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May 13, 2008 12:34 PM
Horford edges Durant in All-Rookie team balloting
Posted by Percy Allen
It's no surprise that Sonics guard Kevin Durant and Atlanta forward Al Horford were the leading vote getters for the All-Rookie team.
What's surprising is Horford was the only unanimous first-team selection. He also tallied 58 points, while Durant received 57. That's a little odd considering Durant easily won the Rookie of the Year award two weeks ago.
The voting panel consisted of the NBA's 30 head coaches. Two points are given for first-team votes and one point for second-team picks. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Apparently one of the coaches didn't think Durant was a first-team choice and he put the 19-year-old scoring sensation on the second team.
Seattle forward Jeff Green was also a first-team selection. He received 15 first-team votes and 13 second-team votes.
Rodney Stuckey, the former Kentwood HS and Eastern Washington standout, was a second-team choice for the Detroit Pistons.
Here's the press release from the NBA.
SEATTLE'S KEVIN DURANT, ATLANTA'S AL HORFORD HEADLINE
2007-08 T-MOBILE NBA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
NEW YORK, May 13, 2008 - Kevin Durant of the Seattle SuperSonics and Al
Horford of the Atlanta Hawks headline a talented group of rookies named to
the 2007-08 T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie Team, the NBA announced today. Horford,
the only player unanimously voted to the 2007-08 T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie
Team, finished with 58. Durant, winner of the 2007-08 T-Mobile Rookie of
the Year award, received a total of 57 votes.
Rounding out the T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie First Team are Houston's Luis
Scola (53 points), the Los Angeles Clippers' Al Thornton (48 points) and
Seattle's Jeff Green (43 points).
A five-time T-Mobile Western Conference Rookie of the Month selection
(November, December, January, March and April), Durant averaged a rookie-
and team-high 20.3 points -- 7.6 points higher than any other rookie -- to
go along with 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 80 games (all starts). Durant
was the only rookie to lead his team in five statistical categories,
including points, blocks, steals, free throws made and free throw
percentage. Durant also blocked more shots than any other guard in the
league (75). He represented the SuperSonics in the 2008 T-Mobile Rookie
Challenge & Youth Jam, finishing with 23 points and eight rebounds.
A three-time T-Mobile Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month selection
(November, February and March), Horford ranked first among rookies in
double doubles (25), as well as rebounds (9.7 rpg), which was 13th among
all NBA players. Among first year players, Horford also finished sixth in
scoring (10.1 ppg). Horford represented the Hawks in the T-Mobile Rookie
Challenge & Youth Jam, finishing with 19 points, and seven rebounds.
Among rookies, Scola ranked second in both rebounds (6.4 rpg) and
double-doubles (10). Thorton finished second in scoring (12.7 ppg) and
Green finished fourth (10.5 ppg).
The T-Mobile NBA All-Rookie Second Team consists of former D-League player,
Jamario Moon of the Toronto Raptors (38), Memphis' Juan Carlos Navarro
(24), Philadelphia's Thaddeus Young (23), Detroit's Rodney Stuckey (22) and
Houston's Carl Landry (18).
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.
Building upon its already strong appeal to the nation's youth and as the
Official Wireless Services Partner of the NBA, T-Mobile is showcasing the
NBA's youngest players -- the Rookies -- through the NBA's Rookie program.
Highlights include rookie awards presentations including the T-Mobile
Rookie of the Year, T-Mobile Rookie of the Month Awards, and the T-Mobile
Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, an All-Star competition between NBA rookies
and second-year players. During NBA All-Star 2008, T-Mobile Huddle Up and
NBA Cares hosted more than 5,000 local students in the lower bowl of the
arena to watch this year’s Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. This is a part of
T-Mobile's continued efforts to connect kids to positive people, places and
programs.
Attached are the results of the balloting for the 2007-08 T-Mobile NBA
All-Rookie teams:
2007-08 T-MOBILE NBA ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM
Player Team First (2 pt) Second (1 Pt) Total
Al Horford Atlanta 29 - 58
Kevin Durant Seattle 28 1 57
Luis Scola Houston 26 1 53
Al Thornton LA Clippers 20 8 48
Jeff Green Seattle 15 13 43
2007-08 T-MOBILE NBA ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM
Player Team First (2 pt) Second (1 Pt) Total
Jamario Moon Toronto 12 14 38
Juan Carlos Navarro Memphis 5 14 24
Thaddeus Young Philadelphia 4 15 23
Rodney Stuckey Detroit 5 12 22
Carl Landry Houston 1 16 18
Other players receiving votes, with point totals (first place votes):
Joakim Noah, Chicago, 17 (1); Yi Jianlian, Milwaukee, 13; Nick Young,
Washington, 10 (2); Mike Conley, Memphis, 8 (1); Corey Brewer, Minnesota, 3
(1); Sean Williams, New Jersey, 3; Glen Davis, Boston, 3; Julian Wright, New
Orleans, 2; Jared Dudley, Charlotte, 2; Acie Law, Atlanta, 1; Javaris
Crittenton, Memphis, 1; Aaron Brooks, Houston, 1; Wilson Chandler, New
York, 1; Daequan Cook, Miami, 1.
# # #
***UPDATE 2:31 P.M.*** Just respoinding to a post from jherz13. You're right, I rarely respond to posts. I like to think this is your space and a place for readers to vent and give their opinions. I give my opinion all the time it seems. Far too much for some and apparently not enough for others. Oh well ...
As for Mike Woodson, I called a friend in Atlanta who spoke with Woodson today and my friend said he'd be surprised if the Hawks coach did not vote Durant first team. If we're looking for culprits, I'd suspect Philadelphia's Maurice Cheeks.
I'm assuming it was an Eastern Conference coach and I suggest Cheeks because KD missed the first game against the 76ers and scored just 14 in the second game.
A league's spokesman told me the votes are confidential and we may never know who it was. But honestly, that's the least of my concerns. I'm more curious about who gave first-place votes to Joakim Noah, Mike Conley and Corey Brewer.
Since coaches can't vote for their players there will never be a consensus, but seriously Brewer? He only received three votes and somebody thought he was among the league's top five rookies. Incredible.
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