NBA Rookie of the Year

Initiated following the 1952–53 NBA season, it confers the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, named after the former Philadelphia Warriors head coach.

Sixteen winners have also won the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in their careers with Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld earning both honors the same season.

[3] Six players won the award unanimously (by capturing all of the first-place votes)—Ralph Sampson, David Robinson, Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Victor Wembanyama.

[4][5] Patrick Ewing of Jamaica,[6] Pau Gasol of Spain, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons of Australia, Andrew Wiggins of Canada, Luka Dončić of Slovenia, and Victor Wembanyama of France are the only winners not born in the United States.

Chamberlain (Harlem Globetrotters), Gasol (FC Barcelona of Liga ACB and EuroLeague), Dončić (Real Madrid of Liga ACB and EuroLeague), LaMelo Ball (BC Prienai of the Lithuanian Basketball League, the Los Angeles Ballers of the JBA, and the Illawarra Hawks of the NBL), and Wembanyama (Nanterre 92, ASVEL, and Metropolitans 92 of LNB Élite) all had professional careers outside the NBA prior to being drafted.

Wilt Chamberlain won the award in the 1959–60 NBA season .
head shot of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (formerly known as Lew Alcindor) won the award unanimously in the 1969–70 NBA season .
head shot of Larry Bird
Larry Bird won the award in the 1979–80 NBA season .
Michael Jordan holding a basketball
Michael Jordan won the award in the 1984–85 NBA season .
Allen Iverson at a post-game interview
Allen Iverson won the award in the 1996–97 NBA season .
Pau Gasol boxing-out for a rebound.
Pau Gasol won the award in the 2001–02 NBA season .
LeBron James preparing to shoot a free throw
LeBron James won the award in the 2003–04 NBA season .
Kevin Durant at ARCO Arena
Kevin Durant won the award in the 2007–08 NBA season .
Derrick Rose 2
Derrick Rose won the award in the 2008–09 NBA season .
Luka Dončić
Luka Dončić won the award in the 2018–19 NBA season .