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Scottie Barnes is NBA Rookie of the Year; ‘Bones’ Hyland ranks 8th among rookies in scoring

Fred Jeter | 4/28/2022, 6 p.m.
Scottie Barnes is the NBA Rookie of the Year, but don’t overlook former Virginia Commonwealth University star Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland …
Scottie Barnes

Scottie Barnes is the NBA Rookie of the Year, but don’t overlook former Virginia Commonwealth University star Nah’Shon “Bones” Hyland on the top newcomers list.

In his first NBA season, the 6-foot-8 Barnes averaged 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while helping the Toronto Raptors to the playoffs.

A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Barnes played just one season at Florida State University, earning ACC Freshman of the Year honors before opting for the NBA.

Barnes finished first in rookie voting over Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham. Barnes becomes Toronto’s third Rookie of the Year following Damon Stoudemire (1997) and Vince Carter (1999).

Hyland, the Atlantic-10 Player of the Year in 2020-21 for VCU, received no votes in the rookie balloting but was the league’s eighth highest scorer among newbies.

‘Bones’ Hyland

‘Bones’ Hyland

In 69 games for the Denver Nuggets, Hyland averaged 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists. His 37 percent accuracy from beyond the arc was the best of all rookies. Hyland also hit 86 percent of his free throws.

A 6-foot-2 native of Wilmington, Del., Hyland played two seasons for VCU before entering the NBA draft. The Nuggets made him the 26th overall draft choice.

Hyland showed off both his jump shot and his dancing moves in Denver’s 126- 121 playoff win April 24 on ABC-TV. He scored 15 points and dished seven assists in 20 minutes and got the crowd excited with his “Tressi Bop” dance moves. It’s a celebratory dance he started with friends in Wilmington that inspired a song by a rapper.

The NBA initiated its Rookie of the Year Award in 1953, with Don Meineke of the Fort Wayne Pistons the winner. Meineke played collegiately for the University of Dayton.

In 1954, 6-foot-11 Ray Felix out of Long Island University became the first Black Rookie of the Year with the Baltimore Bullets.

Former rookies of the year with Virginia connections are Ralph Sampson (1984) and Malcolm Brogdon (2017), both from University of Virginia, and Hampton native Allen Iverson from Georgetown in 1997.