For the third consecutive month, the NBA has named Kendrick Nunn the Eastern Conference KIA NBA Rookie of the Month - for games played in January.
After winning the award for Oct/Nov and December, Nunn became the first undrafted player in NBA history to earn the honor on multiple occasions and is the second HEAT rookie to earn Rookie of the Month more than once, joining Caron Butler (four times).
Nunn, an NBA All-Star Weekend Rising Stars selection, led all Eastern Conference rookies for the month in scoring average (16.8) while ranking second in points, assists, field goals made and plus/minus, fifth in three-point field goals made and tied for seventh in free throws made. His 713 points through January are the second-most by an undrafted NBA player in the Common Draft Era (1966). Nunn shot a perfect 8-of-8 from the field, including 4-of-4 from three-point range, in the first half vs. San Antonio on January 15, becoming the first undrafted rookie in NBA history to be perfect from the field in a first half with that many attempts in each category. He dished out a career-high nine assists with no turnovers on January 2 vs. Toronto to become just the second HEAT rookie in franchise history to record that many assists without a single turnover in a game. He is averaging 15.8 points this season, helping HEAT rookies average 29.3 points, the highest team rookie scoring average in the entire NBA this season, and currently the third-highest scoring average by rookies in team history. Additionally, he connected on his 90th made three-point field goal on January 22, already moving into second place on Miami’s all-time rookie list.
Nunn averaged 16.8 points, 3.5 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 30.3 minutes in January while shooting 50.7 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from three-point range and 94.7 percent from the foul line in 11 games (all starts). Among rookie league leaders this season, he ranks second in scoring average, third in assists per game, fourth in minutes per game, fifth in free throw percentage, ninth in steals per game, ninth in field goal percentage and 10th in three-point field goal percentage.