MINNEAPOLIS – The Timberwolves announced Tuesday that point guard Ricky Rubio was named to the 2012 NBA All-Rookie First Team and forward Derrick Williams to the All-Rookie Second Team. With a total of 49 points, Rubio earned the second-most among the rookies, garnering 21 votes for the first team and seven for the second. Williams's 16 points tied him with Cleveland's Tristan Thompson for the least; each had two first-team votes and 12 second-team votes.
Rubio, who suffered a season-ending tear in the ACL in his left knee on March 9, finished the season averaging 10.6 points and 8.2 assists per game. He is the seventh Timberwolves rookie to be named to the All-Rookie First Team after Pooh Richardson (1990), Christian Laettner (1993), Isaiah Rider (1994), Stephon Marbury (1997), Wally Szczerbiak (2000) and Randy Foye (2007).
Williams, the second overall pick in the 2011 draft, finished a streaky rookie season averaging 8.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He is also the seventh Timberwolves rookie to be named to the second team squad. Before Williams, Felton Spencer (1991), Kevin Garnett (1996), Craig Smith (2007), Kevin Love (2009), Jonny Flynn (2010) and Wes Johnson (2011) each earned the honor.
In addition to Rubio, the 2012 first team squad comprises the Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving, the Nuggets' Kenneth Faried, the Warriors' Klay Thompson, the Knicks' Iman Shumpert, the Pistons' Brandon Knight and the Spurs' Kawhi Leonard. Only Leonard remains active in postseason play. The second team, besides Williams, is made up of the Rockets' Chandler Parsons, the Kings' Isaiah Thomas, the Nets' MarShon Brooks and Thompson. Only the Cavaliers and the Timberwolves had more than one player named to the squads.
