March 19, 2003
ATLANTA – Chris Bosh was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year on Wednesday by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association, the second consecutive year a Georgia Tech player has received the honor.
Bosh received 68 of 92 votes cast, easily beating out Duke’s J.J. Redick (12) and North Carolina’s Raymond Felton (8).
The 6-10, 210-poound forward, named last week to the all-ACC second team, the ACC All-Defensive team and the ACC All-Rookie team, leads Tech in scoring (15.4 points per game), rebounding (8.9 per game), field goal percentage (55.8) and blocked shots (2.11 per game). He leads the ACC in field goal percentage and blocked shots, ranks eighth in scoring and second in rebounding.
“I’m very happy for Chris. He’s worked extremely hard, and he deserves this award,” said Tech head coach Paul Hewitt. “The area in which he’s impressed me most is that he’s been able to make adjustments as teams have tried to stop him in different ways. He’s shown to be a very intelligent player. Not only is he gifted physically, but mentally. He’s been able to be very sharp every game.”
Bosh is the 10th Tech player to be so honored, joining a long list that includes, in order, Mark Price, Bruce Dalrymple, Duane Ferrell, Tom Hammonds, Dennis Scott, Kenny Anderson, Martice Moore, Stephon Marbury and Ed Nelson.
More Tech players have won the ACC Rookie of the Year honor than any other school in the conference since the inception of the award in 1976. North Carolina is second with five honorees. Nelson won the award last season.
Tech also has had more players (10) named to that team than any other conference school since the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association began naming an all-freshman team in 1993. Duke and North Carolina are second with nine each.
Under head coach Paul Hewitt, Tech has now had two players named ACC Rookie of the Year and four named to the all-Freshman team (Marvin Lewis, B.J. Elder, Nelson, Bosh).
