May 14, 2009

2008-09 All-NBA Teams

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Former Demon Deacon standouts Tim Duncan and Chris Paul were both named to the 2008-09 All-NBA Second Team, as announced by the league on Wednesday.

Duncan was named All-NBA for the 12th straight season. The San Antonio Spurs forward is the first player in league history to earn the honor in each of his first 12 seasons and one of only eight players to earn All-NBA honors 12 or more times.

Duncan received 378 points in the voting, falling just five points behind Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks for the forward spot on the first team. Duncan received 39 first team votes.

Duncan was also named to his 12th straight NBA All-Defensive Team this season, topping Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most NBA All-Defensive Team selections in league history.

Duncan finished fourth in the league in rebounding with 10.7 per game and 11th in blocked shots with 1.8 per game. He also averaged 19.3 points per game and ranked fourth in the NBA with 49 double-doubles.

For Paul, the honor is the second of his career. Last season he became the first Hornet in franchise history to earn All-NBA First Team honors. Paul was the third-leading vote-getter among guards and received 32 first team votes.

Paul, who recently completed his third season in the NBA with the New Orleans Hornets, was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team this year. Paul led the NBA in assists and steals for the second straight season, becoming the first player in NBA history to accomplish the feat. He averaged 2.8 steals and 11.0 assists per game and also finished seventh in the league in scoring with 22.8 points per contest.

Wake Forest was the only college to have multiple players named to the 2008-09 All-NBA Teams. Wake was also the only institution to have multiple alums named to the NBA All-Defensive Teams this season.