Subscribe
Follow Us
NBA superstars are expected to perform on a nightly basis. In fact, as early as entering the NBA, the expectations are high for superstars to perform from the get-go. While these players usually perform up to par, that isn't always the case.
Before Luka Doncic makes his highly anticipated debut with the Los Angeles Lakers following his stunning trade from the Dallas Mavericks, here is a look at the 10 NBA superstars with the worst team debut.
Check out the gallery.
1. Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
Stats: 0 points, 1 rebound, 0 assist, 1 block, 0 steals, 0/1 FG
A rookie Kobe Bryant was often overlooked. In fact, the Charlotte Hornets even gave him away to the Lakers for Vlade Divac. To be fair, he wasn't exactly the same Black Mamba back in the day.
A younger Bryant had a forgettable first game with the Purple and Gold, registering a scoreless night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In only six minutes of play, Bryant had yet to be given the opportunities to showcase what he could do.
2. LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets)
Stats: 0 points, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks, 3 TOs, 0/5 FG
Surrounded with plenty of hype like his brother Lonzo Ball, thanks to his father's antics, the world was watching LaMelo's NBA debut with the Charlotte Hornets. However, his performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers was the complete opposite of his father's hype.
Ball's scoreless night coupled with three turnovers, capped off by a Hornets loss surely placed the franchise on red alert at first. Fortunately, Ball eventually picked up the slack to become an All-Star-caliber guard.
3. Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets)
Stats: 1 point, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0/2 FG
Jamal Murray is currently one of the elite guards in the NBA, forming a dynamic one-two punch with Nikola Jokic in Denver. However, Murray didn't exactly have a smooth start in the league.
In fact, he registered only a single point in his NBA debut. To make matters worse, it would kick off a slump that saw him miss his first 16-straight shots and only scored his first NBA field goal in his fifth game.
4. Gordon Hayward (Boston Celtics)
Stats: 2 points, 1 rebound, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks 1/2 FG
After the Boston Celtics signed Gordon Hayward, the franchise celebrated the formation of their All-Star duo of Hayward and Kyrie Irving. Unfortunately, the Celtics' campaign was already over before it could even start.
Just minutes into the season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Hayward suffered a gruesome broken leg injury that sidelined him for the rest of the 2017-18 season. It was a frustrating team debut that any Celtics fan would like to forget.
5. Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
Stats: 2 points, 0 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0/5 FG
Dirk Nowitzki was a celebrated prospect coming out of Germany. However, before he could establish himself as one of the best European players who revolutionized the NBA, he had to earn his keep. In fact, Nowitzki had a rough NBA debut in 1998 with the Mavericks. He only scored from the charity stripe and struggled to get a bucket against the Seattle Supersonics.
6. Russell Westbrook (Denver Nuggets)
Stats: 6 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2/10 FG
After a productive stint in Oklahoma that saw him take home an NBA MVP, things haven't been the same for Russell Westbrook. After playing for several championship contenders, an NBA title continues to elude Westbrook.
Recently, Westbrook signed with the Denver Nuggets to team up with fellow MVP award winner Nikola Jokic. During the first game of the 2024-25 season, Westbrook's fit was put into question as he struggled from the field all game long. Fortunately, it seems that Westbrook has bucked in a slow start.
7. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Stats: 1 point, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 blocks, 0 steals, 1/2 FT
Back in the day, Giannis Antetokounmpo was still a raw prospect out of Greece. With the Milwaukee Bucks slowly breaking him into the NBA, it was only natural that they didn't give him big minutes from the get-go.
In fact, Antetokounmpo only played for four minutes in his NBA debut with the Bucks. While it was natural that he didn't have a memorable debut, he has evolved into an NBA MVP-caliber player that took the Bucks to a title.
8. Jimmy Butler (Chicago Bulls)
Stats: 2 points, 2 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1/2 FG
Often overlooked and underrated, Jimmy Butler faced plenty of obstacles to achieve his NBA dream. But by the time he made it to the NBA, Butler's career didn't exactly make his life easier. In fact, Butler was overlooked once again in the Bulls rotation.
Buried in the bench, Butler had to wait for the Bulls' fifth game into the regular season before making his debut during a Bulls' 40-point blowout win against the Grizzlies. He suited up for only five minutes but managed to score his first NBA bucket. Fast-forward to 2025, and the Golden State Warriors are hoping for more when Butler debuts after his trade from the Miami Heat.
9. Steve Nash (Los Angeles Lakers)
Stats: 7 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 steals, 1 block, 3/9 FG
In his prime, Steve Nash was arguably the best playmaker in the NBA. But with no championships to show for it, taking his talents to the Purple and Gold certainly brought some excitement.
Although everyone thought Nash would finally win an elusive NBA title, joining the Lakers turned out to be a huge mistake. Nash's first game exposed all the Lakers' flaws as a team, despite being star-studded. It was just a glimpse of the Lakers' terrible season, as the two-time NBA MVP was no longer in peak form.
10. Dwyane Wade (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Stats: 8 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 steals, 2 blocks, 4 TOs, 3/10 FG
After productive seasons with the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade reunited with LeBron James in Cleveland. Like peanut butter and jelly, everyone thought the reunion would propel the Cavaliers to another NBA championship. While D-Wade and LBJ won back-to-back titles in Miami, it was a different story in Cleveland.
Wade was nowhere near his peak by the time he joined the Cavs. As early as the first game, Wade struggled from the field and proved that he could no longer carry a team the same way he did back in Miami.