<Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given to the top rookie (s) of the regular season . Initiated following the 1952--53 NBA season, it confers the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, named after the former Philadelphia Warriors head coach . </P> <P> The winner is selected by a panel of United States and Canadian sportswriters and broadcasters, each casting first, second, and third place votes (worth five points, three points, and one point respectively). The player (s) with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first - place votes, wins the award . </P> <P> The most recent Rookie of the Year winner is Ben Simmons . Twenty - one winners were drafted first overall . Sixteen winners have also won the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in their careers; Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld earning both honors the same season . Nineteen of the forty two non-active winners have been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . Three seasons had joint winners--Dave Cowens and Geoff Petrie in the 1970--71 season, Grant Hill and Jason Kidd in the 1994--95 season, and Elton Brand and Steve Francis in the 1999--2000 season . Five players won the award unanimously (by capturing all of the first - place votes)--Ralph Sampson, David Robinson, Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard, and Karl - Anthony Towns . </P>

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