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UNC Basketball: Cole Anthony not happy with rookie team snub

By Zack Pearson

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 16: Cole Anthony #50 of the Orlando Magic calls a play during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 16, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 16: Cole Anthony #50 of the Orlando Magic calls a play during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 16, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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As the 2021 NBA Playoffs continue on, the league has been releasing their yearly awards that honor the best players in the game. Among those awards are not only the Rookie of the Year but the All-NBA Rookie first and second teams which were announced on Thursday. But one former UNC Basketball standout was not happy about it.

Orlando Magic point guard Cole Anthony was not one of the 10 players selected to the first or second teams for his rookie season. Despite missing some time during the year with an injury, Anthony was actually impressive in his first season in the league.

Anthony finished his first NBA campaign averaging 12.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Magic. Yet, he was left off the teams and he expressed his feelings about it shortly after with this tweet:

Anthony does have a valid point, too.

He probably didn’t deserve first team honors but the second team should have had him as a selection. Per @_AguyNamedJon on Twitter, Anthony ranked 4th in points per game, 8th in rebounds per game and 4th in assists per game among all rookies this season.  Yes, the injury did slow him down a bit but when he was out there, Anthony produced for a bad Magic team that is in a complete rebuild.

Anthony did receive one first-team vote and 38 second-team votes, giving him 40 total points and ranking him 12th among all rookies for the year.

The former UNC point guard was selected No. 15 overall by the Magic in the 2020 NBA Draft as the team finished this season 21-51. They do have the chance at the top pick plus own Chicago’s first-round pick outside of the top 5 in the Nikola Vucevic trade.

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For more on Anthony and other former UNC Basketball players in the NBA, make sure to check back with Keeping It Heel.

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