Minnesota Timberwolves’ Andrew Wiggins, left, led all rookies in scoring (19.8 points per game) and minutes per game (38.4) in January. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Photograph by: Jim Mone , AP
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Canadian Andrew Wiggins is the NBA Western Conference rookie of the month for January, the league announced Wednesday.
It’s the third straight month that the Minnesota Timberwolves forward has been given the honours. The Vaughan, Ont., native is the first rookie to win the award in three straight months since Damian Lillard did it during the 2012-13 season.
Wiggins led all rookies in scoring (19.8 points per game) and minutes per game (38.4) in January, placed second among rookies in field-goal percentage (.471) and was fourth in rebounds per game (4.6) and steals per game (1.41).
He poured in a career-high 33 points — 23 in the first half — on Jan. 31 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, his 16th 20-plus effort of the season.
The Orlando Magic’s Elfrid Payton was named the rookie of the month for the Eastern Conference. Payton paced all rookies in assists per game (6.9) and steals per game (1.87), and finished third in scoring (10.7 points per game).
