Best 1st seasons in NBA history
Who had the best 1st season in NBA history?
Elvin Hayes holds the best 1st season in points: 2,327 in 1968-69, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975-76 in rebounds (1,383).
Points
| # | Player | Season | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elvin Hayes | 1968-69 | 2,327 |
| 2 | Michael Jordan | 1984-85 | 2,313 |
| 3 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1975-76 | 2,275 |
| 4 | David Robinson | 1989-90 | 1,993 |
| 5 | Earl Monroe | 1967-68 | 1,991 |
| 6 | Shaquille O'Neal | 1992-93 | 1,893 |
| 7 | Ron Harper | 1986-87 | 1,874 |
| 8 | Blake Griffin | 2010-11 | 1,845 |
| 9 | Allen Iverson | 1996-97 | 1,787 |
| 10 | Bill Cartwright | 1979-80 | 1,781 |
Rebounds
| # | Player | Season | REB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1975-76 | 1,383 |
| 2 | Shaquille O'Neal | 1992-93 | 1,122 |
| 3 | Buck Williams | 1981-82 | 1,005 |
| 4 | Blake Griffin | 2010-11 | 989 |
| 5 | David Robinson | 1989-90 | 983 |
| 6 | Tim Duncan | 1997-98 | 977 |
| 7 | Hakeem Olajuwon | 1984-85 | 974 |
| 8 | Larry D. Johnson | 1991-92 | 899 |
| 9 | Dikembe Mutombo | 1991-92 | 870 |
| 10 | Karl-Anthony Towns | 2015-16 | 858 |
Assists
| # | Player | Season | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mark Jackson | 1987-88 | 868 |
| 2 | Tim Hardaway | 1989-90 | 689 |
| 3 | Oscar Robertson | 1970-71 | 668 |
| 4 | Ennis Whatley | 1983-84 | 662 |
| 5 | Ben Simmons | 2017-18 | 661 |
| 6 | Brevin Knight | 1997-98 | 656 |
| 7 | Damon Stoudamire | 1995-96 | 653 |
| 8 | Trae Young | 2018-19 | 653 |
| 9 | Jamaal Tinsley | 2001-02 | 647 |
| 10 | Sherman Douglas | 1989-90 | 619 |
3-pointers made
| # | Player | Season | 3PTM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kon Knueppel | 2025-26 | 273 |
| 2 | Keegan Murray | 2022-23 | 206 |
| 3 | Donovan Mitchell | 2017-18 | 187 |
| 4 | Damian Lillard | 2012-13 | 185 |
| 5 | Brandon Miller | 2023-24 | 184 |
| 6 | Saddiq Bey | 2020-21 | 175 |
| 7 | Anthony Edwards | 2020-21 | 171 |
| 8 | Luka Doncic | 2018-19 | 168 |
| 9 | Landry Shamet | 2018-19 | 167 |
| 10 | Stephen Curry | 2009-10 | 166 |
Steals
| # | Player | Season | STL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ron Harper | 1986-87 | 209 |
| 2 | Mark Jackson | 1987-88 | 205 |
| 3 | Brevin Knight | 1997-98 | 196 |
| 4 | Michael Jordan | 1984-85 | 196 |
| 5 | Anfernee Hardaway | 1993-94 | 190 |
| 6 | Magic Johnson | 1979-80 | 187 |
| 7 | Chris Paul | 2005-06 | 175 |
| 8 | Gary Payton | 1990-91 | 165 |
| 9 | Tim Hardaway | 1989-90 | 165 |
| 10 | Mario Chalmers | 2008-09 | 160 |
Blocks
| # | Player | Season | BLK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manute Bol | 1985-86 | 397 |
| 2 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | 1975-76 | 338 |
| 3 | David Robinson | 1989-90 | 319 |
| 4 | Shaquille O'Neal | 1992-93 | 286 |
| 5 | Mark Eaton | 1982-83 | 275 |
| 6 | Alonzo Mourning | 1992-93 | 271 |
| 7 | Victor Wembanyama | 2023-24 | 254 |
| 8 | Hakeem Olajuwon | 1984-85 | 220 |
| 9 | Tree Rollins | 1977-78 | 218 |
| 10 | Dikembe Mutombo | 1991-92 | 210 |
Regular season only, counting stats only. A season is numbered from the first season on file for that player, so a career that began before the league’s rows start is numbered from where the data does. NBA all-time records