Nunn wins Rookie of Month again

LOS ANGELES — Kendrick Nunn joined Caron Butler on Tuesday as the only Miami Heat players named NBA Rookie of the Month for three consecutive months. After receiving the honor for November and December, Nunn was cited again for his play in January.

The franchise record for such accolades are the four by Butler in November 2002 and then January, February and March of 2003.

The only other Heat players named Rookie of the Month were Michael Beasley in April 2009 and Josh Richardson in March 2016. Dwyane Wade never won the award, with LeBron James sweeping the Eastern Conference honor as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003-04.

After winning the combined October-November award and then the December honor, Nunn became the first undrafted player in league history to win the award on multiple occasions.

Memphis Grizzlies guard and presumptive Rookie of the Year Ja Morant again won the Western Conference award.

Nunn went undrafted out of Oakland University in 2018, spending most of last season with the Golden State Warriors’ G League affiliate until he was signed by the Heat on the final day of the 2018-19 regular season. He then thrived during summer league and the preseason, earning a starting role opening night.

Nunn averaged 16.8 points, 3.5 assists and 2.8 rebounds in an average of 30.3 minutes in January, shooting .507 from the field, .375 on 3-pointers and .947 from the foul line in 11 games (all starts).

Among rookie league leaders, he ranks second in scoring average, third in assists per game, fourth in minutes per game, fifth in free-throw percentage, ninth in steals per game, ninth in fieldgoal percentage and 10th in 3-point percentage.