Sixers’ Ben Simmons wins rookie of the year; James Harden gets MVP
Simmons joins Michael Carter-Williams and Allen Iverson as the Sixers' rookie-of-the-year winners.
Ben Simmons is the NBA's rookie of the year.
The league announced Monday that the 76ers point guard was the award winner during the NBA Awards Show in Santa Monica, Calif. Utah Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell was the runner up. Boston Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum was the other finalist.
The votes for the regular-season awards were submitted by the media in April. Houston's James Harden was named the league's MVP.
Stats: Simmons | Mitchell | Tatum
Simmons becomes the third Sixer to win the award. Michael Carter-Williams garnered the honor for the 2013-14 season, while Hall of Famer Allen Iverson was the 1996-97 rookie of the year.
Simmons recorded 12 triple-doubles in the regular season, the second most by a rookie in NBA history. He also averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. Simmons garnered Eastern Conference rookie-of-the-month honors for October/November, January, February, and March/April.
The Australian had posted at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists in 58 games this season. That's third behind Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James.
Last month, Simmons and Mitchell both received perfect scores of 200 by getting 100 first-place votes in all-rookie first-team voting. Tatum and forwards Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Lauri Markkanen of the Chicago Bulls joined them on the first team.
Simmons becomes the 15th player in Sixers history to earn first-team all-rookie honors. He's also the sixth Sixer in five years to become a first-teamer, joining Joel Embiid (2016-17), Dario Saric (2016-17), Jahlil Okafor (2015-16), Nerlens Noel (2014-15), and Michael Carter-Williams (2013-14).
Utah's Rudy Gobert was named the defensive player of the year over Sixers center Joel Embiid and New Orleans Pelicans post player Anthony Davis.
Sixers center Amir Johnson won the league's hustle award.
Harden was named NBA's most valuable player for the first time in his career after two runner-up finishes in the last three years. He joined Michael Jordan as the only players to average at least 20 points, eight assists, five rebounds and 1.7 steals in a season. Harden led the league in scoring, three-pointers and 50-point games with four. He helped the Rockets to an NBA-best 65 wins.
Harden beat out four-time winner LeBron James and Davis.
In other awards: Dwane Casey won the NBA's coach of the year award for his work with his former team, the Toronto Raptors. He was fired last month and has since become head coach of the Detroit Pistons.
Former Sixer Lou Williams of the Los Angeles Clippers was named the NBA's sixth man of the year.
Indiana's Victor Oladipo was named most improved player after he averaged 23.1 points in his first season with the Pacers. He earned his first all-star berth, too.