5 NBA players with the highest points per game (PPG) in their rookie season since 2000

It is always interesting to see NBA rookies develop as players. Last season, the rookie class was led by two exciting young players, LaMelo Ball (Rookie of the Year) and Anthony Edwards, the first pick of the 2020 NBA Draft.

While Ball is an all-around player on offense and earned the Rookie of the Year award with his electrifying display of passing ability and hustle, Edwards seems to have great potential as an NBA scorer. Edwards led all rookies last year, averaging 19.3 points per game in the 2020-21 season.

It is rare to see rookies putting up lots of points per game, mainly because they do not get those big chances. Some also tend to find themselves on teams that do not achieve much collectively and are naturally under the radar. This in turn means their performances do not create many headlines.

In the 2021 NBA rookie class, Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons) and Jalen Green (Houston Rockets) could be the Top 2 rookies to look out for in the upcoming campaign. It will certainly be fun to watch their on-court rivalry develop throughout the upcoming years if both fulfill expectations.

NBA rookies with the highest points per game (PPG) in a single season since 2000

We have seen some impressive rookie campaigns in NBA history, with the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld winning the NBA MVP as rookies. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan were also highly impressive in their rookie season.

In this article, we will focus on rookies with high scoring averages. We will give you five rookies with the highest points-per-game average since 2000.

Without further ado, let us start.

#5 Donovan Mitchell | Utah Jazz (2017-18)

Donovan Mitchell averaged 24.4 points as a rookie in the 2018 NBA Playoffs, leading the Utah Jazz to the second round.

Back in the 2017-18 NBA season, Donovan Mitchell had an extraordinary rookie year, leading the Utah Jazz's offense in the regular season and postseason. He had some competition for the Rookie of the Year award, however, with Ben Simmons playing in his first NBA season after missing the entire 2016-17 campaign owing to a foot injury.

Mitchell and Simmons were evenly matched in the rookie fight, but the Australian eventually took Rookie of the Year honors. Still, it was Mitchell who led all rookies in points-per-game average, with 20.5 per game, the fifth-highest by a rookie since 2000.

#4 LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-04)

LeBron James is arguably the greatest player in NBA history, and his career has been spectacular from the start. He entered the league with a bang, becoming the first pick of the stacked 2003 NBA Draft straight off high school.

In his rookie campaign, James started one of the most legendary NBA careers with an average of 20.9 points per game for the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was the fourth-highest average for a rookie since 2000, but James also showed great all-around ability on offense that has kept him dominant for 18 years.

James did not lead rookies in scoring in his first season, however. Some might even argue that there was another rookie who was more deserving of the NBA Rookie of the Year that campaign.

Who might that be?

#3 Carmelo Anthony | Denver Nuggets (2003-04)

Carmelo Anthony (right) goes up against Kobe Bryant (Photo Credit: David Zalubowski/AP/Shutterstock.)

Carmelo Anthony definitely had a great case to win the NBA Rookie of the Year award over LeBron James in the 2003-04 season. Not only did he lead all rookies in points per game with 21 per night, Anthony also had a huge impact on his team.

The Denver Nuggets had posted a 17-65 record the previous year, and were in dire straits. But with Anthony coming in and Andre Miller's free-agent signing, the team improved to a 43-39 season and made it to the NBA Playoffs.

Anthony led them in scoring and also averaged 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Ultimately, James won the NBA Rookie of the Year, but Anthony pushed him and had an excellent chance to win it himself. Both players won Rookie of the Month honors at their conferences each month during the 2003-04 NBA season.

#2 Luka Doncic | Dallas Mavericks (2018-19)

Luka Doncic of Slovenia celebrates at the 2021 Olympics

Luka Doncic has already proven to be an immensely talented player in the NBA and has established himself among the current elite of NBA talent. Back in the 2018-19 season, not many trusted Doncic's transition from playing for Real Madrid to the NBA. But the Slovenian has proved he is an incredible player right from his first NBA campaign.

Doncic averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game in his rookie year for the Dallas Mavericks. His average of 21.2 points per game ranks second among NBA rookies since 2000.

He won Rookie of the Year honors and has continued to progress on offense since then. Doncic has taken the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Playoffs twice in a row over the last two campaigns. He is likely to be in the MVP discussion soon and his offensive game has been extremely impressive so far.

#1 Blake Griffin | LA Clippers (2010-11)

Similar to the previously-mentioned case of Ben Simmons, Blake Griffin missed the entire 2009-10 season after being the first pick of the 2009 NBA Draft. In his first playing season in the league, the 2010-11 campaign, Griffin's athleticism was highly impactful among NBA fans and his display of dunks was electrifying.

In his first year with the LA Clippers, Griffin put up 22.5 points per game, the highest of any rookie since 2000. He also added 12.1 rebounds (also the highest average for a rookie since 2000) and 3.8 assists per game.