Drafted 11th overall in 2013, Michael Carter-Williams entered training camp last year with the fifth-best odds in the 2014 Rookie of the Year race, slotted behind Victor Oladipo (Orlando), Trey Burke (Utah), Otto Porter (Washington), and C.J. McCollum (Portland). By opening night, it was clear Vegas oddsmakers had made a miscalculation…

In a stunning 114-10 upset over the defending champion Miami Heat that opened the Sixers’ 2013-14 season, Carter-Williams notched 22 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, and nine steals, becoming just the third player ever to hit those numbers in a game and, unsurprisingly, the first to do so in their NBA debut. His nine steals matched a franchise record set by Allen Iverson in 2000, and his 12 assists were the most in franchise history in a debut game. He also became the first Sixer since Maurice Cheeks in 1978 to notch a double-double in their first game. On the year, he averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game, joining Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as the only rookies ever to hit those marks.

At season’s end, Carter-Williams was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, garnering 104 of a possible 124 first-place votes and joining Allen Iverson as the only other player in franchise history to win the award. Here’s a closer look at MCW’s rookie campaign and a look ahead to 2014-15:

Inside The Numbers: 2013-14

Michael Carter-Williams’ statsheet-stuffing NBA debut set the tone for his rookie season. On the year, he averaged 16.7 points (40.5 FG%), 6.3 assists, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game, becoming just the seventh player ever to do so. In 70 games, he acheived a quintuple-single (at least one point, assist, rebound, steal, and block) in 25 games; only 14 other players did so last season. In those 25 games, he averaged 4.3 steals and 1.5 blocks.

On the defensive end, his length (6’6” with a 6’7.25” standing reach) and quickness (10.68 lane agility – 15th all-time at the NBA Draft Combine amongst drafted guards according to DraftExpress) give him an advantage against opposing guards. His seemingly nonstop motor doesn’t hurt, either… Last year, Carter-Williams ran an average of 2.6 miles per game, third-highest behind Jimmy Butler (Chicago) and Chandler Parsons (Houston). His average speed of 4.6 miles per hour led the league amongst players who logged at least 20 minutes per game. Despite that, his defensive rating was noticeably better at the end of games (99.1 in the fourth quarter) than earlier in the game (110.7).

Offensively, Carter-Williams quickly established himself as one of the league’s top playmakers, averaging 6.3 assists (11th in the NBA, min. 50 GP) and 14.9 points created by assists (9th in the NBA) per game last season. Overall, Carter-Williams was directly responsible for 31.6 of the 72.7 points (43.5%) the Sixers scored per game with him on the floor 2013-14. It should come as no surprise, then, that Philadelphia was markedly more efficient when Carter-Williams was on the floor versus off of it; the Sixers scored 101.8 points per 100 possessions with him in the game and just 96.0 without him.

Snapshot Strengths

Quick Hands

Playmaking

Vision

Rhythm





Looking Ahead

Most 21-year-old rookies aren’t asked to lead the way Michael Carter-Williams was last season. But most teams weren’t as young as the 2013-14 Sixers, who began the year with only a few veteran contributors and ended it with Thaddeus Young and a roster full of first-, second-, and third-year players. With the departure of Young this offseason, the Carter-Williams will be relied upon even more so in that regard as a sophomore.

He will also be taxed with cutting down on turnovers and becoming a more efficient scorer this season; he turned the ball over 3.5 times per game and shot 40.5% from the floor last season. Taking a closer look at his game log, one can discern encouraging trends in both categories. Over the final 20 games of last season, his turnovers dropped to 3.1 per game and his field-goal percentage rose to 44.3%. Over the last 10 games of the season, he turned the ball over just 2.2 times per game and shot 51.2% from the floor.

One of the most intriguing things to look forward to will be the reuniting of Carter-Williams and childhood friend and fellow 2013 draftee Nerlens Noel, who will team up for the first time as professionals this season. Fans were hoping to see that occur during Summer League play in July, but an offseason shoulder surgery kept Carter-Williams from participating. Stay tuned for Nerlens Noel’s player capsule, which will be posted to Sixers.com later this week, and tell us what you expect to see from Michael Carter-Williams this season in the comments below.

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