Thursday afternoon the NBA unveiled the 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie Team, celebrating this past season’s top young athletes.
One name you will not see on the the team is the Cleveland Cavaliers’ No.1 overall draft pick Anthony Bennett, who only played in 52 games, averaging 4.2 points and three rebounds in just 12.8 minutes per game. He is just the fifth top overall draft pick to miss the All-Rookie team in 26 years.
There were quite a few young rookies deserving of the honor, however.
2013-14 NBA All-Rookie First Team: @MCW1, @VicOladipo, @Trey_Burke3, @MasonPlumlee & @T_HardJR. pic.twitter.com/kxOuHSl7gE
— NBA (@NBA) May 22, 2014
2013-14 NBA All-Rookie Second Team: @KellyOlynyk, @G_ante34, @GorguiDieng, @CodyZeller & @RealStevenAdams.
— NBA (@NBA) May 22, 2014
Philadelphia 76ers guard and NBA Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams was the only unanimous choice. He had a historic season, becoming just the third rookie in NBA history to average 16 points, six rebounds and six assists. The other two were Hall of Fame players—Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson.
Rounding out the First Team was Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo—who was one vote short of being a unanimous selection, Utah Jazz guard Trey Burke, Brooklyn Nets forward Mason Plumlee and New York Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr.
Filling out the All-Rookie Second Team is Boston Celtics center Kelly Olynyk, Milwaukee Bucks guard Giannis Antetokounmpo, Minnesota Timberwolves center Gorgui Dieng, Charlotte Hornets center Cody Zeller and Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams.
If this were a 5-on-5 pickup game, these teams would be severely imbalanced.
A few of the rookies took to Twitter to thank their teams and fans.
Thank you all for your kind words I hope next season we can have more successes like this one and most important team successes.. #HOPE
— GiannisAntetokounmpo (@G_ante34) May 22, 2014
Big thanks to my team! “RT to congratulate @masonplumlee on being named to the @NBA All-Rookie First team#Nets pic.twitter.com/wGaTWlOBZA”
— Mason Plumlee (@masonplumlee) May 22, 2014
Hardwork pays off but never stops. Thank you all for the selection and congrats to @masonplumlee @MCW1 @Trey_Burke3 and @VicOladipo
— Tim Hardaway Jr (@T_HardJR) May 22, 2014
Current Sacramento Kings forward and 2007 NBA All-Rookie First Teamer Rudy Gay commended two rookies who did not make the cut.
Even tho @RayMac3 and @BenMcLemore didn’t make first team all rookie they still had great seasons. What y’all think?
— Rudy Gay (@rudygay22) May 22, 2014
A kind gesture from a very nice person and player.
With the 2014 NBA Draft projected to be the deepest pool of rookies in years, it will be interesting to see which ones make names for themselves in Summer League and establish themselves as the upper echelon of the class heading into the 2014-15 NBA season.
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Michael Brumagin writes the Tweet of the Day for SheridanHoops.com and is also a correspondent for BleacherReport.com. Follow @mbrumagin