Tyreke Evans Named 2009-10 NBA Rookie Of The Year
May 03, 2010 | Men's Basketball
May 3, 2010
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Make it two in a row for former University of Memphis Tiger guards. Late last week (Apr. 30), Sacramento Kings guard Tyreke Evans, who wore the Blue and Gray in 2008-09, was named the 2009-10 NBA Rookie of the Year in a vote of the national media that cover the league.
It is the second-straight year a former Tiger earned the honor, as Derrick Rose took home the same award for the 2008-09 season, his first with the Chicago Bulls. Memphis is the first school to produce back-to-back NBA Rookie of the Year recipients since North Carolina did so in the late 1970s. The Tar Heels' Walter Davis and Phil Ford received the honor in consecutive years in 1978 and 1979, respectively.
In first season with the Sacramento Kings, Evans played in 72 games and averaged 20.1 points, 5.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds. The Chester, Pa., native joined an elite group of NBA rookies to average at least 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists. That group also includes NBA Hall of Famers Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson.
Evans also led the Kings in minutes played (37.2 mpg) and steals (1.5 spg). He shot 45.8 percent from the floor and 74.8 percent from the free throw line this past season.
The Kings finished the 2009-10 season with a 25-57 record, but it was an eight-game improvement from the previous campaign (17-65).
Evans, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Kings, was the most decorated freshman performer in Tiger basketball history in 2008-09. The 6-foot-6 guard was college basketball's 2008-09 consensus National Freshman of the Year, taking home seven National Freshman of the Year awards. He received the National Freshman of the Year accolade from ESPN.com, U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), The Sporting News, CBSSports.com, FoxSports.com, CollegeHoops.net and NaismithLives.com. Evans is the first freshman in Tiger basketball history to earn consensus National Freshman of Year distinction.
Evans was named to five Freshman All-America teams, including CollegeHoops.net, NaismithLives.com, The Sporting News, CBSSports.com and FoxSports.com.
CollegeHoops.net named Evans its High-Major National Player of the Year and also selected him a High-Major All-America first team pick. The web site's High-Major group includes the following conferences - Atlantic 10, Conference USA, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, Western Athletic and West Coast. Evans was a CollegeHoops.net National All-America honorable mention pick.
Evans was also a finalist for the 2008-09 Wooden Award and Oscar Robertson Trophy - both National Player of the Year honors. He was the only freshman to be listed among the finalists for both awards.
The honors began rolling in for Evans while the Tigers were playing in the postseason in March. He was named the Conference USA Freshman of the Year and earned All-C-USA first team accolades. Evans was also selected to the USBWA All-District 4 Team and the NABC All-District 11 first team. Sports Illustrated and CBSSports.com also named Evans an All-America third team pick.
Evans, the 2009 C-USA Tournament MVP, led the Tigers in scoring (17.1 ppg) and steals (77). He averaged 5.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists, while shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 71.1 percent from the free throw line. The nine-time Conference USA Rookie of the Week finished the 2008-09 season ranked among the league leaders in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, assists and steals.
He finished 2008-09 first on the Memphis all-time freshman steals list with 77 swipes (eighth-most on the Tiger career list). He is also second on the Tiger all-time freshman scoring chart with 632 points.
