Simmons wins NBA honours
BASKETBALL: Aussie star Ben Simmons has been crowned the NBA’s Rookie of the Year.
Simmons, as was widely expected, yesterday beat out Utah point guard Donovan Mitchell and Boston’s Jayson Tatum for the award for best player in their first season.
“I’d like to thank my family, friends, I wouldn’t be here without them,” the Philadelphia 76ers point guard said upon accepting the award.
“My teammates, of course, and my great coach Brett Brown and the City of Philadelphia for really embracing me and my family.”
Simmons had an historic rookie season, leading the 76ers to the second round of the playoffs with averages of 15.8 points, 8.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds on nearly 55 per cent shooting from the field.
Simmons eclipsed Magic Johnson for the second most triple doubles in an NBA rookie season, his 12 sitting behind the great Oscar Robertson, who had 26 in 1961.
Some fans felt Simmons should not have been eligible for the award, given he had a full season on the sidelines in 2017, soaking in the NBA game.
But he did not play a game due to a fractured foot, and NBA rules decreed he was still eligible for the award.
Simmons had healthy competition from Mitchell, who led his Jazz to an unlikely playoff appearance and led all rookies with 20.5 points a game.
Tatum was the dominant rookie of this year’s playoffs, falling one point shy of tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s rookie record for total playoff points as the Celtics made it all the way to the conference finals.
Houston’s James Harden claimed his first MVP award, beating Cleveland’s LeBron James and New Orleans’ Anthony Davis.
– Michael Randall