For NBA players first entering the league—especially those who were selected early in the first round of the draft—there’s a certain amount of expectations attached. Of course, even when young players burst onto the scene as rookies, they’re expected to build on that success throughout productive careers.
The following players didn’t abide by that career arc. Instead, they are the rare few whose professional careers peaked during their first year in the pros.
It’s certainly unusual for a player to post great numbers as a rookie only to falter or continue playing at the same level without much improvement. But for one reason or another, having a year of experience under their belts didn’t lead to continued improvement for these players.
Sam Bowie
Sam Bowie: Averages by Season | PointAfter
The 7’1” center who was infamously chosen No. 2 overall in the 1984 draft ahead of Michael Jordan, Sam Bowie was never better than he was for the Portland Trail Blazers as a rookie.
Although his raw stats in other seasons do trump his first-year numbers on a per-game basis, Bowie notched a career-best 5.7 win shares as a rookie while converting a career-high 53.7 percent of his field goals. He never lived up to the hype of being the second overall selection and will always be remembered in basketball lore for being picked ahead of MJ.
Clark Kellogg
Clark Kellogg: Averages by Season | PointAfter
Although Clark Kellogg is best known now as a college basketball analyst for CBS Sports, the 6’9” Ohio State University product was a great player during a brief NBA stint.
Kellogg lasted three full seasons and parts of two more (23 total games) before chronic knee problems forced him into retirement before his age-26 season. This list aimed to avoid players who peaked as rookies due to injuries or substance abuse problems cutting them down after the fact. Nevertheless, it’s noteworthy that Kellogg was at the top of his game as a 21-year-old first-year player for the Indiana Pacers.
George Mikan
George Mikan’s Numbers by Season (rebounds were not recorded until 1950-51) | PointAfter
It’s tough to say for certain that George Mikan peaked as a rookie, provided that the NBA did not track rebounds during the 1948-49 season. However, it’s safe to assume that the future Hall of Famer was still dominating the boards while averaging 28.3 points and a career-best 3.6 assists per game as a rookie.
Mikan won five championships in the BAA/NBA throughout his career, but he was essentially already at the peak of his powers from Day 1. He shot 41.6 percent from the field as a rookie, a number that dipped below 40 percent in each of his final four seasons.
Christian Laettner
Christian Laettner’s Underrated NBA Career | PointAfter
Former Duke Blue Devil Christian Laettner, who was voted the most hated college basketball player of all time by Grantland.com, will always be remembered more for his collegiate career and hitting “The Shot” against Kentucky than he will be for his playing days in the pros.
Nevertheless, Laettner was still a very solid player in the NBA. He just happened to post numbers as a rookie that he only managed to match (if not slightly outplay) once—when he was named to his only All-Star team with the Hawks in 1997.
Ray Felix
Ray Felix: Averages by Season | PointAfter
Ray Felix was selected No. 1 overall in the 1953 NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets. He spent just one season there before suiting up for the New York Knicks from 1954-1960, but it was rather easily the best campaign of his career.
The 6’11” Felix notched career bests in points, rebounds and assists per game, won Rookie of the Year honors and made the All-Star team. His career outlook was hindered from then on due to a significant dip in playing time. His per-36-minute stats in the following seasons were actually comparable to his rookie go-round, but he was never recognized as an All-Star again.
Frank Selvy
Frank Selvy’s Pronounced Rookie Peak | PointAfter
Another former No. 1 overall pick, Frank Selvy is remembered in basketball lore for being the only NCAA Division I player to score 100 points in a single game. Like Felix, Selvy was also selected by the Baltimore Bullets, who had the top pick in consecutive years (excluding territorial picks).
In split time for the Bullets and Milwaukee Hawks, Selvy averaged 19 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game (all career highs). He was named an All-Star for his efforts, a nod he wouldn’t receive again until 1961-62 when he teamed up as a solid role player with Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Rudy LaRusso and the Los Angeles Lakers. Selvy’s early years in the NBA were interrupted by military service.
Geoff Petrie
Geoff Petrie: Averages by Season | PointAfter
As a 22-year-old rookie shooting guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, Geoff Petrie won Rookie of the Year honors and was named an All-Star. Following a sophomore slump of sorts, Petrie returned to the level of play he displayed as a rookie and made his second All-Star team in 1974.
Petrie was tremendous as a rookie. And while he certainly didn’t decline in the years after, he also didn’t experience much improvement (hence the rookie peak). He retired after just six seasons as a result of a career-ending knee injury.
Bill Cartwright
Bill Cartwright’s Yearly Averages (missed 1984-85 season with a foot injury) | PointAfter
A towering 7’1” center, Bill Cartwright was taken third overall in the 1979 draft by the New York Knicks. While he missed out on Rookie of the Year (the award was given to some guy named Larry Bird), Cartwright made the All-Rookie First Team and All-Star team.
He posted similar numbers during his second year as a pro, but declined from there as a result of injuries (he suffered multiple foot fractures) and playing time (the arrival of Patrick Ewing pushed Cartwright to the bench).
Damon Stoudamire
Damon Stoudamire’s Year-to-Year Numbers | PointAfter
Unlike a multitude of NBA players over the years who improved their shooting stroke through countless hours of practice, Damon Stoudamire drained a career-best 39.5 percent of his three-pointers as a rookie and was never as good from distance again. His effective field goal percentage as a first-year player for the Toronto Raptors was 48.5 percent, also the best of his career.
Add in averages of 19 points, 9.3 assists and four rebounds per contest and the University of Arizona product was at his basketball peak right when he entered the league.
Terry Dischinger
Terry Dischinger’s ROY Campaign and Steady Decline | PointAfter
Terry Dischinger burst onto the NBA scene as a rookie with the Chicago Zephyrs by averaging 25.5 points on 51.2 percent shooting to accompany 8.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists per contest. As with many other players who peaked in their first year, Dischinger won Rookie of the Year and made the All-Star team.
Though his numbers weren’t as impressive, Dischinger earned All-Star nods in each of the next two seasons (as a member of the Baltimore Bullets and Detroit Pistons, respectively). He missed the 1965-66 and 1966-67 season while serving in the U.S. Army. By the time he returned, he didn’t play as significant of a role and saw his numbers dip accordingly.
Terry Cummings
Terry Cummings: PER Throughout Career | PointAfter
One of the best power forwards to ever play the game (certainly one of the most underrated/forgotten) is Terry Cummings. Inadvertently the second consecutive “Terry” on the list, Cummings was nothing short of brilliant as a rookie for the San Diego Clippers. He posted career bests in points, rebounds, steals, field goal percentage, true shooting percentage and PER straight out of DePaul University. Not surprisingly, he won Rookie of the Year.
Cummings was rewarded with multiple accolades after his rookie year (two All-Star appearances, one All-NBA Second Team and Third Team nod apiece). However, that first season still manages to stand out. Were it not for a severe knee injury he suffered during the offseason in 1992, Cummings could have been remembered among the all-time greats at the position.
Wes Unseld
Wes Unseld: Averages by Season | PointAfter
Wes Unseld continued to put up great numbers after his first season in the pros. However, it proved impossible to top a rookie campaign in which he won ROY honors, made the All-Star team, received an All-NBA First Team nod and took home MVP.
Unseld briefly buffed his scoring output and consistently converted a better percentage of his field goals, but it’s tough to overlook the accolade-stuffed rookie year he put together (even if winning MVP was somewhat questionable).
Walter Davis
Walter Davis, From Rebounder to Distributor, Always a Scorer | PointAfter
A 23-year-old Walter Davis poured in a career-high 24.2 points per game for the Phoenix Suns while simultaneously ripping down a career-best six rebounds per contest. He was named Rookie of the Year, an All-Star and All-NBA Second Team member for his efforts.
“Sweet D” ended up as the Suns’ all-time leading scorer as a result of prolonged consistency. And while he improved as a distributor and a slightly more efficient scorer as the years went by, his rookie campaign was clearly the peak. He notched a career-best 10.1 win shares as a first-year stud.
Earl Monroe
Earl Monroe: Averages by Season | PointAfter
Earl Monroe’s Hall of Fame NBA tenure began with a rookie campaign that was also his professional apex. He shot one of the best percentages of his career (45.3 percent), scored 24.3 points per game, dished out 4.3 assists per game and collected 5.7 rebounds per contest (easily a career best).
He was essentially rewarded for those efforts retroactively, being named to the All-Star team and All-NBA First Team during his sophomore season in the pros. He did, however, take home ROY honors as a greenhorn (like so many other players on this list).
Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans Overview | PointAfter
Tyreke Evans, the only active player to make the list, put together a stellar ROY campaign. In fact, of all players in NBA history, only Evans, Oscar Robertson, LeBron James and Michael Jordan posted at least 20-5-5 averages as rookies.
Since then, “Reke” simply hasn’t looked like the same player at any point. He was a solid contributor for the New Orleans Pelicans in 2014-15, but he hasn’t been able to match (much less build upon) his rookie numbers. Perhaps that will change in the future, but there’s little reason to put stock in that outlook from what we’ve seen since his first year in the pros. He very well might have set the bar too high.
Ralph Sampson
Ralph Sampson: PER Throughout Career | PointAfter
The svelte 7’4” Ralph Sampson was drafted No. 1 overall in 1983 by the Houston Rockets—one year prior to the franchise taking Hakeem Olajuwon with yet another No. 1 pick to create a dynamic “twin towers” tandem.
Sampson posted the best numbers of his career as “the guy” for the Rockets before “The Dream” joined the franchise. While that may seem like a no-brainer because Sampson’s usage rate was at a career high, the devil’s advocate argument would say that it’s more difficult to be at your most efficient when teams are game planning solely to stop you (not you and the other guy). Sampson continued his stellar play for two-and-a-half more seasons before injuries severely hindered his talents.
Walt Bellamy
Walt Bellamy’s Absurd Rookie Peak and Career Stats | PointAfter
Walt Bellamy was a classic “good stats, bad team” guy when suiting up for a Chicago Packers roster that went 18-62 during his rookie year. While it’s alarming that Chicago was so bad that season, Bellamy logged a ridiculous 16.3 win shares throughout the campaign (a career best and a mark that dictates exactly how much he meant to the bottom-feeding Packers).
The big man imposed his will by averaging 31.6 points and 19 rebounds per game. The only other players ever to average at least 31 points and 19 rebounds in any season are Wilt Chamberlain (who did so seven times) and Elgin Baylor (once). Not bad for a rookie.
Alvan Adams
Alvan Adams: Averages by Season | PointAfter
The key inspiration for this list (along with Bellamy), Alvan Adams’ rookie campaign included ROY honors, an All-Star nod and an NBA Finals appearance for the Phoenix Suns (the first Finals run in franchise history). After that, “The Oklahoma Kid” never received another accolade.
That didn’t mean Adams’ production fell off a cliff. In fact, his numbers actually remained quite similar throughout a 13-year career (all spent in Phoenix). But Adams’ clearly hit his peak as a rook, never taking his game to higher level. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it certainly is something you don’t see often.