NBA
The 10 Best Rookie Seasons in NBA History
Honorable Mention
Here are rookie seasons that would make up the top 20, but narrowly miss out on the top 10.
Season | Player | Team | Win Shares per 48 | Win Shares |
---|---|---|---|---|
1979-80 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | .180 | 10.5 |
1979-80 | Larry Bird | Boston Celtics | .182 | 11.2 |
2015-16 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | .185 | 6.7 |
1977-78 | Marques Johnson | Milwaukee Bucks | .185 | 10.6 |
1977-78 | Walter Davis | Phoenix Suns | .187 | 10.1 |
1963-64 | Jerry Lucas | Cincinnati Royals | .187 | 12.7 |
1969-70 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee Bucks | .187 | 13.8 |
1997-98 | Zydrunas Ilgauskas | Cleveland Cavaliers | .189 | 9.4 |
1970-71 | Calvin Murphy | San Diego Rockets | .191 | 8.0 |