Wolves' Kris Dunn will win NBA Rookie of the Year, peers say
The Timberwolves will have their third consecutive NBA Rookie of the Year winner — at least according to the rookies themselves.
In an annual survey of 38 NBA rookies, the Wolves’ Kris Dunn was tabbed as the most likely winner of the award, garnering 29 percent of the votes to narrowly edge Brandon Ingram of the Lakers.
Dunn was also named the best playmaker and tabbed the best defensive player in the rookie class — which would certainly make new head coach Tom Thibodeau happy. Dunn also fared well in the question about which rookie will have the best career, coming in second to Ingram.
Interestingly, Dunn also received the most votes on the question about who is the funniest rookie. Is there anything this guy can’t do?
Keep in mind, though, that this is 1) just a survey before any games have been played, 2) it’s not even a sure thing that Dunn will start considering Ricky Rubio is also on the roster and 3) the rookies have tended to be off-base in past years. Last year they said Jahlil Okafor would be the landslide ROY, and it ended up being Karl-Anthony Towns in a unanimous decision. Two years ago they liked Jabari Parker by a whopping margin, but Andrew Wiggins took it.
It is also worth noting that no team in NBA history has had three consecutive Rookie of the Year Award winners. The last team to have two in a row before the Wolves were the Buffalo Braves in 1973 and 1974. Buffalo, by the way, improved from 21 to 42 to 49 wins between 1973 and 1975.