Indiana Pacers guard and former Arizona Wildcat Bennedict Mathurin was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team Monday morning.Β
Mathurin joined top overall pick and Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Keegan Murray (Sacramento Kings) as players named to the All-Rookie First Team.Β
Jabari Smith Jr. (Houston Rockets), Tari Eason (Houston Rockets), Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons), Jaden Ivey (Detroit Pistons) and Jeremy Sochan (San Antonio Spurs) rounded out the second team.
Team Pau Gasol's Bennedict Mathurin, of the Indiana Pacers, reacts after a shot during the NBA Rising Stars game on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, in Salt Lake City.
In 78 games this season, Mathurin averaged 16.7 points and 4.1 rebounds per game off the bench for a Pacers squad that finished 35-47. The sixth overall pick from the 2022 NBA Draft was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for averaging 20.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in November. He also competed in the Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City.Β
Mathurin's 1,302 total points this season ranks third in Pacers history for a rookie behind Clark Kellogg (1,625) in 1983 and Chuck Person (1,541) in '87.Β
Mathurin is the first ex-Wildcat named to the NBA All-Rookie Team since Deandre Ayton with the Phoenix Suns in 2018. Other former Arizona stars to earn All-Rookie honors include Lauri Markkanen, Derrick Williams, Channing Frye, Andre Iguodala, Richard Jefferson, Jason Terry, Mike Bibby, Michael Dickerson, Damon Stoudamire and Sean Elliott.Β
