NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Seattle SuperSonics swingman Kevin Durant and Milwaukee Bucks forward Yi Jianlian on Wednesday were named the NBA's Rookies of the Month for December. The second overall pick in June's draft, the much-hyped Durant won the Western Conference honor for the second straight month. He leads all first-year players, averaging 19.7 points. The 19-year-old Durant highlighted his second month by matching a career high with 35 points in a 104-98 win over the Bucks on December 7. Selected sixth overall in June's draft, Yi averaged 12.1 points and 6.6 rebounds during the month. The Chinese 7-footer is averaging 11.0 points this season, trailing only Durant among rookies. Link NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2008 – The Milwaukee Bucks’ Yi Jianlian and the Seattle SuperSonics’ Kevin Durant today were named the Eastern and Western Conference T-Mobile Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played for the month of December. For every point scored by the players named the T-Mobile Rookie of the Month, T-Mobile will donate $20 to the New Orleans Recovery School District. This month T-Mobile will donate $3,880 on behalf of Yi and $4,880 on behalf of Durant. This philanthropic component is new to the T-Mobile Rookie Program and builds on T-Mobile’s strong appeal to the nation’s youth as the official wireless partner of the NBA. Other highlights of T-Mobile’s partnership with the NBA include the T-Mobile Rookie of the Year, T-Mobile Rookie of the Month Awards, and the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, an All-Star competition between NBA rookies and second-year players. During NBA All-Star 2008, T-Mobile Huddle Up and NBA Cares will host more than 5,000 local students in the lower bowl of the arena to watch this year’s Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. Yi averaged 12.1 points and 6.6 rebounds for the month and ranks second in scoring and rebounding among rookies. He also leads rookies in field goal percentage with .503 and is third in minutes per game with 30.6. In addition, he scored a career-high 29 points in a 103-99 win over Charlotte on Dec. 22. Among rookie qualifiers for the second straight month Durant ranks first in the league in scoring with 19.7 points per game, seventh in rebounding with 4.2, and is tied for first in assists with 2.1. He is also ranked second in the league in field goal percentage with .407, first in free throw percentage and is averaging 1.3 blocks per game. In addition, Durant matched his career high in points with 35 and rebounds with eight and set a new career high in blocks with five on Dec. 7 vs. Milwaukee. Here is a recap of the month for both Yi and Durant: Yi Jianlian, Milwaukee Bucks Dec. 12 vs. Orlando: Registered 18 points, seven rebounds and two assists in the 100-86 win over the Magic. Dec. 15 vs. Minnesota: Scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the 95-92 win over the Timberwolves. Dec. 22 vs. Charlotte: Tallied a career-high 29 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists in a 103-99 win over the Bobcats. Dec. 29 vs. New Jersey: Recorded 12 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in a 97-95 loss to the Nets. Kevin Durant, Seattle SuperSonics Dec. 7 vs. Milwaukee: Matched career-highs in points with 35 and rebounds with eight and set a career high in blocks with five in a 104-98 win over the Bucks. Dec. 12 @ New York: Recorded 30 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals in the 117-110 win over the Knicks. Dec. 21 vs. Toronto: Registered 27 points, two rebounds, and three assists in a 123-115 win over the Raptors. Dec. 25 @ Portland: Scored 23 points, six rebounds, four assists and two blocks in a 89-79 loss to the Blazers. Dec. 27 vs. Boston: Tallied 25 points and five rebounds in a 104-96 loss to the Celtics. NBA link
Yi deserves it over Horford imo. Ever since that T.J Ford incident, Horford hasn't been nearly the same. I hope this is a wake-up call for him.
Kevin Durant is on a pace to shatter nearly all negative statistical metrics (last time I checked he was on a pace to get 15.65 player losses and a .169 player win percentage). That being said, the appealing ppg number makes it tough for him not to get each rookie of the month and ultimately the rookie of the year award, whether he deserves it or not. He's having an Antoine Walker type season right now.
