Best NBA rookie seasons by age since 1980

[Fire Colangelo]

Yeeep, arbitrary cutoff at 1980 since the likes of Wilt, Oscar, Kareem etc would dominate the list.

There's probably a lot of people that I've left off, feel free to add.

My picks are bolded.

18 years old:

LeBron
Tmac
Kobe

19 years old:

Kyrie Irving
Kevin Durant
Anthony Davis
Carmelo Anthony

20 years old:

John Wall
Chris Webber
Elton Brand
Tyreke Evans
Derrick Rose
Chris Paul
Shaq
Magic

21 years old:

Iverson
Jason Kidd
Pau Gasol
Blake Griffin
Paul Pierce
Tim Duncan
Jordan

22 years old:

Vince Carter
Brandon Roy
Dwyane Wade
Steve Francis
Grant Hill
Penny
Alonzo Mourning
Larry Johnson
Hakeem

23 years old:

Derrick Coleman
Mitch Richmond
Patrick Ewing
Larry Bird

[ralph_i_el]

35 years old
Pablo Prigioni



How can Kobe POSSIBLY be on your list for best 18 year olds? 7.6 ppg on 42% shooting. How about Dwight Howard?

[G0ATbe]

18 years old:
LeBron
Tmac
Kobe

19 years old:

Kyrie Irving
Kevin Durant
Anthony Davis
Carmelo Anthony

20 years old:

John Wall
Chris Webber
Elton Brand
Tyreke Evans
Derrick Rose
Chris Paul
Shaq
Magic

21 years old:

Iverson
Jason Kidd
Pau Gasol
Blake Griffin
Paul Pierce
Tim Duncan
Jordan

22 years old:

Vince Carter
Brandon Roy
Dwyane Wade
Steve Francis
Grant Hill
Penny
Alonzo Mourning
Larry Johnson
Hakeem

23 years old:

Derrick Coleman
Mitch Richmond
Patrick Ewing
Larry Bird

[Yoda]

18 years old:
LeBron
Tmac
Kobe

[Kvnzhangyay]

35 years old
Pablo Prigioni

[Shep]

1 David Robinson 1990
2 Tim Duncan 1998
3 Shaquille O'Neal 1993
4 Michael Jordan 1985
5 Hakeem Olajuwon 1985
6 Larry Bird 1980
7 Magic Johnson 1980
8 Chris Paul 2006
9 Alonzo Mourning 1993
10 Penny Hardaway 1994

[T_L_P]

1 David Robinson 1990
2 Tim Duncan 1998
3 Shaquille O'Neal 1993
4 Michael Jordan 1985
5 Hakeem Olajuwon 1985
6 Larry Bird 1980
7 Magic Johnson 1980
8 Chris Paul 2006
9 Alonzo Mourning 1993
10 Penny Hardaway 1994

Very strong list.

Rookie D-Rob was so refined and awesome (though he was 24 years old).

It really took Shaq a season to get it together. From the games I've seen, he didn't have great defensive instincts, and iirc he was a turnover machine. That said, he was still great.

[D-FENS]

What's this based on?

Try something like this:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...t=&order_by=ws


Not exact, but base your analysis on something

[Fire Colangelo]

What's this based on?

Try something like this:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...t=&order_by=ws


Not exact, but base your analysis on something

Not really based on anything, just based on overall play of each players rookie seasons...

[T_L_P]

What's this based on?

Try something like this:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/...t=&order_by=ws


Not exact, but base your analysis on something

Top 3.

Cummings averaged 24/11/3/2/1 as a rookie.

[Fire Colangelo]

1 David Robinson 1990
2 Tim Duncan 1998
3 Shaquille O'Neal 1993
4 Michael Jordan 1985
5 Hakeem Olajuwon 1985
6 Larry Bird 1980
7 Magic Johnson 1980
8 Chris Paul 2006
9 Alonzo Mourning 1993
10 Penny Hardaway 1994

Good list, rookie Robinson beasted.

I have Larry Bird's rookie season at the top, just based on how much impact he had on that Celtics team. Magic Johnson's is up there as well winning the chip in his rookie season.

[dreamwarrior]

Glenn Robinson at 22 put up 22/6.4/2.5/1.4 on .451/.321/.796