DALLAS – The NBA announced today that rookie guard Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for February.
Ferrell (6-0, 180) originally signed a 10-day contract on Jan. 28 and helped the Mavericks to a 4-1 record during that stint including the sweep of a pivotal back-to-back at San Antonio (1/29) and vs. Cleveland (1/30). The Mavericks signed Ferrell to a multi-year contract on Feb. 7.
The 6-foot point guard out of Indiana scored a career-high 32 points (11-17 FGs, 9-11 3FGs, 1-2s FTs) and a team-high five assists at Portland (2/3) to become the first undrafted rookie in NBA history to score 30-plus points and also lead his team in assists. After connecting on nine 3-pointers at Portland, Ferrell tied the NBA’s rookie record for 3-pointers in a single game, originally set by the Mavericks’ own Roddy Beaubois (at GS, 3/27/10), and joined 2017 All-Stars Stephen Curry, James Harden and Isaiah Thomas as one of only four players to hit nine 3-pointers in a single game this season.
In 14 games (11 starts) with the Mavericks, Ferrell is averaging 12.2 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 32.3 minutes while shooting .418 from the field, .406 from behind-the-arc and .885 from the free throw line.
The Indianapolis native went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft and signed as a free agent with the Brooklyn Nets on Nov. 9,
When Ferrell was called up to the Mavericks, he was playing for the Long Island Nets of the NBA Development League. In 18 games (all starts) with Long Island, he averaged 18.7 points, 5.8 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 35.7 minutes per game. His 5.8 assists per contest ranked eighth in the D-League among qualifiers and he was named a D-League All-Star.
Ferrell’s honor marks just the seventh time a Maverick has garnered the monthly award and the first since Devin Harris earned the distinction in November of 2004.
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