Ranking the Best NBA Rookie Seasons Since 2000
Putting together an excellent rookie year doesn't guarantee long-term success, but it should be no surprise many of the NBA's biggest stars thrived immediately.
Since 2000, the league's best full-season debuts have included LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving and many regular All-Stars.
In most cases, it's simply a top-rated prospect living up to his billing. Every player highlighted was a top-four selection in his draft class, including five No. 1 overall picks.
To be eligible for consideration, players must have appeared in a minimum of 50 games. Notable rookies who missed that mark are Zion Williamson (2019-20) and Joel Embiid (2016-17). Factors for the list include total production and efficiency metrics. Awards and team success may be mentioned but have no effect.
Honorable Mentions
- Yao Ming, Houston Rockets (2002-03)
- Amar'e Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns (2002-03)
- Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets (2003-04)
- Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic (2004-05)
- Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers (2006-07)
- Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings (2009-10)
- John Wall, Washington Wizards (2010-11)
- Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13)
- Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks (2015-16)
- Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz (2017-18)
- Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics (2017-18)
- Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks (2018-19)
- Ja Morant (2019-20)
8. Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies (2001-02)
Selected third overall in 2001, Pau Gasol opened his career with the Memphis Grizzlies after a draft-day trade.
The 7-footer showcased a sensational all-around game, averaging 17.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.1 blocks. He generated 7.6 win shares and won Rookie of the Year. His 169 total blocks lead all rookies since 2000.
"You still haven't seen what Pau Gasol can do," Grizzlies head coach Sidney Lowe said at the time. "He's got so much ability."
Gasol proved his coach correct, making four All-NBA teams and winning two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.
7. Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves (2015-16)
Although the Minnesota Timberwolves only notched 29 wins in Karl-Anthony Towns' rookie year, it nearly doubled the 16 of the previous year. KAT played a pivotal role in that improvement.
Towns collected 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 blocks per game, shooting 54.2 percent from the floor and hitting 34.1 percent of his threes. Among players who fit the criteria, he's the only rookie who averaged 1.5 blocks and hit 34-plus percent of threes.
That unique versatility helped Towns finish with 8.3 win shares and become the fifth-ever unanimous Rookie of the Year.
6. Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers (2011-12)
As the Cleveland Cavaliers tried to recover from losing LeBron James to the Miami Heat, a fortunate bounce of a ping-pong ball secured the No. 1 pick of the 2011 draft. And eventually, Kyrie Irving, selected out of Duke with that pick, hit the shot to seal the franchise's first-ever championship.
But his tenure started with a Rookie of the Year campaign.
Irving recorded 18.5 points and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 46.9 percent overall and 39.9 percent from three. Among qualified players, only he and Stephen Curry have averaged 15 points and five assists with a true shooting percentage of 56 percent or better.
Overall, Irving made 51 appearances and tallied 4.1 win shares in the strike-shortened season.
5. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-04)
Eight years before Irving won Rookie of the Year in Cleveland, the most hyped player in NBA history earned the trophy.
LeBron James, billed as the Chosen One, impressed most with his ability to create on offense. He averaged 20.9 points and 5.9 assists while adding 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. He notched 5.1 win shares.
Interestingly enough, that excellence didn't endear LeBron to his teammates.
"Their egos wouldn't allow it," then-Cavs head coach Paul Silas told ESPN's Jackie MacMullan years later. "I kept telling them, 'You have a chance to help one of the game's future stars,' but they wouldn't embrace him. ... We won 35 games that year because of him. He's had some outstanding seasons since then, but that first one may have been the most impressive because of how he excelled in spite of the jealousy on his own team."
4. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks (2018-19)
Despite winning EuroLeague MVP as a teenager, Luka Doncic lasted until the No. 3 pick of the 2018 NBA draft, at which point the Dallas Mavericks acquired him in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks.
And the Mavs are awfully thankful for it.
Doncic provided immense all-around value with 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He tallied 4.9 win shares and beat out Trae Young, who the Hawks acquired in the draft-day trade, for Rookie of the Year.
What keeps Doncic a bit lower is a 42.7 field-goal percentage, but he anchored the Mavs as a rookie and excelled.
3. Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets (2005-06)
Chris Paul made a substantial impact on the New Orleans Hornets, propelling them from an 18-64 record to 38-44. It was a difficult year, though, since the Hornets played most of the season in Oklahoma City due to Hurricane Katrina.
The unique season galvanized the team for future years, but Paul's presence was undoubtedly the most important part.
The point guard from Wake Forest averaged 16.1 points, 7.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 steals. No other rookie since 2000 has provided 15/5/5/2, and his 10.4 win shares lead all eligible players.
Similar to Doncic, Paul struggled with efficiency (43.0 percent overall and 28.2 percent from three), but he was a more valuable defender.
2. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers (2017-18)
Though the Philadelphia 76ers selected Ben Simmons with the first pick of the 2016 draft, a foot injury sidelined him that season. He finally made his NBA debut in 2017-18.
Simmons was worth the wait.
Because of his 6'10" size as a lead ball-handler, he drew loose comparisons to LeBron and Magic Johnson. Simmons responded to the praise with 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. He amassed 9.2 win shares and helped the Sixers reach the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Despite his nonexistent shooting range, Simmons stood out as a dynamic two-way player in his first season.
1. Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers (2010-11)
Now that a decade has passed, it's easy to underestimate just how effective Blake Griffin was as a rookie.
Just as Simmons missed 2016-17 with injury, Griffin sat out 2009-10 because of knee surgery. Once he stepped on the floor, however, the Los Angeles Clippers didn't want to take him off. Only three rookies since 2000 have averaged more minutes than Griffin's 38.0.
And he absolutely stuffed the stat sheet.
Griffin racked up 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game and converted 50.6 of his shots. Forget rookies; only Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis have comparable years in the last two decades.
As a rookie, Blake matched some of the best seasons of future Hall of Famers and, at worst, consistent All-NBA players.
All stats, unless otherwise indicated, courtesy of Basketball Reference or Stathead.