NBA Announces Finalists For 2022-23 Rookie Of The Year Award
On Friday night, the NBA announced the finalists for every major end-of-season award, including the three finalists for this season’s Rookie of the Year award.
Paolo Banchero is expected to win this award by a landslide and rightfully so, as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft had himself a sensational first season in the NBA with the Orlando Magic.
In a total of 72 games, Banchero averaged 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 42.7 percent from the floor. Scoring from the perimeter will be something Banchero needs to work on moving forward, but he led all rookies in scoring and was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in December, January, February and both March and April combined.
He ended up leading the Magic in scoring this season and he had at least 20 points in 40 different games this season, tying what LeBron James did as a rookie in 2003.
Looking at the Oklahoma City Thunder, they are the youngest team in the league yet again, but that did not matter for Jalen Williams, as he quickly became an integral part of their success.
Without Williams’ production this season, the Thunder would not have made the Play-In Tournament in the Western Conference and because of him, they still have a chance to advance to the playoffs as the 8-seed.
Williams got things done offensively, as well as on defense and his advanced statistics definitely match up well with the product Banchero put out during the regular season.
As for Walker Kessler, he filled the shoes left behind by Rudy Gobert on the Utah Jazz to perfection and quite honestly, the Jazz may be in a better position with the young center long-term!
Kessler ended up playing in a total of 74 games this season, averaging 9.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game, which ranked fourth in the league.
A true rim-protector that can be a double-double threat on any night, Kessler proved all of his doubters wrong and the Jazz got a steal with him at the 22nd pick this past offseason.
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