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The rookie season is considered one of the most important years for any player in the NBA. A good debut season can sometimes determine what a player's future in the league will be like.
Stars like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant are some of the players who had great debut seasons as rookies in the league.
5 NBA stars who were successful despite a poor rookie season
Having said that, not all great NBA players had the best rookie seasons. They initially struggled to get off the mark but ultimately figured out a way to become the very best in the business.
On that note, we take a look at five players who prospered despite a poor start to their NBA careers.
#1 Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is one of the few players who came into the NBA straight out of high school. He was selected 13th overall in the 1996 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets, who traded him to the LA Lakers on the same night.
The move turned out to be fruitful for the Lakers for years to come, as the "Black Mamba" went on to win five championships for them.
Despite his legendary status today, Bryant did not have the best of rookie seasons. He was just 18 years old during his debut NBA season. He averaged a mere 7.6 points, 1.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game during his first year in the league. He played 71 games that season, starting six times, averaging 15.5 minutes per game.
Kobe Bryant went on to become one of the best players in the history of the NBA. He won five world championships, one league MVP award, two finals MVP awards, and 4 All-Star game MVP awards, while also getting 18 All-Star selections and multiple All-NBA first-team selections during his 20-year career.
#2 Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard was selected 15th overall in the 2011 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers. He was then drafted to the San Antonio Spurs, where he played his debut season.
In his rookie season, "The Klaw" didn't perform as well as he did in the subsequent years. He played a decent 24 minutes per contest but averaged just 7.9 points, 1.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game.
However, Leonard eventually found the balance he needed to become one of the best two-way players the league has ever seen. He started making more of an impact on the offensive end and improved his scoring numbers while maintaining his defensive game as well.
Kawhi went on to win two NBA championships, two Defensive Player of the Year awards and two Finals MVP awards, while also getting two All-NBA first-team selections.
#3 Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki is regarded as one of the best European players in the NBA. He is the only player in the history of the league to play for one franchise for 21 seasons. He was selected ninth overall in the 1998 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on the same night.
Nowitzki achieved a lot with the Mavericks, leading them to their first NBA finals appearance in 2006 and the only NBA championship win in 2011. He was the first European to win a league MVP award and start an All-Star game.
However, Nowitzki did not have the best of rookie seasons. He averaged 8.2 points, 1 assist, and 3.4 rebounds per game, despite starting 24 of the 47 games he played that year.
Dirk initially found it tough to compete against players of his size and lost duels easily. However, he eventually turned out to be one of the best players in the history of the game.
#4 James Harden
James Harden is one of the best players in the NBA at the moment. He was selected third overall by the OKC Thunder in the 2009 NBA draft.
The Beard is currently known as one of the best ball-handlers and scorers in the league. However, he did not have the best start to his career.
In his rookie season, Harden averaged 22.9 minutes, 9.9 points, 1.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds per contest while shooting just 40.3% from the field.
However, that did not stop him from winning multiple individual awards in the NBA later in his career. He won the league MVP award in 2018, won the scoring title in three consecutive seasons from 2017-18 to 2019-2020 and got selected in six All-NBA first-teams as well as eight consecutive All-Star game selections.
#5 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo made his debut in the 2013-14 season with the Milwaukee Bucks and still plays for the franchise.
His rookie season wasn't impressive at all. He averaged a mere 6.8 points, 1.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds per contest in his debut season in the NBA.
However, the "Greek Freak" improved his game to become one of the best players in the league. He won the Most Improved Player of the Year Award in 2017 and hasn't looked back since, winning two consecutive MVP awards and a DPOY award last season.
