NBA History: 5 rookies with the most 40-point games

The NBA draft season gets the league and fans excited about what lies ahead. There are successes and busts in the drafts and everyone tries to predict who will be what. Examining players coming out of colleges is fun and many try to foresee what lies ahead.

Sometimes rookies exceed expectations and go on to achieve great things in their first season itself. Other times, they require patience as they are still learning the trade. The likes of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, etc. were the ones who showcased what the hype was all about immediately.

Certain rookies are remembered for what they did once they were in the league. Having a great first season does not necessarily mean they will go on to have successful careers. However, there is a sense of satisfaction for teams when they know they have got their man.

Here, we look at the five rookies who had the most 40-point games in their first season itself.

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#5 Rick Barry - 7

Rick Barry was drafted in 1965

San Francisco Warriors now called the Golden State Warriors drafted forward Rick Barry as the second overall pick in the 1965 NBA draft. Nicknamed the "Miami Greyhound" because of his remarkably quick instincts, Barry showcased his talent immediately in the league.

Barry averaged 25.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game in his rookie season and won the Rookie of the Year Award while shooting nearly 44% from the field. The Warriors finished the season on a disappointing note as they failed to qualify for the playoffs and finished with a 35-48 record.

The forward scored 40 plus points on seven occasions including against the likes of New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers. His best game of the season came against the Knicks where he dropped 57 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.

#4 Oscar Robertson - 9

Oscar Robertson is one of the greatest guards of all time

One of the greatest players of all time, Oscar Robertson was a territorial pick by the Cincinnati Royals, who are now called the Sacramento Kings. En route to winning the Rookie of the Year Award, Robertson averaged 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 9.7 assists for the season.

Leading the way for the Royals by averaging a triple-double for the season, the franchise suffered a disappointing season as they failed to qualify for the postseason and finished with a 33-46 record. The guard was the one who drew in the crowds as the franchise had been suffering for a while before his arrival.

Robertson scored 40 plus points eight times during the season including a massive performance against the Syracuse Nationals where he dropped 45 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and dished out 13 assists en route to victory.

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#3 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - 9

The skyhook by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was an unstoppable move

The Milwaukee Bucks decided to draft Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the number one overall pick in the 1969 NBA draft. They immediately reaped the rewards as Abdul-Jabbar would go on to be one of the greatest players of all time.

The center averaged 28.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in his rookie year while shooting nearly 52% from the field. He would go on to win the Rookie of the Year Award and also helped the Bucks reach the Eastern Conference Finals only to lose to the New York Knicks in five games.

Kareem had nine games that season where he dropped 40 or more points including memorable outings against the likes of Boston Celtics, Knicks, etc. One of his best games of the season came against his future employers the Los Angeles Lakers where he dropped 46 points. He went on to spend six seasons with Bucks.

#2 Walt Bellamy - 12

Walt Bellamy in action for the Hawks

Walt Bellamy had one of the best seasons by a rookie in NBA history. He averaged 31.6 points, 19 rebounds and 2 assists per game while shooting nearly 52% from the field. He won the Rookie of the Year Award but his season ended in disappointment as the Chicago Packers did not qualify for the postseason and finished with an 18-62 record.

Bellamy was drafted as the number one overall pick in the 1961 NBA draft by the Packers, who are now called the Washington Wizards. He recorded 12 games where he scored 40 or more points and it included the oppositions like Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, etc. His best performance of the lot came against the LA Lakers where he dropped 48 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.

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#1 Wilt Chamberlain - 32

Wilt Chamberlain represented the Philadelphia Warriors in his first season

With the territorial pick, the Philadelphia Warriors now known as the Golden State Warriors picked Wilt Chamberlain. It would go on to be a massive success for the team as Chamberlain would rewrite the history books.

In his first season, Wilt averaged 37.6 points, 27 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting just over 46% from the field. He would go on to win the Rookie of the Year Award as well the MVP in his first season for the franchise as they reached the Eastern Conference Finals and lost only to Bill Russell's Boston Celtics.

Wilt had 32 games where he scored 40 points or more and these performances came against the likes of Boston Celtics, Cincinnati Royals, etc. However, his best outing of this lot came against the Detroit Pistons where he dropped 58 points and grabbed a whopping 42 rebounds.