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The NBA announced its All-Rookie first and second teams today, and Phoenix Suns forward Markieff Morris was not among the 12 players selected. According to NBA.com:
The voting panel consisted of the NBA's 30 head coaches, who were asked to select five players for the first team and five players for the second team, regardless of position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team. Two points were awarded for first team votes and one for second team votes.
Morris received 7 total votes, including 1 for first team, leading the "others receiving votes" category.
The Suns have not had a player named to the All-Rookie team since Amar'e Stoudemire in 2003. Stoudemire also won Rookie of the Year then but in the years since, the likes of Alando Tucker, Earl Clark and Robin Lopez have received zero rookie honors. If Suns President Lon Babby is serious about improving the team's drafting, it won't take much to do better than they have in recent years.
More after the jump....
Morris was the #13 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, controversially picked ahead of his twin brother Marcus, a player generally thought to be the more talented of the siblings heading into the draft. However, Markieff came out of the gates strong for the Suns, showing great range in leading the team in 3-point shooting % early on, and recording 13 double figure scoring games before the All-Star break, securing a spot in the NBA All-Star Weekend's Rising Stars Challenge.
His shooting and overall production dropped steeply in March, and Morris struggled as a starter for the last two games of the season after Channing Frye's shoulder injury. He finished the season averaging 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game on .347% 3-point shooting and .399% overall shooting from the field, with his 3-point shooting dropping from .403 before the All-Star break to .255 after.
All-Rookie first team, in order of votes, with draft position:
- Kyrie Irving, Cavaliers, #1 draft pick
- Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves, #5 pick in 2009 draft
- Kenneth Faried, Nuggets, #22
- Klay Thompson, Warriors, #11
- Iman Shumpert, Knicks, #17
- Kawhi Leonard, Spurs, #15
- Brandon Knight, Pistons, #8
Second team:
- Chandler Parsons, Rockets, #38
- Isaiah Thomas, Kings, #60
- MarShon Brooks, Nets, #25
- Derrick Williams, Timberwolves, #2
- Tristan Thompson, Cavaliers, #4
For more, official release at NBA.com.