2011/12 NBA Awards: All-Rookie Teams

With the NBA regular season coming to a close it's time for awards week at The Hoops Manifesto.  We've teamed up with some of Bloguin's best NBA writers to vote on who gets the (virtual) hardware.  Next up: All-Rookie Teams


Voting Panel: Jeff Fox from The Hoops Manifesto, Lives from Knicks Fanatics, College Wolf and Bonk from TWolves Blog, Philip Rossman-Reich from Orlando Magic Daily, and Don from With Malice.


NBA All-Rookie First Team


Kyrie Irving - Cleveland

18.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 5.4 apg, 1.1 spg

Kenneth Faried - Denver

22.5 mpg, 10.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 58.6 FG %

Ricky Rubio - Minnesota

10.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 8.2 apg, 2.2 spg

Kawhi Leonard - San Antonio

7.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.3 spg

Isaiah Thomas - Sacramento

11.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.1 apg


Synopsis: Kyrie Irving certainly looked the part of the first overall pick in the draft his rookie season in Cleveland.  The word "beast" was invented for Kenneth Faried.  Ricky Rubio's missed time due to injury didn't hurt him too much in our All-Rookie voting.  Kawhi Leonard is proof of the genius that is the San Antonio front office.  Isaiah Thomas made his namesake proud, totally outplaying more hyped rookie teammate Jimmer Fredette.


NBA All-Rookie Second Team


Chandler Parsons - Houston

9.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.5 spg

Iman Shumpert - New York

9.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.7 spg

Klay Thompson - Golden State

12.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 111-268 3Pts

MarShon Brooks - New Jersey

12.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.3 apg

Brandon Knight - Detroit

12.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 3.8 apg


Synopsis: Chandler Parsons has to be considered a pleasant surprise for Houston this year - you generally don't see second round picks starting the majority of their games as a rookie.  Iman Shumpert, while sporadic with his shooting and decision making, was the Knicks best perimeter defender all season.  Klay Thompson proved that his scoring ability translates from college to the pros very nicely.  One of the few bright spots in Jersey this season was the play of rookie MarShon Brooks.  Brandon Knight's future appears to be bright - he had a solid rookie campaign and is still only 20-years-old.



Previous Award Winners: Executive of the Year, Coach of the Year, Most Improved Player, Sixth Man of the Year



Next up: Rookie of the Year