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After each NBA regular season, there are some starting fives created to recognize the best players in the league, whether it is All-NBA, All-Defensive, or All-Rookie First Teams. Those lineups praise the best NBA players across different fields.
All-Sophomore First Team in the 2020-21 NBA season
In this piece, we will give you a lineup that is not considered in the NBA's official distinctions: an All-Sophomore First Team. We saw great production from some sophomores in the 2020-21 NBA season, with 2019-20 Rookie of the Year winner Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies) and Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans) already putting up star performances.
Last year, the All-Rookie First Team was made up of Morant, Kendrick Nunn (Miami Heat), Brandon Clarke (Memphis Grizzlies), Williamson, and Golden State Warriors' forward Eric Paschall.
In this piece, we will show you how things have changed among the 2019-20 rookie class, and which players have kept their spot in the list.
Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies)
Ja Morant's performances in the 2020-21 NBA season can't go unnoticed by any basketball fan. His explosion in the Play-In tournament against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors should be enough to establish Morant among the league's elite talent.
Morant won the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year with 99 of the 100 first-place votes available, over Kendrick Nunn and Zion Williamson.
He averaged 17.8 points and 7.3 assists per game in his rookie campaign in 67 matches.
Morant has carried his great play from his rookie year into his sophomore season and put up 19.1 points and 7.4 assists per game this season while dragging the Memphis Grizzlies to the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Kendrick Nunn (Miami Heat)
Kendrick Nunn was a big influence in the 2019-20 Miami Heat's run to the NBA Playoffs, but his minutes dropped in the postseason when the team made it to the NBA Finals.
Still, the 2020-21 regular season saw another good production from the left-handed sophomore. He earns a place in the All-Sophomore First Team, ahead of teammate Tyler Herro.
Nunn put up 14.6 points per game with 48.5/38.1/93.3 shooting splits to regain a spot in Erik Spoelstra's starting lineups (he started 44 games).
Last season, Nunn finished second in the voting for the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
RJ Barrett (New York Knicks)
The New York Knicks returned to the NBA Playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 NBA season, and RJ Barrett's performances clearly helped the team's chances of finding success in the Eastern Conference.
Barrett was the third pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, but he had an underwhelming first year in the league, and did not make it to the All-Rookie teams. He averaged 14 points and five assists per game last season, but the real issue was his lack of efficiency as he made 40% of his field goals, 32% of his threes and 61% of his free throws.
Barrett, however, had a great 2020-21 NBA season and was a good contributor in the New York Knicks' run to the 2021 NBA Playoffs. He averaged 17.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and three assists per game this year and put up 44/40/74 shooting splits in his second NBA season.
Michael Porter Jr. (Denver Nuggets)
Michael Porter Jr. is really in his third year as an NBA athlete, but he missed the entire 2018-19 season with a back injury. He made his debut in the 2019-20 campaign and ended up putting in great performances near the end of the regular season and was a solid player in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
Now, the Denver Nuggets' forward has evolved as a player, and his role in the team has clearly grown. Porter averaged 19 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in the 2020-21 regular season with impressive 54/44/79 shooting splits in 61 appearances.
Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)
Zion Williamson clearly became the best player on the New Orleans Pelicans' roster, and kept scoring at the great level he showed in a small sample size in his rookie year (24 games).
Williamson led all sophomores in points per game in the 2020-21 NBA season with his averaged of 27 points per game. He also showed good passing ability, averaging 3.7 assists per game, along with 7.2 rebounds per game.
He was also highly efficient again, making 61.1% of his field goals. His season ended with a fractured finger, but he still played 61 games, putting to rest some of the doubts about his durability.
Williamson also attended his first All-Star Game and will likely receive All-NBA consideration, even if he does not make one of the three All-NBA teams.
Also read: Top 5 stats that show Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic could be the next NBA superstar
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