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Bulls rookie guard earns December honors after leading all rookies for the month in assists (6.3 per game) while averaging 11.6 points and 1.67 steals

Williams Named East's Rookie of the Month

NEW YORK, January 2 – Chicago’s Jay Williams and Houston’s Yao Ming today were named the Eastern and Western Conference got milk? Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played for the month of December.

Williams led all rookies for the month in assists (6.3 per game) while averaging 11.6 points and 1.67 steals. Selected by the Bulls second overall in the 2002 NBA Draft, he had eight games where he scored 10 or more points.

Yao, selected by the Rockets with the first overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, led all rookies in points (17.1 per game), rebounds (10.3) and blocks (2.73). He compiled eight double-doubles (points-rebounds) in 15 games as the Rockets recorded an 8-7 record. Here is a recap of the month for Williams and Yao:

Jay Williams, Chicago Bulls

  • December 7 vs. Cleveland: Had 14 points, five rebounds, six assists and a steal in a 112-104 win over the Cavaliers.
  • December 14 vs. Milwaukee: Recorded 16 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals in a 97-95 win over the visiting Bucks.
  • December 21 vs. Indiana: Scored 14 points while adding 13 assists and five rebounds in a 110-103 win over the Pacers.
  • December 28 vs. San Antonio: Had 23 points, three assists and two steals in a 109-95 loss to the Spurs.

    Yao Ming, Houston Rockets

  • December 3 vs. San Antonio: Recorded 27 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks in an 89-75 win over the Spurs.
  • December 7 vs. Philadelphia: Scored 18 points, while adding 12 rebounds in a 97-72 win over the Sixers.
  • December 10 vs. Sacramento: Had 17 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks and three assists in a 103-96 win over the Kings.
  • December 18 vs. Indiana: Had 29 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks in a 95-83 win over the visiting Pacers.

    Other candidates for the Eastern and Western Conference got milk? Rookies of the Month were Cleveland’s Carlos Boozer and Dajuan Wagner, Memphis’ Drew Gooden, Miami’s Caron Butler and Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire.

    The got milk? Milk Mustache campaign is sponsoring the NBA Rookie platform to highlight the importance of milk's bone-building calcium and eight other essential nutrients for active people, teens especially, who add about 15 percent of their height during these years. The platform includes the ‘got milk?’ Rookie Challenge, the ‘got milk?’ Rookie of the Month awards, the ‘got milk?’ Rookie of the Year award and the ‘got milk?’ All-Rookie Team.

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