The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional sports league with 30 teams. With 29 teams from the USA and 1 team from Canada, the NBA is the premier basketball league in the world. The NBA Rookie of the Year Award is given to the best rookie of the regular season. The award was introduced in the 1952-53 season and was called the Eddie Gottlieb trophy until the 2021-22 season. The name of the trophy was changed to the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy in the 2022-23 season. Chamberlain is a former Rookie of the Year winner and a four-time league MVP.
The Rookie of the Year award is chosen on behalf of the votes cast by a panel of the United States and Canadian broadcasters and sportswriters. Any first-place vote is worth five points, second-place vote is worth three points and third-place vote is worth one point. Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs won Rookie of the Year in the 2023-24 season.
Below is the list of Rookie of the Year winners to date:
| Rookie of the Year | |||||
| Season | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | Draft Pick |
| 1952–53 | Don Meineke | Forward/center | United States | Fort Wayne Pistons | 12 |
| 1953–54 | Ray Felix | Center | United States | Baltimore Bullets | 1 |
| 1954–55 | Bob Pettit | Forward/center | United States | Milwaukee Hawks | 2 |
| 1955–56 | Maurice Stokes | Forward/center | United States | Rochester Royals | 2 |
| 1956–57 | Tom Heinsohn | Forward | United States | Boston Celtics | T |
| 1957–58 | Woody Sauldsberry | Forward/center | United States | Philadelphia Warriors | 60 |
| 1958–59 | Elgin Baylor | Forward | United States | Minneapolis Lakers | 1 |
| 1959–60 | Wilt Chamberlain | Center | United States | Philadelphia Warriors | T |
| 1960–61 | Oscar Robertson | Guard | United States | Cincinnati Royals | 1/T |
| 1961–62 | Walt Bellamy | Center | United States | Chicago Packers | 1 |
| 1962–63 | Terry Dischinger | Forward/guard | United States | Chicago Zephyrs | 8 |
| 1963–64 | Jerry Lucas | Forward/center | United States | Cincinnati Royals | T |
| 1964–65 | Willis Reed | Center/forward | United States | New York Knicks | 8 |
| 1965–66 | Rick Barry | Forward | United States | San Francisco Warriors | 2 |
| 1966–67 | Dave Bing | Guard | United States | Detroit Pistons | 2 |
| 1967–68 | Earl Monroe | Guard | United States | Baltimore Bullets | 2 |
| 1968–69 | Wes Unseld | Center/forward | United States | Baltimore Bullets | 2 |
| 1969–70 | Lew Alcindor | Center | United States | Milwaukee Bucks | 1 |
| 1970–71 | Dave Cowens | Center/forward | United States | Boston Celtics | 4 |
| 1970–71 | Geoff Petrie | Guard | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | 8 |
| 1971–72 | Sidney Wicks | Forward/center | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | 2 |
| 1972–73 | Bob McAdoo | Center/forward | United States | Buffalo Braves | 2 |
| 1973–74 | Ernie DiGregorio | Guard | United States | Buffalo Braves | 3 |
| 1974–75 | Jamaal Wilkes | Forward/guard | United States | Golden State Warriors | 11 |
| 1975–76 | Alvan Adams | Center/forward | United States | Phoenix Suns | 4 |
| 1976–77 | Adrian Dantley | Forward/guard | United States | Buffalo Braves | 6 |
| 1977–78 | Walter Davis | Guard/forward | United States | Phoenix Suns | 5 |
| 1978–79 | Phil Ford | Guard | United States | Kansas City Kings | 2 |
| 1979–80 | Larry Bird | Forward | United States | Boston Celtics | 6 |
| 1980–81 | Darrell Griffith | Guard | United States | Utah Jazz | 2 |
| 1981–82 | Buck Williams | Forward/center | United States | New Jersey Nets | 3 |
| 1982–83 | Terry Cummings | Forward | United States | San Diego Clippers | 2 |
| 1983–84 | Ralph Sampson | Center/forward | United States | Houston Rockets | 1 |
| 1984–85 | Michael Jordan | Guard | United States | Chicago Bulls | 3 |
| 1985–86 | Patrick Ewing | Center | United States | New York Knicks | 1 |
| 1986–87 | Chuck Person | Forward | United States | Indiana Pacers | 4 |
| 1987–88 | Mark Jackson | Guard | United States | New York Knicks | 18 |
| 1988–89 | Mitch Richmond | Guard | United States | Golden State Warriors | 5 |
| 1989–90 | David Robinson | Center | United States | San Antonio Spurs | 1 |
| 1990–91 | Derrick Coleman | Forward | United States | New Jersey Nets | 1 |
| 1991–92 | Larry Johnson | Forward | United States | Charlotte Hornets | 1 |
| 1992–93 | Shaquille O'Neal | Center | United States | Orlando Magic | 1 |
| 1993–94 | Chris Webber | Forward/center | United States | Golden State Warriors | 1 |
| 1994–95 | Grant Hill | Forward/guard | United States | Detroit Pistons | 3 |
| 1994–95 | Jason Kidd | Guard | United States | Dallas Mavericks | 2 |
| 1995–96 | Damon Stoudamire | Guard | United States | Toronto Raptors | 7 |
| 1996–97 | Allen Iverson | Guard | United States | Philadelphia 76ers | 1 |
| 1997–98 | Tim Duncan | Forward/center | United States | San Antonio Spurs | 1 |
| 1998–99 | Vince Carter | Guard/forward | United States | Toronto Raptors | 5 |
| 1999–00 | Elton Brand | Forward | United States | Chicago Bulls | 1 |
| 1999–00 | Steve Francis | Guard | United States | Houston Rockets | 2 |
| 2000–01 | Mike Miller | Forward/guard | United States | Orlando Magic | 5 |
| 2001–02 | Pau Gasol | Forward/center | Spain | Memphis Grizzlies | 3 |
| 2002–03 | Amar'e Stoudemire | Forward/center | United States | Phoenix Suns | 9 |
| 2003–04 | LeBron James | Forward | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 |
| 2004–05 | Emeka Okafor | Center/forward | United States | Charlotte Bobcats | 2 |
| 2005–06 | Chris Paul | Guard | United States | New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets | 4 |
| 2006–07 | Brandon Roy | Guard | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | 6 |
| 2007–08 | Kevin Durant | Forward | United States | Seattle SuperSonics | 2 |
| 2008–09 | Derrick Rose | Guard | United States | Chicago Bulls | 1 |
| 2009–10 | Tyreke Evans | Guard/forward | United States | Sacramento Kings | 4 |
| 2010–11 | Blake Griffin | Forward | United States | Los Angeles Clippers | 1 |
| 2011–12 | Kyrie Irving | Guard | United States | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 |
| 2012–13 | Damian Lillard | Guard | United States | Portland Trail Blazers | 6 |
| 2013–14 | Michael Carter-Williams | Guard | United States | Philadelphia 76ers | 11 |
| 2014–15 | Andrew Wiggins | Forward/guard | Canada | Minnesota Timberwolves | 1 |
| 2015–16 | Karl-Anthony Towns | Center | Dominican Republic | Minnesota Timberwolves | 1 |
| 2016–17 | Malcolm Brogdon | Guard | United States | Milwaukee Bucks | 36 |
| 2017–18 | Ben Simmons | Forward/guard | Australia | Philadelphia 76ers | 1 |
| 2018–19 | Luka Dončić | Guard/forward | Slovenia | Dallas Mavericks | 3 |
| 2019–20 | Ja Morant | Guard | United States | Memphis Grizzlies | 2 |
| 2020–21 | LaMelo Ball | Guard | United States | Charlotte Hornets | 3 |
| 2021–22 | Scottie Barnes | Forward | United States | Toronto Raptors | 4 |
| 2022–23 | Paolo Banchero | Forward | United States | Orlando Magic | 1 |
| 2023–24 | Victor Wembanyama | Center | France | San Antonio Spurs | 1 |
FAQs
A. Wilt Chamberlain is the first NBA player to win the MVP as a rookie in 1959-1960 and Wes Unseld did the same feat in 1968–69.
A. The Golden State Warriors is the team with six Rookies of the Year awards, which is the most in NBA history.
A. Derrick Rose won the MVP at the age of 22 and became the youngest player to win the MVP in the NBA.
A. Earvin Magic Johnson is the only player to ever win a Finals MVP in his rookie year in 1980.
A. 40-year-old LeBron James is the oldest active NBA player.
