Orlando Magic ahead Paolo Banchero was named the NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for video games performed in December, the league introduced Tuesday.
The No. 1 decide within the draft, Banchero led all NBA rookies in scoring with 19.1 factors per recreation for the month to go together with 6.5 rebounds (fifth) and 4.1 assists (second).
He shot 40.7% from the sphere, 33.9% on 3s and 78.2% on 7.3 free throw makes an attempt per recreation in December for a 53.3% true capturing accuracy — a system that comes with free throws and higher-value 3-point pictures.
Banchero averaged 22.7 factors (45.8% from the sphere, 27.3% on 3s, 73.2% on free throws — 55% true capturing), 6.8 rebounds and three.6 assists in his 15 October/November video games.
“I haven’t felt [December] has been my best month, so that’d be good to win it even though I feel like I could’ve been much better this month,” Banchero mentioned earlier than the league’s announcement after Tuesday’s apply. “Going into the new year, new month of the season, it’s a new focus. Got to refocus on the games we’ve got in front of us. Got a big West Coast trip [coming up]. I’m excited for that.”
Banchero scored in double figures in 13 of 15 December video games, together with 20-plus factors 10 instances and eclipsing 30 as soon as in a Dec. 18 win in opposition to the Boston Celtics.
“It’s huge,” coach Jamahl Mosley mentioned forward of the announcement. “This young man continues to put a body of work in. Being first in the gym, last in the gym, studying film. Understanding the ebbs and flows of the game and how he can continue to work to get better. That’s what he’s striving to do. Getting that award, if it does occur, that’s a big accomplishment the work you put in pays off in a lot of ways.”
Banchero’s the ninth Magic participant to earn Rookie of the Month honors, becoming a member of:
- Dennis Scott (March 1991);
- Shaquille O’Neal (4 instances — November 1992-February 1993);
- Penny Hardaway (twice — January and April 1994);
- Mike Miller (twice — February and March 2001);
- Victor Oladipo (twice — December 2013 and February 2014);
- Elfrid Payton (January 2015);
- R.J. Hampton (May 2021);
- Franz Wagner (December 2021).
Rookie of the Month was awarded to at least one rookie within the NBA till the 2001-02 season, when the league began giving the respect to at least one rookie from every convention. Sacramento Kings ahead Keegan Murray, the No. 4 decide within the draft, was named the Western Conference Rookies of the Month.
Banchero is averaging 20.9 factors (first amongst rookies), 6.7 rebounds (third) and three.9 assists (second) getting into Wednesday’s residence recreation vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He is the sixth participant in NBA historical past to begin his profession with six consecutive 20-point video games. The others: Wilt Chamberlain (56), Elvin Hayes (10), Grant Hill, Dominique Wilkins and Oscar Robertson (6).
Banchero’s streak of seven 20-point video games (Dec. 5-18) tied the franchise file for the longest streak of 20-point video games by a Magic rookie set that was by Shaquille O’Neal (1993).
He’s scored 20-plus factors 21 instances, probably the most of any rookie.
Banchero has one of the best odds of profitable Rookie of the Year as of Friday, in line with VegasInsider.com.
Other recognition
Second-year ahead Franz Wagner was nominated for Eastern Conference Player of the Month, which was awarded to Philadelphia 76ers large man Joel Embiid.
Wagner averaged a team-high 20.3 factors (45.5% capturing, 37.3 on 3s), 3.6 rebounds and a pair of.9 assists in December. It was his second time being nominated for the month-to-month award after being a nominee for October/November.
Mosley was nominated for the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month, which was received by Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn, after the Magic went 8-7 in December.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Khobi Price at [email protected] or observe him on Twitter at @khobi_price.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com