Willie Cauley-Stein Named to NBA’s All-Rookie Second Team

Mar 30, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein (00) dunks the ball against the Washington Wizards during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Washington Wizards 120-111. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

On Thursday, the NBA’s All-Rookie Teams were announced, and Sacramento Kings’ forward/centerWillie Cauley-Steinwas named to the All-Rookie Second Team.

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The sixth overall draft pick out of Kentucky in 2015, Cauley-Stein played 66 games in his first year, including starting 39 of them, and averaged seven points and 5.3 rebounds (including two offensive boards) in 21.4 minutes per contest. He shot 56.3 percent from the field. As was advertised, Cauley-Stein proved to be a very solid defender, averaging one block and nearly one steal per contest.

Cauley-Stein’s playing time was inconsistent at times, and he missed most of December because of an open dislocation on his right index finger. Besides the 11 games he was inactive for that injury, he did not play five other times, and played less than 10 minutes eight times through the year.

Despite that, Cauley-Stein proved to be a very exciting young player for the Kings. Late in the season, when his playing time ticked up, Cauley-Stein looked like a potential difference maker. In the final 11 games of the campaign, Cauley-Stein played over 30 minutes per game and averaged 11.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks.

Cauley-Stein is the 15th player in Kings’ franchise history to be named to an All-Rookie team, and the 11th since the team moved to Sacramento in 1985. He is the first since 2011-2012, when rookie point guardIsaiah Thomaswas also named to the Second Team. He averaged 11.5 points and 4.1 assists that year. CenterDeMarcus Cousinsis the last Kings’ rookie to be named to the First Team, after he averaged 14.1 points and 8.6 rebounds in the 2010-2011 season.

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Cauley-Stein’s development figures to continue, especially on the defensive side, under new Kings’ head coach Dave Joerger. Joerger was the Memphis Grizzlies’ assistant coach and defensive specialist for the 2011-2012 to 2012-2013 seasons, and was promoted to the Grizzlies’ head coach for the 2013-2014 season. Known as a great defensive mind, Joerger’s teams ranked in the top-10 in defensive efficiency from 2011 to 2015 (including being ranked second in 2012-2013, the last season before he promoted to head coach). They fell to 20th last season, but that’s not surprising, given the sheer volume of injuries and moving parts the Grizzlies had to deal with.

With that great defensive mind in place, the Kings, and in particular Cauley-Stein seem primed to take a good step forward next season. Cauley-Stein is a great athlete, and is already known for his ability to guard just about anyone that steps on the court. With a great teacher guiding him, the second-year player could emerge as one of the NBA’s premier defenders.

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Here is the complete list of the NBA All-Rookie Teams (listed alphabetically):

First Team:
Phoenix Suns GDevin Booker– 13.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.6 APG
Denver Nuggets CNikola Jokic– 10 PPG, 7 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1 SPG
Philadelphia 76ers CJahlil Okafor– 17.5 PPG, 7 RPG, 1.2 BPG
New York Knicks FKristaps Porzingis– 14.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.9 BPG
Minnesota Timberwolves CKarl-Anthony Towns– 18.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 1.7 BPG in 82 games

Second Team:
Sacramento Kings C Willie Cauley-Stein – 7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1 BPG
Denver Nuggets GEmmanuel Mudiay– 12.8 PPG, 5.5 APG, 3.4 RPG, 1 SPG,
Los Angeles Lakers GD’Angelo Russell– 13.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.2 SPG
Indiana Pacers FMyles Turner– 10.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.4 BPG
Miami Heat FJustise Winslow– 6.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.5 APG

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