UNC's Marvin Williams named ACC Rookie of the Year

Posted Tuesday, March 15, 2005

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UNC's sixth man is averaging 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.

Chapel Hill -- The surprise isn't that Marvin Williams ended up being the Atlantic Coast Conference's top rookie, it's that a player of his caliber would even play college ball.

While many of his peers went straight from high school to the NBA, the 6-foot-9 Williams passed up a possible high draft selection to go to North Carolina. And though he put off the chance to play for millions of dollars, Williams ended up in an ideal situation, bringing scoring and athleticism off the bench for a talented Tar Heels squad.

Williams, who filled his role as sixth man well enough to be selected The Associated Press rookie of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, is averaging 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in just 22 minutes per game heading into the NCAA tournament. He's shooting 51 percent from the floor, 85 percent from the free throw line and has even hit 14 of 32 3-point shots.