Raptors' Scottie Barnes selected as NBA Rookie of the Year finalist

Rest easy, Toronto: Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes has officially been selected as an NBA Rookie of the Year finalist.

The NBA announced on Sunday evening that Barnes was one of three finalists for the league’s top first-year player, as he was named alongside Detroit’s Cade Cunningham and Cleveland’s Evan Mobley.

2021-22 NBA Awards finalists: pic.twitter.com/CmpAs7tquF

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 17, 2022

Cunningham (selected first overall), Mobley (selected third) and Barnes (selected fourth) made up three of the top four picks of the 2021 draft.

In his rookie year in the NBA, Scottie Barnes averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while starting in 74 games this season.

Cunningham averaged 17.4 points, 5.6 assists and 5.5 rebounds in 64 games this season, while Mobley averaged 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 69 games.

Barnes was the lone Raptor to receive an NBA award nomination this season. Barnes is aiming to be the third Toronto player to win the rookie of the year, after Damon Stoudamire in 1996 and Vince Carter in 1999.

Barnes is currently the slim front-runner for the award amongst confirmed ballots.

Via Max Croes’ ballot tracker of voters who have made their selections public, Barnes holds a 131-125 lead over Mobley with 40% of total ballots made public so far.

Via Max Croes (@Croesfire)

Unfortunately, the news comes at a rough time for Barnes and his teammates. Barnes, Thad Young, and Gary Trent Jr. are all listed as doubtful for tomorrow night’s Game 2 against Philadelphia after suffering injuries on Saturday.

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