Andrew Wiggins Named NBA Rookie of the Year
LAWRENCE, Kan. – One year removed from rewriting the Kansas men’s basketball freshman records book, former KU guard Andrew Wiggins has been named the 2014-15 NBA Rookie of Year, the league announced Thursday.
Historically, the Toronto native is only the second Jayhawk to ever be named NBA Rookie of the Year as he joins KU legend Wilt Chamberlain who earned the accolade in 1959-60.
“We’re all so proud of Andrew,” KU head coach Bill Self said. “He obviously had a fabulous rookie season and showed he has the potential to be a great pro. He represented Kansas basketball in a big way and is a great ambassador for us. Him winning the rookie of the year will certainly allow him to continue to be a great representative for our program.”
Kansas’ second-ever No. 1 overall NBA Draft selection in 2014, with the other being Danny Manning in 1988, Wiggins was originally taken by the Cleveland Cavaliers and prior to the season was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Wiggins averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 39 minutes while playing all 82 games in 2014-15. He won the first four Western Conference Rookie of the Month awards to set the table for his NBA Rookie of the Year honor.
While at Kansas, Wiggins set the KU freshman single-season scoring record with 597 points in 2013-14, making him the second-straight Jayhawk to surpass Manning’s record-setting rookie mark in 1985. Former standout guard Ben McLemore broke Manning’s scoring record with 589 points in 2012-13 before being selected seventh overall in the 2013 NBA Draft, one of 18 draftees in the head coach Bill Self era at Kansas.
The 2014 Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Freshman All-America and all-conference first team selection, Wiggins was his own highlight reel as a Jayhawk, including a half-court shot at Baylor (2/4), the game-winning basket at Texas Tech (2/18) and a KU freshman record 41 points at West Virginia (3/8).
On the defensive end, Wiggins led Kansas in steals with 41 and came in second to Joel Embiid on the team with 34 blocked shots. Gifted and athletic, the combo guard pulled down 5.9 rebounds per game as a Jayhawk.
Besides his 597 points, other Kansas freshman season records Wiggins set include: scoring average (17.1), field goals attempted (422), free throws made (176) and free throws attempted (227).
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