the 2021 NBA draft. In 54 games, Giddey averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists on 41.9 percent shooting.

The two rookie teams include:

First-Team: Cade Cunningham – Jalen Green  – Scottie Barnes – Franz Wagner – Evan Mobley

Second-Team: Josh Giddey – Herb Jones – Ayo Dosunmu – Chris Duarte – Bones Hyland

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OKC Thunder news: Josh Giddey fails to finish top six in Rookie of the Year voting

Herb gets to be a top-six finisher? What a sick joke!

The NBA announced the Rookie of the Year winner along with the top-six finishers in voting on Saturday and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey was notably left off the list.

Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes ended up winning the award by 15 voting points. The top six went as followed:

  • Barnes at 378 points
  • Evan Mobley at 363 points
  • Cade Cunningham at 153 points
  • Jalen Green at three points
  • Franz Wagner at two points
  • Herb Jones at one point

The fact that Giddey didn’t make the list is pretty ridiculous. Even with him missing the final third of the season due to a hip injury, Giddey’s two-thirds of play were dominant enough that he warranted a top-six finish. Giddey won the Western Conference Rookie of the Month every month that he played in and four of the five times overall this season.

If it’s an availability issue as Giddey missed 28 games, it’s unfair to measure him against someone like Jones in terms of games played due to uneven minutes distributions. Despite playing 24 more games, Jones played just 68 total more minutes than Giddey this season

Giddey averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebound and 6.4 assists in 54 games this season. Giddey secured four triple doubles, which is tied for the seventh most amount for a rookie in league history.

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Jalen Green wins Western Conference Rookie of the Month for March, April

After averaging nearly 23 points per game on elite efficiency in March and April, Rockets guard Jalen Green is officially the Western Conference Rookie of the Month.

The NBA announced Monday that Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green is officially the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for March and April. He is the first Rocket to have earned that honor since Luis Scola in February 2008 and the sixth different player in team history, joining Ralph Sampson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Steve Francis, Yao Ming, and Scola.

In those months, Green averaged 22.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 48.4% overall and 39.5% on 3-pointers. Green scored 20-plus points in 15 of the 22 games over that span, including a historic streak of five straight 30+ point games from March 28 through April 5. That was the second-longest streak by a rookie since 1971-72.

Green also hit four or more 3-pointers in seven straight games from March 25 through April 5 and set new rookie records for consecutive games with four, five, and six made 3-pointers over that span.

In March, Green became the youngest NBA player to have recorded at least 350 points and 50 3-pointers in one month while shooting at least 48.0% from the floor and 39.0% or better on 3-pointers. Green averaged 28.6 points on 49.5% shooting in five games played in April, including a career-high 41 points in Sunday’s season finale versus Atlanta.

For the season, Green started all 67 of his games played while averaging 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. The 20-year-old ranked second among rookies in scoring and was 0.14 points per game shy of the lead.

Green made 157 3-pointers, which is tied for the fourth-most through the first 67 games by any player in NBA history. From the start of February, Green had the 12th-best 3-point percentage (39.3%) of any player who averaged at least three made 3-pointers per game over that span.

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NBA Twitter reacts to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey winning February Rookie of the Month

NBA Twitter reacts to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey winning February Rookie of the Month

The NBA announced its Rookie of the Month winners for the month of February and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey was announced as the recipient for the Western Conference.

Giddey has now won all four Rookie of the Month awards this season. In 10 games, Giddey averaged 16.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists. For the month of February, Giddey led all rookies in total rebounds and assists and was third in points.

Giddey is currently out as he deals with hip soreness and has missed the Thunder’s last three games. Unless Giddey returns from injury relatively soon, his streak of winning Rookie of the Month honors is in jeopardy if he misses significant time with this injury.

Let’s take a look at how NBA Twitter reacted to the 19-year-old going four-for-four in terms of Rookie of the Month awards this season.

OKC Thunder news: Josh Giddey wins February Rookie of the Month award

Josh Giddey makes it four-for-four in terms of Rookie of the Month awards.

The NBA announced its Rookie of the Month award winners for February and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey won the Western Conference award. Giddey has now won all four awards this season for the months of October/November, December, January and February.

In 10 games, Giddey averaged 16.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists. For the month of February, Giddey led all rookies in total rebounds and assists and was third in points.

Giddey recorded three consecutive triple-doubles from Feb. 12 to Feb. 16, joining Oscar Robertson as the only rookie to accomplish this feat in NBA history.

Giddey is currently out as he deals with hip soreness and has missed the Thunder’s last three games. Unless Giddey returns from injury relatively soon, his streak of winning Rookie of the Month honors is in jeopardy if he misses significant time with this injury.

Giddey was drafted sixth overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Thunder. The 19-year-old has averaged 12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists in 54 games this season.

Thunder guard Tre Mann also received votes for the award.

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