Not sure if this had happened before but MP1 and MP2 both started tonight against each other. Brooklyn topped the Suns 108-95. Mason with game's only double-double.
MP1 - 18 min, 3 pts, 6 reb, 2 assists
MP2 - 27 min, 14 pts, 11 reb, 1 assist, 2 steals.
Must have brought back memories of backyard ball growing up.
Great to see both getting opportunities.
You could actually make a case based on stats that Mason is the best rookie in the league this year. He has by far the leading PER among rookies with at least 500 minutes, and actually leads Basketball Reference's Win Shares (which is not a rate stat, i.e., it's more like 'total points' than 'points per minute'). He's also has an adjusted +/- of -0.5, vs. -2.6 for Carter-Williams, -1.1 for Burke, and -2.2 for Oladipo, who I gather are the leaders for rookie of the year. Very impressive what he's doing this year.
I suspect that MP1 would not have been able to do this if he left after his Freshman year and was drafted on potential. He might have flamed out by now. 4 years of Duke helped him grow as a player and gain confidence. He has done very well. At the beginning of the year- there were discussions that he would spend most of the year in the D league because the Nets were so deep. He has shown he can play with the big boys.
Bbbbbbbut... Duke doesn't develop big men!