Top 25 rookie seasons in NBA history: No. 2 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
The greatest rookie seasons in NBA history share a number of qualities, starting with individual statistical dominance. However, you can't overlook the context beyond the box score; initial expectations, team success, and overall legacy all matter.
While we wait for the 2019-20 season to resume, theScore's NBA editors have dusted off the record books to determine the top 25 rookie seasons in league history.
No. 2 in our series is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1969-70. Catch up on previous posts in the series here.
Before the Association
Abdul-Jabbar - born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. - grew up in the Inwood neighborhood near Manhattan's northern tip. Already 6-foot-8 when he entered high school, he quickly became a basketball star at Power Memorial Academy, leading the team to a 79-2 record - including a 71-game win streak - and three straight New York City Catholic championships.
Nicknamed the "Tower from Power," Alcindor's prep exploits landed him a scholarship with coach John Wooden's vaunted UCLA program. Although he couldn't play his freshman year due to NCAA rules at the time, he ended up having one of the most dominant three-year runs in college basketball history.
Alcindor led UCLA to three national championships and was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player each time. The Bruins went 88-2 during that stretch, which, combined with his high school days, put his amateur varsity basketball record at 167-4.
As his stature as a basketball star grew, Alcindor became immersed in social justice issues. In 1967, he attended the "Cleveland Summit," where a group of notable Black athletes gathered to support Muhammad Ali over his objection to being drafted into the military for the Vietnam War.
Despite being the most dominant college player of his era, Alcindor boycotted the 1968 U.S. men's Olympic team over the unequal treatment of African Americans. The same year, he converted to Sunni Islam and adopted the Arabic name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, although he wouldn't begin using it publicly until 1971.
Draft day
In 1969, the first two picks of the NBA draft belonged to the teams that had finished last in each division, with the order determined by a coin flip. The Milwaukee Bucks won the toss over the Phoenix Suns, allowing them to draft surefire No. 1 pick Abdul-Jabbar while the Suns settled for Neal Walk.
The 7-foot-2 center was also chosen first overall in that year's ABA draft by his hometown New York Nets. Abdul-Jabbar told both teams he would only accept one bid from each, and the Bucks offered a then-astronomical $1.5 million over five years. The Nets came back with a higher second offer, but Abdul-Jabbar declined.
"A bidding war degrades the people involved," he said at the time. "It would make me feel like a flesh peddler, and I don't want to think like that."
Individual success
Abdul-Jabbar made his NBA debut Oct. 18, 1969, scoring 29 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out six assists while playing all 48 minutes in a win over the Detroit Pistons. He quickly established himself as a force in what was very much a big man's league, honing his trademark "skyhook" shot.
Abdul-Jabbar scored 51 points in a February win over the Seattle SuperSonics and ultimately logged nine games of 40-plus points along with 61 double-doubles in 82 games. He was rewarded with an All-Star appearance and was named Rookie of the Year.
| 1969-70 | PTS | REB | AST | FG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdul-Jabbar | 28.8 | 14.5 | 4.1 | 51.8 |
Team success
The star's arrival brought instant legitimacy to the Bucks, who were only in their second year as an NBA franchise. Milwaukee went 56-26 with Abdul-Jabbar and guards Flynn Robinson and Jon McGlocklin leading the way. The Bucks beat the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Division semifinals but lost to the New York Knicks in the division finals.
Enduring legacy
Much like Tim Duncan almost three decades later, Abdul-Jabbar's sophomore season eclipsed his stellar rookie campaign. With Oscar Robertson joining him in Milwaukee, Abdul-Jabbar led the Bucks to their first and only NBA championship in 1970-71 while topping the league with 31.7 points per game. He also captured the first of six MVP awards, which remains an NBA record.
After his sixth pro campaign, Abdul-Jabbar requested a trade to either Los Angeles or New York. The Bucks obliged in the summer of 1975, dealing him to the Lakers for three players. The center would become a mainstay in purple and gold for 14 seasons, winning five more NBA titles as the pivot of the "Showtime" brigade.
Abdul-Jabbar remained highly effective into his late 30s and early 40s. In 1985, he became the oldest Finals MVP in NBA history at the age of 38. He retired four years later at 42, capping off a 20-year career.
To this day, Abdul-Jabbar remains the league's all-time leader in points, minutes, and field goals. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.
Come back Friday to see who takes the cake at No. 1 in theScore's Top 25 Rookie Seasons series.