Top 5 active NBA players to win the rookie of the year award
The ceiling for an NBA player is often decided on how they fare in their rookie season. Many live up to the hype surrounding them, but a few falter. There have also been many NBA players who have not been too successful in their rookie seasons. But they improved later and won laurels, both individual and collective.
The league awards players who have terrific rookie seasons with the 'rookie of the year' honors. Players like Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Kareem- Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson are the most notable recipients of this award.
On that note, here are the top five active players to have won the rookie of the year award.
# 5 Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving was the no. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft. He was picked by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and was expected to have a great future with them. Irving impressed fans in his first season with the Cavs. He showed off some flashy moves, and appeared in highlight reels, courtesy his ankle-breaking skills.
Irving made it to the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge and scored 34 points to win the MVP honors there. He went 8-8 from the three-point range and put on a shooting spectacle for the fans. Throughout the NBA season, he played 51 games, averaging 18.7 points, 4.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. His brilliance on the court helped him win the NBA rookie of the year award that campaign.
Out of a possible 120 votes, Irving received 117 to win the honor. He was also the only player in his class to unanimously get selected into the All-NBA first team. Irving has come a long way since then, becoming an NBA champion with the Cavs. He is now known as one of the best point guards in the league.
#4 Damian Lillard
Damian Lillard was drafted sixth overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012. He has now become one of the faces of the franchise. Lillard lit up the league in his rookie season, averaging 19 points and 6.5 assists per game.
He was announced as the Western Conference rookie of the month throughout his stint there. Lillard also won the skills challenge during the All-Star weekend. That season, he became the first player after Blake Griffin (2011), David Robinson (1990) and Ralph Sampson (1984) to win the rookie of the year honors unanimously.
Lillard proved his three-point shooting ability in his rookie NBA season itself. Dame scored 185 times from beyond the arc, and was the leader amongst all rookies that year. He has only grown stronger every year. His ability to pull from the deep and score at a high volume has helped the Trail Blazers out of tough situations.