Scottie Barnes beats out Evan Mobley for Rookie of the Year

The Toronto Raptors surprised everyone when they won 48 games and made it to the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference during what many expected to be a rebuilding year. The development of Scottie Barnes has been one of the main reasons for this sudden burst of energy that pushed Toronto to the playoffs.

Barnes was initially a confusing selection by many, as Jalen Suggs seemed like the no-brainer pick. Luckily, Masai Ujiri told all of the draft “experts” to pound sand after taking the Florida State dynamo. Just a few games in, Barnes proved he was in a completely different class.

While Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley and Detroit Pistons standout Cade Cunningham were challenging him for Rookie of the Year throughout most of the season, the combination of Barnes’ success individually and his contribution to winning basketball helped him win out.

Barnes scooped up 48 of 100 first-place votes and earned a deserving Rookie of the Year victory. Mobley was in second place with 43 first-place votes, while Cunningham was in third with 9. Justice was done, as the deserving Rookie of the Year won the award thanks to a late push that put him over the top.

Toronto Raptors star Scottie Barnes was named Rookie of the Year.

Barnes averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game during his first year in the league. Despite splitting shots with established stars like Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam, Barnes was able to become a quality scorer and defender that keyed Toronto’s resurgent 2021-22 season.

Barnes became the third player in Raptors history to win this award, joining Vince Carter and Damon Stoudamire. If his career ends up being as successful as either of those two, picking him No. 4 overall might end up being a steal. Mobley was fantastic, but Barnes was just a bit better.

The Raptors might not have the longest playoff run due to their slow start against the 76ers, but they can call 2021-22 a successful season due to the fact that a young team exceeded the wildest expectations set before them. Making sure that Barnes was an effective participant was at the top of the priority list.

With Siakam and VanVleet not getting any younger, Toronto will likely hand Barnes the keys to the car in the near future. Scottie is going to be even sharper and more versatile next season, which could make his second season even better than the first. Congratulations to the deserving ROY winner!