(Photo by: Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND – The NBA announced today that Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton has been selected to the 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Sexton becomes the 19th rookie in franchise history to earn All-Rookie Team honors and the first Cavalier to do so since Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller in 2012-13.
Sexton (132 points) received 39 first-team votes and 54 second team votes from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The voting panel selected five players for the First Team and five players for the Second Team at any position. Players received two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote.
After being selected No. 8 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, Sexton went on to appear in all 82 games (72 starts) for the Cavaliers in 2018-19, while averaging 16.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 31.8 minutes per contest. The 6-2 guard ranked in the top five among all NBA rookies in free throw percentage (1st, .839), games played (tied-1st, 82), three-point percentage (2nd, .402), minutes per game (2nd, 31.8), points per game (3rd, 16.7), field goal percentage (4th, .430) and assists per game (5th, 3.0). Sexton became just the third rookie in NBA history to average 16.0 points or more while shooting at least .400 from beyond the arc and .800 from the free throw line, joining Larry Bird (1979-80) and Stephen Curry (2009-10). He also connected on 119 three-pointers, the most ever by a Cavaliers rookie in a single season, and was one of only three rookies to tally at least 1,000 points and 100 triples in 2018-19 (Luka Doncic, Trae Young).
Sexton’s total points (1,371) this past season ranked third among Cavs rookies in franchise history, trailing only Ron Harper (1,874 in 1986-87) and LeBron James (1,654 in 2003-04). He posted the 10th-highest point total by any NBA rookie since 2009-10. His scoring average (16.7) was the fifth-highest ever recorded by a Cavs rookie (Ron Harper-22.9, Austin Carr-21.2, LeBron James-20.9, Kyrie Irving-18.5). Sexton was also the only Cavalier and one of three NBA rookies this season to appear in all 82 games. He became the eighth Cavs rookie to appear in every game and the first since Andre Miller in 1999-2000. In addition, Sexton is the second Cavs rookie to average at least 16.0 points and play in all 82 contests (Ron Harper in 1986-87) and the first NBA rookie to do so since Karl Anthony-Towns in 2015-16.
The Alabama product scored in double-digits 73 times this season, the most among all NBA rookies. His 73 outings with at least 10 points ties LeBron James (73 in 2003-04) for the second-most ever by a Cavs rookie, behind only Ron Harper (80 in 1986-87). Sexton scored in double figures in 23 consecutive games to end the season (2/23/19-4/9/19), tying Brad Daugherty (23 straight, 1/23/87 to 3/12/87) for the fifth-longest double-digit scoring streak by a Cavs rookie and setting the longest streak by a Wine & Gold rookie since LeBron James’ 29 in 2003-04 season.
Sexton had a stretch of eight straight 20-point performances from March 8-22, becoming just the second rookie in franchise history to accomplish that feat (Ron Harper, 13 games from 2/25/87-3/20/87). That mark was also tied for the longest 20-point streak by any rookie in the NBA this season (Trae Young). Sexton also set a franchise rookie record with seven straight games of 23 points or more during that stretch (March 8-20), breaking Austin Carr’s six-game span with 23-plus points in 1972 (2/20/72-3/4/72). Prior to Sexton, the last NBA rookie to tally at least 23 points in seven straight outings was Tim Duncan in 1998 (7 games, 4/6/98-4/19/98).
2018-19 NBA ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM
Player, Team
1st Team (2 Pts.)
2nd Team (1 Pt.)
Total Points
Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
100
--
200
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
100
--
200
Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns
95
5
195
Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
60
39
159
Marvin Bagley III, Sacramento Kings
56
44
156
2018-19 NBA ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM
Player, Team
1st Team (2 Pts.)
2nd Team (1 Pt.)
Total Points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LA Clippers
40
58
138
COLLIN SEXTON, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
39
54
132
Landry Shamet, LA Clippers
3
79
85
Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks
3
71
77
Kevin Huerter, Atlanta Hawks
1
43
45