No. 1 pick Simmons snubbed in rookie survey, Dunn dominates
The 2016-17 rookie class didn't show much love to the first overall pick.
Ben Simmons was shut out across the board in this season's rookie survey, despite earning the greatest honor of his class to date as the No. 1 pick of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Instead, No. 5 pick Kris Dunn of the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the board, scooping up a handful of awards.
| Category | Winner | Share of votes | Simmons rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie of the Year | Kris Dunn | 29 | 3rd |
| Best defender | Kris Dunn | 23.5 | No votes |
| Best playmaker | Kris Dunn | 29.4 | 2nd |
| Best career | Brandon Ingram | 26.7 | T-4 |
| Biggest steal | Dejounte Murray | 16.1 | No votes |
| Most Athletic | Jaylen Brown | 38.7 | Honorable mention |
| Best shooter | Buddy Hield | 65.7 | No votes |
| Funniest rookie | Kris Dunn | 15.2 | Honorable mention |
Dunn should make an immediate contribution with his defense and passing ability - as reflected by being named the best playmaker and defender in the survey - but winning Rookie of the Year might be a stretch.
Simmons will have the lion's share of the ball in Philadelphia, while Dunn projects to come off the bench behind incumbent point guard Ricky Rubio. Limited opportunities might translate to limited stats, and Rookie of the Year is usually awarded to the player who racks up the best numbers. That gives Simmons a significant advantage.
Granted, Dunn's Timberwolves project to enjoy much more team success compared to Simmons' Sixers, and should Rubio be moved as rumors suggest, a path could open for Dunn to steal the award.
Rookies also voted Kevin Durant as their favorite player in the league with 29.7 percent of the vote. Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook were tied for second with 9.4 percent of the vote each.