As expected by many (but perhaps not Bill Simmons), Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team for the 2021-22 season. The news was announced Wednesday as part of TNT’s pregame show before the Western Conference finals opener.
Green was joined on the first team by Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Orlando’s Franz Wagner, and Toronto’s Scottie Barnes — who was earlier named 2021-22 Rookie of the Year.
Of the 100-person media voting panel, Green was named to the first team on 58 ballots and to the second team by 42 voters. All 100 voters had Green on their ballots. That easily outpaced his closest competitor — Herb Jones of New Orleans — who had 32 first-team votes.
Shortly after the news broke on Wednesday night, Green tweeted a “shoutout” to Simmons as a clear nod to the recent controversy.
Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham and Evan Mobley were unanimously selected to the 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team.
More ➡️ https://t.co/eqKb0CU5GU
Voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/sxxe12SfTu
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 19, 2022
Green averaged 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists for the Rockets this season, and the 6-foot-6 guard got progressively better as the 2021-22 year moved along. To finish his rookie campaign in March and April, when Green won Western Conference Rookie of the Month, the 20-year-old averaged 22.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 48.4% overall and 39.5% on 3-pointers.
Green scored 20-plus points in 15 of those 22 games, including a historic streak of five straight 30-plus point games from March 28 through April 5. That was the second-longest streak by a rookie since 1971-72. He scored a career-high 41 points in the season finale versus Atlanta.
For the season, Green ranked second in rookie scoring and was 0.14 points per game shy of the lead. Green hit 157 3-pointers, tied for the fourth-most through the first 67 games by any player in NBA history.
In 2020-21, Jae’Sean Tate earned All-Rookie First Team honors. The previous time Houston had consecutive All-Rookie First Team selections was in 1984 and 1985 with Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon.
shoutout bill simmons my dawg fr🙏🏽
— Jalen Green🤍 (@JalenGreen) May 19, 2022
