Ben Simmons silences Donovan Mitchell by winning Rookie of the Year award

Ben Simmons puts any doubt of not being a rookie to rest by winning 2017-18 Rookie of the Year at the NBA Awards.

Rookie? While Donovan Mitchell questioned whether or not Ben Simmons should qualify as a rookie after missing the entire 2016-17 slate, his lobbying fell on deaf ears as Simmons was officially crowned 2017-18 Rookie of the Year.

Simmons appeared in 81 games this past season, averaging 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. He collected 11 triple-doubles in the regular season, passing Magic Johnson for second most triple-doubles in a rookie season.

Simmons kept his speech short and sweet, thanking his family and teammates. No mention of The Process or shots at Mitchell. In fact, the two embraced as Simmons made his way to the stage.

The 21-year-old was unable to play in the 2016-17 season after being selected first overall by the Sixers at the 2016 NBA Draft due to a broken right foot. Despite not getting on the floor, Simmons remained against the 76ers facility, soaking in as much knowledge as he could. He watched as his team went from a league worst 10 wins in 2015-16 to 28 wins. With Simmons in the lineup and Joel Embiid getting healthy, the 76ers exploded for 51 wins this past season. They finished third in the Eastern Conference, defeating the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. They lost in the second round in five games to the Boston Celtics.

Despite a shaky jumpshot and an unwillingness to shoot from the outside, Simmons impacted the game with his ability to get to the rim and find open teammates. He shot 54 percent from the field, using his length and athleticism to get inside the paint. Defensively, he showed veteran chops, coming up with 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.