In the dynamic world of the NBA, where legends are born and dreams take flight, the journey of a rookie is a captivating tale. As we reflect on the last five extraordinary Rookie All-Stars, their meteoric rise to basketball stardom has left us in awe. But now, as the league brims with anticipation, a towering figure named Victor Wembanyama emerges from the shadows, evoking whispers of greatness and sparking an exhilarating debate: Can he become the next prodigious Rookie All-Star to etch his name in the annals of NBA history? Buckle up, for the realm of rookies is about to witness the evolution of a phenomenon.
5. Blake Griffin (2011)
Although Blake Griffin was drafted first overall in 2009 by the Los Angeles Clippers, the 6-foot-9 power forward was still considered a rookie in the following season after injuring his knee in the preseason. An uber-athletic forward who became famous because of his unbelievable posterizing dunks was selected as an All-Star reserve in the 2011 All-Star game. That same year, Griffin also won the Slam Dunk championship after dunking over a car. Blake would then make a name for himself as one of the best in-game dunkers in history.
In his first full season, Griffin posted 22.5 points and 12.1 rebounds while playing all 82 games. With that, it’s hard for him to not get picked in as a Western Conference All-Star reserve. BG has had a great career, probably hall-of-fame worthy. But, in recent years, he has already shown a decline at 34 years old.
4. Yao Ming (2003)
When the Chinese sensation Yao Ming came into the league, all eyes were on the 7 foot 5 center. Mind you, Yao isn’t the first Chinese basketball player to reach the NBA. But, with his towering height, Yao Ming is hard to miss. In his rookie year with the Houston Rockets, Yao was immediately selected as an All-Star. He was already slowly becoming known as one of the best centers at the time. However, injuries plagued Yao’s career and his playing days were cut short after 8 seasons. But, he was an impressive talent, getting an All-Star nod every season he’s played.
Despite his height, Yao was surprisingly very agile. He’s got a great feel of the ball and can shoot it from a long distance. Moreover, his footwork is pretty impressive given his size. Today, Yao Ming is a staple name in Chinese basketball and is already a Hall-of-Famer in the NBA after changing the landscape of the league.
3. Grant Hill (1995)
As a rookie in Detroit, Grant Hill was voted as an All-Star along with teammate Joe Dumars. The Pistons were a different team in the ’90s but it seems that they’re going in the right direction. Unfortunately, Hill won’t be able to reach his peak after a gruesome injury in 2000. Even though he returned and played 19 seasons in total, Grant Hill never recovered from that injury.
Truthfully, Grant Hill is one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history. Had he not been injured, he might even be in the GOAT conversation now or at least be one of the top 75 players.
2. Shaquille O’Neal (1993)
Superman, The Diesel, Shaq, The Big Aristotle. Shaquille O’Neal had a lot of names, but before he was the unstoppable force in Los Angeles, he was the freaky super rookie in Orlando. Picked first overall in 1992, Shaq did not need much time to prove he is a superstar. In his first games with the Orlando Magic, Shaq put up 12 points, 18 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Obviously, he’d top that with his next two games and would show that he is something special.
His size, mobility, athleticism, and power created a very scary center that faired well in an era filled with great centers such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, and David Robinson. Although he did not bring a championship to Orlando, Shaq is widely considered the best to don the Magic jersey.
1. Tim Duncan (1998)
The Wake Forest alumni, Tim Duncan, had an immediate impact on the San Antonio Spurs right after being drafted. The Spurs were pretty bad in 1997, managing to win only 20 games. Unbelievably, the rookie Tim Duncan was the one to turn things around for the franchise. From being the second-worst team in the West in 1997, to being a 56-win team in 1998, that sure sounds like a great improvement overall.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dd80usp9Bsk&pp=ygUadGltIGR1bmNhbiByb29raWUgYWxsIHN0YXI%3D
In his rookie season, Timmy was selected as an All-Star and All-NBA team member. Then, the following year, 1999, he lead the Spurs to their first Championship in franchise history. Subsequently, Duncan was named the Finals MVP even though he is just in his sophomore year. Under his leadership, the San Antonio Spurs won a total of five championships.
Can Victor Wembanyama be the next NBA All-Star as a rookie?
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the 2023 first-overall pick, Victor Wembanyama, follows the same path as the five players mentioned above. Moreover, the last two No.1 picks of the Spurs namely Tim Duncan and David Robinson were both Rookie of the Year awardees and were also named as an All-Star in their rookie seasons. That being said, can Wembanyama follow in the footsteps of these Spurs legends? Well, according to NBA analysts, Wemby has a 54.6% chance of being named as an All-Star in the 2023-2024 season. Even though he hasn’t played a single minute in the league, he’s already getting this kind of honor. The question is, can he be the guy everyone thinks he would be?
Victor Wembanyama hasn't played a single minute of NBA basketball, but he's already more likely to be an All-Star before an NBA Champion 👀
The last time a player became an All-Star during his rookie season was Blake Griffin (2011). pic.twitter.com/Vk6thPsPwz
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 23, 2023
Spurs 1st overall draft picks in their first NBA season —
David Robinson:
— Rookie of the Year
— All-StarTim Duncan:
— Rookie of the Year
— All-StarVictor Wembanyama:
— ???
— ??? pic.twitter.com/p2emTu7Ynr— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 23, 2023
Will Victor Wembanyama be the next Spur to become a rookie All-Star? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us here at Spiel Times. Make sure you subscribe to our push notifications and never miss an update. You can also follow us on Spiel Anime, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Until next time!
