Sixers star Ben Simmons won the 2017 NBA Rookie of the Year, fending off a late surge from Utah Jazz phenom Donovan Mitchell. There was controversy on the matter though because Simmons was in the NBA in 2016, but sat out the whole year with injury. Debate aside, both players were certainly deserving of the award.
Prior to Philadelphia’s big win in Utah over Mitchell and the Jazz, Simmons was asked about last year’s race for the Rookie of the Year hardware. And apparently, he is sick of talking about it. “It wasn’t a [expletive] race,” Simmons said via Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune. “You saw the votes, right? … Did you see the votes? So what’s the question?”
The controversy of Simmons’ rookie status last season was a highly-publicized aspect of the race, particularly at the end of the season. So much so that Mitchell’s apparel company, Adidas ran with it and made a hoodie defining what a rookie was. “How do I feel about it? I don’t give a [expletive]. Honestly, I don’t,” Simmons continued to the Tribune. “I’m not worried about outside noise, I’m not worried about anything in terms of fans, media, you guys asking these questions; [I don’t care what anyone says] besides my teammates and my coaches, everyone in this locker room.”
For what it is worth, the voting in las year’s Rookie of the Year race was heavily in favor of Ben Simmons. He received 90 first place votes, 11 second place votes, and one third place vote. Mitchell got 11 first place votes, 89 second place, and one third place vote.
Simmons then played like a man with something to prove. He finished the game against the Jazz with 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. Mitchell finished with 23 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
