Victor Wembanyama is commonly known as the most-hyped NBA prospect since LeBron James. The entire basketball world was watching his latest season with Metropolitan 92 to see how he dominated French professional basketball. His skillset enticed scouts, coaches, and proven NBA players alike, making his NBA debut one of the most-awaited events in basketball this year.
Expectations are high and many seem to think that Wembanyama has the chance to make history as early as in his rookie season. Whether or not that happens is still a mystery. So, while we await his NBA debut, let’s look at some of the best rookie seasons in league history.
20. Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes did not win a Rookie of the Year award, as Wes Unseld took it home, but his first NBA season was still incredibly impressive. Averaging 28.4 points and 17.1 rebounds, he did not only lead all rookies in scoring but actually the entire league during the 1968-69 season. He was the last rookie to do so, and the feat earned him his first of 12 All-Star selections as well as a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.
Hayes’ career then continued on the same trajectory. He won the 1978 championship with the Washington Bullets, made three All-NBA First Teams, three All-NBA Second Teams, two All-Defensive Second Teams, and led the league in rebounding twice. His numbers were retired by the Washington Wizards and the Houston Rockets, and he was voted onto both the 50th and the 75th NBA anniversary team.
19. Ben Simmons
Despite being picked first overall in 2016 by the Philadelphia 76ers, Ben Simmons did not make his NBA debut until the following year due to a foot injury. After sitting out an entire year, he was not the favorite to make a big splash as a rookie but after just his third game, Simmons made history. He recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists in that game, making him the first player since Oscar Robertson to put up at least 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists over their first three games in the league. Right after, in his fourth game, Simmons became only the third player to post a triple-double this early on in his career. Later on, he also became the third rookie in history to reach 1000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists.
Fueled by Simmons’ great rookie campaign, the 76ers made the playoffs that year. In the first-round matchup against the Miami Heat, he became the first rookie since Magic Johnson to record a triple-double in the playoffs. Subsequently, Simmons handily won Rookie of the Year and made the All-Rookie First Team.
Since then, Simmons has been a three-time All-Star and made two All-Defensive First Teams but since a bad back injury and a fallout with the 76ers, he has been far from his former All-Star form. Simmons did show immense potential in his rookie season, though, and now only time can tell how his career will continue.
18. Larry Bird
As soon as Larry Bird came to the Boston Celtics as the 6th pick in the 1979 NBA Draft, he transformed the team into a title contender. They improved by 32 wins compared to the previous year and finished the regular season on top of the Eastern Conference. Bird did it all in his first season as a pro. He put up a double-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in his NBA debut, and then got his first triple-double and his first 30-point game in November of that season.
Over the course of the season, Bird averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.7 steals, making him a menace in all aspects of the game. He could score, create plays, and contribute on the defensive end. Thus, Bird made the first of his 12 All-Star appearances as a rookie and beat Magic Johnson in the Rookie of the Year race.
His first season in the league was quite telling as to what Bird would be able to accomplish going further. Picking up right where he left off after his impressive rookie campaign, he went on to win three NBA titles and three MVPs. He also made nine All-NBA First Teams, three All-Defensive Second Teams, and the two most recent NBA anniversary teams.
17. Luka Doncic
When Luka Doncic came to the NBA, he was not a stranger to playing professional basketball. At 18, he became the youngest EuroLeague MVP winner so far and hit the ground running once he got to the Dallas Mavericks. He quickly became the youngest Mavericks player in franchise history to score twenty points in a game and then continued to set league-wide records. In December of his first NBA season, Doncic became the youngest NBA player to make seven threes in a game. Just one month later, he recorded his first triple-double, becoming the third youngest player ever to do so. Following that, he also became the first teenager in league history to not only record multiple triple-doubles but also put up one with at least 30 points.
Averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 6 assists, Doncic became only the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Once the season ended, Doncic won Rookie of the Year, making him only the second European player after Pau Gasol to win the award.
Now, Doncic is on his way to establishing himself as one of the greatest players of his generation. At only 24 years of age, he already made four All-Star appearances and was named to the All-NBA First Team all of the last four seasons.
16. Damian Lillard
When the Portland Trail Blazers selected Damian Lillard with the sixth pick in the 2012 draft, he immediately got to work, laying the groundwork for his career as one of the franchise’s all-time greats. In his very first NBA game, Lillard scored 23 points and dished out 11 assists, making him the only player next to Oscar Robertson and Allen Iverson to record at least 20 points and 10 assists in their league debut. His 11 assists were also the most by a rookie in his first game since Jason Kidd. Later in the season, Lillard then became the first rookie ever to record 35 points, nine assists, and zero turnovers since the 1978-79 season when turnovers became an official stat.
Averaging 19 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists, Lillard led all rookies in scoring, assists, field goals, and free throws. He also broke the rookie record for three-pointers in a season. That was not all, though. Lillard also held his own against established NBA competition. He ranked fifth in three-pointers made, 12th in points per game, and 16th in assists per game across the entire league. By the end of the season, Lillard was the fourth unanimous Rookie of the Year winner, joining Ralph Samson, David Robertson, and Blake Griffin.
Since that impressive rookie season, Lillard has been a seven-time All-Star, made several All-NBA teams, and was named to the 75th NBA anniversary team. While it is still unclear where he will land now that his journey with the Trail Blazers is over, Lillard will undoubtedly continue to add to his resume.
15. Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon entered the 1984-85 season as the number one overall pick for the Houston Rockets. As expected of the top pick in the NBA draft, Olajuwon put together an impressive stat line as a rookie. He averaged 20.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks, which earned him a selection to the All-Rookie First Team and the All-Star game. His contribution also helped the Rockets go from a losing team to a 48-34 record. Nevertheless, this impressive rookie campaign was not enough to secure the Rookie of the Year award. Michael Jordan took the honor, but Olajuwon was the only other player to receive any votes at all.
There is no shame in losing the Rookie of the Year award to someone who is still widely regarded as the GOAT of basketball and despite missing out on the award, Olajuwon became one of the greatest centers of all time. Over his career, he won two championships, two Finals MVPs, the 1994 league MVP, and two Defensive Player of the Year awards. He was selected for 12 All-Star games, 6 All-NBA First Teams, and 5 All-Defensive First Teams, leading the league in rebounds twice and three times in blocks.
14. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony entered the NBA as a part of a strong draft class, featuring LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. The third overall pick averaged 21 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals. He led all rookies in scoring that season, which is quite the accomplishment considering his competition. He quickly became the second youngest player in history to score 30 or more points in a game. In light of his accomplishments, Anthony won every single Western Conference Rookie of the Month honor and was named NBA Player of the Week twice.
He also became the first rookie since David Robinson to lead a playoff team in scoring after helping the Denver Nuggets recover from being one of the worst teams in the league in the previous season. All that was, however, not enough to win Rookie of the Year over the Cleveland Cavaliers’ sensation LeBron James.
Anthony just recently retired from the NBA as a 10-time All-Star, the 2013 scoring champion, an Olympic Gold Medalist, and one of the most prolific scorers the league has ever seen.
13. LeBron James
LeBron James is Victor Wembanyama’s predecessor as the most-hyped NBA prospect in recent memory. James entered the draft straight out of high school and was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite being a teenager, James did not disappoint, averaging 20.9 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds.
In his very first game as a pro, The King scored 25 points against the Sacramento Kings, which was the most points scored in an NBA debut by any player to come to the league straight out of high school. He was also only the third rookie in history at that time to average a 20-5-5 stat line. Not surprisingly, James won every Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honor and was voted Rookie of the Year, beating Carmelo Anthony and Dwayne Wade.
By now, James is one of the most accomplished NBA players ever with four NBA titles, four MVPs, and 19 All-Star selections under his belt. This past season, he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the league’s all-time leading scorer and despite being in year 20 of his storied career, he is still competing at the highest level.
12. Allen Iverson
The Philadelphia 76ers star is easily one of the most iconic players of his generation. Entering the 1996-97 season as the shortest number-one pick in the NBA draft, Allen Iverson immediately set the league on fire. Averaging 23.5 points, 7.5 assists, and 2.1 steals, he won Rookie of the Year in an incredibly strong class that featured all-time greats like Kobe Bryant, Ray Allen, and Steve Nash.
Iverson immediately made himself known as a scoring force. Putting up 30 points and 6 assists in his very first game as a pro, he tied Willie Anderson for the third-highest scoring game in a rookie guard debut. Not long after, he scored 37 points against a dominant Chicago Bulls team and crossed over Michael Jordan with an iconic move. Following that, Iverson broke Wilt Chamberlain’s record of the most consecutive 40-plus-point games as a rookie by scoring at least 40 points five straight times.
After a memorable entrance to the league, Iverson continued his career in pretty much the same fashion, making 11 All-Star games, winning the 2001 MVP, leading the league in scoring 4 times and in steals for three consecutive seasons.
11. David Robinson
The Spurs originally drafted David Robinson with the first pick 1987, but it wasn’t until 1989 that he made his NBA debut due to his Navy service. His first season in the league immediately brought a 35-game improvement for the Spurs, a playoff appearance, an All-Star selection, All-Rookie First Team honors, All-Defensive Second Team honors, and the unanimous Rookie of the Year award. The All-Defensive Team honors were special because rookies often struggle defensively when they first get to the NBA.
The Admiral averaged 24.3 points, 12 rebounds, and an incredible 3.9 blocks per game in his first pro season. He was so popular after just his first season in the NBA that Sega made a video game featuring him.
After a stellar rookie campaign, Robinson went on to win two titles, the 1992 Defensive Player of the Year, and the 1995 MVP along with ten All-Star selections and four All-NBA First Team honors. He also led the league in rebounds in 1991 and in blocks in 1992.
10. Magic Johnson
The Los Angeles Lakers star is widely regarded as one of the best point guards in the history of the NBA and it did not take him long to establish his standing as one of the most talented players in the league. As the number one pick in the 1979 draft, hopes were high that Johnson would put the Lakers in position to win a title and he delivered. Once Johnson joined the team, they had a 66-22 record in the regular season and reached the NBA Finals, which is exactly what makes Johnson’s rookie season so interesting.
Averaging 18 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists, Johnson was named an All-Star starter and handily made the All-Rookie First Team. The Rookie of the Year award was not within reach, however, as Larry Bird gained the most votes. Johnson outshined all other rookies by recording 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in a clutch Game 6 performance– earning the Finals MVP honor. He is still the only rookie ever to win that award, which makes his rookie season one of the most impressive in history.
Later in his career, Johnson went on to win five championships, three Finals MVPs, and three league MVPs altogether. He was the league leader in assists four seasons and the league leader in steals twice over his career.
9. Blake Griffin
The LA Clippers originally selected Blake Griffin with the first pick in the 2009 draft but his NBA debut had to wait until the following season due to a knee injury. When he finally played his first pro season, Griffin put together a historic campaign. He averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, sweeping all six Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors and putting together the longest double-double streak by a rookie since 1968.
On top of that, Griffin was also the first rookie since Allen Iverson to have two games with 40 or more points. He also became the first player since Yao Ming in 2003 to make the All-Star game as a rookie, a feat that no one has achieved since. Not surprisingly, Griffin won the first unanimous Rookie of the Year award since David Robinson.
After a historic start to his NBA career, six All-Star selections, and several All-NBA honors, the 34-year-old is now at the backend of his career, playing a veteran role for the Boston Celtics’ championship contender.
8. Shaquille O’Neal
A four-time champion, three-time Finals MVP, the 2000 league MVP, a fifteen-time All-Star, and two-time scoring champion, Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most dominant and skilled players to ever step onto a basketball court.
He established himself as such right from the get-on. Averaging 23.4 points on 56.2 percent shooting on field goals, 13.9 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks, O’Neal quickly told everyone in and around the league that he would become one of the best centers of all time.
In his very first week as a pro, O’Neal was named Player of the Week, becoming the first player ever to win that honor at the very beginning of his career. The number one pick also helped the Orlando Magic win 20 more games in the 1992-93 season than they did in the previous year, won the Rookie of the Year award, and was the first rookie since Michael Jordan in the 1984-85 season to start in an All-Star game.
7. Tim Duncan
One of the greatest power forwards of all time, Tim Duncan was a big part of the San Antonio Spurs’ success during the 2000s and early 2010s. After a losing season, the Spurs selected Duncan with the first pick in the 1997 NBA Draft and he immediately had an impact. Not only did he average 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks but he also established himself early on against all-time greats like Dennis Rodman and Charles Barkley.
After winning every single Rookie of the Month honor for the season and being voted to the All-Star game by the coaches, Duncan took home the Rookie of the Year award without much competition and made the All-NBA Frist Team as well as the All-Defensive Second Team.
After his impressive rookie season, Duncan did not slow down. He went on to win five titles with the Spurs, three Finals MVPs and two league MVPs, while also making fifteen All-Star games, ten All-NBA First Teams, and eight All-Defensive First Teams. Since he retired in 2016, his jersey has been retired by the Spurs where he spent his entire 19-year career.
6. Michael Jordan
As soon as he made his NBA debut with 16 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals, it became clear that Michael Jordan had a bright future ahead of him. Jordan did not only have one of the best overall careers in NBA history, but he also put together a great rookie campaign. After being picked third overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 NBA Draft, he averaged 28.2 points, which was fourth-best in the league, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists.
After a stellar season, Jordan won Rookie of the Year ahead of Hakeem Olajuwon, placed sixth in MVP voting behind greats such as Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and was voted as an All-Star starter.
As we all know, this was only the beginning for the GOAT of basketball. Jordan went on to win six NBA titles, six Finals MVPs, five league MVPs, and the 1988 Defensive Player of the Year award. He also made 14 All-Star games, 10 All-NBA First Teams, nine All-Defensive First Teams, led the league in steals three times, and was the league’s scoring champion a whopping 10 times.
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
After declining an offer from the Harlem Globetrotters, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came to the NBA as the number one draft pick in 1969. Averaging 28.8 points and 14.5 rebounds, he led the Milwaukee Bucks to an incredible turnaround that resulted in a second seed in the East. Both averages were good to rank third in the entire NBA, earning him a spot in the All-Star game for the first time. He also did not give any other rookie a chance to win Rookie of the Year and even placed third in MVP votes in his very first season as a professional.
As his team made it to the playoffs, Abdul-Jabbar became only the second rookie to score 40 or more points and grab at least 25 rebounds in a playoff game. He also set a record of having at least 10 games with 20 or more points in the playoff, which did not get broken until Jayson Tatum’s playoff run in 2018.
This historic rookie campaign was only the beginning, though. Over his career, Abdul-Jabbar won six titles, two Finals MVPs, and six league MVPs, and made 19 All-Star games, 10 All-NBA First Teams, and five All-Defensive First Teams. He also led the league in rebounding in 1976, in blocks four times over his career, and twice in scoring. Up to this date, he is still the NBA’s all-time leader in minutes played, field goals made, and field goal percentage.
4. Elgin Baylor
After selecting Elgin Baylor with the first pick of the 1958 NBA Draft, the Lakers went from being the worst team in the league to a finals appearance. The forward averaged 24.9 points, 15 rebounds, and 4.1 assists, which ranked fourth, third, and eighth respectively in the entire NBA.
Baylor also scored 55 points in a game as a rookie, which was the third-highest scoring output ever at the time. Since then, the 55-point mark has been broken multiple times but at that time, and especially for a rookie, Baylor’s performance was incredibly special. Baylor won Rookie of the Year without much competition and was named an All-Star in the same season, securing the All-Star Game MVP trophy as well.
The Hall of Famer never won a championship in the NBA, but he made 11 All-Star teams and 10 All-NBA First Teams and is still one of the league’s all-time greatest players. He was named to all three NBA anniversary teams and even won the 2006 Executive of the Year Award after serving as the Los Angeles Clippers general manager for around 20 years.
3. Walt Bellamy
In the 1961-62 season, Walt Bellamy impressed as a rookie for the Chicago Packers. The team selected him with the first pick that year and he put together a historic rookie campaign.
Bellamy averaged 31.6 points, which was at the time the second-highest ever by a rookie, and 19 rebounds, which was good for the third-best average by a rookie behind only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. He also led the league in field goal percentage that same season. In light of this impressive season, Bellamy was voted to his first All-Star game as a rookie and, not much to anyone’s surprise, won Rookie of the Year.
Bellamy played 14 seasons in the NBA. Over that time, he made four All-Star appearances and won an Olympic Gold Medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. In 1993, Bellamy was introduced to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his individual career and then again in 2010 for his performance with the U.S. National Team.
2. Oscar Robertson
In 1962, Oscar Robertson became the first player ever to average a triple-double, but he was already incredibly close as a rookie. The point guard for the Cincinnati Royals averaged 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and a league-high 9.7 assists in his first year as a professional.
While his team was not very good that year, Robertson made a name for himself with one of the most dominant rookie campaigns ever. He won Rookie of the Year, made the first of his 12 All-Star Game appearances, won the first of his three All-Star Game MVPs, and was named to the All-NBA First Team for the first of nine consecutive seasons.
Soon after his first big splash in the NBA, Robertson won the 1964 MVP award and led the league in assists several times. He also helped the Milwaukee Bucks win their first title as a franchise in 1971 and was named to all three NBA anniversary teams. As the president of the Players Association in 1970, he took part in making vital changes to the league’s free agency and draft rules, which led to higher salaries for the players. His jersey numbers have since been retired by the Sacramento Kings and the Milwaukee Bucks.
1. Wilt Chamberlain
Best known for his 100-point game and great contests with Bill Russel, Chamberlain is one of the NBA’s all-time greats. His greatness was evident right from the start, however. During his 1959-1960 rookie campaign with the Philadelphia Warriors, he averaged a record-breaking 37.6 points and 27 rebounds, living up to the fact that he became the highest-paid player at the time when he signed his rookie contract.
After what is still one of the best rookie seasons ever, Chamberlain became the first player ever to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. He was also named an All-Star for the first time that year and won the All-Star Game MVP to round out his collection of accolades.
As his career continued, Chamberlain won two championships, four MVPs, and the 1972 Finals MVP, made 12 All-Star appearances, several All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams, led the league in scoring seven times and was the NBA’s rebounding champion for 11 seasons.
In 1978, Chamberlain was inducted to the Hall of Fame and accordingly made all three NBA anniversary teams.