3. Kelly Tripucka (1981-82)
Isiah Thomas wasn’t the best rookie on the 1981-82 Detroit Pistons. That distinction goes to Kelly Tripucka.
The 6’6″ small forward out of Notre Dame — drafted 10 spots after Thomas — averaged 21.6 points per game to go along with 5.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals. He was a fraction of a point from being the team’s leading scorer (shooting guard John Long averaged 21.9 points), and he started all 82 games for Detroit.
Tripucka made the All-Star Game that year along with Thomas. Both rookies also made the All-Rookie Team, and while Thomas finished 17th in the race for league MVP, Tripucka finished 11th in MVP voting.
For a brief stretch, Tripucka was one of the NBA’s most prolific scorers of his era. He played five seasons for the Pistons (making the All-Star Game again in 1984) before he was sent to the Utah Jazz as part of the Adrian Dantley trade in 1986.