Legendary NBA players are often remembered because of their accomplishments in the league, both individually and as part of a team. The players are also remembered for the impact they made on the NBA court as soon as they stepped foot on the professional floor. This is why most of the legends were instantly great in their rookie seasons. But this doesn’t mean that every great player has won the Rookie of the Year Award. There are many veterans and Hall of Famers who never captured the Rookie of the Year award, but they still turned out to be impressive players. In this article, we will take a look at some great NBA players who weren’t honored as the best rookies in their classes.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant, also known as the “Black Mamba” will always be remembered as a legend in the NBA and one of the most iconic figures in the history of the LA Lakers. Bryant’s legacy is impeccable and his record with the Lakers is full of impressiveness. Although he won five NBA titles, two final MVPs, and one regular season MVP, Kobe built his basketball skills step by step after entering the league straight from high school. Bryant was just 18 years old in this debut season and averaged 7.6 points in less than 16 minutes of action per game. Allen Iverson, who was the first pick of the 1996 NBA draft, won the Rookie of the Year Award that year.
Bill Russell
Bill Russell, who has won 11 championships in 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, definitely has the most unbreakable record in NBA history. Not only this, he has also won a few titles as the team’s player and coach. Bill led the Celtics to their first NBA championship as a rookie in the 1956-57 NBA campaign and won five regular-season MVP awards in his career. However, his teammate Tom Heinsohn won the 1956-57 Rookie of the Year award. Russell averaged 14.7 points and 19.6 rebounds per game, while Heinsohn averaged 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Basketball legend Hakeem Olajuwon is arguably the best center in NBA history. Undoubtedly, Olajuwon was one of the greatest low-level offensive weapons ever seen in the NBA. He broke onto the scene as a rookie with the Houston Rockets after being selected in the 1984 NBA draft. Hakeem won two titles with the Rockets, two Finals MVPs, a regular season MVP and a few Defensive Player of the Year Awards. However, there was another legend who kept “The Dream” from winning the Rookie award. As a rookie in the 1984–85 NBA season, Olajuwon averaged 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. But Michael Jordan won the Rookie of the Year award for averaging 28.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game.
Stephen Curry
The Golden State Warriors point guard is a legend because of what he represents today. Many people think he might have won the Rookie of the Year award in his first NBA campaign, some might even think he was the highest-rated player in the draft. But surprisingly, none of this is true. The Golden Boy is a two-time MVP winner and a three-time Champion with the Warriors. Curry was the 7th pick of the 2009 NBA draft and had a good rookie year, averaging 17.5 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game. However, it was Tyreke Evans who won the Rookie Award in 2009–10 after averaging 20 points.
Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson was the first pick in the 1979 NBA draft and had an amazing rookie year that culminated with him being named Finals MVP after his exceptional performance of 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in game six of the 1980 Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Johnson won four more NBA titles, three Finals MVPs, and three regular-season MVPs. Although he won more collective trophies than his rival, Larry Bird won the Rookie of the Year award from Johnson in 1980 with 63 votes to only three for the Magic. Johnson averaged 18 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game, but Bird averaged 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game.
Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen has won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls alongside Michael Jordan, but he is an underrated player in NBA history. While any player will be underrated compared to Jordan, Pippen was an all time great player and Hall of Famer. He is one of the best small forwards of all time. But his rookie season was forgettable, as Scottie only averaged 7.9 points per game and lost the award to Mark Jackson, who averaged 13.6 points per game for the New York Knicks.
Charles Barkley
Barkley had a good rookie season with the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 14 points per game while playing 82 games. Despite being an undersized forward, Barley arrived like a strong force and gave the Sixers hope that he would be a star player one day. He was successful in doing so, but he did not win the Rookie of the Year Award. Barkley still went down as a Hall of Famer with extraordinary skills.
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