Willy Hernangomez wins Rookie of the Month

New York Knicks rookie Willy Hernangomez has won the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award for games played in April, the NBA announced today. It is the first non-Sixers player to receive the award this year, as Joel Embiid (October/November, December, January) and Dario Saric (February, March) had swept the awards up to this point in the season.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot averaged 18.3 points in 6 April appearances for the Sixers, adding in 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 35.9% from three-point range and 44.9% from the field in the month. Hernangomez averaged 12.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game to take the award.

Hernangomez was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 35th selection in the 2015 NBA draft, but traded to New York on draft night for future considerations.

On the outside looking in was Dario Saric, who was limited to just 22.8 minutes per game while dealing with plantar fasciitis. Saric shot just 40.4% from the field and 22.7% from three-point range in his 5 April appearances.

Malcolm Brogdon, considered to be one of the frontrunners for Rookie of the Year, made just 2 April appearances as he recovered from a sore back.