76ers' Simmons named Rookie of the Year | ABS-CBN

ADVERTISEMENT

76ers' Simmons named Rookie of the Year

76ers' Simmons named Rookie of the Year

Field Level Media/Reuters

 | 

Updated Jun 26, 2018 11:04 AM PHT

Clipboard

Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons poses for photos following his award for rookie of the year during the NBA Award Show at Barker Hanger. Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

(2nd UPDATE) Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons has been named the NBA's Rookie of the Year after the former No. 1 overall pick helped the team break its five-year playoff drought.

Simmons beat out Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. The award was presented at Monday night's NBA Awards show in Santa Monica, Calif.

"I'd like to thank my family, to start off with," Simmons said. "My family, friends, you know I wouldn't be here without them, and my teammates of course and my great coach (Brett Brown), and the city of Philadelphia for really embracing me."

Simmons was taken with the top pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, but a broken foot sidelined him for the 2016-17 season.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 6-foot-10 guard averaged 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals over 81 games last season.

Simmons, who turns 22 next month, helped the 76ers advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in a five-game series. He averaged 16.3 points, 9.4 boards, 7.7 assists and 1.7 steals in the playoffs.

Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo poses for photos with his most improved player award during the NBA Award Show at Barker Hanger. Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo is the NBA's Most Improved Player after a stellar first season in Indiana that ended in a playoff showdown with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He beat out fellow finalists Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets and Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets.

"Shout out to the Pacers organization for believing in me," said Oladipo, who was dealt to Indiana last offseason in the deal that sent Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder. "It's only the beginning for us."

Oladipo, 26, averaged a career-high 23.1 points with 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.4 steals to earn his first career All-Star selection, as well as a spot on the All-NBA third team and the All-Defensive first team.

In the playoffs, Oladipo averaged 22.7 points, 8.3 boards, 6.0 assists and 2.4 steals, but it wasn't enough to send the Pacers onto the conference semifinals, as they lost to the Cavaliers in seven games.

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert poses for photos with his defensive player of the year award during the NBA Award Show at Barker Hanger. Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award, beating out Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Gobert, who turns 26 on Tuesday, missed 26 games during the regular season with multiple injuries, but still anchored a Jazz defense that posted the second-best defensive rating (101.6) in the NBA last season.

The Frenchman averaged 13.5 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in 56 games to earn his second straight NBA All-Defensive first-team selection. Gobert led the league in blocks in 2016-17 with 2.6 per game.

Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams poses for photos with his sixth man of the year award during the NBA Award Show at Barker Hanger. Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

Los Angeles Clippers guard Lou Williams is now a two-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award winner after being named the league's best bench player for the 2017-18 campaign.

Williams, who also won the award with the Toronto Raptors in 2014-15, averaged career highs of 22.6 points and 5.3 assists, along with 1.1 steals in 79 games (19 starts) last season with the Clippers.

"I want to thank the Clippers organization for giving me an opportunity to be myself," Williams said.

He beat out finalists Eric Gordon of the Houston Rockets and Fred VanVleet of the Raptors. Gordon won the award last season.

Former Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey poses for photos with his coach of the year award during the NBA Award Show at Barker Hanger. Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

Dwane Casey earned Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Raptors to a first-place finish in the Eastern Conference.

Casey beat out Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens and Jazz coach Quin Snyder for the honor.

Under Casey, the Raptors won a franchise-record 59 games opposite 23 losses to claim the No. 1 seed in the East. However, Casey was fired after the Raptors' second consecutive second-round loss to James and the Cavaliers. He was hired as the new coach of the Detroit Pistons, replacing Stan Van Gundy.

Casey also coached the Eastern Conference in this year's All-Star Game.

For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.