The NBA has begun unveiling its postseason awards and recognitions and the Duke Basketball program continued a streak its had for the last eight seasons.
Sacramento Kings star rookie forward, Marvin Bagley III, has been selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft joins the lone player picked before him and the three picked after him on the All-Rookie Team.
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Marvin Bagley III played in 64 games in his rookie season for the Kings, starting just four, but he averaged 14.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game, while shooting 50.4% from the field and 31.3% from 3-point range.
Bagley received 56 first place points and 44 second place points, for a total of 156, which was fifth among those selected to the First Team.
The only two rookies that were unanimous selections to the First Team were Atlanta’s Trae Young and Dallas’ Luka Doncic.
Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns and Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies joined Bagley on the list.
The Duke Basketball program has now had eight former Blue Devils selected to the All-Rookie team in the last eight years, going back to the 2011-12 season when Kyrie Irving was selected.
In that time period Irving and Bagley were joined by Kyle Singler, Mason Plumelee, Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, Brandon Ingram, and Jayson Tatum on either the First or Second All-Rookie Team.
The Sacramento Kings surprised many players, coaches, and fans around the NBA with a 39-43 record, placing then in the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference and nine games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the final playoff spot in the No. 8 seed.
In his one season at Duke, Marvin Bagley III was named as the ACC’s Player and Rookie of the Year after averaging 21.0 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game on 61.4% shooting from the field and 39.7% from 3-point range.