Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton named one of three finalists for NBA Rookie of the Year
Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton has been named a finalist for the 2020-21 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Finalists were announced on TNT prior to Thursday’s play-in game between the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards. LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets and Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves were also named finalists for the award.
The Kings selected Haliburton out of Iowa State with the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He didn’t have the benefit of summer league, a regular offseason or a normal training camp, but that didn’t stop him from making an immediate contribution.
The 21-year-old guard averaged 13.0 points, 5.3 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 47.2% from the field and 40.9% from 3-point range. He was named NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for December/January and February, quickly establishing himself as a leading candidate for the Rookie of the Year award.
Edwards, the No. 1 pick in the draft, averaged 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Timberwolves this season. He shot 41.7% from the field, 32.9% from 3-point range and 77.6% at the free-throw line.
Ball, the No. 3 pick in the draft, averaged 15.7 points, 6.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds. He shot 43.6% from the field, 35.2% from 3-point range and 75.8% at the free throw line during the regular season.
Finalists for each award were selected by a global panel of journalists and broadcasters. Finalists were also announced for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player and Coach of the Year. TNT will announce winners of each award during its coverage of the NBA playoffs.
The MVP finalists were Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
Finalists for Defensive Player of the Year were the Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert, Warriors’ Draymond Green and 76ers’ Ben Simmons.
Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles of the Jazz were named finalists for Sixth Man of the Year along with Derrick Rose of the New York Knicks.
The Detroit Pistons’ Jerami Grant, Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. and Knicks’ Julius Randle were named finalists for Most Improved Player.
Jazz coach Quin Snyder, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau and Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams were named finalists for Coach of the Year.
This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 4:26 PM.
