After slipping to the second round of the NBA Draft a year ago, Malcolm Brogdon was named Rookie of the Year at the NBA Awards show on Monday.
Brogdon averaged 10.2 points and 4.2 assists last season for the Milwaukee Bucks and, despite winning ACC Player of the Year honors as a senior at Virginia, slipped to the Bucks at No. 36 overall.
Brogdon is also the first non-first round pick to win Rookie of the Year since the common draft era began in 1966.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) June 27, 2017
Earlier in the season when Brogdon was picking up steam as a Rookie of the Year candidate, he requested that the Bucks make a charitable donation rather than spend money for his ROY campaign.
Brogdon made it a point to encourage players who fell to the second round or went undrafted in the NBA in his acceptance speech.
"This is a testament to guys that are underestimated..."
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 27, 2017
Malcolm Brogdon accepts the 2016-17 KIA NBA Rookie of the Year Award! #NBAAwardspic.twitter.com/7jM8hjiNaA
"This is a testament to guys that are underestimated," Brogdon said. "Guys that are second round picks, guys that are undrafted every year that get looked over regardless of the work they put in and regardless of what they do. You can always achieve your dream if you have faith, if you sacrifice for what you want ... I just want to say thank you to everybody."
