featured-image

DeMar DeRozan Named To All-NBA Second Team

The National Basketball Association announced Thursday that Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan has been named to the All-NBA Second Team. This marks the second consecutive season he has earned All-NBA honours after being named to the third team last season. DeRozan joins Vince Carter as the only players in franchise history to earn the honour multiple times. Carter was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2000 and Second Team in 2001. Chris Bosh earned second team honours in 2007 and Kyle Lowry was selected to the third team in 2016.

“Being recognized among an elite group of my peers is always rewarding,” said DeRozan. “Knowing where I started and the work I’ve put in each year to improve makes this even more humbling. Thanks to my teammates and the Raptors organization for all their support.”

DeRozan averaged a team-best 23.0 points, 11th in the NBA, a career-high 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 33.9 minutes in 80 games last season. He shot .825 (461-for-559) at the foul line and ranked fifth in the NBA in free throws made. DeRozan scored 20-or-more points in 53 games, including a franchise-record 52 points in an overtime victory Jan. 1 vs. Milwaukee. He scored 42 points Jan. 13 vs. Golden State to pass Carter (91) for the most 30-point games in team history.

DeRozan appeared in his fourth NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles and second straight as a starter. He was selected as Eastern Conference Player of the Week five times (Nov. 13-18, Dec. 18-24, Jan. 1-7, Feb. 26 - Mar. 4 and Mar. 5-11) and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for games played in January. DeRozan ranked second in the East in scoring (25.3 points) and posted the highest assist average (5.9) for any month of his career in January.

Joining DeRozan on the All-NBA Second Team are Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee), Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia) and LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio).

The All-NBA Teams were selected by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The media voted for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis. Voters selected two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly. Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position where they received the most votes.