Greatest NBA Rookie Seasons of All Time

They dominated in their first NBA season. But great rookie years don't guarantee legendary careers.

NBA rookies haven’t always been non-factors. But with superstars having longer careers and high school players unable to go straight to the NBA, we don’t expect much from rookies anymore.

Times sure have changed. In the 1960s, two NBA rookies were named NBA Most Valuable Player. At least one rookie every decade was named to the All-NBA Team from the 1950s through the 1990s, and 15 rookies were named All-Stars in the 1980s and 1990s combined. But no rookie has made the All-NBA Team since Tim Duncan in 1998, and only two rookies have been All-Stars since Yao Ming in 2003 and Blake Griffin in 2011.

That doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate young basketball talent. These are the greatest NBA Rookie of the Year Award winners, based on rookie years, since the league started handing out the rookie award after the 1952-53 season.

30. Tyreke Evans

Tyreke Evans had his best season as a rookie. Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

Rookie season: 2009-10

Born: Sept. 19, 1989 (Chester, Pennsylvania)

College: Memphis

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 220 pounds

Position: Shooting guard/small forward

Career: 10 seasons (2009-19)

Teams: Sacramento Kings (2009-13, 2017), New Orleans Pelicans (2013-17), Memphis Grizzlies (2017-18), Indiana Pacers (2018-19)

Rookie stats: 72 G, 20.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 5.8 APG, 45.8 FG%

Career highlights: NBA Rookie of the Year (2010)

Bottom Line: Tyreke Evans

Aaron Gash / AP Photo

Tyreke Evans left the University of Memphis after just one season and was selected No. 4 overall in the 2010 NBA draft, but his rookie performance exceeded even the wildest expectations.

Evans shocked experts by claiming NBA Rookie of the Year honors after putting up what would turn out to be career highs in points, minutes per game, rebounds and steals.

Injuries dogged Evans ever since. He’s played less than 30 games in a season three times and was banned from the NBA for two years after violating the league’s drug abuse policy in 2019. Evans was reinstated in 2021 but never played in the NBA again.

29. Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol was the first foreign-born player to be named rookie of the year. Roy Dabner / AP Photo

Rookie season: 2001-02

Born: July 6, 1980 (Barcelona, Spain)

College: None

Height/weight: 7-foot-1, 250 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 18 seasons (2001-19)

Teams: Memphis Grizzlies (2001-08), Los Angeles Lakers (2008-14), Chicago Bulls (2014-16), San Antonio Spurs (2016-19), MIlwaukee Bucks (2019)

Rookie stats: 82 G, 17.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 51.8 FG%

Career highlights: Two-time NBA champion (2009, 2010), six-time NBA All-Star (2006, 2009-11, 2015, 2016), four-time All-NBA Team (2009-11, 2015), NBA Rookie of the Year (2002), NBA Citizenship Award (2012)

Bottom Line: Pau Gasol

David J. Phillip / AP Photo

Spanish-born star Pau Gasol became the first foreign player to win NBA Rookie of the Year with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2002.

The Grizzlies had arguably their best years as a franchise with Gasol, who led them to three playoff appearances in a row from 2003 to 2005, which were also the first three playoff appearances in franchise history.

NBA fans know Pau Gasol more from his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he teamed with Kobe Bryant to make it to three straight NBA Finals, winning in 2009 and 2010.

28. Damon Stoudamire

Toronto Raptors point guard Damon Stoudamire

Damon Stoudamire’s rookie season silenced any doubters about his NBA potential. Michael Tweed / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1995-96

Born: Sept. 3, 1973 (Portland, Oregon)

College: Arizona

Height/weight: 5-foot-10, 170 pounds

Position: Point guard

Career: 13 seasons (1995-2008)

Teams: Toronto Raptors (1995-98), Portland Trail Blazers (1998-2005), Memphis Grizzlies (2005-08), San Antonio Spurs (2008)

Rookie stats: 70 G, 19.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 9.3 APG, 42.6 FG%

Career highlights: NBA Rookie of the Year (1996)

Bottom Line: Damon Stoudamire

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damon Stoudamire

Rick Bowmer / AP Photo

Much of what you need to know about Damon Stoudamire’s career comes from his rookie season with the Toronto Raptors. That season, he led all NBA rookies in minutes played despite missing 12 games with knee tendonitis, averaged a career-high 9.3 assists and is still the shortest player in NBA history to win NBA Rookie of the Year at 5-foot-10.

Stoudamire was a key member of some really good Portland Trail Blazers teams of the early 2000s — his hometown team — but was arrested three times for marijuana possession during his time there.

Stoudamire has been the head coach for the University of Pacific since 2016.

27. Allen Iverson

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson is the shortest player to be picked No. 1 overall. Chris Gardner / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1996-97

Born: June 7, 1975 (Hampton, Virginia)

College: Georgetown

Height/weight: 6-foot, 165 pounds

Position: Point guard

Career: 14 seasons (1996-2010)

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006, 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-08), Detroit Pistons (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009)

Rookie stats: 76 G, 23.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 7.5 APG, 41.8 FG%

Career highlights: NBA MVP (2001), 11-time NBA All-Star (2000-10), two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2001, 2005), seven-time All-NBA Team (1999-2003, 2005), NBA Rookie of the Year (1997)

Bottom Line: Allen Iverson

Morry Gash / AP Photo

Allen Iverson spent two seasons at Georgetown before he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. At just 6-foot tall, he’s also the shortest No. 1 pick in NBA history.

Iverson broke Wilt Chamberlain’s rookie record of scoring at least 40 points in three consecutive games — Iverson had five — and became the first 76er to be named NBA Rookie of the Year.

Iverson’s playing style, which was best described as reckless abandon, endeared him to generations of fans, and he was named NBA Most Valuable Player in 2001 when he led Philadelphia to the NBA Finals.

26. Vince Carter

Vince Carter liked to play above the rim with the Raptors. Pat Sullivan / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1998-99

Born: Jan. 26, 1977 (Daytona Beach, Florida)

College: North Carolina

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 220 pounds

Position: Shooting guard

Career: 22 seasons (1998-2020)

Teams: Toronto Raptors (1998-2004), New Jersey Nets (2004-09), Orlando Magic (2009-10), Phoenix Suns (2010-11), Dallas Mavericks (2011-14), Memphis Grizzlies (2014-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-18), Atlanta Hawks (2018-2020)

Rookie stats: 50 G, 18.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, 45.0 FG%

Career highlights: Eight-time NBA All-Star (2000-07), two-time All-NBA Team (2000, 2001), NBA Rookie of the Year (1999), NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2000), NBA Sportsmanship Award (2020), NBA Teammate of the Year (2016)

Bottom Line: Vince Carter

Phelan M. Ebenhack / AP Photo

Vince Carter was the greatest dunker who ever lived. This was never more evident than in his time at the University of North Carolina, his first few years in the NBA, and in the 2000 Summer Olympics.

But Carter was more than just a dunker. Outside of hockey players, Carter is the biggest pro sports star to ever play in Toronto, where he single-handedly cemented the Raptors’ popularity in the city.

Carter also played longer than any player in NBA history, retiring in 2020 after a record 22 seasons.

25. Grant Hill

There’s no way Grant Hill should have shared the 1995 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Duane Burleson / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1994-95

Born: Oct. 5, 1972 (Dallas, Texas)

College: Duke

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 225 pounds

Position: Small forward

Career: 19 seasons (1994-2013)

Teams: Detroit Pistons (1994-2000), Orlando Magic (2000-07), Phoenix Suns (2007-12), Los Angeles Clippers (2012-13)

Rookie stats: 70 G, 19.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.0 APG, 47.7 FG%

Career highlights: Seven-time NBA All-Star (1995-98, 2000, 2001, 2005), five-time All-NBA Team (1996-2000), NBA Co-Rookie of the Year (1995), three-time NBA Sportsmanship Award (2005, 2008, 2010)

Bottom Line: Grant Hill

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

Grant Hill was one of the most decorated and popular college basketball players of all time in his time at Duke, where he won two NCAA championships and was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft.

Hill had to share the NBA Rookie of the Year award with Dallas Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd, but really should have won the award on his own.

After a devastating ankle injury in 2000, Hill was a role player. Injury aside, he made it past the first round of the playoffs just once in 19 seasons.

24. LeBron James

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James

LeBron James was the No. 1 overall pick in the 20003 NBA Draft and would’ve been the No. 1 pick in the 2002 draft if they’d let him leave high school early. Tony Dejak / AP Photo

Rookie season: 2003-04

Born: Dec. 30, 1984 (Akron, Ohio)

College: None

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 250 pounds

Position: Small forward

Career: 20 seasons (2003-present)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2010, 2014-2018), Miami Heat (2010-2014), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present)

Rookie stats: 79 G, 20.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 41.7 FG%

Career highlights: Four-time NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA Finals MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), 19-time NBA All-Star (2005-2023), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008, 2018), 19-time All-NBA Team (2005-2023), six-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2009-14), NBA Rookie of the Year (2004)

Bottom Line: LeBron James

Ashley Landis / AP Photo

No player in NBA history has entered the league with expectations as sky-high as LeBron James, the No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

James’ rookie season showed he was the truth. He was only the third player in NBA history to average at least 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists as a rookie and became the first rookie of the year in Cavaliers’ history.

Owner of almost all of the significant “youngest to” records in NBA history, James could break NBA career records for games and scoring if he plays another five seasons.

23. Damian Lillard

Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard has done wonders for basketball in the Pacific Northwest. Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

Rookie season: 2012-13

Born: July 15, 1990 (Oakland, California)

College: Weber State

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds

Position: Point guard

Career: 11 seasons (2012-present)

Teams: Portland Trail Blazers

Rookie stats: 82 G, 19.0 PPG, 6.5 APG, 3.1 RPG, 42.9 FG%

Career highlights: Seven-time NBA All-Star (2014, 2015, 2018-21, 2023), six-time All-NBA Team (2014, 2015, 2018-20, 2023), NBA Rookie of the Year (2013), NBA Citizenship Award (2019), NBA 75th Anniversary Team, NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2023)

Bottom Line: Damian Lillard

Jeff Swinger / AP Photo

Damian Lillard keeps playing better every season since entering the league in 2012. But that came from humble beginnings, going from a lightly recruited player at Weber State to the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

Lillard is almost single-handedly responsible for guiding the Portland Trail Blazers back to NBA respectability in the 2010s.

As a rookie, Lillard became one of just three players in NBA history to have 20 points and 10 assists in their first game, alongside Oscar Robertson and Allen Iverson.

22. Karl-Anthony Towns

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns

Karl-Anthony Towns is a great example of talent not equaling wins. Steve Dykes / AP Photo

Rookie season: 2015-16

Born: Nov. 15, 1995 (Edison, New Jersey)

College: Kentucky

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 248 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 7 seasons (2015-present)

Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves

Rookie stats: 82 G, 18.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 54.2 FG%

Career highlights: Three-time NBA All-Star (2018, 2019, 2022), two-time All-NBA Team (2018, 2022), NBA Rookie of the Year (2016), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2022)

Bottom Line: Karl-Anthony Towns

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Looking back at the 2015 NBA draft, we know now that the real steal would have been Karl-Anthony Towns’ college teammate, Devin Booker, who was picked No. 13 overall by the Phoenix Suns.

Towns, however, was the more dominant of the two when they first joined the league and was the second consecutive rookie of the year for the Timberwolves, following Andrew Wiggins in 2015.

The duo only made the playoffs once in five seasons together before Wiggins was traded to the Warriors.

21. Chris Paul

New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul

Chris Paul is a top 10 point guard of all time. Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

Rookie season: 2005-06

Born: May 6, 1985 (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)

College: Wake Forest

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds

Position: Point guard

Career: 18 seasons (2005-present)

Teams: New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-present)

Rookie stats: 78 G, 16.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 7.8 APG, 43.0 FG%

Career highlights: Ten-time NBA All-Star (2008-16, 2020), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2013), nine-time All-NBA Team (2008. 2009, 2011-16, 2020), nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2008, 2009, 2011-17), NBA Rookie of the Year (2006)

Bottom Line: Chris Paul

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

We all know by now that Chris Paul is one of the greatest NBA point guards of all time, but it’s still kind of amazing to look back at what a complete player he was as a rookie.

What’s incredible about that season is the 7.8 assists Paul averaged as a rookie were a career low (which is incredible) until he averaged 6.7 assists for Oklahoma City in 2019-20.

On that note, Paul averaged 8.6 assists in his first 30 games with the Phoenix Suns in the 2020-21 season.

20. Ben Simmons

Philadelphia 76ers point guard Ben Simmons

There aren’t many point guards in NBA history like Ben Simmons. Matt Slocum / AP Photo

Rookie season: 2017-18

Born: July 20, 1996 (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia)

College: LSU

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 240 pounds

Position: Point guard

Career: 6 seasons (2017-present)

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (2017-22), Brooklyn Nets (2022-present)

Rookie stats: 81 G, 15.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 8.2 APG, 54.5 FG%

Career highlights: Three-time NBA All-Star (2019-21), NBA All-Defensive Team (2020), All-NBA Team (2020), NBA Rookie of the Year (2018)

Bottom Line: Ben Simmons

Jessie Alcheh / AP Photo

Say what you want about Ben Simmons’ inability to shoot outside of the paint with any sort of consistency, because the 6-foot-10 point guard’s ability to drive, dish and defend was one of the more unique skill sets in NBA history. Until it wasn’t.

Simmons has made three All-Star teams in four seasons and made his first NBA All-Defensive Team appearance in 2020. Simmons was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft but sat out the entire 2016-17 season after he broke his foot during training camp.

His career went off the rails following the 2020-21 season and he’s since been traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Brookyn Nets. Few players in NBA history can claim the place Simmons has now — as one of the league’s all-time quitters.

19. Blake Griffin

Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin is one of the greatest dunkers in basketball history. Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Rookie season: 2009-10

Born: March 16, 1989 (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

College: Oklahoma

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 250 pounds

Position: Power forward

Career: 14 seasons (2009-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Clippers (2009-2018), Detroit Pistons (2018-21), Brooklyn Nets (2021-22), Boston Celtics (2022-present)

Rookie stats: 82 G, 22.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 3.8 APG, 50.6 FG%

Career highlights: Six-time NBA All-Star (2011-15, 2019), five-time All-NBA Team (2012-15, 2019), NBA Rookie of the Year (2011), NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2011)

Bottom Line: Blake Griffin

Michael Dwyer / AP Photo

Blake Griffin was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft but didn’t make his debut until 2010 after sitting out the 2009-10 season with an injury.

Griffin helped define an era for the Los Angeles Clippers in which the franchise was consistently competitive for an extended period for the first time, ever.

He also helped define that same stretch by injuries and questionable decisions off the court, including injuring his hand when he punched a member of the team’s equipment staff.

18. Larry Johnson

Good luck stealing the ball from “Grandmama,” aka Larry Johnson. Tony Read / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1991-92

Born: March 14, 1969 (Tyler, Texas)

College: UNLV

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 250 pounds

Position: Power forward

Career: 10 seasons (1991-2001)

Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1991-1996), New York Knicks (1996-2001)

Rookie stats: 82 G, 19.2 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 49.0 FG%

Career highlights: Two-time NBA All-Star (1993, 1995), All-NBA Team (1993), NBA Rookie of the Year (1992)

Bottom Line: Larry Johnson

Richard Carson / AP Photo

At one point in NBA history, there was no player tougher or more intimidating than Larry Johnson, the No. 1 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1991 out of UNLV.

Johnson garnered immediate respect from the moment he stepped on the floor in the NBA and was one of the league’s best players his first five seasons and signed the richest contract in NBA history in 1993 for 12 years and $84 million.

Chronic back injuries made Johnson a different player in the second half of his career, and he was out of the league after 10 seasons.

17. Ralph Sampson

Ralph Sampson had one of the more disappointing careers in NBA history, but he was very good as a rookie. David Breslauer / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1983-84

Born: July 7, 1960 (Harrisonburg, Virginia)

College: Virginia

Height/weight: 7-foot-4, 228 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 9 seasons (1983-92)

Teams: Houston Rockets (1983-87), Golden State Warriors (1987-89), Sacramento Kings (1989-91), Washington Bullets (1991-92)

Rookie stats: 82 G, 21.0 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 52.3 FG%

Career highlights: Four-time NBA All-Star (1984-87), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1985), All-NBA Team (1985), NBA Rookie of the Year (1984)

Bottom Line: Ralph Sampson

John Swart / AP Photo

Houston Rockets in 1983 after being selected No. 1 overall out of Virginia.

The 7-foot-4 center was billed as the next Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and had two impressive seasons in his first two years in the league. But Sampson never came close to reaching legendary levels.

He never won an NBA championship, made just one All-NBA Team and was out of the league after nine seasons on four teams.

16. Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan was elected to start in the NBA All-Star Game as a rookie. Dave Ekren / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1984-85

Born: Feb. 17, 1963 (Brooklyn, New York)

College: North Carolina

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds

Position: Shooting guard

Career: 14 seasons (1984-1993, 1995-1998, 2001-2003)

Teams: Chicago Bulls (1984-1993, 1995-1998), Washington Wizards (2001-2003)

Rookie stats: 82 G, 28.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.9 APG, 51.5 FG%

Career highlights: Six-time NBA champion (1991-93, 1996-98), six-time NBA Finals MVP (1991-93, 1996-98), five-time NBA MVP (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998), 14-time NBA All-Star (1985-93, 1996-98, 2002, 2003), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (1988, 1996, 1998), 11-time All-NBA (1985, 1987-93, 1996-98), NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1988), nine-time All-NBA Defensive Team (1988-93, 1996-98), NBA Rookie of the Year (1985)

Bottom Line: Michael Jordan

John Swart / AP Photo

Michael Jordan immediately began to turn around the fortunes of the Chicago Bulls as a rookie in the 1984-85 season.

Widely thought of as the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan wasn’t even close to fully formed as a rookie, but he still averaged 28.2 points and shot over 50 percent and became one of the most popular players in the NBA.

Jordan was elected an Eastern Conference All-Star starter as a rookie, which unwittingly triggered one of the greatest beefs in pro sports history. Eastern All-Star Isiah Thomas organized a “freeze-out” of Jordan among the other Eastern All-Stars, which Jordan took personally.

15. Tommy Heinsohn

There will never be another Game 7 performance like Tommy Heinsohn’s in the 1957 NBA Finals. J. Walter Green / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1956-57

Born: Aug. 26, 1934 (Jersey City, New Jersey)

Died: Nov. 9, 2020 (age 86, Newton, Massachusetts)

College: Holy Cross

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 220 pounds

Position: Power forward

Career: 9 seasons (1956-65)

Teams: Boston Celtics

Rookie stats: 72 G, 16.2 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.6 APG, 39.7 FG%

Career highlights: Eight-time NBA champion (1957, 1959-65), six-time NBA All-Star (1957, 1961-65), four-time All-NBA Team (1961-64), NBA Rookie of the Year (1957)

Bottom Line: Tommy Heinsohn

AP Photo

Few players in Boston Celtics history are as beloved as the late Tommy Heinsohn, and few players in NBA history have garnered as much respect from their peers.

Heinsohn won eight NBA titles in nine seasons, but none were as memorable as his rookie year, when he scored 37 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in a double-overtime win over the St. Louis Hawks in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

He won two more titles as the Celtics’ head coach in 1974 and 1976.

14. David Robinson

San Antonio center David Robinson served two years in the Navy before playing in the NBA. Susan Ragan / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1989-90

Born: Aug. 6, 1965 (Key West, Florida)

College: Navy

Height/weight: 7-foot-1, 230 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 14 seasons (1989-2003)

Teams: San Antonio Spurs

Rookie stats: 82 G, 14.3 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 53.1 FG%

Career highlights: Two-time NBA champion (1999, 2003), NBA MVP (1995), 10-time NBA All-Star (1990-96, 1998, 2000, 2001), 10-time All-NBA Team (1990-96, 1998, 2000, 2001), NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1992), eight-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1990-96, 1998), NBA Rookie of the Year (1990), NBA Sportsmanship Award (2001), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: David Robinson

Joe Holloway Jr. / AP Photo

David Robinson didn’t play for the Spurs until two years after he was drafted since he had to fulfill his military service obligation with the Navy.

When Robinson did play, he turned around the entire franchise and was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in a unanimous vote.

An interesting side note about Robinson coming to San Antonio was that after his two years of Navy service, he could have technically re-entered his name into the draft because he hadn’t signed a contract.

13. Jerry Lucas

Good googly moogly, Jerry Lucas loved to rebound the basketball. AP Photo

Rookie season: 1963-64

Born: March 30, 1940 (Middletown, Ohio)

College: Ohio State

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 220 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 12 seasons (1963-75)

Teams: Cincinnati Royals (1963-69), San Francisco Warriors (1969-71), New York Knicks (1971-75)

Rookie stats: 76 G, 17.7 PPG, 17.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 52.7 FG%

Career highlights: NBA champion (1973), seven-time NBA All-Star (1964-69, 1971), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1965), five-time All-NBA Team (1964-68), NBA Rookie of the Year (1965), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Jerry Lucas

AP Photo

Jerry Lucas’ career numbers jump off the page — 17.0 points and 15.6 rebounds. He left little doubt as to what kind of player he was going to be when he averaged 17.7 points and 17.4 rebounds as a rookie.

Lucas was undersized for a center, even in his era, at just 6-foot-8, but he outthought and outworked opponents his entire career.

Lucas had one of the more storied amateur careers of any basketball player in history, winning a national championship with Ohio State in 1960, then winning an Olympic gold medal that summer.

12. Maurice Stokes

Maurice Stokes (No. 12) was one of the NBA’s best players when an injury cut his career and life short. AP Photo

Rookie season: 1955-56

Born: June 17, 1933 (Rankin, Pennsylvania)

Died: April 6, 1970 (age 36, Cincinnati, Ohio)

College: Saint Francis

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 232 pounds

Position: Power forward

Career: 3 seasons (1955-58)

Teams: Rochester/Cincinnati Royals

Rookie stats: 67 G, 16.8 PPG, 16.3 RPG, 4.7 APG, 35.4 FG%

Career highlights: Three-time NBA All-Star (1956-58), three-time All-NBA Team (1956-58), NBA Rookie of the Year (1956)

Bottom Line: Maurice Stokes

AP Photo

Maurice Stokes only played three seasons in the NBA and was a three-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA pick — the greatest evidence of the power forward’s immense talents.

Stokes averaged 16.8 points and 16.3 rebounds as a rookie, but his third and final season in 1957-58 was his best. He averaged career bests of 18.1 points, 16.9 rebounds and 6.9 assists, putting him in the top three in the NBA for rebounds and assists.

In the final game of the regular season, Stokes hit his head on the floor and went into convulsions three days later, after a playoff game. Stokes spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair and in need of almost constant care before his death in 1970.

11. Bob Pettit

Whenever a list of the greatest anything in NBA history comes up, you hear Bob Pettit’s name. AP Photo

Rookie season: 1954-55

Born: Dec. 12, 1932 (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)

College: LSU

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 205 pounds

Position: Power forward

Career: 11 seasons (1954-1965)

Teams: Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks

Rookie stats: 72 G, 20.4 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 40.7 FG%

Career highlights: NBA champion (1958), two-time NBA MVP (1956, 1959), 11-time NBA All-Star (1955-65), four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (1956, 1958, 1959, 1962), 11-time All-NBA (1955-65), NBA Rookie of the Year (1955), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Bob Pettit

AP Photo

Bob Pettit’s ability to score and rebound better than almost anyone in NBA history was evident from the start. He averaged 20.4 points and 13.8 rebounds as a rookie.

Those would have been career numbers for most players, but Pettit continued to improve on his stats. He averaged 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds for his career.

Pettit only played 11 seasons and was an All-NBA pick each season. He was the first NBA Most Valuable Player in 1958 and is tied with Kobe Bryant for most NBA All-Star MVP awards with four.

10. Rick Barry

San Francisco Warriors forward Rick Barry

Rick Barry doesn’t get enough credit for changing the forward position. AP Photo

Rookie season: 1965-66

Born: March 28, 1944 (Elizabeth, New Jersey)

College: Miami (Florida)

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 205 pounds

Position: Small forward

Career: 10 seasons (1965-67, 1972-80)

Teams: San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1965-67, 1972-78), Houston Rockets (1978-80)

Rookie stats: 80 G, 25.7 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.2 APG 43.9 FG%

Career highlights: NBA champion (1975), NBA Finals MVP (1975), eight-time NBA All-Star (1966, 1967, 1973-78), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1967), six-time All-NBA Team (1966, 1967, 1973-76), NBA Rookie of the Year (1966), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Rick Barry

Golden State Warriors forward Rick Barry

AP Photo

Rick Barry went right from the University of Miami to NBA stardom, when he became one of just a handful of rookies to be named to the All-NBA Team.

There was little Barry couldn’t do on a basketball court and is probably the first point-forward.

Barry left the NBA and the Warriors to play five seasons in the ABA in his prime, then returned to lead the Warriors to one of the greatest upsets in NBA history with a sweep of the Washington Bullets in the 1975 NBA Finals.

9. Walt Bellamy

Walt Bellamy, left, never got an opportunity to play for a truly great team. AP Photo

Rookie season: 1961-62

Born: July 24, 1939 (New Bern, North Carolina)

Died: Nov. 2, 2013 (age 74, College Park, Georgia)

College: Indiana

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 225 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 13 seasons (1961-74)

Teams: Chicago Packers/Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets (1961-65), New York Knicks (1965-68), Detroit Pistons (1968-70), Atlanta Hawks (1970-74), New Orleans Jazz (1974)

Rookie stats: 79 G, 31.6 PPG, 19.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 51.9 FG%

Career highlights: Four-time NBA All-Star (1962-65), NBA Rookie of the Year (1962)

Bottom Line: Walt Bellamy

AP Photo

Save for Wilt Chamberlain, no player in NBA history has put together a rookie season like Walt Bellamy, who averaged 31.6 points and 19.0 rebounds while shooting 51.9 percent from the field in the 1961-62 season.

Bellamy still holds the NBA record for most field goals by a rookie (973), and his scoring and rebounding averages as a rookie trail just Chamberlain and Bill Russell. He was elected to the Hall of Fame despite never winning an NBA title and only making the All-Star team four times.

8. Wes Unseld

Wes Unseld is one of two players to be named NBA Rookie of the Year and NBA MVP in the same season. William Smith / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1968-69

Born: March 14, 1946 (age 74, Louisville, Kentucky)

Died: June 2, 2020 (Baltimore, Maryland)

College: Louisville

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 245 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 13 seasons (1968-1981)

Teams: Baltimore/Washington Bullets (1968-1981)

Rookie stats: 82 G, 13.8 PPG, 18.2 RPG, 2.6 APG, 47.6 FG%

Career highlights: NBA champion (1978), NBA MVP (1969), NBA Finals MVP (1978), five-time NBA All-Star (1969, 1971-73, 1975), All-NBA Team (1969), NBA Rookie of the Year (1969), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Wes Unseld

AP Photo

Wes Unseld joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season, and they’re still the only players to pull off the feat.

Unseld didn’t put up a lot of points like Chamberlain but was dominant on defense and the boards. Unseld averaged a career-high 18.2 rebounds as a rookie and had 22 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons in his first NBA game.

Unseld played for a decade before helping lead the Washington Bullets to the NBA title in 1978, when he was named Finals MVP.

7. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Milwaukee Bucks center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was known as Lew Alcindor before converting to Islam. AP Photo

Rookie season: 1969-70

Born: April 16, 1947 (Manhattan, New York)

College: UCLA

Height/weight: 7-foot-2, 225 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 20 seasons (1969-1989)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-1975), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-1989)

Rookie stats: 82 G, 28.8 PPG, 14.5 RPG, 4.1 APG, 51.8 FG%

Career highlights: Six-time NBA champion (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988), two-time NBA Finals MVP (1971, 1985), six-time NBA MVP (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980), 19-time NBA All-Star (1970-77, 1979-89), 15-time All-NBA (1970-74, 1976-81, 1983-86), 11-time All-NBA Defensive Team (1970, 1971, 1974-81, 1984), NBA Rookie of the Year (1970), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Lennox McLendon / AP Photo

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is in the conversation for greatest basketball player of all time. He won NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1970, when he still went by Lew Alcindor and led the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA title in his second season.

Abdul-Jabbar played 20 seasons in the NBA, was a six-time NBA champion and six-time NBA Most Valuable Player. He’s also the NBA’s leading career scorer and leader in games played — both records that may be broken by LeBron James.

6. Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan was the last rookie to be named to the All-NBA Team. Michael Conroy / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1997-98

Born: April 25, 1976 (Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands)

College: Wake Forest

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 250 pounds

Position: Power forward

Career: 19 seasons (1997-2016)

Teams: San Antonio Spurs

Rookie stats: 82 G, 21.1 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 54.9 FG%

Career highlights: Five-time NBA champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), three-time NBA FInals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005), two-time NBA MVP (2002, 2003), 15-time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-11, 2013, 2015), 15-time All-NBA Team (1998-2009, 2013), 15-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1998-2010, 2013, 2015), NBA Rookie of the Year (1998)

Bottom Line: Tim Duncan

Eric Gay / AP Photo

Arguably the greatest power forward in NBA history, Tim Duncan is one of just a handful of NBA players to make the All-NBA Team as a rookie. It was the first of an NBA record 13 consecutive All-NBA selections for the Hall of Famer.

Duncan, the No. 1 overall pick out of Wake Forest in 1997, also was named an All-Star and to the NBA All-Defensive Team as a rookie. Duncan went on to win two NBA Most Valuable Player awards with the Spurs and five NBA championships.

5. Oscar Robertson

Oscar Robertson missed averaging a triple-double by .3 of an assist as a rookie. AP Photo

Rookie season: 1960-61

Born: Nov. 24, 1938 (Charlotte, Tennessee)

College: Cincinnati

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 205 pounds

Position: Point guard/shooting guard

Career: 14 seasons (1960-1974)

Teams: Cincinnati Royals (1960-1970), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-1974)

Rookie stats: 71 G, 30.5 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 9.7 APG, 47.3 FG%

Career highlights: NBA champion (1971), NBA MVP (1964), 12-time NBA All-Star (1961-72), 12-time NBA All-Star (1961-72), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (1961, 1964, 1969), 11-time All-NBA Team (1961-71), NBA Rookie of the Year (1961), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Oscar Robertson

AP Photo

The original “Mr. Triple-Double” was Oscar Robertson, who recorded a triple-double in his NBA debut and was actually the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season, which he did in his second season.

Robertson almost averaged a triple-double as a rookie when he averaged 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and led the NBA with 9.7 assists.

He was also named the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player as a rookie, when he came up just one rebound short of a triple-double.

4. Shaquille O’Neal

Orlando Magic center Shaquille O’Neal hit the NBA like a thunderbolt as a rookie in the 1992-93 season. Mark Lennihan / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1992-93

Born: March 6, 1972 (Newark, New Jersey)

College: LSU

Height/weight: 7-foot-1, 325 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 19 seasons (1992-2011)

Teams: Orlando Magic (1992-1996), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2004), Miami Heat (2004-2008), Phoenix Suns (2008-2009), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-2010), Boston Celtics (2010-2011)

Rookie stats: 81 G, 23.4 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 56.2 FG%

Career highlights: Four-time NBA champion (2000-02, 2006), three-time NBA Finals MVP (2000-02), NBA Most Valuable Player (2000), 15-time NBA All-Star (1993-98, 2000-07, 2009), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000, 2004, 2009), 14-time All-NBA (1994-2006, 2009), three-time All-NBA Defensive Team (2000, 2001, 2003), NBA Rookie of the Year (1993), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Shaquille O’Neal

AL Goldis / AP Photo

Shaquille O’Neal started his career by not just destroying backboards but by destroying entire backboard structures. O’Neal was a national obsession as a rookie and surprisingly he put up some of the best numbers of his career.

It might shock some people to know that O’Neal put up career highs in games (81), rebounds (13.9) and blocks (3.5). You could make a solid argument that O’Neal should have been the third rookie to win NBA Most Valuable Player honors — Charles Barkley won the award that year.

But O’Neal went on to win four NBA championships, and Barkley went ringless. Shaq often reminds Chuck of this fact.

3. Elgin Baylor

Minneapolis Lakers forward Elgin Baylor single-handedly saved the franchise from bankruptcy as a rookie. Bill Chaplis / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1958-59

Born: Sept. 16, 1934 (Washington, D.C.)

College: Seattle

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 225 pounds

Position: Small forward

Career: 13 seasons (1958-1971)

Teams: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers

Rookie stats: 70 G, 24.9 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 4.1 APG, 40.8 FG%

Career highlights: Eleven-time NBA All-Star (1959-65, 1967-70), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1959), 10-time All-NBA Team (1959-65, 1967-69), NBA Rookie of the Year (1959), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Elgin Baylor

Ron Frehm / AP Photo

Few players can claim they truly saved a franchise. Had Elgin Baylor not signed with the Minneapolis Lakers in 1958 and skipped his senior season of college, the team would have declared bankruptcy and folded entirely.

As a rookie, Baylor finished second in the NBA in scoring and led the Lakers from last place all the way to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics. It was the first of eight trips to the NBA Finals for Baylor, who walked away a loser each time, with seven coming at the hands of the Celtics.

2. Larry Bird

Larry Bird and Dr. J had one of the most epic fights in NBA history. Rusty Kennedy / AP Photo

Rookie season: 1979-80

Born: Dec. 7, 1956 (West Baden Springs, Indiana)

College: Indiana State

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 220 pounds

Position: Small forward

Career: 13 seasons (1979-92)

Teams: Boston Celtics

Rookie stats: 82 G, 21.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 4.5 APG, 47.4 FG%

Career highlights: Three-time NBA champion (1981, 1984, 1986), two-time NBA Finals MVP (1984, 1986), three-time NBA MVP (1984-86), 12-time NBA All-Star (1980-88, 1990-92), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1982), 10-time All-NBA (1980-88, 1990), three-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1982-84), NBA Rookie of the Year (1980), three-time NBA Three-Point Contest champion (1986-88), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Larry Bird

Ric Feld / AP Photo

The absolute laser beam of popularity that rookies Larry Bird and Magic Johnson brought with them to the NBA out of college changed professional sports.

Bird turned Boston into a legitimate title contender from the moment he stepped on the court, leading them to the Eastern Conference finals as a rookie.

And while Johnson may have lost out on Rookie of the Year honors to Bird, he had the last laugh by winning NBA Finals Most Valuable Player honors after leading the Lakers to an NBA title as a rookie.

1. Wilt Chamberlain

Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain won his first NBA MVP as a rookie. AP Photo

Born: Aug. 21, 1936 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Died: Oct. 12, 1999 (age 63, Bel Air, California)

College: Kansas

Height/weight: 7-foot-1, 275 pounds

Position: Center

Career: 14 seasons (1959-73)

Teams: Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors (1959-63), Philadelphia 76ers (1965-68), Los Angeles Lakers (1968-73)

Rookie stats: 72 G, 37.6 PPG, 27.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 46.1 FG%

Career highlights: Two-time NBA champion (1967, 1972), NBA Finals MVP (1972), four-time NBA MVP (1960, 1966-68), 13-time NBA All-Star (1960-69, 1971-73), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1960), 10-time All-NBA Team (1960-68, 1972), two-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1972, 1973), NBA Rookie of the Year (1960), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Wilt Chamberlain

AP Photo

Wilt Chamberlain is one of only two players, along with Wes Unseld, to be named NBA Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same year.

Even 60 years later, Chamberlain’s dominance from Day 1 in the NBA can’t be overstated. He led the league with 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds per game as a rookie.

Chamberlain took such a beating on hard fouls in his first season that he told the press he was considering retirement after just one season.