The NBA announced its All-Rookie teams on Monday with San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren as unanimous first-team selections.
Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller, Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski join them on the first team.
Wembanyama and Holmgren received first-place votes from all 99 voters, while Miller tallied 97 first-place votes. Jaquez received 89 first place votes, and Podziemski tallied 64.
Wembanyama and Miller were the first two picks in the 2023 NBA draft, while Holmgren was the No. 2 pick in 2022. He missed the entire 2022-23 season with a foot injury and was classified as a rookie this season alongside the draft class of 2023. Jaquez (No. 18 pick) and Podziemski (No. 19) had breakout seasons after being selected outside the lottery.
Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (26 first-team votes) leads the second team alongside Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (10), Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3), Thunder guard Cason Wallace (2)and Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II (5).
Scoot Henderson, the highly touted No. 3 pick in the draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, finished among the others receiving votes after struggling from the field (38.5%) in his rookie campaign.
Wembanyama adds to honor to a remarkable rookie season that also earned him a unanimous vote for Rookie of the Year and a second-place finish in Defensive Player of the Year voting to Rudy Gobert.
He averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals and a league-best 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.5% from the field and 32.5% on 5.5 3-point attempts per game. He met and perhaps exceeded the outsized expectations that followed him to the NBA as the most anticipated prospect since LeBron James.
Holmgren also had a remarkable rookie campaign that would have earned strong Rookie of the Year consideration in a class that didn’t include Wembanyama. He averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 37% on 4.3 rebounds per game. He was an integral player for a Thunder team that earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. He also quelled concerns about his durability in playing all 82 regular season games.
Miller thrived in Charlotte after his much-debated selection over Henderson with the No. 2 pick. He averaged 17.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 37.3% on 6.7 3-point attempts per game. Jaquez (11.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 20 starts) and Podziemski (9.2 ppg, 38.5% 3-point, 28 starts) each carved out contributing roles on veteran-laden rosters.
Lively is the only player from either of the All-Rookie teams remaining in the postseason. He played a critical role in the Mavericks’ closeout win over the Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals while tallying 12 points, 15 rebounds and a +26 in the plus/minus column in Saturday’s Game 6 victory in Dallas.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
