Sixers point guard Ben Simmons beat out a strong field to win the league’s Rookie of the Year award, it was announced during the NBA’s Second Annual Awards show.
Simmons was the top pick of the 2016 draft but his debut was delayed a season by a foot injury. Once he returned, Simmons quickly showed what all the fuss was about. He guided the Sixers to the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, where they fell to the Celtics.
The 6’10” Simmons was a triple-double threat every game while posting averages of 15.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG and 8.2 APG. He shot 54.5% from the field by confining himself inside the 3-point arc, as he failed to make a 3-point try.
Donovan Mitchell (Jazz) and Jayson Tatum (Celtics) were the other finalists. Malcolm Brogdon (Bucks) was the 2017 winner.
Not a rookie
Lol, how many games did he play the year before?
Was Milos Teodosic a rookie his first year even though he was 29?
Teodosic had never been paid by an NBA team. Completely different story. Just because Simmons did not play in a game does not mean he didn’t spend a year practicing and getting to know his teammates.
Sizzling hot!
Completely agree.. he had the resources of the Sixers for a year where the other guys didn’t.
He’s a 2nd year Sixer..
Definition of a rookie: a member of an athletic team in his or her first full season in that sport.
Why is this so hard to understand? Once you step a toe on to the floor during the NBA season then you are no longer a rookie. He never played a single game the year he was drafted.
I’m guessing you don’t see the massive contradiction between your 2 paragraphs, do you?
Didn’t think so…
This Precedent was set years ago. Unless there’s a rule change in the voting for ROY, then your argument is invalid.
Great season great kid and his team is on the rise. If they can perfect that roster watch out. Plus you know Simmons jumper is going to come along. Nice accomplishment with ROY
That insane winning streak probably won it for him towards the end.
So sitting on your butt for a whole year with no responsibilities but collecting salary and learning as much important information as you can about how and what to do when you’re eventually healthy, such as the team playbook and defensive positioning, without petty distractions such as schoolwork, doesn’t count as your rookie season? Great! Such a deal! Sign me up!
I can sit on the bench and read and study playbooks but when I get on the floor it means nothing. I don’t even understand the argument. You literally are a rookie until you play at least 1 game.
I don’t understand YOUR argument. I can’t even tell what side you thought you were on.
So an injured player doesn’t count as a rookie, but a draft and stash player counts? A player stashed in the g-league counts? They have access to playbooks and medical staffs and are actually playing basketball. But let the haters hate.
Did someone tell Levar Ball that Lonzo didn’t win?
I’ll just copy this from Reddit since no one seems to remember this isn’t the 1st time. And it should have actually been the 6th time, Joel Embiid on the bench is better than Brogdon.
Blake Griffin (’09 draft, 2010-11 ROY)- Griffin’s situation was most similar to what Simmons has gone through so far. After being drafted 1st overall in the ’09 draft, Griffin was hurt in the Clippers final pre-season game and was out all season due to injury.
David Robinson (’87 draft, 1989-90 MVP)- Robinson was drafted number 1 overall in the ’87 draft after playing 3 seasons at the Naval Academy. However, he had to wait two years to play in the NBA because he had to fulfill his active-duty obligation with the Navy (during which he achieved the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade).
Larry Bird (’78 draft, 1979-80 ROY)- Bird was drafted 6th overall in the ’78 draft after his junior season at Indiana State. Instead of signing immediately with the Celtics, Bird returned for his senior year that ended in a memorable national championship game against Magic Johnson’s Michigan State squad. Bird did sign with Boston prior to the ’79-’80 season, and NBA draft eligibility rules were eventually changed to prevent teams from drafting players before they were ready to sign.
Jerry Lucas (’62 draft, 1963-64 ROY)- Coming out of Ohio State, Lucas was drafted with a territorial pick by the Cincinnati Royals in 1962. However, his reluctance to play professional basketball, as well contract issues with George Steinbrenner’s failed ABL team, caused Lucas to miss the entire ’62-’63 season.
I agree with Simmons winning ROY this year. Not Embiid however. A guy should win ROY playing less than 35 games? Playing 25 minutes per game in those 31 games he played? Maybe we should start giving out MVPs like that too. Guys who can’t stay on the court don’t deserve ROY, DPOY or MVP awards. It’s just common sense.
Walton won MVP playing only 58 games I believe.
Which is still 27 more than Embiid.
Well baseball does. Clayton Kershaw won an MVP despite only playing in 27 out of 162 games. Not the same of course, but it’s the percentage as an NBA player winning MVP playing in 13.5 games.
I argued that Griffin didn’t deserve the award when he won it and I remember it. Robinson, Bird, and Lucas are irrelevant because they were not under contract after they were drafted. I would have had no problem with Dario Saric winning ROY, because he spent the year after being drafted somewhere else not under contract with an NBA team. But Simmons was signed and paid by the 76ers in 2016-17. THAT was his rookie year.
He red-shirted, still retained his eligibility.
I’m sure having a year to get acclimated to the league, the long schedule, the travel lifestyle, having a year with pro coaches and a year to learn the offense and defense instead of trying to learn as you play wasn’t a huge factor him. Not denying the dude can ball, and he will be a star I’m sure. But he s simply not a rookie.
Idk were you and everyone else crying this tune when Griffin won over Wall n Boogie?
Yes.
Tatum was snubbed. Even Mitchell was a more worthy recipient. Simmons is not a rookie
Well he played like a rookie in the playoffs!
They were saying during the playoffs that Tatum has the potential to be the best player in the NBA some day!
I would consider this to be a Simmons article, but yes Tatum is a fine player.
Tatum was the best of the any rookie this year – hands down. He outplayed Simmons in the post season, in fact Tatum looked like a veteran and made Simmons look like a high school jv player in their playoff series…. shit was even close. Tatum got screwed. Simmons isn’t even a f***ing rookie. He was in the league for a year, practiced with his team, had all the resources he needed provided by the sixes etc….
Mitchell didn’t get the preseason hype that Simmons did. He wasn’t expected to be good. Mitchell can shoot, Simmon’s can’t. Mitchell would be like Kyrie with LeBron. Simmon’s couldn’t exist with LeBron.
Not a rookie and Tatum should have won
How ridiculous that people thinks he ain’t a rookie, no point arguing with you HE IS A ROOKIE!!! Embiid should have won it last year too, Mitchell was way way way behind him this year, it is embarrassing that people even compares them man. Ben Simmons should have been in the 3rd All-NBA team, he was unbelievable. No way Tatum should have won it, he did well in a good team, but his numbers were very average, he will be a star, not close to Simmons though, Simmons will be a superstar. I personally would had put Tatum in the 2nd rookie team, the finalist for me together with Simmons & Mitchell should have been Lonzo Ball, another machine playing basketball, he had a great season & can only get better, which is quite scary.
So for once that award was given to the right man.
For Simmons to get stardom, HE WILL HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO SHOOT. His perimeter shot is worse than Markelle Fultz’s.
People like Tatum because of his story. Single mom from a bad neighborhood in East St. Louis. People want to see him make it. LeBron loves him.
The Lakers are saying if LeBron goes to Los Angeles, they will trade Lonzo since LeBron is the dominant ballhandler.
The argument is stupid. Ben is the rookie of the year whether you like it or not. When you look up Ben Simmons it will always say he won rookie of the year.
Certainly not the best player. No way would any team trade Donovan Mitchell straight up for Simmons.