Nene Hilario Named to All-Rookie First Team

Hilario ranked second among rookies in field goal percentage (.519) and steals (1.59 spg), and sixth in rebounding (6.1 rpg) and scoring (10.5 ppg). He ranked sixth in the NBA in field goal percentage and 20th in steals. He also set a Nuggets rookie record for field goal accuracy.

The Brazilian native was acquired by the Nuggets on draft day (June 26, 2002) after he was selected seventh overall by the New York Knicks. The Knicks traded his right to the Nuggets, along with Marcus Camby and Mark Jackson, in exchange for Antonio McDyess and a 2003 second-round draft pick.

Hilario becomes the fourth Nugget to earn All-Rookie First Team honors, joining Dikembe Mutombo (1991-92), LaPhonso Ellis (’92-93) and Antonio McDyess (’95-96). Five other Nuggets have been selected to the All-Rookie Second Team - Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf ('90-91), Mark Macon ('91-92), Jalen Rose ('94-95), Bobby Jackson ('97-98) and James Posey ('99-00).

Fellow Nuggets rookies Junior Harrington and Vincent Yarbrough also received votes for the 2003 All-Rookie Team.

Joining Hilario on the first team were Houston's Yao Ming and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire (both unanimous selections with 56 pts.), along with Miami's Caron Butler (55 pts.) and Drew Gooden (45 pts.) who started the season before being traded to Orlando. Hilario received 13 first-team votes and 40 points overall to edge out San Antonio's Emanuel Ginobili who also received 13 first-team votes but totaled only 38 points.

The got milk? NBA All-Rookie Second Team consisted of Ginobili (38 points), Memphis/Orlando’s Gordon Giricek (33 pts.), Cleveland’s Carlos Boozer (28 pts), Chicago’s Jay Williams (22 points) and Boston’s J.R. Bremer (18 points).

The voting panel consisted of the NBA’s 29 head coaches, who were asked to select five players for the first team and five players for the second team, regardless of position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team. Two points were awarded for first team votes and one for second team votes.

2002-03 got milk? NBA ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM

2002-03 got milk? NBA ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM

OTHER PLAYERS RECEIVING VOTES, WITH POINT TOTALS:
Dajuan Wagner, Cleveland, 13; Mehmut Okur, Detroit, 11; Marko Jaric, L.A. Clippers, 6; Mike Dunleavy, Golden State, 4; Junior Harrington, Denver, 2; Rasual Butler, Miami 2; Mike Batiste, Memphis, 2; Vincent Yarbrough, Denver, 1; Juan Dixon, Washington, 1; Reggie Evans, Seattle,1; Casey Jacobsen, Phoenix, 1.