NEW YORK, April 20 (UPI) -- Nineteen-year-old Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James was named Rookie of the Year Tuesday in the National Basketball Association.
Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets finished second in the voting. Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat was third and Kirk Hinrich of the Chicago Bulls fourth.
James joined the NBA straight out of high school and averaged 20.9 points, 5.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds in his first season.
He scored 41 points in one game, becoming the youngest NBA player ever to reach 40. He is the first Cavalier and youngest player ever to be named Rookie of the Year.
Anthony helped lead Denver to the NBA playoffs for the first time since 1995. He averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.18 steals.
James received 508 points and 78 of a possible 118 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Anthony had 430 points and the other 40 first-place votes.
