Milwaukee Bucks: Was Malcolm Brogdon a trend for Rookie of the Year?
How Brogdon won the award
Given both the full and recent history of the Rookie of the Year award, something unique would have had to happen to see Malcolm Brogdon win the award. Three factors came together to propel Brogdon onto the stage at the NBA Awards show to collect his trophy.
First, the top candidate for the award had to be removed from the running. Ben Simmons was the consensus pick for the award prior to the start of the season. As the first overall pick sure to rack up points, rebounds and assists as a point-forward on the Philadelphia 76ers, he was an obvious pick for the award right in line with recent trends. But a foot injury sidelined him for the entirety of the 2016-17 season, and he is now going to be in the running for the award this upcoming season.
Secondly, the other expected contenders needed to disappoint. Again, that happened across the board among the rookie class. Minnesota point guard Kris Dunn was an offensive zero for the Timberwolves, while Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram struggled with his shot amidst that team’s dysfunction. Buddy Hield couldn’t develop a narrative amidst an inconsistent season that saw him shipped across the country.
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Brogdon’s primary competition for the award all season was Joel Embiid, who would have surely won the award if he had stayed healthy. Injuries and injury-management limited the Philadelphia center to just 31 games — and yet he still received the second-most first place votes of any rookie, finishing third in the voting. Another Sixer, Dario Saric, came on late to finish second in the voting but didn’t have the body of work to win the award either.
Instead it was Malcolm Brogdon on the stage at year’s end. He didn’t have the counting stats of the other challengers, averaging just 10.2 points per game and a combined 7.0 rebounds and assists. But he won the award because of a clear line between his contribution to the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff push.
No other rookie in contention for the award was on a playoff team. Not only did Brogdon start for the Bucks, but his transition into the starting lineup was a part of their late-season push to climb all the way to sixth in the Eastern Conference. He started at point guard for all six of their playoff games.
Malcolm Brogdon won the award not because of his exceptional athleticism or production, but rather because he was a good player on a good team. He played above average two-way basketball, a feat few rookies are able to pull off. But was it the result of a one-year fluke, or a sign of change?