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Having a stellar rookie season is a great way to increase your stock in the NBA. However, having a good rookie season doesn't always guarantee staying in the league in the long term. Here is a look at 10 NBA players who peaked in their rookie season.
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Michael Carter-Williams
It wasn't long ago when Michael Carter-Williams had plenty of promise. Drafted in the first round with the 11th-overall pick at the 2013 NBA Draft, MCW was one of the prospects that gave the Process Sixers some direction.
In his first game, he posted 22 points, 12 assists, and nine steals in a victory over the Miami Heat. He finished the season with averages of 16.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game to earn NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 2014.
However, MCW's play quickly diminished after that. A trade in the following season followed by a series of freak injuries ultimately hampered his game, and the former NBA Rookie of the Year quickly fell off. At one point, Carter-Williams was considering retiring to pursue a career in the UFC.
Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans was initially a force to be reckoned with. He introduced himself in the NBA by averaging 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game for the Sacramento Kings.
Only five NBA rookies in history have achieved the feat. The special list saw Evans join LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, and Luka Doncic. As a result, Evans went on to win the 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
Unfortunately, Evans' game never grew after that. While he would go on to have solid seasons in New Orleans and Memphis, Evans also failed the league's antidrug policy leading to a harsh ban by the NBA in 2019. Evans has never been sighted in the NBA since then despite being reinstated in 2022 when he was still just 32.
Dennis Smith Jr.
Explosiveness, hops, and athleticism, those are the key attributes of an up-and-coming Dennis Smith Jr. In fact, DSJ was even one of the best rookies of his class, finishing fifth in the Rookie of the Year race. The 2017 NBA Draft's first-round seventh-overall pick finished his first year with averages of 15.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game.
Although Smith had an explosive rookie season, he was never the same with several injuries that came his way. Nonetheless, DSJ was in the NBA as an impact player off the bench until 2023-2024. After that, he signed to play with Real Madrid in Spain.
Jahlil Okafor
Speaking of injuries, Jahlil Okafor was probably one of the most celebrated prospects coming into the NBA. Coming out of Duke University, Okafor was one of the key prospects for the Process Sixers. He did have a good first season that saw him average 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game, finishing fifth in the NBA Rookie of the Year race.
However, Okafor's holes in his game were exposed as his NBA years went by. In addition to this, a serious knee injury hampered his athleticism, which ultimately slowed him down. As a result, it wasn't long before Okafor found himself out of the NBA.
Eric Paschall
Back when the Golden State Warriors were dealing with Klay Thompson's injury and Kevin Durant's departure, the team faced a dark chapter. Nonetheless, Eric Paschall was one of the bright spots for the Warriors.
He averaged 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game as an undersized big man at 6'6. In fact, Paschall even nearly sneaked through the top five of the NBA Rookie of the Year race.
While Paschall had the tools to thrive in small-ball situations, it seems that he never stuck. As an undersized big man, Paschall could hardly contend against the best big men in the world.
Furthermore, sliding him to the three or four saw him struggle to keep up with opposing power forwards and small forwards. Surprisingly, after his stint with the Utah Jazz in his third year, he was soon out of the NBA.
Kendrick Nunn
During the 2019-2020 season, Kendrick Nunn was one of the most surprising rookies of the year. Joining the Miami Heat as an undrafted player, Nunn was one of the diamonds in the rough, which was a true testament to the Heat Culture. He averaged 15.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, while propelling the Heat to the 2020 NBA Finals.
After a solid run with the Heat, Nunn had a productive second year in Miami before becoming a free agent. He suffered a bone bruise when the Lakers picked him up.
However, Nunn's Lakers stint turned out to be forgettable, leading to the Purple and Gold to use Nunn as a trading chip in a deal involving Rui Hachimura. Nunn struggled with the Washington Wizards before taking his talents overseas.
MarShon Brooks
Just more than a decade ago, MarShon Brooks was immediately acquired by the New Jersey Nets on draft night after the Boston Celtics drafted him in the first round with the 25th-overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft. Right from the get-go, Brooks showed that he was a walking bucket. He averaged 12.6 points per game and finished top 10 in the NBA Rookie of the Year race.
Brooks stuck in the NBA but only managed to thrive as an isolation scorer. As a result, he was hardly utilized in significant minutes. Brooks did make the most out of his opportunity with the Grizzlies, averaging 20.1 points per game in the final seven games of the season. However, it didn't exactly translate to wins with the team going 2-5 during that stretch.
Landry Fields
Looking at the stats of Landry Fields on the surface, they don't exactly say much. However, his contributions as a two-way player transcended beyond the court, at least during his rookie season. He averaged 9.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game to finish fourth in the NBA Rookie of the Year race.
Unfortunately, Fields suffered a major injury regarding the nerves in his hand. This forced the promising two-way player to go under the knife. The consequences were felt, as Fields needed to adjust to a new shooting form. With Fields struggling, the former NBA All-Rookie First Team player suddenly announced his retirement at only 26 years old.
O.J. Mayo
When it comes to promising prospects, O.J. Mayo was clearly a highly touted one before making the jump into the NBA. The USC standout was taken third overall at the 2008 NBA Draft. In his rookie season, Mayo flaunted his shooting touch, averaging 18.5 points per game on 38% shooting from beyond the arc. He finished as the runner-up for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award.
Although he had a respectable sophomore season, Mayo's play took a dip after that. With a myriad of injuries and violating the NBA's drug policy, the streaky shooter found himself out of the NBA earlier than expected.
DeJuan Blair
As an athletic 6'7 power forward, DeJuan Blair was a project for the San Antonio Spurs. However, he was also injury riddled, given that he had already underwent several knee surgeries.
Nonetheless, Gregg Popovich did take a chance on the Pittsburgh alumnus. He tallied 28 points and 21 rebounds in a victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. And in the season finale, Blair posted 27 points and 23 rebounds.
While he showed flashes in his rookie year, Blair was never the same. After his rookie season, the Spurs acquired big men Tiago Splitter and Boris Diaw, reducing Blair's role with the team. Unhappy, Blair eventually left San Antonio, which turned out to be the turning point for the worse in his NBA career.
