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 Ross Lewis/Getty Images
Photo by Ross Lewis/Getty Images /

2. Lew Alcindor

For 20 seasons, Lew Alcindor was a near-unstoppable force with few peers. This began in 1969-70 when Alcindor, fresh out of UCLA, was drafted first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. The second-year franchise needed a boost of talent after winning just 22 games in its inaugural season.

The Bucks got that in the form of Alcindor, a dynamic center who could score seemingly at will. He hit the ground running, helping them improve to 56 wins, all while finishing second in the league in scoring (28.8 points per game) and third in rebounds (14.5 rebounds per game). Alcindor also led the league in field goals made, a testament to just how great he was from the start. Some rookies need to adjust to the new league and the speed of professional basketball.

Not Alcindor.

The future Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his NBA debut. For the next 82 games, Alcindor would never score fewer than 13 points in a game and nine times eclipsed 40 points (including one 50-point game).

Few rookies make as much of an immediate impact on their team and the league as Alcindor. By the next season, he’d make the Bucks champions, but in his debut year, he set the stage for one of the greatest NBA careers of all time.

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