Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and O.J. Mayo of the Memphis Grizzlies were unanimous selections to the 2008-09 T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie First Team, the NBA announced today.
Rounding out the T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie First Team are Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook (53 points), New Jersey’s Brook Lopez (49 points) and Miami’s Michael Beasley (44 points)…
The T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie Second Team consists of the Los Angeles Clippers’ Eric Gordon (39 points), Minnesota’s Kevin Love (34 points), Miami’s Mario Chalmers (29 points), Memphis’ Marc Gasol (25 points), Charlotte’s D.J. Augustin (tie, 17 points) and Portland’s Rudy Fernandez (tie, 17 points).
The voting panel consisted of the NBA’s 30 head coaches, who were asked to select five players for the first team and five players for the second team, regardless of position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team. Two points were awarded for first team votes and one for second team votes.
What’s disappointing is that we’re not talking about members of the media who, as the cliché goes, don’t stay up to watch West Coast games. Each of these gentlemen had an opportunity to watch each of the candidates. My strongest objection isn’t Beasley (17.28 PER, with value/wins added commensurate to EJ’s), but with Mayo.
One reason to let it go is that Gordon finished sixth in the voting — respectable — but, unfortunately, rookie teams are clustered in groups of five. Bad luck.
Finally, the best rationale for brushing off these relatively meaningless honors is the Woody Allen rap: “Awards! All they do now is give away awards! Greatest fascist dictator: Adolf Hitler.”
The consolation with rookie awards comes with the comfort of knowing that future performance is all that matters. History will judge these kids not by where they landed in the 2009 voting for All-Rookie teams, but what they contribute to the game in the long run.
10 Responses
Any year Gordon is in, but this class was super talented and fit their teams
Posted on April 30th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Mayo with all those first team votes? Seriously? He choked the entire second half… And Beasley? Oh come on…
Posted on April 30th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
the worst pick in my opinion was westbrook! As the third option on a team w/ legit #1 & 2 options, his shooting % and turnovers were terrible. I don’ know where all his hype came from.
Posted on April 30th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Maybe EJ will play with a chip on his shoulder after this and tear it up next year. That’s my only real consolation. Well, that and the fact that the NBA is known for being terrible at handing at deserved awards.
Posted on May 1st, 2009 at 10:17 am
I think, if the 2nd All-Rookie Team played the 1st All-Rookie Team, the 2nd All-Rookie will probably win. Beasley should not have been on the 1st team.
Posted on May 1st, 2009 at 10:42 am
Even though the rules say regardless of position, they’re probably not going to put over 3 guards on there. Plus does anyone even care who makes this all rookie first team? Does anyone even remember a week later?
Posted on May 1st, 2009 at 2:40 pm
The fact that Kevin Love missed out on the first team on account of Michael frickin’ Beasley proves that the people responsible for compiling this couldn’t really be bothered watching crap teams like the Clippers and the Timberwolves. I’m surprised Mayo was a unanimous selection given how dire the Grizzlies were at times, but he did go off with a bang and I’m sure they didn’t even notice his steady decline as the season went on.
Posted on May 1st, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Beasley and Westbrook suck. Give me a break
Posted on May 1st, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Hey it may be a big deal to fans, but seriously how much time do you think Jerry Sloan spent filling out his ballot or George Karl or Phil Jackson. it’s just something they have to do. they don’t go back and watch tapes or anything. at best they remember who had a good game against them.
Posted on May 2nd, 2009 at 1:01 am
Why do all the mock drafts have us taking Hill? The last thing we need is another big.
Posted on May 2nd, 2009 at 6:32 am
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