Raptors’ Scottie Barnes named NBA Rookie of the Year
Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors is presented with the Rookie of the Year trophy from Raptors president Masai Ujiri ahead of Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena on April 23, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. Cole Burston/Getty Images/AFP
Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes won the NBA Rookie of the Year award on Saturday.
Barnes received 48 first-place votes and 378 total points while edging Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley (43, 363) for the award. Barnes got 43 second-place votes and Mobley received 46.
Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons was a distant third with nine first-place votes and 153 total points.
Barnes, 20, averaged 15.3 points and 7.5 rebounds in 74 games (all starts) during the regular season. He shot 49.2 percent overall and 30.1 percent from beyond the arc.
ROTY 4 SCOTTIE
Open Gym: Moment presented by @Bell @ScottBarnes561 pic.twitter.com/ZChgqo4nec
— x – Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) April 23, 2022
“We are incredibly proud of Scottie, and are thrilled and grateful that his hard work has been recognized with this honor,” Raptors Vice Chairman and President Masai Ujiri said. “What you see on the court is exactly who Scottie is: enthusiastic. Joyful. Athletic. Skilled, and a winner. We — and our fans — loved seeing his development through this season, and we can’t wait to see what the future brings.”
The Raptors selected Barnes with the fourth overall pick out of Florida State.
You know the vibes 🏆 pic.twitter.com/PlZwIiQtn9
— x – Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) April 23, 2022
Barnes became the third player in franchise history to win the award. He joined Vince Carter, who won it during the 1998-99 season, and Damon Stoudamire, who won it during the 1995-96 campaign.
One of Barnes’ highlights during the regular season came Feb. 28, when he notched 28 points, 16 rebounds and five steals against the Brooklyn Nets. He became the first rookie to record 25-plus points, 15-rebounds and five-plus steals in a game since Shaquille O’Neal in 1993.
