All-Star Rookie 1st Team Taps Jahlil Okafor, votes for McConnell

Jahlil Okafor joins four other rookies as All-Star Rookie First team of 2016. T.J. McConnell Receives Votes

The NBA says former president Sam Hinkie was terrible. But the NBA seems to change it’s mind as they have acknowledged two of Sam Hinkie’s players in post season. Following a stream of rookie successes with Michael Carter Williams to Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor has become the latest Sixer to appear on the NBA All-Star Rookie First Team.

While there are some elements of Okafor’s game to tweak and develop, the rookie center certainly knows how to score in the paint.

But it was not just Okafor who was recognized for his efforts.  Undrafted, often overlooked, and sometimes under-appreciated point guard T.J. McConnell was also recognized by receiving two 1st place votes.  The four other starters included Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns, New York’s Kristaps Porzingis, Phoenix’s Devin Booker, and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.

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Okafor delivered in his rookie season, generating 17.5 points with  7.0 rebounds and 1.15 blocks in an average of 30.0 minutes per game.  His effort tops that of any other Sixers rookie in both points and rebounds in the same season.  He came in third among the 2015-2016 rookies  in both scoring and rebounding.

McConnell’s efforts, though not as lauded, may have actually been the more impressive of the two.  McConnell generated 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 19.8 minutes per game.  He led all Sixers with 81 games played, and was second among his rookie peers with 367 assists.  His 95 steals were an NBA rookie high.  While many believed the Sixers would draft D’Angelo Russell , McConnell’s numbers came in far stronger.

Russell led McConnell in minutes per game (28.2 vs. 19.8) and points per game (13.2 vs. 6.1) .  But despite getting fewer minutes and going undrafted, McConnell led Russell in a number of key stats like assists per game (4.5 vs. 3.3), shooting accuracy (47% vs. 41%),  and assists per turnover (2.62 vs. 1.36)

If Russell had McConnell like numbers, he would surely have made the All Star Rookie First Team.  But it’s the curse of being undrafted, and by being selected by Hinkie, who many believed lined up players for the Philadelphia 76ers merely to watch them lose.  That was never the case, and two rookies being acknowledged for their efforts despite coming from a 10-72 team is just one example.

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The roster will likely undergo some upheaval in the weeks ahead, but don’t lose track of the players brought into the NBA by Sam Hinkie.  They will do far better than most think… just like the rookie pair Jahlil Okafor and T.J. McConnell.