Steven Adams named to NBA All-Rookie Second Team
By Matt Shetler
It’s been quite the year for former Pitt Panthers center Steven Adams, who left school after his freshman season only to find himself a lottery pick as he was selected No. 13 overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2013 NBA Draft.
May 3, 2014; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) attempts a free throw against the Memphis Grizzlies during the fourth quarter in game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
The decision to leave school early not only paid off on draft night for Adams, but it also paid off on Thursday when the former Panther garnered some postseason accolades.
Adams has been named to the NBA’s All-Rookie second team, as the NBA announced the selections on Thursday.
He appeared in 81 games with 20 starts for Oklahoma City and averaged 3.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and in 14.8 minutes per game.
Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams headlines the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team, which also features Victor Oladipo, Trey Burke, Mason Plumlee and Tim Hardaway Jr. The Second Team is composed of Kelly Olynyk, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Gorgui Dieng, Cody Zeller and Adams.
Adams, the first New Zealand native taken in the first round of the NBA Draft, was named to the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge as part of All-Star Weekend.
The All-Rookie teams were selected by a panel of 125 sportswriters and broadcasters in the United States and Canada.
With Serge Ibaka out of the lineup for the Thunder, Adams received a playoff high 33 minutes on Wednesday, making 4-of-5 shots from the floor to finish with an impressive nine point, eight rebound effort.