NBA Rookie of the Year winners by draft pick
No. 1 picks have won it 25 times and No. 2 picks 16, so 59 of the 77 winners were top-five picks. Four of the No. 1 picks were drafted before 1966, among them Oscar Robertson, a territorial pick who also counts as 1960's first choice. From 1966 to 2025, 21 of the 60 No. 1 picks won it, as our study of every No. 1 pick found, and 11 of the 28 winners since 1999-2000 went first overall.
- Lowest picks: Woody Sauldsberry of the Philadelphia Warriors, taken 60th in the eighth round in 1957, and Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks, 36th in 2016, the only winner from outside the first round since Willis Reed in 1964-65.
- Territorial picks: Tom Heinsohn, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry Lucas, taken before the draft.
- Delayed debuts: Lucas, Larry Bird, David Robinson, Blake Griffin and Ben Simmons first played at least a year after being drafted; Robinson had Navy commitments.
NBA Rookie of the Year winners list by year
Winners come from NBA.com's list, checked against Wikipedia's page on the award; we added each winner's draft slot, school and team record.
| Season | Rookie of the Year | Team | Pick | College or club | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Cooper Flagg | Dallas Mavericks | 1 | Duke | 26-56 |
| 2024-25 | Stephon Castle | San Antonio Spurs | 4 | UConn | 34-48 |
| 2023-24 | Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | 1 | Metropolitans 92 | 22-60 |
| 2022-23 | Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic | 1 | Duke | 34-48 |
| 2021-22 | Scottie Barnes | Toronto Raptors | 4 | Florida State | 48-34 |
| 2020-21 | LaMelo Ball | Charlotte Hornets | 3 | Illawarra Hawks | 33-39 |
| 2019-20 | Ja Morant | Memphis Grizzlies | 2 | Murray State | 34-39 |
| 2018-19 | Luka Dončić | Dallas Mavericks | 3 | Real Madrid | 33-49 |
| 2017-18 | Ben Simmons | Philadelphia 76ers | 1 | LSU | 52-30 |
| 2016-17 | Malcolm Brogdon | Milwaukee Bucks | 36 | Virginia | 42-40 |
| 2015-16 | Karl-Anthony Towns | Minnesota Timberwolves | 1 | Kentucky | 29-53 |
| 2014-15 | Andrew Wiggins | Minnesota Timberwolves | 1 | Kansas | 16-66 |
| 2013-14 | Michael Carter-Williams | Philadelphia 76ers | 11 | Syracuse | 19-63 |
| 2012-13 | Damian Lillard | Portland Trail Blazers | 6 | Weber State | 33-49 |
| 2011-12 | Kyrie Irving | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 | Duke | 21-45 |
| 2010-11 | Blake Griffin | Los Angeles Clippers | 1 | Oklahoma | 32-50 |
| 2009-10 | Tyreke Evans | Sacramento Kings | 4 | Memphis | 25-57 |
| 2008-09 | Derrick Rose | Chicago Bulls | 1 | Memphis | 41-41 |
| 2007-08 | Kevin Durant | Seattle SuperSonics | 2 | Texas | 20-62 |
| 2006-07 | Brandon Roy | Portland Trail Blazers | 6 | Washington | 32-50 |
| 2005-06 | Chris Paul | New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets | 4 | Wake Forest | 38-44 |
| 2004-05 | Emeka Okafor | Charlotte Bobcats | 2 | UConn | 18-64 |
| 2003-04 | LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 | St. Vincent–St. Mary HS | 35-47 |
| 2002-03 | Amar'e Stoudemire | Phoenix Suns | 9 | Cypress Creek HS | 44-38 |
| 2001-02 | Pau Gasol | Memphis Grizzlies | 3 | FC Barcelona | 23-59 |
| 2000-01 | Mike Miller | Orlando Magic | 5 | Florida | 43-39 |
| 1999-00 | Elton Brand | Chicago Bulls | 1 | Duke | 17-65 |
| 1999-00 | Steve Francis | Houston Rockets | 2 | Maryland | 34-48 |
| 1998-99 | Vince Carter | Toronto Raptors | 5 | North Carolina | 23-27 |
| 1997-98 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | 1 | Wake Forest | 56-26 |
| 1996-97 | Allen Iverson | Philadelphia 76ers | 1 | Georgetown | 22-60 |
| 1995-96 | Damon Stoudamire | Toronto Raptors | 7 | Arizona | 21-61 |
| 1994-95 | Grant Hill | Detroit Pistons | 3 | Duke | 28-54 |
| 1994-95 | Jason Kidd | Dallas Mavericks | 2 | California | 36-46 |
| 1993-94 | Chris Webber | Golden State Warriors | 1 | Michigan | 50-32 |
| 1992-93 | Shaquille O'Neal | Orlando Magic | 1 | LSU | 41-41 |
| 1991-92 | Larry Johnson | Charlotte Hornets | 1 | UNLV | 31-51 |
| 1990-91 | Derrick Coleman | New Jersey Nets | 1 | Syracuse | 26-56 |
| 1989-90 | David Robinson | San Antonio Spurs | 1 | Navy | 56-26 |
| 1988-89 | Mitch Richmond | Golden State Warriors | 5 | Kansas State | 43-39 |
| 1987-88 | Mark Jackson | New York Knicks | 18 | St. John's | 38-44 |
| 1986-87 | Chuck Person | Indiana Pacers | 4 | Auburn | 41-41 |
| 1985-86 | Patrick Ewing | New York Knicks | 1 | Georgetown | 23-59 |
| 1984-85 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 3 | North Carolina | 38-44 |
| 1983-84 | Ralph Sampson | Houston Rockets | 1 | Virginia | 29-53 |
| 1982-83 | Terry Cummings | San Diego Clippers | 2 | DePaul | 25-57 |
| 1981-82 | Buck Williams | New Jersey Nets | 3 | Maryland | 44-38 |
| 1980-81 | Darrell Griffith | Utah Jazz | 2 | Louisville | 28-54 |
| 1979-80 | Larry Bird | Boston Celtics | 6 | Indiana State | 61-21 |
| 1978-79 | Phil Ford | Kansas City Kings | 2 | North Carolina | 48-34 |
| 1977-78 | Walter Davis | Phoenix Suns | 5 | North Carolina | 49-33 |
| 1976-77 | Adrian Dantley | Buffalo Braves | 6 | Notre Dame | 30-52 |
| 1975-76 | Alvan Adams | Phoenix Suns | 4 | Oklahoma | 42-40 |
| 1974-75 | Jamaal Wilkes | Golden State Warriors | 11 | UCLA | 48-34 |
| 1973-74 | Ernie DiGregorio | Buffalo Braves | 3 | Providence | 42-40 |
| 1972-73 | Bob McAdoo | Buffalo Braves | 2 | North Carolina | 21-61 |
| 1971-72 | Sidney Wicks | Portland Trail Blazers | 2 | UCLA | 18-64 |
| 1970-71 | Dave Cowens | Boston Celtics | 4 | Florida State | 44-38 |
| 1970-71 | Geoff Petrie | Portland Trail Blazers | 8 | Princeton | 29-53 |
| 1969-70 | Lew Alcindor | Milwaukee Bucks | 1 | UCLA | 56-26 |
| 1968-69 | Wes Unseld | Baltimore Bullets | 2 | Louisville | 57-25 |
| 1967-68 | Earl Monroe | Baltimore Bullets | 2 | Winston-Salem State | 36-46 |
| 1966-67 | Dave Bing | Detroit Pistons | 2 | Syracuse | 30-51 |
| 1965-66 | Rick Barry | San Francisco Warriors | 2 | Miami (FL) | 35-45 |
| 1964-65 | Willis Reed | New York Knicks | 8 | Grambling | 31-49 |
| 1963-64 | Jerry Lucas | Cincinnati Royals | T | Ohio State | 55-25 |
| 1962-63 | Terry Dischinger | Chicago Zephyrs | 8 | Purdue | 25-55 |
| 1961-62 | Walt Bellamy | Chicago Packers | 1 | Indiana | 18-62 |
| 1960-61 | Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati Royals | 1 | Cincinnati | 33-46 |
| 1959-60 | Wilt Chamberlain | Philadelphia Warriors | T | Kansas | 49-26 |
| 1958-59 | Elgin Baylor | Minneapolis Lakers | 1 | Seattle | 33-39 |
| 1957-58 | Woody Sauldsberry | Philadelphia Warriors | 60 | Texas Southern | 37-35 |
| 1956-57 | Tom Heinsohn | Boston Celtics | T | Holy Cross | 44-28 |
| 1955-56 | Maurice Stokes | Rochester Royals | 2 | Saint Francis (PA) | 31-41 |
| 1954-55 | Bob Pettit | Milwaukee Hawks | 2 | LSU | 26-46 |
| 1953-54 | Ray Felix | Baltimore Bullets | 1 | LIU | 16-56 |
| 1952-53 | Don Meineke | Fort Wayne Pistons | 12 | Dayton | 36-33 |
Unanimous and shared Rookie of the Year awards
Six winners got every first-place vote: Ralph Sampson in 1983-84, Robinson in 1989-90, Griffin in 2010-11, Damian Lillard in 2012-13, Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015-16 and Victor Wembanyama in 2023-24. NBA Communications lists the first five; all but Lillard, the No. 6 pick, went first overall.
The award was shared three times: by Dave Cowens and Geoff Petrie in 1970-71, Grant Hill and Jason Kidd in 1994-95, and Elton Brand and Steve Francis in 1999-2000. A franchise has had winners in back-to-back seasons six times, most recently the San Antonio Spurs, with Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
Rookies of the Year by position, college and country
By the first position Wikipedia lists, 32 winners were forwards, 29 guards and 16 centers. Centers won 8 of the 21 awards from 1959-60 to 1978-79 but only 3 of the 28 since 1999-2000: Emeka Okafor, Towns and Wembanyama. Guards won 7 of the 10 from 2009-10 to 2018-19.
Duke and North Carolina have produced five winners each, Flagg the fifth from Duke after Hill, Brand, Kyrie Irving and Paolo Banchero; LSU, Syracuse and UCLA have three. Seventy-one winners played US college basketball, LeBron James and Amar'e Stoudemire came straight from high school, and Pau Gasol, Luka Dončić, LaMelo Ball and Wembanyama from professional clubs abroad. Seven were born outside the United States: Patrick Ewing in Jamaica, Gasol in Spain, Irving and Simmons in Australia, Andrew Wiggins in Canada, Dončić in Slovenia and Wembanyama in France.
How many Rookies of the Year made the Hall of Fame or won MVP
- Hall of Fame: 34 have been elected as players: 32 of the 51 who won it by 1999-2000, plus Gasol in 2023 and Stoudemire in the class of 2026.
- MVP: 17 won it 36 times, half of the 71 awards since 1955-56. Chamberlain, in 1959-60, and Wes Unseld of the Baltimore Bullets, in 1968-69, were MVP as rookies; the last winner to become MVP was Kevin Durant, in 2013-14.
- Titles: 28 won at least one, 68 in all, led by Heinsohn's eight with the Celtics. Eleven were Finals MVP, as our list of Finals MVPs shows.
Heinsohn, in 1956-57, and Jamaal Wilkes, with the 1974-75 Golden State Warriors, won the title in their award season. Magic Johnson won the 1980 title and Finals MVP as a rookie, but Bird was Rookie of the Year. For league MVPs, see how often the MVP wins the title.
How the Rookie of the Year's team did that season
Usually badly. The winners' teams won a median 42.7 percent of their games and made the playoffs 28 times; at the rate of all teams in those seasons they would have made it about 45 times. Since 1999-2000 only 6 of 28 did, and the last four winners' teams all missed, after Scottie Barnes' Toronto Raptors went 48-34 in 2021-22.
Most still got better: of the 73 teams with a season to compare, 58 improved. The biggest jumps came with Tim Duncan's 1997-98 Spurs (20-62 to 56-26), Robinson's 1989-90 Spurs (21-61 to 56-26) and Bird's 1979-80 Celtics (29-53 to 61-21, the best record of any winner's team), all in our list of the biggest turnarounds. The worst was Wiggins' 2014-15 Timberwolves, 16-66 and last in the league.
The Warriors have had the most winners, six, from Sauldsberry to Chris Webber; the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat have never had one.
Youngest and oldest NBA Rookies of the Year
Counting age on the last day of the regular season, as the NBA does, James was the youngest winner, 19 years and 106 days old in 2003-04, and Flagg is second at 19 years and 112 days. Durant and Ball also won it as teenagers. Robinson was the oldest, at 24 years and 259 days, ahead of Elgin Baylor in 1958-59 and Brogdon; the median winner was 22.
Cooper Flagg and the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year vote
Flagg led all rookies with 21.0 points a game in 70 games and scored 51 against the Orlando Magic on April 3, the youngest player with 50 in a game, NBA Communications noted. He beat his Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets, the No. 4 pick, by 26 points in a vote of 100 media members, the second-smallest margin since 2002-03; VJ Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers was third. The Mavericks went 26-56.
The 2026-27 regular season began on October 20 and ends on April 11, 2027, the league's schedule shows. The NBA schedule lists every game and the NBA simulator plays out the season.
NBA Rookie of the Year: frequently asked questions
Who won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2026? Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks, the No. 1 pick in 2025, 26 points ahead of Kon Knueppel of the Charlotte Hornets.
Who was the first NBA Rookie of the Year? Don Meineke of the Fort Wayne Pistons, in 1952-53.
Who is the youngest NBA Rookie of the Year? LeBron James, at 19 years and 106 days in 2003-04. Cooper Flagg is second.
Has a Rookie of the Year also won MVP in the same season? Twice: Wilt Chamberlain in 1959-60 and Wes Unseld in 1968-69.
How this was built: the 77 winners from 1952-53 to 2025-26 are NBA.com's list, checked against Wikipedia's page on the award, read on Nov. 2, 2026. Draft slots, schools, birth dates and titles come from each winner's Wikipedia page and the draft pages, MVPs from NBA.com and Hall of Fame classes from Wikipedia. Team records are NBA.com's standings from 1955-56 and Wikipedia's before; playoff teams come from our study of playoff droughts.