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San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama was named the NBA Rookie of the Year. With his stellar first season in the league, there was no doubt he was going home with the award. What's interesting with his win is that he was voted unanimously, with 99 first-place votes.
"Wemby" just became the sixth rookie to unanimously win the award. Given the talent that the league has boasted since it started, it's perhaps surprising to find out that there have only been six players to achieve that goal.
Here's a closer look at the list of rookies who have unanimously won the Rookie of the Year award.
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6 NBA players to unanimously win ROTY award
#6. Ralph Sampson
Ralph Sampson entered the league in 1983 and wasted no time in announcing his presence. As the franchise center for the Houston Rockets, Sampson anchored the defense and led the team offensively in his first season. He averaged 21 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in his rookie campaign.
Impressively, Sampson was also named an All-Star in his rookie year. He was an All-Star in his first four years in the NBA before injuries started to derail his career. However, he's still regarded as one of the best players during that time and was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
#5. David Robinson
David Robinson breathed fresh air into the San Antonio Spurs franchise when he was drafted in 1987. But he didn't join the league until the 1989-90 season as he finished his military service. From the start, he took charge of the Spurs and gave them hope in his rookie season.
Robinson played all 82 games and unanimously earned the Rookie of the Year award. Like Sampson, he was also an All-Star in his first year, averaging 24.3 ppg, 12 rpg and 3.9 bpg.
#4. Blake Griffin
Everyone remembers how great Blake Griffin was in his rookie season. After missing an entire season with injury, he showed off why he deserved to be the top pick by the LA Clippers. He put up 22.5 ppg and 12.1 rpg in his rookie season.
With his numbers, he was named an NBA All-Star right from the start. Additionally, his high-flying acrobatics had fans' eyes glued to the game. Griffin put on a show during the 2011 All-Star break and won the Slam Dunk contest. Now retired, the former star had an unforgettable rookie season.
#3. Damian Lillard
While all the attention was on Anthony Davis back in 2012, as he was the top draft pick, Damian Lillard made sure that he was recognized as the top rookie that season. Lillard put on a show in his first year in the NBA. The point guard had 19.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 6.5 apg that year.
Lillard had multiple high-scoring nights during his rookie season and even had five games where he scored at least 30 points. He was named an All-Star the following season and never looked back ever since. Now, he's with the Milwaukee Bucks, looking for a chance to compete for a ring.
#2. Karl-Anthony Towns
Coming out of Kentucky, Karl-Anthony Towns wowed the crowds as he was an offensive monster. Towns' arrival in the league was perfect as the NBA was evolving and maximizing the 3-pointer. "KAT" showed off his brilliance with the basketball with his ability to shoot from downtown.
He finished his rookie season with 18.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg and 1.7 bpg. As a rookie, he shot 34.1% from deep. Since then, Towns has been an integral part of the Minnesota Timberwolves' future, where he ne now plays second fiddle to Anthony Edwards.
#1. Victor Wembanyama
No one thought that Victor Wembanyama could endure the physicality of the league. However, he proved everyone wrong in his rookie season alone. The 7-foot-4 center put up 21.4 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 3.9 apg and 3.6 bpg, which is the most in the entire NBA this season.
There's no doubt that the San Antonio Spurs have a bright future ahead with "Wemby" at the helm. The Frenchman's defense has also made him a finalist to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
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Notably, winning the DPOY would make him the first player in history to win both the DPOY and ROTY.
