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The NBA, established in 1947-48 as what was then just a small inter-city fairs' league, has risen to become the best-spread sports league across the world. Although there are four major American sports that dominate their advertising and television markets, the NBA's following is much more global than that of the competing NFL, MLB and NHL.
The rise of television as a global entertainment tool coincided with the American rise in the league's popularity in the '80s, as the Bird-Magic duo were able to restablish the age-old West Coast and East Coast rivalry in good spirits. Michael Jordan's debut in 1984 changed norms over their head, both from a professional player's obligations' end and from the commercial end.
Nike paid a measly seven-year, $90 million but build an entire basketball brand out of the fiery Jordan personality, which is something players in the league even today are in awe of. His Airness is cashing cheques by the billion in the game that he loves the most, but his sophomore season was one that left some things to be desired. Here, we take a look at some phenomenal second-season display by legends of the league.
#1 Wilt Chamberlain
It's one thing to be part of an exhibition team that plays basketball for fun, but its quite another when said team is the damned Harlem Globetrotters, an outfit famed for making a mockery of their opponents en route to their wins.
This was Wilt's background before entering the NBA, and he did so to some tumultuous aplomb. In his rookie season, he won League MVP honours by averaging 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds per game - mind-bogglingly high figures that only he ever succeeded in matching (although the pacing of the era was a bit too much to be considered pro in these times).
Wilt's second season also saw him put in another MVP-like shift for the Philadelphia Warriors, as he converted 50.9% of his field goal attempts while averaging 38.4 points per game and 27.2 rebounds per game. Although he mostly got edged out by the Celtics' superior talent, Wilt was recognized universally as his generation's most unstoppable single talent.
#2 Oscar Robertson
In an era when guard play was given its least importance thru the course of basketball history, the Big O's statistical marvels and achievements have left the kind of trail that is unlikely to be heavily treaded on in the future.
For one thing, the gentleman averaged practically a triple-double when accounting for the first five seasons of his NBA career, and he did so in a league which was heavily polarized towards the big men in terms of rules, with no existence of the three-point line and a narrower foul lane than today.
Through his second season, Oscar averaged a dizzying 30.8 points, 12.8 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game while leading the Royals into the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was a veritable pity that Oscar did not have a single teammate close to his level, as they faced inevitable elimination year after year during those Celtics' years, and that decade is mostly remembered in the shamrock greens worn by Bostonians.
#3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Modern television and a culture of school basketball being honored beyond its contribution aside, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the most finished basketball product ever to set foot on an NBA court. From his first second up until late in the Celtics-Lakers' rivalry, Jabbar was the most dominant basketball player on the planet, and this can be borne out from various accounts of journalists from his time.
They outlawed dunking in college basketball to reduce his superiority, but KAJ came into the NBA on the back of an 88-2 record for John Wooden's UCLA teams. He continued in the same vein in the league, and during his second NBA season, he won MVP honours, the scoring title and the Finals MVP award as the Milwaukee Bucks secured their franchise's first ever championship trophy (and till date, their only Finals appearance).
Jabbar averaged a league-high 31.7 points in the regular season, and due to the nature of their blowout wins, 26.6 ppg in the playoffs on top of 17 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
#4 Julius 'Dr. J' Erving
Dr. J was the first ball player who helped to popularize a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and playing above the rim.
Through his career at the ABA and the NBA, Erving helped legitimize the American Basketball Association (ABA) and was its best-known player in pre-merger into the National Basketball Association (NBA) following the 1975–76 season.
While the likes of Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and to some degree, David Thompson performed spectacular dunks before or during Erving's time, Erving brought the practice into the mainstream. His signature move was the "slam" dunk, since incorporated into the vernacular and basic skill set of the game in the same manner as the "crossover" dribble and the "no look" pass.
During his sophomore basketball season, Erving led the ABA in points per game at 31.8 ppg, converting 49.6% of his field goal attempts while snagging 12.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
#5 Larry Bird
Only once or twice in a generation does a player come around who can be genuinely acknowledged as the top talent of his decade, and so does the case of Larry Bird and his Indiana shovelling roots. Born to a poor, disadvantaged, orthodox Christian family, Bird's uncanny ability to put the 29.5" ball into the hoop.
For 13 seasons with the Boston Celtics, from 1979-80 through 1991-92, Bird personified hustle, consistency and excellence in all areas of play -- as a scorer, a passer, a rebounder, a defender, a team player, and, perhaps above all, as a clutch performer. Bird was so self-confident that he was known to waltz up to the opponents' bench before tipoff and predict a 40-point performance for himself.
Regularly regarded as the league's best trashtalker even with the advent of #23, Bird's second-year achievements speak for themselves. While he didn't win Finals MVP during the Cs' championship run, it was beyond any fan's doubt that the traditional Lakers/Celtics rivalry had come alive.
His second season averages are as follows:
21.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.8 blocks per game
#6 Michael Jordan
It wasn't quite much of a season to speak of - MJ's second in the league. Early on, His Airness suffered a foot injury that troubled him till the end of the season. In fact, so much was the pain that his trainers were unsure whether to 'risk' playing him in that season and lose his talents forever, but the ever-yappy Jordan saw to it that his chance to play the historic Celtics' squad of 86 would not be denied.
Recovering in time for the playoffs and getting ready with a few 'dead rubber' or 'warm-up' regular season games, Jordan proceeded to display the best elimination performance by any single player in NBA history.
In Game 2 of the 1986 Eastern Conference Playoffs, Round 1, Jordan drove and drove and shot his way to a record 63 points, even as the Chicago Bulls lost the game in double-overtime by a 135-131 margin. It was a performance for the ages, given by a timeless man.
#7 Shaquille O'Neal
Few young centers in NBA history have started off their careers at the pace at which Shaq hitt the ground running in the league. It may suffice to say that while he never exceeded his rebounding averages from his rookie year, his dominance only grew by each pound that the put on in the league. O'Neal was fated to go No. 1 overall whenever he declared his eligibility, such was his obvious physical prowess in the college game.
O'Neal's second season was a tumultuous one. He succeeded in establishing a connection with the team's young and dynamic swingman Penny Hardaway, and the duo were looked upon as the league's future during a time when Michael Jordan's shock first retirement from the game were still letting its effects be known.
Shaq's second season averages of 29.3 points and 13.3 rebounds at 59.9% field goal percentage could only belong to GOAT-level conversations, no less.
#8 LeBron James
Deus Ex-Machina from Akron, Ohio, as I like to call him, has adapted what I consider to be the premium injury-avoidance training techniques. Oh, and unlike what people may have branded him at the start of his career (a bulldozer who could only drive-and-kick when double-teamed). LeBron managed to adapt his style to the pace and rigours of modern NBA basketball and is now a wiling shooter for whatever system that he's placed in.
The Master of Alll Swiss basketball trades in the bag today, James' legacy in the game is already secure as the best player over the past decade, when he's also won three championships and moved three franchises in doing so. At the twilight of his career, he's pawning off responsibility to each of his teammates, who basically worship the earth that he walks on.
During his second season, Bron's breathtaking averages were in line with those of his career averages: 27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game.
#9 Luka Doncic
The Slovenian 20-year-old was considered an upstart not farther than two years back. He did not hesitate to trash talk European players and gianst of the likes of Dirk Nowitzki, and displayed an even temperament that endeared him to people who watch the sport both for the competitive component as well as for the skill component.
Born to a basketball family (father Sasa was a national team player), Luka's journey in basketball began early, leading him to eventually playing 2 seasons in the Euroleague and being crowned MVP in the world's second best league at the age of 19.
When it became clear that he belonged in the NBA already, Luka was invited by every team for a tryout, but Mark Cuban sealed his deal by trading up to pick him in the 2018 NBA draft.
Luka's Rookie of the Year season was in a skill class of its own, but now that he has athletic big men on his squad who also spread the floor well for him, he's fully getting into a groove that nobody else down this list was able to command.
He's averaging practically a 30-point triple-double while making all the Mavs around him better whenever he's on court. Doncic is a true sight to behold, and my 6-week ballot for MVP in the league.
Averages of 30 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists per game while keeping the Mavs' a relevant playoff force is something even prime Dirk wasn't capable of.
Guess the Lakers players!
