Barnes nips Mobley as top rookie

TORONTO — Raptors forward Scottie Barnes was voted NBA Rookie of the Year on Saturday, edging the Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley.

“That’s a big award, that’s one of the biggies,” Toronto coach Nick Nurse said.

Barnes got 48 first-place votes and 378 points from a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters. Mobley received 43 firstplace votes and finished with 363 points.

“Of course it was a goal of mine all year to try to win it, but I didn’t really try to overthink it or try to do so much,” Barnes said. “I just did my role, did what I had to do. Winning helps with it as well.”

Barnes helped engineer a turnaround for the Raptors, who went 48-34 after finishing 27-45 and missing the playoffs last season.

The difference of 15 points was the smallest margin in the rookie category under the current voting format that began with the 2002-03 season. Players receive five points for a first-place vote, three points for a second-place vote and one point for third.

Barnes averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 35.4 minutes per game, starting all of the 74 games he played. He led all rookies in minutes and was third in points and rebounds.

“He’s going to continue to get better, continue to grow, but it was a great moment,” Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. said. “I’m ecstatic for him, and it’s a great thing.”

The No. 4 draft pick after one season at Florida State, Barnes joined Vince Carter (1999) and Damon Stoudamire (1995-96) as Toronto players to be voted Rookie of the Year.

Mobley, taken one pick before Barnes, helped spark a similar turnaround in Cleveland. The forward averaged 15 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks as the Cavaliers fell just shy of returning to the postseason for the first time since LeBron James left in 2018.

The Pistons’ Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in the draft, finished third.