League MVP Stephen Curry isn't the only player taking home a unanimous award this season.
On Monday morning, the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ Karl-Anthony Towns was named as the 2015-16 Rookie of the Year, taking home the award unanimously. It's the second straight year that a member of the T-Wolves has received this honor, as Andrew Wiggins was the winner last season. It was initially leaked that Towns would come out victorious over the weekend.
The lanky big man lived up to the lofty expectations of being the number one overall pick, averaging 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game while racking up Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors in every single month over the course of the season. He's the fifth rookie to win the award unanimously since 1984.
JUST IN: Karl-Anthony Towns has been voted unanimous Rookie of the Year. pic.twitter.com/x554wL6Hly
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 16, 2016
Not surprisingly, Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks finished in second place, and the Denver Nuggets‘ Nikola Jokic came in third.
OFFICIAL: Karl-Anthony Towns is the #NBAROY, and it was unanimous https://t.co/qUMCB3x3JE pic.twitter.com/HgZ7YtzfVL
— Dime Magazine (@DimeMag) May 16, 2016
The future is bright with Wiggins and Towns leading the way in Minnesota, and new head coach Tom Thibodeau has been reinvigorated by the fresh environment. The core pieces are coming together, and if Towns is able to improve on his initial player-efficency ratings, the rest of the league better watch out.
Highest PER by a rookie over last 40 years:
1. D. Robinson (26.3)
2. MJ (25.8)
3. Shaq (22.9)
4. Duncan (22.6)
5. Karl-Anthony Towns (22.5)— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) May 16, 2016
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