Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Finishes Fourth In Rookie Of The Year Voting Behind Winner Victor Wembanyama
Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez exceeded all expectations in his first year in the league.
He was rewarded Monday by finishing fourth in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting. The award was won by French phenom Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. He finished with 495 points, ahead of Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (295) and the Charlotte Hornets’ Brandon Miller (86). Jaquez had 10 points, receiving all third-place votes.
Jaquez averaged 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 48 percent shooting. He was often referred to as the steal of the draft after being selected No. 18 in the first round last June. A four-year player at UCLA, Jaquez entered the season NBA-ready.
At one point, he he was near the top of the rookie race after a strong start to the season. An injury caused him to lose some momentum but Jaquez was chosen to participate in the Rising Stars Challenge, which showcases the league’s top rookies and second-year players.
Jaquez had a strong end to the season. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra felt confident enough to start him in place of Jimmy Butler, who was sidelined for the playoffs because of a knee injury. He averaged 12.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the Heat’s first-round loss to the Boston Celtics.
Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat, a Fan Nation channel for Sports Illustrated. He has covered the NBA since 2010.
TWITTER: @ShandelRich
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