Maine Red Claws guard Tremont Waters has been named the 2019-20 NBA G League Rookie of the Year, the G League announced today. The award, voted on by the league’s 28 head coaches and general managers, recognizes the first-year professional who most significantly contributed to his team’s success during the season.
Waters (5-10, 175, LSU), a two-way player with the Boston Celtics, averaged 18.0 points, 7.3 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.89 steals in 36 games for Maine. He ranked sixth in the NBA G League in assists per game and 14th in steals per game. Waters registered 10 games with at least 20 points and seven assists, including a season-high 33-point, seven-assist performance in a 155-131 road win over the Greensboro Swarm on Nov. 27.
Behind the 22-year-old Waters, the Red Claws finished in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 28-14 record. Waters was named the NBA G League Player of the Month for November and earned a spot on the 2019-20 Midseason All-NBA G League Team in the Eastern Conference.
Boston selected Waters in the second round (51st pick overall) of NBA Draft 2019 presented by State Farm after he averaged 15.3 points, 5.8 assists and 2.91 steals as a sophomore at LSU in the 2018-19 season. Signed to a two-way contract last July, Waters has appeared in 10 games with the Celtics this season.
Waters is the fourth Maine player to be selected as the NBA G League Rookie of the Year, joining Abdel Nader (2016-17), Tim Frazier (2014-15) and DeShawn Sims (2010-11).
Waters appeared in 36 of Maine’s 42 games this season. The NBA G League canceled the remainder of its 2019-20 season on June 4. The regular season was suspended on March 12 and had been scheduled to conclude on March 28.
Salt Lake City Stars forward Jarrell Brantley and South Bay Lakers forward Devontae Cacok finished second and third, respectively, in voting for the 2019-20 NBA G League Rookie of the Year Award.
