Jordan Clarkson was named the NBA Western Conference rookie of the month for March, the league announced Friday, becoming the first-ever Lakers rookie to win the award since it began being presented in 1981-82.
Clarkson, the 46th pick in the 2014 NBA draft, averaged a team-high 15.8 points to go along with 5.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 16 games in March.
On March 24, Clarkson scored a career-high 30 points in a road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, becoming the first Lakers rookie since Eddie Jones in 1995 to score at least 30 points in a game. Six days later, Clarkson joined Stephen Curry, John Wall and Russell Westbrook as the only NBA players this season to record at least 26 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals in a game.
Since being named a starter 31 games ago, the 22-year-old Clarkson is averaging a team-high 15 points per game to go along with 4.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds.
He ranks third among rookies in points per game (10.9), field goal percentage (.447), free throw percentage (.828), fifth in assists (3.1) and 13th in rebounds per game (3.1).