Two Timberwolves players were named to the NBA's all-rookie teams Monday. The first is no surprise. The second, perhaps, a mild one.
Wiggins, LaVine win NBA rookie team honors
Andrew Wiggins was a unanimous pick for all-rookie team; Zach LaVine being named to the second team was a mild surprise.
May 18, 2015 at 7:43PM
Andrew Wiggins, fresh off winning the league's rookie of the year award, was named to the first-team all-rookie team by the league. He was the only unanimous choice. Zach LaVine, meanwhile, was named a part of the second team.
The teams were named by a voting panel of 130 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Each voter was asked to select five players for the first team and five for the second; two points were awarded for first-team votes and one for second-team votes.
Wiggins joins Pooh Richardson, Christian Laettner, Isaiah Rider, Stephon Marbury, Wally Szczerbiak, Randy Foye and Ricky Rubio as Wolves players to earn first-team all-rookie honors.
An interesting list, considering how some of those players' careers turned out.
Wiggins lead all qualified rookies in scoring (16.9) and was fourth in steals (1.05) and fifth in rebounding (4.6). He was the only rookie and one of just 11 players in the league to start all 82 games. He finished with a team rookie record 2,969 minutes played, second-most in the league behind James Harden.
LaVine averaged 10.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 77 games (40 starts). He shot 42.2 percent overall, 34.1 percent on three-pointers and 84.2 percent from the free throw line.
Player
Team
First (2 pt)
Second (1 Pt)
Total
Andrew Wiggins
Minnesota
130
-
260
Nikola Mirotic
Chicago
128
2
258
Nerlens Noel
Philadelphia
125
2
252
Elfrid Payton
Orlando
121
8
250
Jordan Clarkson
L.A. Lakers
74
52
200
2014-15 NBA ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM
Player
Team
First (2 pt)
Second (1 Pt)
Total
Marcus Smart
Boston
28
86
142
Zach LaVine
Minnesota
22
91
135
Bojan Bogdanovic
Brooklyn
7
93
107
Jusuf Nurkic
Denver
3
91
97
Langston Galloway
New York
7
58
72
Meanwhile, the team anounced today the Wolves will participate in the NBA Summer League July 10-20 on the campus of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. The Wolves will be one of 23 teams taking part in the tournament-style format.
High-profile victims in Minnesota include Mike Conley of the Timberwolves and Twins co-owner Jim Pohlad.
