Damian Lillard of the Portland Trailblazers was named the 2012-13 NBA Rookie of the Year on Tuesday in a unanimous vote. Lillard, the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft out of Weber State, led all rookies in points per game with 19.0.
Lillard also broke Stephen Curry's rookie record for 3-pointers in a season, finishing with 185, and became just the third NBA rookie with at least 1,500 points and 500 assists, joining the company of Oscar Robertson and Allen Iverson.
"I can't stop smiling," Lillard said, when awarded the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy on Wednesday. Lillard is the fourth player in NBA history to win the award unanimously, joining Blake Griffin in 2011, David Robinson in 1990 and Ralph Sampson in 1984.
The decision should be of little surprise to anyone who is familiar with the acclaim Lillard has received this season. Over the course of the NBA season, Lillard won the league's Rookie of the Month awards all six times.
Lillard has also received some high praise from his peers. Veteran opponents have taken notice of the talented Portland guard.
"He's fantastic, really fantastic," Kobe Bryant said after the two squared off in a game earlier this month. "A lot of players get hot, but he's got the moves, the patience, intelligence, the balance on his jumpers. He's the real deal."
Utah Jazz forward DeMarre Carroll was also impressed with Lillard's play this season. "He's a complete player," Carroll said. "He's a young guy but you've got to give him credit, he plays hard and the team really relies on him. He's not afraid to take the big shot. The sky's the limit."
Lillard is the fourth player in Trailblazers' history to win the award, joining Geoff Petrie (1971), Sidney Wicks (1972) and Brandon Roy (2007).
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