The Best Rookie of the Year
In his rookie season in 1959, Wilt Chamberlain recorded 37.6 points and 27 boards per night. God only knows how many blocks he had per game – they didn’t count blocks back then. It would completely unfair to include him in the debate for the greatest Rookie of the Year, so we narrowed the field to the last 25 years.
Even if these guys didn’t approach the 40-and-30 benchmark in their rookie seasons, there are still some ridiculous stat lines among these 25 rooks. Though Michael is the leading scorer in the group, he isn’t a lock to be named No. 1. Check out Mitch Richmond, the Admiral, Shaq, C-Webb, Mark Jackson, AI, Duncan, and even young CP3:
* 1983-84 – Ralph Sampson – 21 ppg, 52.3% FG, 11.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 2.4 bpg
* 1984-85 – Michael Jordan – 28.2 ppg, 51.5% FG, 6.5 rpg, 5.9 apg, 2.4 spg
* 1985-86 – Patrick Ewing – 20 ppg, 47.4% FG, 9 rpg, 2 apg, 1.1 spg, 2.1 bpg
* 1986-87 – Chuck Person – 18.8 ppg, 46.8% FG, 8.3 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.1 spg
* 1987-88 – Mark Jackson – 13.6 ppg, 43.2% FG, 4.8 rpg, 10.6 apg, 2.5 spg
* 1988-89 – Mitch Richmond – 22 ppg, 46.8% FG, 5.9 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1 spg
* 1989-90 – David Robinson – 24.3 ppg, 53.1% FG, 12 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.7 spg, 3.9 bpg
* 1990-91 – Derrick Coleman – 18.4 ppg, 46.7% FG, 10.3 rpg, 2.2 apg, 1.0 spg, 1.3 bpg
* 1991-92 – Larry Johnson – 19.2 ppg, 49% FG, 11.0 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.0 spg
* 1992-93 – Shaquille O’Neal – 23.4 ppg, 56.2% FG, 13.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 3.5 bpg
* 1993-94 – Chris Webber – 17.5 ppg, 55.2% FG, 9.1 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.2 spg, 2.2 bpg
* 1994-95 – Co-ROY’s Grant Hill – 19.9 ppg, 47.7% FG, 6.4 rpg, 5 apg, 1.8 spg
and Jason Kidd – 11.7 ppg, 38.5% FG, 5.4 rpg, 7.7 apg, 1.9 spg
* 1995-96 – Damon Stoudamire – 19 ppg, 39.5% FG, 4.0 rpg, 9.3 apg, 1.4 spg
* 1996-97 – Allen Iverson – 23.5 ppg, 42.6% FG, 4.1 rpg, 7.5 apg, 2.1 spg
* 1997-98 – Tim Duncan – 21.1 ppg, 54.9% FG, 11.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.5 bpg
* 1998-99 – Vince Carter – 18.3 ppg, 45% FG, 5.7 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.1 spg, 1.5 bpg
* 1999-00 – Co-MVP’s Elton Brand – 20.1 ppg, 48.2% FG, 10 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.6 bpg
and Steve Francis – 18 ppg, 44.5% FG, 5.3 rpg, 6.6 apg, 1.5 spg
* 2000-01 – Mike Miller – 11.9 ppg, 43.6% FG, 4.0 rpg, 1.7 apg
* 2001-02 – Pau Gasol – 17.6 ppg, 51.8% FG, 8.9 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.1 bpg
* 2002-03 – Amare Stoudemire – 13.5 ppg, 47.2% FG, 8.8 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.1 bpg
* 2003-04 – LeBron James – 20.5 ppg, 41.7% FG, 5.5 rpg, 5.9 apg, 1.6 spg
* 2004-05 – Emeka Okafor – 15.1 ppg, 44.7% FG, 10.9 rpg, 0.9 apg, 1.7 bpg
* 2005-06 – Chris Paul – 16.1 ppg, 43% FG, 5.1 rpg, 7.8 apg, 2.2 spg
* 2006-07 – Brandon Roy – 16.8 ppg, 45.6% FG, 4.4 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.2 spg
* 2007-08 – Kevin Durant – 20.3 ppg, 43% FG, 4.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.0 spg
Who was the best Rookie of the Year?
November 12th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
mules says:
MJ’s on top…The Admiral’s numbers are a close 2nd though
November 12th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Frank says:
MJ. no doubt.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
rob stewart says:
I would have to say Tim Duncan was the best ROY. He was well seasoned with 4 yrs of college ball and a maturity beyond his years. He also made a huge impact for that Spurs team and recieved great guidance from David Robinson. Tim Duncan proves that good things come to those that wait.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Amar says:
I’m going with Shaq on this one. MJ wasn’t triple teamed as a rookie like Shaq had to deal with. When Jordan was a rookie he was being checked by guys like Jay Humphries . . . everyone had a bounty on Shaq (like they do for Oden now), with guys like Ewing, Hakeem, D-Rob, Malone, Barkley all going at him in the paint every day of the week.
November 12th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
P_Dizzle says:
I’m going w/ Shaq. Those are some crazy numbers.
Admiral and MJ have some sick numbers.
Also, look at Mark Jackson’s 10.6 apg. That’s nuts!
Someone tell me again why Jason Kidd split ROY w/ Grant Hill?
And has anyone fallen faster from grace then “Franchise”?
November 12th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
JA says:
Robinson, then MJ/Shaq
November 12th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
jackass says:
mj admiral and AI
November 12th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Scott says:
I don’t know why, but Shaq’s 13.9 rpg mystifies me. Thats an insane number for a rookie to put up. Every can score on the list, and MJ’s scoring is impressive, but to be in your first year and do the damage that Shaq did on the boards… I dunno, seems more impressive to me. And I was originally gonna say MJ too.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:11 pm
JDigiac says:
Shaq… then Robinson/MJ
November 12th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Bondzai says:
I’m still pissed that Okafor beat out Dwight.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Scott says:
@P_Dizzle
Surprisingly, Damon Stoudamire fell from grace pretty quickly once he left Toronto. He was a mini-star that couldn’t keep it up when the team wasn’t ‘his’. After that he’s basically been a role player since. Even Franchise had more good years.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
nick says:
i still believe melo and lebron should have shared the ROY award. melo put up very similar numbers to lebron.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Its hot to be the big aristotle!!
2nd to the admiral then MJ.
Btw, who was in that mike miller class? Those are some pretty weak numbers for ROY
November 12th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
PWeezy says:
I am going with SHAQ…At the same time he had movie offers right after and a rap career LOL I think the NBA had to change the rules on dunking as well when he came no hangingon the rims after right???
November 12th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Prof. TX says:
Why is Wilt always dropped off of these kind of debates? Nobody excludes the Lakers and Celtics when talking about best franchises, or MJ when talking about the greatest of all time (who still can’t compare stats to Wilt). He redefined the game and dominated like nobody else, but writers act like he only existed for one 100-pt anomaly and never played again.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
justice says:
id say shaq mainly because i can remember the destuction, I have Tim duncan and MJ in a tie for second…Grant Hill 3rd…
the main thing with rookies is not points it’s fg% that’s how u can truly determine their impact..jordan’s shot 51% averaged 28ppg and still got 5 assists 6 reb,did any guards do that at all in the nba last year period while averaging at least 25ppg? Not even close..wtf mike is mike
1 LeBron James , CLE 30.0 .484
2 Kobe Bryant , LAL 28.3 .459
3 Allen Iverson ,DEN 26.4 .458
November 12th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
ERIC says:
1) MJ
2) Admiral
3) Shaq (even though it was the best rebound and block #’s of his career)
November 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Mamba says:
MJ for sure – though Duncan was impressive as a rook
November 12th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
justice says:
If rookie shaq and rookie duncan had, duncan would have wet back to racing michael phelps for gold…Drob would have got demolished too same for anyone on that list everything was a dunk for the guy and he was breaking the damn backboards
November 12th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
justice says:
met, went
November 12th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Bruce says:
MJ you fools………….Mike has his own sneakers.
On and Off the court!
November 12th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Sam says:
1) Shaq
2) Admiral
3) MJ
Ha, ha.. I just noticed the post above mine. Oh, well.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Drink the Haterade (KB24 Chip 09) says:
It has to be Shaq! They had to change the game of him. He was so dominant that they instituted zone defenses.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
turambur says:
@Prof TX, in Arkansas we call that the Corliss affect. When discussing the greast Razorback ballers/athletes, we almost always add the caveat “after Corliss Williamson,” simply to make it a debate.
When you start discussing great NBA players (and all you have to look at is stats and archive footage), Wilt is the hands-down winner in almost every category. So, just to provide room for some debate, Wilt gets thrown out by default.
Look at it this way, we are really debating who is 2nd best behind Wilt; but when somebody acutally comes out and says that it takes some of the passion of the conversation becuase nobody really cares who’s second best.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
LakeShow84 says:
I hate him but has anyone (besides Wilt) come from college and was that flat out dominant??
Shaq all the way.. He was so nasty it was almost unreal.. and once again, if he had shot better free throws he numbers would’ve been even better..
AND he didnt get half his foul calls cuz he was a rookie (and vets were gunnin for him).. it didnt matter though.. i still aint seen someone that fast, strong and explosive and with that size in the NBA.. probably never will..
Too bad hes a mind job..
November 12th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
P_Dizzle says:
@Scott
Yeah I forgot about Stoudamire. He and Franchise fell off the face of the earth pretty damn fast.
Duncan also has some sick numbers for a rookie.
You really have to hand it to MJ for shooting over 50% as a guard your rookie year is pretty impressive.
I would still take Shaq.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
LakeShow84 says:
CAAAANNNNN YYYOOUUUUU DDDDIIIIGGGG IIITTTT!!!!
Man i miss doing that..
November 12th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
justice says:
wilt was that dude in those times and the numbers don’t lie about his dominance, but he was never seen as the prototypical basketball player, it was jerry west then julius,magic, bird, jordan and now? i mean the logo says it all…
If i had to make a basketball player it wouldn’t be wilt as great as he was, his game had some holes…so him being first is not a giving it’s about 5 guys that can be considered arguably the greatest
November 12th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Brandon @ BB says:
1. Jordan
2. Shaq
3. Robinson
November 12th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
justice says:
given
November 12th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
srb says:
snaq attack
November 12th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Sccob says:
The Admiral was a beast before his back went bad. I’m talking about when teams used to come into San Antonio and get shut down in “Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood”. Real talk….
November 12th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Just Blaze says:
Mike, The Admiral, Shaq Daddy
November 12th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
the rocket cat says:
In terms of stats, MJ, Robinson, Shaq, Duncan, and Sampson all had pretty ridiculous years. Duncan gets points for contributing to a good team, but at the same time, you couldn’t really double him with Robinson on the floor. I think it has to be Shaq because he completely took his team on his back and the focus of any team they faced was going to be how to stop him. There was just no one else like him.
I think in recent years the rookies haven’t been as strong because they’ve all been so young. LeBron in his second season was absolutely ridiculous. Chris Paul was as well, but they just weren’t mature enough as players to really dominate in their first season.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
sans says:
Mike for sure, but Baby Shaq and the Admiral are close behind. And vote for the worst ROY representing the most futile draft in NBA history….Mike Miller and the 2000 draft class. Faux reel, you have to wal around town with your pants around your ankles if your boy beats you in 2k9 with the 00 draft class…no players on there…what the hell ever happened to Khalid el-amin anyway?
November 12th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Dagomar says:
It’s worth noting guys like Lebron came into the league as 18 year old kids fresh from high school, while Jordan and others got in as seasoned pros with a wealth of college (and/or international) experience.
That said Jordan’s numbers (and impact) are just ridiculous. If he’d kept even those numbers for his whole career people would still be talking about him as maybe the best player ever. Crazy. Shaq’s #2 for me.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
QuEsT??? says:
shaq
November 12th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
knoc says:
jordan jordan jordan
November 12th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
D A says:
Everyone, be real. It was Shaq, M.J. and then Mike Miller.. OBVIOUSLY
November 12th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Marcus says:
MJ
Shaq-Fu
Admiral
November 12th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Dodge Taylor says:
Forget who’s the best for just one second … nothing against Mike Miller because he can obviously play, but his have to be the worst ROY numbers! 12ppg on 43% shooting … 2000-2001 was obviously the anti-rookie year.
November 12th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
heartbreaker85 says:
wilt is in a level of his own, have you seen replay games of the dude? think shaq during the lakers 3peat, but only more ripped and focused, like tim’s skills with shaq’s body with kobe’s brain and shit.
shaq’s gotta be no. 1 if wilt aint in it, i saw him back in orlando and all the other big vets came at him HARD. not like today’s sissy marcus camby-dalembert-kaman on amare ish.
im talking barkley-ewing-hakeem-admiral and all those other skilled bigs in the game.
dwight howard has it easy, no one’s gonna be pushing him around. not with oden being frail and brittle and shit.
November 12th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Da man says:
Nobody talks about how many titles jordan has compared to wilt. Thats even more impressive.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Luke says:
I believe David Robinson’s numbers smackdown everybody else’s numbers. No questions asked.
November 12th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
bahama boi says:
shaq prolly had the best ….but the worst by far was mike miller……..that 00 draft year sucked ass
November 12th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Magnifico says:
Looks like it’s a toss up between MJ, David, Shaq.
Dime, can we look at players with relatively so-so rookie years then are now HOF / superstars? Kobe comes into mind.
November 13th, 2008 at 7:12 am
A$$Cube aka Boat People says:
Admiral. He has the stats to prove it AND his Spurs had the biggest W-L changeup because of a rookie to date. Till Duncan came to the League and bested this feat.
MJ is close second. Shaq is third.