The NBA today announced that Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio has been named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played from the start of the season (Dec. 25) through January. The honor is the first of Rubio's career and just the fourth Rookie of the Month Award in franchise history.

Rubio ranks fifth among rookies in scoring (11.4 ppg) and first in assists (8.9 apg) and steals (2.24 spg). The first-year guard is tied for first in the NBA in point/assist double-doubles with nine and he ranks 12th overall in double-doubles. In 11 games as a starter, the Wolves are 7-4 with Rubio averaging 12.5 ppg, 9.7 apg, 5.5 rpg and 2.82 spg. Overall, he ranks 4th in the league in assists with 8.9 apg and 3rd in steals with 2.24 spg.

For the season, Rubio is averaging 11.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 8.9 assists and 2.24 steals in 21 games. He has scored a career-high 18 points three times this season and dished out a career-high 14 assists on Jan. 8 at Washington. Rubio's six steals vs. Detroit on Jan. 18 were the most by a Wolves player since player since Kevin Garnett had seven vs. the L.A. Clippers on Jan. 27, 2007.

Other highlights for Rubio this season include recording 18 points, 12 assists and five steals at Atlanta on Jan. 14, posting 17 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and four steals in a 105-90 victory over Dallas on Jan. 25, tallying 18 points, 10 assists and four rebounds in an 87-79 win against San Antonio on Jan. 27 and registering 18 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in a 120-108 road win at Houston on Jan. 30.

Cleveland's Kyrie Irving was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month. Other nominees for the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month were Detroit’s Brandon Knight, Houston’s Chandler Parsons, Miami’s Norris Cole, New Jersey’s MarShon Brooks and Phoenix’s Markieff Morris.

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