Top 5 Greatest Rookies of the 21st Century. Every year, there are so many rookies who are entering the NBA. Some became what they are expected to be and some turned out to be a bust.

In the 21st century, the NBA produced so many rookies that later became a generational talents. There were also players who became a star immediately in the first year.

So today, we decided to rank the top 5 greatest rookies who were drafted in the 21st century.

5. LeBron James, 2003-04

LeBron James was selected first overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers. Coming directly from high school, he is really expected to make things right for the team.

Despite his inefficiency, the Cavs newbie averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in his very first season. His game drastically improved in the next following years as he led the team to new heights.

The 2003 draft class was stacked with talent but James stood out as he was named the rookie of the year. He, later on, brought the team into contention and also into the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 but was swept by the San Antonio Spurs. He finally fulfilled his promise to Cleveland when came back and won the title in 2016.

4. Luka Doncic, 2018-19

Luka Doncic entered the NBA in 2018 after he was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks (for Dallas Mavericks) 3rd overall. Nobody expected him to be the best player on their team in his very first year. The Mavs were really grateful as they got the best player in that class. At the conclusion of the 2018-19 season, he won the ROTY award.

He finished the season averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, better than the rookie stats of LeBron James. Phoenix Suns, especially the Sacramento Kings, were unlucky as they passed on this one-of-a-kind talent.

The following season, he already became an All-Star starter and a contender for the biggest award of the year, the Most Valuable Player award. Maybe at least a single championship will be on his belt in the near future.

3. Chris Paul, 2006-07

Chris Paul set his foot into the NBA in 2006 when he was selected as the 4th overall pick by the then-New Orleans Hornets. As a rookie, he already captured the starting position of the team because of the extraordinary talent that he has shown.

The “Point God” puts up 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per contest, joining the likes of Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, and Allen Iverson as the only guards to do so. He also took the ROTY award at the end of his rookie season.

He improved so much in his time with the Hornets before taking his talent to the Los Angeles Clippers where they created the “Lob City” along with Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan. Later on, he asked for a trade and he was dealt with Houston Rockets where he was given the chance to reach and play in the Conference Finals for the first time in his career but eventually lost to the then-reigning champions Golden State Warriors for two straight years.

2. Ben Simmons, 2017-18

Ben Simmons was drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016 but he didn’t get the chance to play in his first year because of injury. He’s a redshirt rookie, a rookie who sat out his first season and suited up for the first time the following year after being drafted.

In the 2017-18 season, he led the Sixers using his playmaking ability to playoff contention, averaging team-high 8.2 assists per game. He also had a good scoring output as he drops 15.8 points per game along with 7.8 boards per contest. He became the sixth player to ever put up a 15/8/8 stat line for an entire season along with LeBron James, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, and Russell Westbrook.

Aside from his passing and court vision, Simmons is also an elite defensive player. It can’t be seen on the stat sheet but he can lock down anyone in the league. His 6’10” height is the tallest ever recorded for a point guard in the NBA. His over 50 percent shooting from the field is also one of the biggest factors why he’s number 2 on this list though he can’t shoot threes.

1. Blake Griffin, 2010-11

Like Ben Simmons, Blake Griffin is also a redshirt rookie. He is the first one to do so also because of injury.

Griffin was drafted first overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s in the same class with Stephen Curry, James Harden, DeMar Derozan, and many more.

In the 2010-11 season where he played his rookie year, he averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game — the same year where he was selected as an NBA