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In the history of the NBA there have been 64 individual winners of the Rookie of the Year (ROY) award. There have been an additional 10 winners in the ABA. And overall there have been five different seasons where two players tied for top honors. I'm not going to delve into the snarling wilderness of the ABA, so let's just focus on the 64 winners at the NBA level. Hold onto your hats, I'm going to list them all, and the statistics they put up to get there. Please note that for the most part team wins or how far they go in the playoffs do not really factor into this award. So I'm not including them here.
# | Season | Player | Pos | Age | G | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | ||
1 | 2012 | 2013 | Damian Lillard | 1 | 2 | 22 | 82 | 38.6 | 19.0 | 3.1 | 6.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 |
2 | 2011 | 2012 | Kyrie Irving | 1 | 2 | 19 | 51 | 30.5 | 18.5 | 3.7 | 5.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 |
3 | 2010 | 2011 | Blake Griffin | 4 | 21 | 82 | 38.0 | 22.5 | 12.1 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | |
4 | 2009 | 2010 | Tyreke Evans | 1 | 3 | 20 | 72 | 37.2 | 20.1 | 5.3 | 5.8 | 1.5 | 0.4 |
5 | 2008 | 2009 | Derrick Rose | 1 | 2 | 20 | 81 | 37.0 | 16.8 | 3.9 | 6.3 | 0.8 | 0.2 |
6 | 2007 | 2008 | Kevin Durant | 3 | 4 | 19 | 80 | 34.6 | 20.3 | 4.4 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 |
7 | 2006 | 2007 | Brandon Roy | 2 | 1 | 22 | 57 | 35.4 | 16.8 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 0.2 |
8 | 2005 | 2006 | Chris Paul | 1 | 20 | 78 | 36.0 | 16.1 | 5.1 | 7.8 | 2.2 | 0.1 | |
9 | 2004 | 2005 | Emeka Okafor | 4 | 5 | 22 | 73 | 35.6 | 15.1 | 10.9 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.7 |
10 | 2003 | 2004 | LeBron James | 3 | 4 | 19 | 79 | 39.5 | 20.9 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 1.6 | 0.7 |
11 | 2002 | 2003 | Amar'e Stoudemire | 4 | 5 | 20 | 82 | 31.3 | 13.5 | 8.8 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 1.1 |
12 | 2001 | 2002 | Pau Gasol | 5 | 4 | 21 | 82 | 36.7 | 17.6 | 8.9 | 2.7 | 0.5 | 2.1 |
13 | 2000 | 2001 | Mike Miller | 2 | 3 | 20 | 82 | 29.1 | 11.9 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 0.6 | 0.2 |
14 | 1999 | 2000 | Steve Francis | 1 | 22 | 77 | 36.1 | 18.0 | 5.3 | 6.6 | 1.5 | 0.4 | |
15 | 1999 | 2000 | Elton Brand | 4 | 5 | 20 | 81 | 37.0 | 20.1 | 10.0 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.6 |
16 | 1998 | 1999 | Vince Carter | 2 | 3 | 22 | 50 | 35.2 | 18.3 | 5.7 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 1.5 |
17 | 1997 | 1998 | Tim Duncan | 5 | 4 | 21 | 82 | 39.1 | 21.1 | 11.9 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 2.5 |
18 | 1996 | 1997 | Allen Iverson | 1 | 21 | 76 | 40.1 | 23.5 | 4.1 | 7.5 | 2.1 | 0.3 | |
19 | 1995 | 1996 | Damon Stoudamire | 1 | 22 | 70 | 40.9 | 19.0 | 4.0 | 9.3 | 1.4 | 0.3 | |
20 | 1994 | 1995 | Jason Kidd | 1 | 21 | 79 | 33.8 | 11.7 | 5.4 | 7.7 | 1.9 | 0.3 | |
21 | 1994 | 1995 | Grant Hill | 3 | 2 | 22 | 70 | 38.3 | 19.9 | 6.4 | 5.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 |
22 | 1993 | 1994 | Chris Webber | 4 | 5 | 20 | 76 | 32.1 | 17.5 | 9.1 | 3.6 | 1.2 | 2.2 |
23 | 1992 | 1993 | Shaquille O'Neal | 5 | 20 | 81 | 37.9 | 23.4 | 13.9 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 3.5 | |
24 | 1991 | 1992 | Larry Johnson | 4 | 3 | 22 | 82 | 37.2 | 19.2 | 11.0 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 |
25 | 1990 | 1991 | Derrick Coleman | 4 | 5 | 23 | 74 | 35.2 | 18.4 | 10.3 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.3 |
26 | 1989 | 1990 | David Robinson | 5 | 24 | 82 | 36.6 | 24.3 | 12.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 3.9 | |
27 | 1988 | 1989 | Mitch Richmond | 2 | 1 | 23 | 79 | 34.4 | 22.0 | 5.9 | 4.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 |
28 | 1987 | 1988 | Mark Jackson | 1 | 22 | 82 | 39.6 | 13.6 | 4.8 | 10.6 | 2.5 | 0.1 | |
29 | 1986 | 1987 | Chuck Person | 3 | 4 | 22 | 82 | 36.0 | 18.8 | 8.3 | 3.6 | 1.1 | 0.2 |
30 | 1985 | 1986 | Patrick Ewing | 5 | 23 | 50 | 35.4 | 20.0 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.1 | |
31 | 1984 | 1985 | Michael Jordan | 2 | 3 | 21 | 82 | 38.3 | 28.2 | 6.5 | 5.9 | 2.4 | 0.8 |
32 | 1983 | 1984 | Ralph Sampson | 5 | 23 | 82 | 32.8 | 21.0 | 11.1 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.4 | |
33 | 1982 | 1983 | Terry Cummings | 4 | 5 | 21 | 70 | 36.2 | 23.7 | 10.6 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 0.9 |
34 | 1981 | 1982 | Buck Williams | 4 | 21 | 82 | 34.5 | 15.5 | 12.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | |
35 | 1980 | 1981 | Darrell Griffith | 2 | 22 | 81 | 35.4 | 20.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.5 | |
36 | 1979 | 1980 | Larry Bird | 3 | 4 | 23 | 82 | 36.0 | 21.3 | 10.4 | 4.5 | 1.7 | 0.6 |
37 | 1978 | 1979 | Phil Ford | 1 | 22 | 79 | 34.5 | 15.9 | 2.3 | 8.6 | 2.2 | 0.1 | |
38 | 1977 | 1978 | Walter Davis | 2 | 3 | 23 | 81 | 32.0 | 24.2 | 6.0 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 |
39 | 1976 | 1977 | Adrian Dantley | 3 | 20 | 77 | 36.6 | 20.3 | 7.6 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 0.2 | |
40 | 1975 | 1976 | Alvan Adams | 5 | 4 | 21 | 80 | 33.2 | 19.0 | 9.1 | 5.6 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
41 | 1974 | 1975 | Jamaal Wilkes | 3 | 4 | 21 | 82 | 30.7 | 14.2 | 8.2 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 0.3 |
42 | 1973 | 1974 | Ernie DiGregorio | 1 | 23 | 81 | 35.9 | 15.2 | 2.7 | 8.2 | 0.7 | 0.1 | |
43 | 1972 | 1973 | Bob McAdoo | 5 | 4 | 21 | 80 | 32.0 | 18.0 | 9.1 | 1.7 | ||
44 | 1971 | 1972 | Sidney Wicks | 4 | 22 | 82 | 32.0 | 24.5 | 11.5 | 4.3 | |||
45 | 1970 | 1971 | Dave Cowens | 4 | 5 | 22 | 81 | 39.6 | 17.0 | 15.0 | 2.8 | ||
46 | 1970 | 1971 | Geoff Petrie | 2 | 1 | 22 | 82 | 38.0 | 24.8 | 3.4 | 4.8 | ||
47 | 1969 | 1970 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 5 | 22 | 82 | 37.0 | 28.8 | 14.5 | 5.1 | |||
48 | 1968 | 1969 | Wes Unseld | 5 | 22 | 82 | 43.1 | 18.2 | 18.2 | 2.6 | |||
49 | 1967 | 1968 | Earl Monroe | 2 | 1 | 23 | 82 | 36.2 | 24.3 | 5.7 | 4.3 | ||
50 | 1966 | 1967 | Dave Bing | 1 | 2 | 23 | 80 | 36.7 | 20.0 | 4.5 | 4.1 | ||
51 | 1965 | 1966 | Rick Barry | 3 | 2 | 21 | 80 | 34.5 | 25.7 | 10.6 | 2.2 | ||
52 | 1964 | 1965 | Willis Reed | 5 | 4 | 22 | 80 | 37.4 | 19.5 | 14.7 | 1.7 | ||
53 | 1963 | 1964 | Jerry Lucas | 4 | 23 | 79 | 38.0 | 17.7 | 17.4 | 2.6 | |||
54 | 1962 | 1963 | Terry Dischinger | 3 | 2 | 22 | 57 | 41.4 | 25.5 | 8.0 | 3.1 | ||
55 | 1961 | 1962 | Walt Bellamy | 5 | 22 | 79 | 42.3 | 31.6 | 19.0 | 2.7 | |||
56 | 1960 | 1961 | Oscar Robertson | 1 | 2 | 22 | 71 | 42.7 | 30.5 | 10.1 | 9.7 | ||
57 | 1959 | 1960 | Wilt Chamberlain | 5 | 23 | 72 | 46.4 | 37.6 | 27.0 | 2.3 | |||
58 | 1958 | 1959 | Elgin Baylor | 3 | 4 | 24 | 70 | 40.8 | 24.9 | 15.0 | 4.1 | ||
59 | 1957 | 1958 | Woody Sauldsberry | 4 | 23 | 71 | 33.5 | 12.8 | 10.3 | 0.8 | |||
60 | 1956 | 1957 | Tom Heinsohn | 4 | 22 | 72 | 29.9 | 16.2 | 9.8 | 1.6 | |||
61 | 1955 | 1956 | Maurice Stokes | 5 | 4 | 22 | 67 | 34.7 | 16.8 | 16.3 | 4.9 | ||
62 | 1954 | 1955 | Bob Pettit | 4 | 5 | 22 | 72 | 36.9 | 20.4 | 13.8 | 3.2 | ||
63 | 1953 | 1954 | Ray Felix | 5 | 23 | 72 | 37.1 | 17.6 | 13.3 | 1.1 | |||
64 | 1952 | 1953 | Monk Meineke | 4 | 22 | 68 | 33.1 | 10.7 | 6.9 | 2.2 |
Okay, that's a lot of numbers and colors and players to deal with. I got it out in the open first to scare people off. I'm going to break this all down into more manageable chunks now. (N.B. 1994-2013 has an n=21 value because of the tie between two players for ROY)
Season | Player | Pos | Age | G | MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | ||
1952 | 2013 | n=64 | All | 21.7 | 76.2 | 36.3 | 20.0 | 9.1 | 3.9 | 1.3 | 0.9 | |
1985 | 2013 | n=30 | All | 21.2 | 75.1 | 36.1 | 18.6 | 7.2 | 4.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 | |
1994 | 2013 | n=21 | All | 20.8 | 74.6 | 36.2 | 18.1 | 6.3 | 4.7 | 1.2 | 0.8 | |
2003 | 2013 | n=10 | All | 20.4 | 73.5 | 36.2 | 18.6 | 5.8 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 |
Okay, so what do we know?
- In the history of the ROY award (n=64), the player who wins it is on average 21.7 years old, played in 76.2 games, and at the rate of 36.2 mpg
- During that stretch they have averaged nearly a double-double in points and rebounds: 20.0 ppg, and 9.1 rpg. No doubt this data sample is corrupted by the award winner in the first 25 years of the league almost always being a power forward or a center -- and guys like Wilt who averaged 37.6 ppg and 27.0 rpg as a rookie are just impossible.
- These rooks also dished it out about 4 times a game, and added a block and a steal.
- I think that these n=64 numbers don't help much because of all the rule changes, emphasis changes, and player changes. It's a different league. So let's look at the progression of ROY winners.
- When comparing the last 30, 20, and 10 year averages we see that the winner has become younger and younger. Furthermore, the player has played in fewer minutes per game, and played in fewer total games.
- While the points have taken a dip, the larger trend is seeing the near elimination of blocked shots in ROY winners in favor of more guard oriented skills and talents. The players assist more and rebound less. It's no surprise as the last 10 years we've only seen 2 players win ROY who didn't have immediate guard skills: Griffin and Okafor
- It's a guard's league more than ever, and this is reflected in the people who win ROY
- Six of the last 10 winners were point guards
- The current era (n=10) average is a player who averages 18.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.9 apg, 1.2 spg, and 0.5 bpg
- If you are playing the averages here it appears that scoring is the most important metric, and being capable in three of the next four categories helps
- The 20/5/5/1 statline screams modern era wing player, despite points guards getting it done
- Perhaps this is because the modern era point guard plays like a wing with a higher USG%/AST%/TOV%? (And less like a traditional PG?)
So if you picked a wing player to win ROY this year, history and recent rends have your back.