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Aussie star Ben Simmons joins likes of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird in being named NBA Rookie of the Year

NEWLY-CROWNED NBA Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons says he has unfinished business and is ready to get back to work after achieving his “childhood dream”. Recap all the award winners here.

Michael Randall
4 min read
June 26, 2018 - 4:00PM
Simmons joins NBA royalty with rookie win

NEWLY-CROWNED NBA Rookie of the Year Ben Simmons says he has unfinished business and is ready to get back to work after achieving his “childhood dream”.

The Aussie star, as was widely expected, beat out Utah point guard Donovan Mitchell and Boston’s Jayson Tatum for the award as James Harden won basketball’s highest individual honour, the MVP.

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“I’m very grateful, but that’s not the end goal for me. I have a lot more things that I want to take off,” the 21-year-old Philadelphia 76er said of winning the award.

“I’m living in the moment, enjoying this right now.

Ben Simmons with his NBA Rookie of the Year award. Picture: AP
Ben Simmons with his NBA Rookie of the Year award. Picture: AP
Ben Simmons had a great season for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Ben Simmons had a great season for the Philadelphia 76ers.

“But obviously I have a lot more work to do, and that starts, you know, as soon as this is over, get back to work.”

Simmons had a historic rookie season, leading the 76ers to the second round of the playoffs with averages of 15.8 points, 8.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds on nearly 55 per cent shooting from the field.

He eclipsed Magic Johnson for the second most triple doubles in an NBA rookie season, his 12 sitting behind the great Oscar Robertson, who had 26 in 1961.

Some fans felt Simmons, drafted in 2016, should not be eligible for the best debut season award, given he had a full campaign on the sidelines, soaking in the NBA game.

But he did not play a game in his first season, due to a fractured foot, and NBA rules decreed he was still eligible.

“Obviously, I broke my foot my first season, and I wasn’t able to play,” Simmons said.

“So to be able to be on the floor and accomplish a childhood dream has been amazing for me.”

Simmons had healthy competition from Mitchell, who led his Jazz to an unlikely playoff appearance and leading all rookies with 20.5 points per game. Tatum was the dominant rookie of this year’s playoffs, falling one-point shy of tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s rookie record for total playoff points as the Celtics made it all the way to the conference finals.

“They (Tatum and Mitchell) had excellent, amazing, tremendous seasons, and what they were able to accomplish was great. I mean, if I had played last year (2016-17), one of them would have had it,” Simmons said.

Harden claimed his first MVP award, beating Cleveland legend LeBron James and New Orleans big man Anthony Davis, and paid tribute to his mum.

“She’s my backbone, good times, bad times, we only get one life and I’m happy she’s my mum, I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Harden said.

“Sixth Man of the Year (2012) to the MVP.

“Shout out to all the young’ins out there man, they got a dream, some vision out there, go take it, go chase that dream.

“I’ll see ya’ll next year.”

Harden’s 30.4 points, 8.8 assists and 5.4 rebounds in leading the Rockets to the best record in the league and all the way to game 7 of the Western Conference Finals.

Boston Celtics’ legend Bill Russell stole the show again, giving Charles Barkley the finger as the former Phoenix Sun presented ‘The Big O’, Milwaukee Bucks great Robertson with the NBA lifetime achievement Award.

The Jazz did not go home empty handed, with towering centre Rudy Gobert named the Defensive Player of the Year for his work as a stopper for the Jazz.

He was an easy pick ahead of New Orleans’ Anthony Davis and Simmons’ teammate Joel Embiid, finishing leading the league in blocks, block percentage, defensive rating, defensive win shares and defensive real +/-.

James Harden was named the NBA MVP. Picture: AFL Images
James Harden was named the NBA MVP. Picture: AFL Images

Victor Oladipo emerged from Russell Westbrook’s shadow as a bona fide star in Indiana, his career high in points (23.1), rebounds (5.2), assist (4.3) and field goal percentage (48 per cent) good enough to hold out Houston’s Clint Cappella and Brooklyn cult figure Spencer Dinwiddie.

Sharpshooting bench scorer Lou Williams claimed his second Sixth Man of the Year Award his career-high 22.6 points per game giving him the nod ahead of Houston’s Eric Gordon and Toronto’s Fred Van Vleet.

Dwane Casey capped off a bittersweet season where he led Toronto to the best record in the East, before being sacked after the Raptors bombed out against the Cavs in the playoffs, with the Coach of the Year award. He held off Utah’s Quin Snyder and Boston’s Brad Stevens.

Finals MVP Kevin Durant added another gong to his stunning season in Golden State, claiming the NBA Cares Community Assist Award.

Dwane Casey was named the NBA coach of the year, just weeks after being fired. Picture: AP Images
Dwane Casey was named the NBA coach of the year, just weeks after being fired. Picture: AP Images

Aside from dominating on the hardwood, Durant helped construct basketball courts all over the globe, is building school infrastructure in his home state in Maryland, raised money for Oklahoma tornado victims and provided scholarship money for underprivileged students.

Legendary centre Dikembe Mutumbo was a popular winner of the Sager Strong Award, named in honour of long time NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager, who died in 2016.

Minnesota veteran Jamal Crawford was named Teammate of the Year, Sixer Amir Johnson won the Hustle Award, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was Executive of the Year.

The NBA’s yearly awards were voted on by a panel featuring 100 members of the media from all over the world and tabled before the playoffs began.

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/basketball/aussie-star-ben-simmons-joins-likes-of-michael-jordan-larry-bird-in-being-named-nba-rookie-of-the-year/news-story/4fd84bfea38a6a0dc844e38320cfed5c