Toronto Raptors’ forward Scottie Barnes has won the 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
https://twitter.com/Raptors/status/1517922023137288192
Barnes, 20, was selected fourth overall by the Raptors in the 2021 NBA Draft.
In 74 regular-season games, Barnes averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 49%/30%/74% shooting splits.
Barnes also played solid defense, averaging 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks while constantly switching onto quicker and taller players.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ center Evan Mobley – who averaged 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks on 51%/25%/66% shooting splits – was viewed as the odds-on favorite to win the award; but his team’s descent down the stretch likely influenced a group of voters.
Still, Barnes beat out Mobley by just 15 votes – the smallest margin since the current voting format began 19 years ago.
https://twitter.com/NBAPR/status/1517920012983578624
The top two picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green, had impressive rookie seasons, but were far less consistent than Barnes and Mobley.