The 25 greatest debuts from NBA rookies

Wilt has always been a statistical anomaly. This is the player who scored 100 points in a game and averaged over 40 points per game in two different seasons. Naturally, he got off to a hot start, putting up 42 points and 28 rebounds in his NBA debut back in 1959.

MCW's career ultimately peaked with his first season, during which he won the Rookie Of The Year award. He was solid all year long, averaging 16-6-6 with a couple of steals per game. Opening night was special, a win over LeBron James' Heat in which Carter-Williams had a near-quadruple-double with 22 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists, and 9 steals.

There's usually a bit of shakiness for a rookie taking an NBA court for the first time. Then there was Oscar, who went on to be one of the best players of the 1960s. He had a triple-double in his first outing (21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists), then had other ones in three of his next four games.

Thomas was a rarity in that he was named an All-Star in his first NBA season. He was one of the most consistently great point guards of the 1980s, and his start couldn't have gone any better. Powering his Pistons to a close win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Thomas had a commanding double-double with 31 points and 11 assists.

The Spurs drafted Robinson with the first pick in the 1987 NBA Draft, but it wasn't until 1989, after completing his military service, that he suited up for the team. His impact was immediate and drastic, averaging 24 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks in his ROY-winning season. In his first game, Robinson asserted himself as a dominant paint presence, racking up 17 rebounds and three blocks to go with 23 points.

There's not much to say about LeBron that hasn't already been said. As he nears the end of his 20-plus-year career, he is arguably the greatest to ever play the game. His greatness was clear from his first time on the court, when he had 25 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals on 12-of-20 shooting.

Iverson was an easy Rookie Of The Year pick in 1996-1997, putting up about 23 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals a night. Teammates Derrick Coleman and Jerry Stackhouse could easily pour in 20 points on any given night, but for his first game, Iverson took the reins. In a loss (the 22-60 76ers had plenty of those that year), he put up 30 points and 6 assists.

The 1999-00 Clippers were dismal, finishing the year with a 15-67 record. Odom, then a rookie, offered some hope for the future, though. He stuffed the stat sheet in his debut game with 30 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.

Jamaal Wilkes was the Rookie Of The Year for the 1975-75 season, but Atlanta's John Drew had a strong case, too. He averaged a double-double, scoring over 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds per game, and showed off his versatility from the start. In his first game, he had 32 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals.

Kareem ended his 20-year NBA career as one of the most tenured players to ever do it. From the very beginning, he was ready to contribute to the Milwaukee Bucks. In his debut game, Kareem, then still known by his birth name Lew Alcindor, played a full 48 minutes and took a whopping 27 shots, ending up with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Bellamy got off to as hot a start in the NBA as anybody could ask for, earning All-Star selections in his first four seasons. His rookie campaign was his strongest outing, though, averaging a cool 31 points and 19 rebounds a game. He had pretty much that in his first game (29 and 17), with a healthy dose of the scoring coming from his 15 made free throws.

Jennings proved to be solid during his four years in Milwaukee, providing about 16 points and 6 assists a night. In his first game, he looked particularly promising. In a loss, he nearly put up a triple-double, with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists.

Washington has been consistently solid since debuting in the 2019-20 season, averaging 13 points and 6 rebounds a night and not deviating far from that on a season-by-season basis. His first game made it seem like he might have been destined for greatness, though. He had a terrific all-around night, with 27 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist, steal, and block.

Banchero showed off his well-rounded game in his Rookie Of The Year season, averaging about 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. His Magic were a sub-.500 team that season, but Banchero offered a glimpse of a promising future. Right out the gate, Banchero showed he could lead an NBA squad by contributing 27 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks in his debut game.

Lillard was the face of the Trailblazers franchise for the first decade-plus of his career, and for good reason. He was consistently an All-Star-level player who offered a balance of scoring and playmaking. That was true in his first game in 2012, too, when he scored 23 points and dished out 11 assists.

Magic lost out on Rookie Of The Year to his worthy adversary, Larry Bird, but he went on to be one of the defining players of the 1980s, regardless. His rookie campaign was well-rounded, averaging about 18-7-7 with a couple of steals per game. He also powered the Lakers to a tight opening-night win over the Clippers with 26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal, and 4 blocks.

Baylor instantly became the clear leader of the Lakers upon his 1958 debut. The team was middling, but Baylor won Rookie Of The Year and was quickly becoming one of the league's best players. He made his mark early, getting 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists in his first game.

Hayes had an unbelievable rookie season, putting up 28 points and 17 rebounds a night. So, relatively speaking, he actually got off to a slow start in his debut game. It was still spectacular, though, with only 25 points and 12 rebounds.

Walton was one of the best players to have played the game in his day, but unfortunately, injuries prevented him from having the stellar professional career for which he was destined. Still, his tenure in Portland was strong, even including an MVP season. In his very first game, he really stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, 24 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks.

After missing what was meant to be his rookie season due to injury, Griffin came through in his actual first year of play. He quickly became a leader for the Clippers, forming half of a one-two scoring punch with Eric Gordon. His debut game showed that the wait was worth it, as he put up 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Shaq's arrival elevated the Magic from a 21-win team the season prior to nearly double that, 41 victories, in his rookie year. His debut night left a little to be desired on the scoring front, as he finished with just 12 points on only 8 field goal attempts. But, he established himself as an uncommon inside presence with his 18 rebounds and 3 blocks.

Davis was one of the hottest prospects of his era, earning a spot on the US Olympic team before playing a single minute in the NBA. When it came time for him to officially enter the league, though, he did so authoritatively. In his Hornets debut, he logged 21 points, 7 rebounds, a steal, and a block.

Standing at 7'6", it was clear the 76ers' rookie Bradley would be a punishing paint presence. Indeed, he was, and quickly. The stat line from his debut game is mostly pedestrian with 6 points, 5 rebounds, an assist, and a block, but he had a whopping 8 blocks.

While Okafor turned out to have an underwhelming pro career, his rookie season showed tons of promise. For the Sixers, he averaged 17 points and 7 rebounds a game. He had an exciting opening night, too, delivering 26 points, 7 rebounds, and a couple of blocks.

Gay enjoyed a lengthy career thanks to quietly being one of the most consistent players of his era, reliably producing 15-to-20 points per game for his first decade in the league. His rookie season wasn't quite that, with 10 points per contest, but he had flashes. On opening night, for instance, he netted 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks.