Did Blazers' Scoot Henderson get snubbed from an NBA All-Rookie selection?

Portland Trail Blazers guard and No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Scoot Henderson, missed out on the NBA All-Rookie teams that were recently announced. Here are the ten selections that were voted in over Henderson:

2023-24 NBA All-Rookie First Team:

• Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

• Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder

• Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets

• Jaime Jaquez Jr., Miami Heat

• Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors

2023-24 NBA All-Rookie Second Team:

• Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks

• Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets

• Keyonte George, Utah Jazz

• Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder

• GG Jackson II, Memphis Grizzlies

The question begs, did Henderson get snubbed? Well, one voter who gave Henderson a first-place vote certainly thinks so.

Henderson finished with 33 total voting points, missing an All-Second Team selection by a decent margin.

The case for Henderson making an NBA All-Rookie team

The Blazers rookie had such an up-and-down season that it's hard to know precisely where his season measures up against his fellow draft class members. But Henderson's general stats suggest that he finished in the top ten, at the very least. He finished the season averaging 14 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. Among rookies, Henderson was first in assists per game, fourth in minutes per game, and fifth in points per game. He also was the first Blazers rookie since Damian Lillard to have multiple 30-point games.

Entering the league, Henderson wasn't as set up for success as some of the All-Rookie selections were. Portland was the worst team in the Western Conference, which could cause some to write off his numbers as "empty stats." However, Portland's roster isn't well-equipped to play to Henderson's strengths, which makes his rookie season more impressive.

For instance, Henderson is an underrated playmaker who is already great at collapsing defenses on his drives and making the right read with his court vision.

However, on Henderson's drives, teams didn't have much incentive to stay out on Portland's shooters. The Blazers were dead last in three point percentage, meaning help defenders would leave the Blazers shooters more frequently to help contest Henderson's drives. This not only hurt Henderson's assist totals, but also played a role in his poor efficiency finishing around the rim.

Henderson's status as a top-three draft pick also plays a role in his rookie season narrative. Compared to Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Miller, the first two picks, Henderson had a relatively disappointing rookie season. Would he have received more votes if he had been selected outside the lottery and still finished the season averaging 14 points and 5.4 assists? There may be a case to make.

The Blazers rookie had a slow start transitioning to the NBA, but he was too quickly labeled a "bust," and the narrative on him never changed as he continued to get better throughout the season.

The case against Henderson making an NBA All-Rookie team

Henderson had a few breakout games showcasing his All-Star-level potential. But he also had some of the worst games a player has had in the NBA this season. One particular game that stands out is when Henderson finished with a plus/minus of -58, now the single-game record for the worst in the history of the NBA. 

While Henderson finished with solid points and assists averages, his turnovers and poor efficiency made it difficult to impact winning consistently. He averaged 3.4 turnovers per game while shooting an inefficient 38.5 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from three, both significantly below league at the point guard position.

One contributing factor to Henderson's low field goal efficiency is his lack of success finishing around the rim. The 6-foot-3 guard was great at utilizing his athleticism to get to the paint, which is largely what made him a No. 3 overall pick. But, to be more productive, Henderson needs to get much better at finishing his drives.

The points and assists are encouraging stats that suggest Henderson will have long-term success in the association. But their significance is negated if he's a high-volume scorer with a poor turnover rate. Effective point guards should maximize possessions, and Henderson's rookie year was not an ideal example of that. 

So, was Scoot Henderson snubbed?

To his credit, Henderson got much more comfortable with the NBA's level of play and speed of the game as the season progressed, which is what you want to see from any rookie. Towards the end of the season, head coach Chauncey Billups gave Henderson an increased role, and the rookie took advantage of the opportunity. 

Post All-Star break, the Blazers guard increased his averages to 16.6 points, 7.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game on 40/35/82 shooting splits (although with 4.5 turnovers a game).

Henderson's end-of-season play gave the Blazers a lot to be excited about looking forward to next season. It was reminiscent of Shaedon Sharpe's finish to the season prior, as the two rising stars seemed to be getting more familiar with the Blazers system and how to utilize their athleticism to get to their spots better on offense.

If Henderson's post-All-Star productivity had been throughout the season, he would've deserved a spot on the All-Rookie team. But considering Henderson's entire rookie year, he wasn't impactful and consistent enough to consider him a "snub."