There was no Rookie of the Year race last season, according to Ben Simmons.
Simmons earned 90 first-place votes, easily beating out Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell for the award.
Asked Ben Simmons about last year's ROY race between himself and Donovan Mitchell, and while he expressed his respect for the Jazz star, he said the "race" was nonexistent: "It wasn't a [expletive] race. … Did you see the votes? So what's the question?" https://t.co/db6FemIbGL
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) December 28, 2018
Simmons silenced hecklers in Utah with a triple-double Thursday night, as the Philadelphia Sixers rolled to a 114-97 win.
“I got a triple-double,” he yelled [at some fans along the baseline, per the AP.]
“I love being able to come into an arena and hear boos and chants and see signs and then win by 20. There’s nothing better than that,” Simmons said.
Per the Salt Lake Tribune:
For those who didn’t see the votes, of 101 ballots cast, Simmons got 90 firsts, 10 seconds and one third, while Mitchell got 11 firsts, 89 seconds, and one third. Simmons prevailed 481 points to 323.
“It wasn’t a [expletive] race,” Simmons said. “You saw the votes, right? … Did you see the votes? So what’s the question?”
He also made it clear that his annoyance was not personally directed at Mitchell, but at still getting questions about it because some people won’t let it go.
“He’s a great player, he’s a great player,” Simmons said. “He can score the ball really well, he’s getting better finding his guys. He’s learning. He’s a great player.”
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