Sacramento Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton has been named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in December and January, the NBA announced today.
The 12th overall selection in the 2020 NBA Draft, Haliburton averaged 11.0 points (.473 FG%, .417 3pt%, .833 FT%), 3.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.7 blocks and 28.6 minutes per game in 17 games (1 start) to begin his rookie campaign. Haliburton has scored in double figures in 13 games including a career-high of 17 points twice – vs. Chicago on Jan. 6 and vs. Portland on Jan. 13.
The former Iowa State Cyclone registered his first career double-double when he dished out a career-high 11 assists, tying the season high for any rookie this season, along with 10 points and six rebounds in a victory at Toronto on Jan. 29. In a win over New York on Jan. 22, Haliburton had 16 points and four blocks, the most blocks for any rookie this season.
The 6-5 guard currently ranks sixth amongst all rookies in scoring (10.7), tied for eighth in rebounds (3.8), second in assists (5.4), seventh in field goal percentage (.465), fifth in three-point field goal percentage (.409), and fifth in steals (1.1) per game.
Haliburton is the seventh Kings player to earn Rookie of the Month honors and the first since teammate Buddy Hield won the award in March of 2017.