Suns’ Deandre Ayton named to NBA All-Rookie First Team
May 21, 2019, 11:36 AM | Updated: 11:49 am
Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the final moments of the NBA game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Talking Stick Resort Arena on March 04, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Bucks 114-105. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Phoenix Suns rookie Deandre Ayton was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team that was announced on Tuesday morning.
Ayton joined the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, Hawks’ Trae Young, Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. and Kings’ Marvin Bagley III on the first team, comprised entirely of picks one through five in last year’s draft. It’s the first time since 1984-85 that the top five picks in the previous year’s draft were all NBA All-Rookie First Team selections.
The 20-year-old was the first overall pick by the Suns in last year’s draft and averaged 16.3 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in 2018-19, being the only rookie to average a double-double. He led all rookies in rebounding and had the highest field goal percentage ever by a rookie who averaged a double-double.
The All-Rookie teams are voted on by a “global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters,” according to the league. Ayton received the third-most points in the voting process behind only Doncic and Young, who were each unanimous first-team selections. Ayton, Doncic and Young are the three finalists for NBA Rookie of the Year, which will be announced on June 24.
A teammate of Ayton’s, fellow Suns rookie Mikal Bridges, was the leading vote-getter among players who didn’t make either the first or second team. He received one first-team vote and 29 second-team votes.
The second team was made up of the Clippers’ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet, the Cavs’ Collin Sexton, the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson and the Hawks’ Kevin Huerter.
Former Arizona Wildcat Allonzo Trier received 10 points in the voting, five spots out of a second-team selection.
