Sonics' Kevin Durant, Jeff Green named to NBA all-rookie team

Sonics guard Kevin Durant and forward Jeff Green were selected to the NBA all-rookie team announced Tuesday by the league. Other first-team choices were Atlanta forward Al Horford, Houston forward Luis Scola and Los Angeles Clippers forward Al Thornton.

In a bit of a surprise, Durant, the overwhelming rookie-of-the-year winner, finished second to Horford in the voting process.

Horford was the only player unanimously chosen to the first team while Durant received 28 first-team votes and one second-team vote.

The voting panel consisted of the NBA's 30 head coaches. Two points are given for first-team votes and one point for second-team picks. Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own players.

Balloting is confidential, so it's unclear which NBA coach placed Durant, who led all rookies with a 20.3 scoring average, on the second team. Horford averaged 10.1 points and 9.7 rebounds.

Two weeks ago Atlanta coach Mike Woodson voiced his frustration when a panel of 125 sportswriters and broadcasters gave Durant, a five-time Western Conference rookie-of-the-month winner, the ROY award.

"It's a travesty, and it's not right," Woodson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He [Horford] should have shared it, if not gotten it outright. And I don't want to hear about us not being on TV or anything like that. It doesn't matter. It's what this kid has done for this team."

Durant and Green are the first Sonics rookies honored since 2002, when Vladimir Radmanovic was a second-team selection. The team's last all-rookie first-team selection was Derrick McKey in 1988.

Detroit's Rodney Stuckey, the former Kentwood High School and Eastern Washington standout, was a second-team choice.

Also named to the second team: Jamario Moon, Toronto; Juan Carlos Navarro, Memphis; Thaddeus Young, Philadelphia; and Carl Landry, Houston.

Percy Allen: 206-464-2278 or pallen@seattletimes.com