Fansided

5 greatest rookie seasons in NBA history

By Rich Kraetsch

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 17, 1973: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, center, of the Milwaukee Bucks reaches high over Willis Reed #19 of the New York Knicks to score 2 points of his total of 24 points during an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden on November 17, 1973 on New York. Under the basket with Abdul-Jabbar and Willis Reed is Curtis Perry of the Bucks, and Phil Jackson (#18) of the Knicks. Walt Frazier, Point Guard of the Knicks, observes the action from the left of the photograph. The New York Knicks defeated the Milwaukee Bucks by the score of 100 to 93. (Photo by Ross Lewis/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 17, 1973: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, center, of the Milwaukee Bucks reaches high over Willis Reed #19 of the New York Knicks to score 2 points of his total of 24 points during an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden on November 17, 1973 on New York. Under the basket with Abdul-Jabbar and Willis Reed is Curtis Perry of the Bucks, and Phil Jackson (#18) of the Knicks. Walt Frazier, Point Guard of the Knicks, observes the action from the left of the photograph. The New York Knicks defeated the Milwaukee Bucks by the score of 100 to 93. (Photo by Ross Lewis/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images /

4. Walt Bellamy

One of the great tragedies in NBA history is the lack of respect and admiration Walt Bellamy receives. Whether due to his career never quite reaching the peaks of his rookie season or his lack of a true home — Bellamy was drafted by the Chicago Packers (today’s Washington Wizards) — the dynamic scorer never seems to get his due.

Drafted first overall by the Packers in 1961, Bellamy averaged 31.6 points per game, second all-time to Wilt Chamberlain’s insane 37.6 points per game. Bellamy also nabbed 19.0 rebounds per game, third-best all-time (behind only Chamberlain’s equally insane 27.0 and Bill Russell’s 19.6).

Bellamy was the easy pick for 1962 NBA Rookie of the Year, perfectly capping off a run of Rookie of the Year winners that included Chamberlain (1960) and Oscar Robertson (1961).

While Bellamy led the NBA in field goal percentage (51.9 percent), he did little to help the sorry Chicago Packers as they finished the season 18-62. Still, Bellamy’s rookie campaign stands as statistically one of the best ever.

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