Andrew Wiggins’ NBA career began with incredible uncertainty after being drafted No. 1 overall by the Cavaliers, but after being traded to the Timberwolves, his season ended with hardware after being named the NBA Rookie of the Year on Thursday.
Wiggins, the first Timberwolves player to win the award, received 110 of 130 first-place votes and 604 total points from a panel of NBA writers and broadcasters. The Bulls’ Nikola Mirotic finished second with 335 points (14 first-place votes), and Nerlens Noel of the 76ers was third with 141 points (three first-place votes).
“It means a lot to me and it means a lot to this organisation being the first player to win this award,” Wiggins said. “It brings a lot of hope for the future of the Minnesota Timberwolves. … This is an uprising, and we have a lot of young talent.”
Wiggins, 20, appeared in all 82 games and averaged 16.2 points per game. He averaged 36.2 minutes, which may have been unlikely if he stayed in Cleveland alongside LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.
"I think that was the best thing to help me grow a lot this year," Wiggins said. "All the minutes bring experience and wisdom."
The Timberwolves finished with the worst record in the NBA at 16-66, but a roster of young talent including Wiggins, Zach LaVine and Ricky Rubio, along with a high lottery pick this year, sets Minnesota up for a major jump next season.