Victor Wembanyama became the sixth player in NBA history to be a Unanimous Rookie of the Year. The other six recipients of this honor are Ralph Sampson, David Robinson, Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard, and Karl-Anthony Towns. The award was given to him at the start of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs, beating out Chet Holmgren and Brandon Miller. Victor Wembanyama could also win the Defensive Player of the Year, as he’s nominated alongside fellow French National Teamer Rudy Gobert and Bam Adebayo. All six unanimous Rookie of the Year winners should be honored, but let’s have some fun with it and rank their respective seasons.
6. Karl-Anthony Towns – 2016
The Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Karl-Anthony Towns with the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. The season didn’t start as strong as the others on this list, but he ended on fire, finishing with 18.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He set Timberwolves rookie records in points and rebounds, beating Christian Laettner and Kevin Love, respectively.
5. Ralph Sampson – 1984
The Houston Rockets drafted Ralph Sampson with the first overall pick in the 1983 NBA Draft. He made an immediate impact with the team but couldn’t elevate them to another level, as the Rockets finished in last again with a 29-53 record. Sampson made the All-Star game in his rookie season, averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds. Sampson was the first-ever unanimous Rookie of the Year.
4. Damian Lillard – 2013
The Portland Trail Blazers drafted Damian Lillard with the sixth-overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He is the only player on the list not drafted first overall, which makes his unanimous Rookie of the Year award even more improbable. When you look at his accolades, it isn’t that surprising. Lillard won every Western Conference Rookie of the Month award during the 2012-13 season and started all 82 games for the Trail Blazers. He averaged 19 points and 6.3 assists.
3. Blake Griffin – 2011Â
The Los Angeles Clippers drafted Blake Griffin with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but a broken kneecap in the Summer League caused him to miss his first season. He didn’t miss a step when he returned in 2010-11, scoring 20 points and 14 rebounds in his NBA debut against the Trail Blazers. He became the first rookie since Elton Brand in 1999-00 to average a double-double. Griffin was also the first rookie since Allen Iverson to have two 40-point games in his rookie season. He finished the year with 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds per game and his first All-Star game under his belt.
2. Victor Wembanyama – 2024
It’s a positive for the Spurs that choosing between two Spurs rookies for the No.1 spot on this list was so difficult. It’s no slight to Wembanyama that he comes in second on this list since it’s mostly because of the immediate impact that No. 1 made. Wembanyama was a star coming out of France, but people were skeptical as we’ve never seen someone with this combination of size and athleticism. Wembanyama left no doubt that he was here to stay, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game. He was the first player to average these numbers since Shaquille O’Neal in his 1999-00 MVP season. He was also the first player in NBA history with 250 blocks and 100 three-pointers. Wembanyama can add to his achievements soon, as he is a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year.
1. David Robinson – 1990Â
David Robinson was the first overall pick coming out of the Navy, but instead of playing his rookie season, he went into active duty, delaying his NBA debut. Robinson returned for the 1989-90 season, signing with the Spurs and improving their record from 21-61 to 56-26. He averaged 24.3 points and 12 rebounds, an impressive feat considering he was away from the game for two years. The one thing that may challenge Robinson for the No. 1 spot is if Wembanyama wins the Defensive Player of the Year award, as it took Robinson until his third season to earn that honor.
It’s hard to choose between Victor Wembanayama and David Robinson. However, every player on this list should be proud of their accomplishment. Regardless of where they place on the ranking, they’ve all had some of the greatest rookie seasons in NBA history.
