Stoudemire Edges out Yao for NBA Rookie of Year Award

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, April 25, 2003

Stoudemire Edges out Yao for NBA Rookie of Year Award

Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire was voted NBA Rookie of the Year on Thursday, edging out Houston Rockets center Yao Ming.

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Phoenix Suns forward Amare Stoudemire was voted NBA Rookie of the Year on Thursday, edging out Houston Rockets center Yao Ming.

Stoudemire, ninth overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, is the first player to win the award after entering the league out of high school.

The 20-year-old received 59 of 117 first-place votes, 14 more than Yao. Stoudemire received 458 points and Yao had 405.

Miami Heat forward Caron Butler was third with 13 first-place votes and 179 points.

The 6-10, 245-pound Stoudemire averaged 13.5 points and a rookie-best 8.8 rebounds - the best statistics of any player who came into the league out of high school since Moses Malone. He surpassed first-year numbers of current players Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady.

Stoudemire helped Phoenix return to the playoffs after a one-year absence. He shot a team-best 47 percent from the field as the Suns (44-38) posted an eight-win improvement from last season.

Yao's statistics included 13.5 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Butler led all rookies in scoring at 15.4 points per game.

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