Report: Okafor Wins Rookie of the Year

Charlotte forward Emeka Okafor won the NBA’s rookie-of-the-year award, narrowly beating best friend Ben Gordon of the Chicago Bulls, a Bobcat source told Associated Press.

The award will be announced today. The Bobcats have called a news conference for what they have called “a major announcement.”

Okafor, the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft, led all rookies in scoring (15.9 points per game) and rebounding (10.9).

But Okafor, the second overall pick in the draft, spent the final months in a close battle with Gordon, his roommate while the two led Connecticut to the 2004 NCAA championship.

Even with a limited supporting cast, Okafor was able to help the Bobcats to 18 wins despite preseason predictions that Charlotte would be the worst team in NBA history.

Okafor helped the Bobcats to two wins over Detroit, the defending NBA champions, as well as victories over Miami and Houston.

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The Bulls’ Gordon became the first rookie to win the NBA’s sixth-man-of-the-year award.

Gordon, the third overall pick in the draft, averaged 15.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in just over 24 minutes this season. He came off the bench in 79 of 82 games this season and helped the Bulls make their first playoff appearance since 1998.

Gordon received 88 of 125 first-place votes and 513 points from a panel of media members. Boston Celtic guard Ricky Davis was second with 257 points, and Denver Nugget guard Earl Boykins was third with 155.

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Bryant Jackson, the fan charged with throwing a chair during the Nov. 19 brawl at Auburn Hills, Mich., was sentenced to two years of probation.

Jackson was the only one of the 13 players and fans charged with a felony in the melee during the Indiana Pacer-Detroit Piston game.

Jackson, also ordered to pay about $6,000 in restitution, pleaded no contest in March to one count of felony assault and one count of misdemeanor assault and battery.

He was accused of heaving a chair over his head, hitting several people, and of throwing a drink at the Pacers as they left the court.

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The Washington Wizards suspended forward Kwame Brown for the rest of the playoffs.

“We had some philosophical differences,” said Ernie Grunfeld, president of basketball operations.

Brown, who will become a restricted free agent after the season, played only four minutes in the Game 3 victory Saturday, then didn’t attend practice Sunday or Game 4 on Monday. The team had said he was absent because of a stomach virus.