May 13 2008 - 8:20pm Eastern
In the grand scheme of things … I’m not going to lose any sleep about this … nor will Jamario Moon I’m sure.
But … he got robbed.
The All-Rookie team was announced on Tuesday and Moon was on the SECOND team … not the first.
The 1ST Team consisted of:
Al Horford (Atlanta) - 58 points
Kevin Durant (Seattle) - 57 points
Luis Scola (Houston) - 53 points
Al Thornton (LA Clippers) - 48 points
Jeff Green (Seattle) - 43 points
The voting panel for the Rookie Team consisted of the the NBA’s 30 head coaches. They were asked to select five players for the “first team” and five players for the “second team” - regardless of position. However, coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players. Two points were awarded for first team votes and one point was awarded for a second team vote.
Moon finished with 12 first team votes and 14 second team votes … for a total of 38 points. He was the highest-ranked rookie on the All-Rookie Second Team and missed making the First Team by only 5 points.
With due respect to Jeff Green and Al Thornton, Moon deserved to be on the First team before either of those two players.
Thornton had a solid year for the Clippers and he’s got a great future ahead of him. I can almost buy his inclusion on the top team.
But Green - despite having a successful year 1 as well - did not have the kind of impact on the Sonics that Moon did on the Raptors. Not only was Green lost in the hype of Durant’s Rookie of the Year season (again, I would have given the award to Horford), but he was putting up numbers on the second-worst team in the league.
Moon, meanwhile, was second on his team in rebounding (6.2 REB) and he scored 8.5 points per game as well. More importantly, the 27-year-old rookie started 70+ games for a playoff team. Whether the Raptors won more or less games than people expected them too … and whether or not they play in a ‘weaker’ conference should mean NOTHING. The fact is, they were in the post-season … and a major reason for their berth in the playoffs was the 70+ games that Moon started. His impact to Toronto was far great than Green’s in Seattle.
I find it laughable that Moon isn’t on the First Team and that, apparently, 3 coaches didn’t even vote for him at all!
E. Smith
Its a highway robbery !
- D12Are you serious? You think Moon got robbed. I would take Thornton or Green over him in a heartbeat. Thornton had many high scoring games and Green had a fine rookie season with a bright future ahead of him.Same goes for Thornton. Maybe if Moon actually drove to the net instead of just taking jump shots he would have made first team. I think it is ludicrous to think Moon did not get what he deserved.
- aviThis is what happens when you play in Toronto. I don’t care what anybody says,i watch NBA TV and they talk about Toronto as if they’re in Syberia.They never watch Toronto games. On the highlight shows they’re the last highlight reel unless they play the Knicks,Lakers,Celtics. Simply put,there’s a lack of interest for Toronto among most American markets.
If Toronto is on a roll as they were in the middle of the season they’re a “nice” team.Yet Phily which didn’t finish ahead of Toronto, is taking the league by storm.
- jeffI look at it this way. What would Jamario Moon think about it. My guess is he would just be happy to be mentioned 1st or 2nd team. So should he have made the first team? Sure. But will it matter to this guy at all? I don’t think so and that is what is great about the guy. He truly VALUES the fact he is in the NBA. Lot of guys in this league DON’T. He is 1st Team with Raptor Fans and that is what matters. Goodwater Alabama should have a Jamario Moon Day and give him a parade!!!
- James BorbathThe Raps should hold their camp in Goodwater !!!
- FlyMeToTheMoonI would put Moon in over Green for sure.
I agree with Jeff, if Moon put up the same numbers on any other team he would have gotten more pub, and made the rookie first team no question.
The fact of the matter is the only players worth mentioning on the rookie first team is Scola and Horford, They were major contributors to PLAYOFF teams.
Myself, Eric and everybody else on this blog could put up major numbers on teams like the Clippers, Sonics, Heat, Knicks etc…
- KamalOnce again another example of how Toronto gets the good ol screw job when it comes to the NBA.
If Moon was on US team, it is almost gauranteed that he is on the first team. I find it a joke that Toronto continues to be ignored by the basketball media in the US.
Last I remember, the raptors are in the same league as the other teams in the US.
No wonder no one wants to play north of the border.
- Jaz G.What’s with the anti-Toronto paranoia? Didn’t Sam and Bryan win awards last year?
- Jaymeister