Lakers' Kyle Kuzma Named To All-Rookie Team; Lonzo Ball Makes Second Team
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/AP) -- The antics of Lonzo Ball's family may grab the headlines, but it's Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma who nabbed a spot on the NBA All-Rookie first team.
Kuzma received 93 first-team votes, landing him on the squad along with Philadelphia's Ben Simmons and Utah's Donovan Mitchell, who were both unanimous selections.
Selected by the Lakers with the 37th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Kuzma was named Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in October and November after averaging a team-leading 16.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 50.4 percent in the first 20 games of his career.
Kuzma was named Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in October and November after averaging a team-leading 16.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 50.4 percent in the first 20 games of his career.
He went on to become the first Lakers rookie to score 25 or more points in three straight games since Jerry West in 1960-61.
Ball, who was the second overall pick in last year's draft, was named to the second team, joining Dennis Smith Jr. of Dallas, Atlanta forward John Collins, Sacramento guard Bogdan Bogdanovic and Phoenix forward Josh Jackson.
As the Lakers' starting point guard for much of the season, Ball averaged 10.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.7 steals in 34.2 minutes per game. He finished the season tied for first among rookies in steals, also ranking second in assists and fourth in rebounds.
Boston's Jayson Tatum also was selected Tuesday to the first team, falling one vote short of unanimous. Chicago's Lauri Markkanen (76 votes) rounded out the first team.
Simmons, Mitchell and Tatum are the three finalists for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)