The 2004-05 got milk? NBA Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor of the Charlotte Bobcats and the 2004-05 NBA Sixth Man award recipient Ben Gordon of the Chicago Bulls headline a talented group of rookies named to the got milk? NBA All-Rookie Team, the NBA announced today.

Orlando?s Dwight Howard joined Okafor and Gordon as unanimous selections to the got milk? NBA All-Rookie First Team as each received 58 points. They were joined on the First Team by Philadelphia?s Andre Iguodala (56 points) and Chicago?s Luol Deng (33 points).

Okafor, the second overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, led all rookies in scoring (15.1 ppg), rebounds (10.9 rpg) and minutes played (35.6 mpg) and ranked second in blocks (1.71 bpg). He ranked fourth in the NBA and first among rookies with 47 double-doubles (points-rebounds), posting 19 consecutive from November 21 to January 1.

Gordon, a three-time recipient of the got milk? Rookie of the Month award, averaged 15.1 points on .411 shooting from the field, 2.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game this season and scored 10 or more points in the final quarter 21 times.  Howard, the first overall selection in the 2004 NBA Draft, ranked in the top five in six statistical categories, including second in rebounding (10.0 rpg) and double-doubles (32), third in scoring (12.0 ppg), blocks (1.66 bpg) and minutes played (32.6 mpg) and fourth in field goal percentage (.520).  Iguodala, the only rookie to record a triple-double this season, ranked eighth in the league in steals per game (1.68), sixth in total steals (138) and steals per turnover (0.99).  Deng averaged 11.7 points on .434 shooting, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 61 games this season.

The NBA today released the NBA All-Rookie first and second team, with the Chicago Bulls dominating the first with the league's Sixth Man of the Year Ben Gordon and teammate Luol Deng both being selected.  Led by Rookie of the Year Emeka Okafor of the Charlotte Bobcats, the first team was rounded out by first overall pick Dwight Howard and Sixer high flyer Andre Iguodala.

The second team was dominated by the Atlanta Hawks, with 2005 dunk champion Josh Smith and Josh Childress being joined by Net Nenad Krstic, Jameer Nelson of the Orlando Magic and Boston's Al Jefferson.

Suprising exclusions include J.R Smith of the New Oreans Hornets, Beno Udrih of the San Antonio Spurs, Devin Harris of the Dallas Mavericks and Bulls duo Andres Nocioni and Chris Duhon.

The voting panel consisted of the NBA's 30 head coaches, who were asked to select five players for the first team and five players for the second team, regardless of position.  Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team.  Two points were awarded for first team votes and one for second team vote.

Emeka Okafor of the Charlotte Bobcats will receive the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy as the 2004-05 got milk? Rookie of the Year, the NBA announced today.

Okafor received a total of 514 points, including 77 first-place votes out of a possible 126, from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.  Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.  

Chicago?s Ben Gordon finished a close second with 443 points, while Orlando?s Dwight Howard finished third with 161 points.

Okafor, the second overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft, led all rookies in scoring (15.1 ppg), rebounds (10.9 rpg) and minutes played (35.6 mpg), and ranked second in blocks (1.71 bpg).  Okafor ranked fourth in the league in rebounding and third in offensive rebounding (3.8 rpg) while leading the Bobcats in scoring, rebounding, blocks and minutes this season.

Okafor, a three-time recipient of the got milk? Rookie of the Month award (November, December and April), ranked fourth in the NBA and first among rookies with 47 double-doubles (points-rebounds) and was only one of eight players in the league to average a double-double.  He posted 19 consecutive double-doubles from November 21 to January 1, the longest streak by any NBA player this season. The last rookie to have more consecutive double-doubles than Okafor was 12-time NBA All-Star Elvin Hayes, who registered 60 straight during the 1968-69 season.

"Emeka is a role model on the court and also a role model with the nutritional choices that he makes every day,? said Kurt Graetzer, CEO, Milk Processors Education Program. ?That's why we are proud to name him the got milk? Rookie of the Year."

The Eddie Gottlieb Trophy is named in honor of Eddie Gottlieb, one of the NBA?s founders who coached the Philadelphia Warriors to the NBA championship in 1946-47.

Charlotte forward Emeka Okafor has won the NBA's Rookie of the Year award, narrowly beating best friend Ben Gordon of Chicago Bulls, a Bobcats source told The Associated Press.

The award will be announced on Wednesday. The Bobcats have called a news conference for what they have only called "a major announcement."

Okafor, the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft, led all rookies in scoring (15.9 points per game) and rebounding (10.9 rpg) and was second in his class behind Atlanta's Josh Smith in blocks (1.71). He also ranked second in the NBA with 3.8 offensive rebounds per game.

Bulls rookie Ben Gordon is set to be named the league's Sixth Man of the Year, Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald is reporting.  Citing league sources, McGraw writes that he will receive the award at a press conference at the Berto Center later today.

Sixth Man will be Gordon?s only major award this season. Rookie of the Year will be announced Wednesday, but that trophy is expected to go to Gordon?s college teammate and roommate, Charlotte Bobcats power forward Emeka Okafor.

?I think either (award) is great,? Gordon said before Monday?s game. ?I don?t know which one is better. I guess just to be getting an award period, I?ll be grateful. I?m sure whoever gets (Rookie of the Year), we?ll be happy for one another.?

Gordon will be the first rookie to win the honor as the league?s best player off the bench. The 6-foot-2 guard from Connecticut averaged 15.1 points during his first NBA season and quickly developed a reputation as one of the league?s best clutch scorers.

He scored 10 or more points in the fourth quarter 21 times, joining Toni Kukoc as the other Bull to win the award.