By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
Less than a week after being named a finalist for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award, Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum has been named to the 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team.
A starter in a Celtic-high 80 of Boston’s regular-season contests this season, the 20-year-old Tatum averaged 13.9 points (sixth-most among rookies) and five rebounds (eighth-most among rookies) per game, and shot 47.5 percent from the field. The No. 3 overall pick in 2017, Tatum also broke the franchise’s record for most three-pointers made by a rookie.
Suffice to say, it’s a deserved honor, according to Tatum’s coach.
“I think he should be,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said of Tatum’s honor. “He’s had an unbelievable rookie year. I don’t know who’s all on the team. I haven’t looked at all that stuff. But I know that any awards that come his way is well-deserving.”
Donovan Mitchell and Ben Simmons unanimously headline 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team! pic.twitter.com/XNmLHgEqiU
— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) May 22, 2018
Interestingly enough, though, Tatum missed out on joining the Sixers’ Ben Simmons and Utah’s Donovan Mitchell as unanimous selections on the first team by a single vote, with 99 first-team votes and one second-team vote.
“Somebody made a mistake,” Stevens said when alerted of that.
Boston’s Semi Ojeleye also received one second-team vote.
Ty Anderson is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Ty? Follow him on Twitter @_TyAnderson.