Andrew Wiggins won the NBA's rookie of the year of the year award Thursday, but Lakers rookie Jordan Clarkson also made headlines, finishing seventh overall with two third-place votes.
Clarkson was never a serious contender to win the award, but his impressive averages of 15.8 points, 5 assists, and 4.2 rebounds on 45.8% shooting upon his insertion into the starting lineup made him a beacon of hope for Lakers fans during the worst season in franchise history and put him in the conversation of the league's most impressive rookies.
Nerlens Noel, Jusuf Nurkic, Marcus Smart, Nikola Mirotic, and Elfrid Payton also received votes.