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Pacers Trio Earns Recognition in Rookie Survey

NBA.com released its annual "Rookie Survey" this morning, and all three of the Pacers' rookies earned recognition from their peers.

36 members of the 2015 draft class took part in the survey at the annual Rookie Photo Shoot earlier this month. The 10-question survey included eight questions about members of the rookie class. Players were not allowed to vote for themselves, college teammates, or NBA teammates.

Pacers guard Joe Young was voted as the "biggest steal" in the 2015 NBA Draft, receiving 12.1 percent of the vote from his peers. The Pacers selected Young with the 43rd overall pick in the 2015 Draft. Though he slipped in the draft in part due to a foot injury he sustained early in pre-draft workouts, the 2015 Pac-12 Player of the Year was a summer standout, leading the Orlando Summer League in scoring at 22.5 points per game. Young also tied for fifth in voting for the "biggest playmaker," receiving 5.7 percent of the vote.

Young's Pacers teammate Myles Turner tied for sixth in the "biggest steal" category, receiving 6.1 percent of the vote. Turner averaged 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 blocks in three games in Orlando.

Young and fellow Pacers rookie Rakeem Christmas both received votes for being the "best defender" in the rookie class. Turner's omission in this category seems curious, given the shot-blocking clinic he put on in Orlando. Young also received votes for being "the funniest" member of the 2015 draft class.

2015 ROOKIE PHOTO SHOOT: Gallery 1 »   Gallery 2 »

The rookies voted former Duke star and Philadelphia 76ers forward Jahlil Okafor as both the favorite to win the 2015-16 Rookie of the Year award and to enjoy the "best career" of anyone in the draft class.

Beyond evaluating their draft class, the rookies were also asked two additional questions in the survey.

38.6 percent of players tabbed "speed or pace of the game" as the "biggest adjustment" to playing in the NBA. Other popular responses to that question were "length of season" (18.6 percent), "physicality" (17.1 percent), and "lifestyle & time management" (11.4 percent).

21.2 percent of the rookies voted for Kevin Durant as their "favorite player" in the NBA. The 2014 NBA MVP narrowly edged out Kobe Bryant (18.2 percent) and LeBron James (15.2 percent). Other top vote-getters in that category included Stephen Curry (9.1 percent), Dwyane Wade (9.1 percent), and James Harden (6.1 percent).

You can view the complete survey at the following link: Read More »