Mavs Luka Dončić Looks Like Lock For Rookie Of The Year; Wins Monthly Award Entire Season
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Mavericks guard/forward Luka Dončić was named the Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in March and April, completing his season sweep of the award.
Dončić became the first player from either conference to sweep the award in every month of the season since Minnesota's Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015-16.
He averaged team highs of 22.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 32.1 minutes per game in 15 games (all starts) in March/April. He scored 20-plus points in 10 of those 15 games. He also recorded four triple-doubles in that stretch.
The former EuroLeague MVP finished his rookie season averaging a team-high 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, a team-high 6.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 32.2 minutes per game in 72 games (all starts). He joined Oscar Robertson as the only rookies in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists per game for a season.
Dončić was one of only four NBA players (and the only rookie) to average at least 20 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists per game this season. All-Stars LeBron James, Russell Westbrook and Nikola Jokić were the others.
Among all rookies in 2018-19, Dončić ranked first in scoring (21.2 ppg), second in rebounding (7.8 rpg), second in assists (6.0 apg), fifth in steals (1.1 spg) and first in minutes (32.2 mpg).
The 6-7 Slovenian finished the season with eight triple-doubles, marking the third-most by a rookie in NBA history. Robertson (26 in 1960-61) and Ben Simmons (12 in 2017-18) are the only rookies to produce more. With his eighth triple-double, Dončić also broke Magic Johnson's record (7) for the most triple-doubles by a player before his 21st birthday (Dončić doesn't turn 21 until Feb. 28, 2020).
Dončić increased his scoring average in each of the first four months of the season (18.5 ppg in October/November, 21.1 ppg in December, 22.4 ppg in January, 24.4 ppg in February), and narrowly failed to achieve the feat in each of the first five months (he averaged 22.1 ppg in April/March).
Dončić was originally selected by Atlanta with the third overall pick in this past year's draft, before having his draft rights traded to Dallas in exchange for the draft rights to the fifth overall pick Trae Young and a protected 2019 first-round pick. Young won his fourth Kia NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Award for games played in March/April (he also garnered the award for October/November, January and February).
DALLAS MAVERICKS ROOKIE OF THE MONTH AWARD WINNERS
Luka Dončić – October/November 2018, December 2018, January 2019, February 2019, March/April 2019
Yogi Ferrell – February 2017
Devin Harris – November 2004
Jason Kidd – March 1995
Jay Vincent – December 1981, February 1982, March 1982
Mark Aguirre – November 1981