Milwaukee Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon and Philadelphia 76ers forward Dario Saric have been unanimously selected to the 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie First Team, the NBA announced today. Both players received all 100 First Team votes from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
Joining Brogdon and Saric on the First Team are 76ers center Joel Embiid (171 points, 82 First Team votes), Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield (154 points, 63 First Team votes) and Knicks center Willy Hernangomez (128 points, 44 First Team votes).
Brogdon, Saric and Embiid are the three finalists for the 2016-17 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award. The winner will be announced tonight during the inaugural NBA Awards, which will be televised live by TNT at 9 p.m. ET.
This season marks the first time since the annual honor was first presented 54 years ago that the NBA All-Rookie First Team includes four international players: Saric (Croatia), Embiid (Cameroon), Hield (Bahamas) and Hernangomez (Spain). The previous record was three international players on the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
The NBA All-Rookie Second Team consists of Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (123 points, 34 First Team votes), Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown (106 points, 24 First Team votes), Phoenix Suns forward Marquese Chriss (91 points, 20 First Team votes), Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram (83 points, 11 First Team votes) and Dallas Mavericks guard Yogi Ferrell (63 points, 7 First Team votes).
The voting panel was asked to select five players for the First Team and five players for the Second Team at any position. Two points were awarded for First Team votes and one point for Second Team votes.
Brogdon led rookies in assists (4.2 apg) and steals (1.12 spg) and ranked second in three-point field goal percentage (40.4) and free throw percentage (86.5). He was also third in field goal percentage (45.7) and fourth in scoring (10.2 ppg). A second-round pick (36th overall) in NBA Draft 2016 presented by State Farm, Brogdon became the first Bucks rookie ever to record a regular-season triple-double when he posted 15 points and career highs of 12 assists and 11 rebounds against the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 31, 2016.
Represented by Saric and Embiid, the 76ers are the first team with multiple players on the NBA All-Rookie First Team since 2008. Saric was the second-leading scorer (12.8 ppg) and third-leading rebounder (6.3 rpg) among rookies, raising his averages to 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds over the last 30 of his 81 games. Embiid averaged rookie bests of 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.45 blocks in 31 games.
Hield paced rookies in three-pointers made (148), ranked third in scoring (10.6 ppg) and finished fourth in three-point field goal percentage (39.1). In 25 games with Sacramento after being acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans on Feb. 20, Hield averaged 15.1 points and 4.1 rebounds and shot 48.0 percent from the field and 42.8 percent from beyond the arc.
Hernangomez topped first-year players in field goal percentage (52.9) and double-doubles (11) to go with 8.2 points and 7.0 rebounds (second among rookies). After Embiid won the first three Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month awards of the season and Saric was honored with the next two, Hernangomez earned the accolade in April behind averages of 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds.
Below are the voting totals for the 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie Teams. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP. Complete media ballots will be posted at NBA.com/official tomorrow (Tuesday, June 27).
Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first-place votes in parentheses): Rodney McGruder, Miami, 61 (7); Caris LeVert, Brooklyn, 36 (2); Domantas Sabonis, Oklahoma City, 19 (4); Tyler Ulis, Phoenix, 10 (1); Patrick McCaw, Golden State, 8; Skal Labissiere, Sacramento, 7 (1); Kris Dunn, Minnesota, 5; Juancho Hernangomez, Denver, 5; Taurean Prince, Atlanta, 5; Isaiah Whitehead, Brooklyn, 5; Alex Abrines, Oklahoma City, 4; Davis Bertans, San Antonio, 3; Dejounte Murray, San Antonio, 3; Thon Maker, Milwaukee, 3; Andrew Harrison, Memphis, 2; Fred VanVleet, Toronto, 1; Dragan Bender, Phoenix, 1; DeAndre’ Bembry, Atlanta, 1; Jakob Poeltl, Toronto, 1; Malcolm Delaney, Atlanta, 1.
Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first-place votes in parentheses): Rodney McGruder, Miami, 61 (7); Caris LeVert, Brooklyn, 36 (2); Domantas Sabonis, Oklahoma City, 19 (4); Tyler Ulis, Phoenix, 10 (1); Patrick McCaw, Golden State, 8; Skal Labissiere, Sacramento, 7 (1); Kris Dunn, Minnesota, 5; Juancho Hernangomez, Denver, 5; Taurean Prince, Atlanta, 5; Isaiah Whitehead, Brooklyn, 5; Alex Abrines, Oklahoma City, 4; Davis Bertans, San Antonio, 3; Dejounte Murray, San Antonio, 3; Thon Maker, Milwaukee, 3; Andrew Harrison, Memphis, 2; Fred VanVleet, Toronto, 1; Dragan Bender, Phoenix, 1; DeAndre’ Bembry, Atlanta, 1; Jakob Poeltl, Toronto, 1; Malcolm Delaney, Atlanta, 1.
