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The Hoop Doctors

Is Blake Griffin the Best Rookie Power Forward of All-time?

January 28, 2011 – R.S. De France

Even though the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin is in his second year with the team, he is technically considered a rookie.

Griffin’s tremendous rookie season got me wondering where he ranks among the best rookie power forwards (PF) of all-time in the NBA.

Beyond the eye-popping, oxygen-sucking, fan-amazing dunks that Griffin pulls off (at least once a game), he has already proved himself to be one of the best rookies of all-time at his position.

The scary thing is we have only seen SOME of Blake Griffin’s super-human dunks thus far.

And those were just from one game against the New York Knicks. Imagine what his career dunk highlight reel is going to look like.

In contemplating his rank among the best of all-time, one thing is clear: Blake Griffin should be an all-star this season.

Although due to the Clippers’ record, I doubt that will happen. I also feel sorry for Minnesota’s Kevin Love for the same reason.

10. Bob Pettit PF
1954-1955 Milwaukee Hawks
20.4 PPG
13.8 RPG
3.2 APG
40.7% FG%
36.9 MPG
21-51 Before Pettit
26-46 With Pettit
+5 wins Team Wins Increase
No playoffs Before Pettit
No playoffs With Pettit
ROY All-Star
All-NBA 1st Team
9. Terry Cummings PF
1982-1983 San Diego Clippers
23.7 PPG
10.6 RPG
2.5 APG
0.9 BPG
1.8 SPG
52.3% FG%
17-65 Before T.C.
25-57 With T.C.
+8 wins Team Wins Increase
No playoffs Before T.C.
No playoffs With T.C.
ROY
8. Larry Kenon PF
1976-1977 San Antonio Spurs
21.9 PPG
11.3 RPG
2.9 APG
0.8 BPG
2.1 SPG
49.2% FG%
37.6 MPG
50-34 Before Kenon
44-38 With Kenon
-6 wins Team Wins Increase
Lost in 1st round Before Kenon
Lost in Eastern Conference Semi-Finals With Kenon
7. George McGinnis PF
1975-1976 Philadelphia 76ers
23.0 PPG
12.6 RPG
4.7 APG
2.6 SPG
0.5 BPG
41.7% FG%
38.3 MPG
34-48 Before McGinnis
46-36 With McGinnis
+12 wins Team Wins Increase
No playoffs Before McGinnis
Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round With McGinnis
All-Star 1st Team All-NBA
6. Blake Griffin PF
2010-2011 Los Angeles Clippers
22.6 PPG
12.8 RPG
3.5 APG
0.7 SPG
0.6 BPG
51.5% FG%
37.4 MPG
29-53 (35%) Before Griffin (BG)
16-26 (38%) With Griffin
47 points in one game Career High/High for the NBA ’10-‘11
1st Dunks 2nd Double-Doubles

In 45 games, Griffin has already given the NBA enough highlights to last a career. Not only has he reinvigorated the Clippers’ organization, he may even be good enough to lead them to the playoffs—next year. ESPN’s John Hollinger gives the Clippers a 1.8% chance of making the playoffs.  For Griffin’s sake, I’m pulling for them (for once).

5. Ralph Sampson C/F
1983-1984 Houston Rockets
21.0 PPG
11.1 RPG
2.0 APG
0.9 SPG
2.4 BPG
52.3% FG%
32.8 MPG
14-68 Before Sampson
29-53 With Sampson
+15 wins Team Wins Increase
No playoffs Before
No playoffs With Sampson
ROY All-Star

Although 7’4, Sampson played power forward when he was teamed up with the legendary Hakeem Olajuwon.

4. Jerry Lucas PF
1963-1964 Cincinnati Royals
17.7 PPG
17.4 RPG
2.6 APG
52.7% FG% (career high)
41.4 MPG
43-38 Before
55-25 With Lucas
+12 wins Team Wins Increase
No playoffs Before
Lost Eastern Conference Finals With Lucas
40 rebounds in a game ROY
All-Star

Not only did Lucas’ team improve from not making the playoffs (the year before) to losing in the Eastern Conference Finals, his Royals lost to the mighty Boston Celtics.

3. Tim Duncan C/PF
1997-1998 San Antonio Spurs
21.1 PPG
11.9 RPG
2.7 APG
2.5 BPG
0.7 SPG
54.9% FG%
20-62 Before Duncan
56-26 With Duncan
+36 wins Team Wins Increase
No playoffs Before
L Western Conference Semis With Duncan
ROY All-Star
All-Defensive 2nd Team 1st Team All-NBA

A funny side note: Duncan was technically an All-star in 1999, but due to the NBA lockout, there actually was no All-star game.

2. Connie Hawkins
1969-1970 Phoenix Suns
24.6 PPG
10.4 RPG
4.8 APG
49% FG%
40.9 MPG
16-66 Before Hawkins
39-43 With Hawkins
+23 wins Team Wins Increase
No playoffs Before Hawkins
Lost in Western Conference Semis With Hawkins
All-Star

Although his rookie year was spectacular, Hawkins’ rookie year in the ABA was even better as he posted 26.8 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 4.6 apg, and shot 51.9% for the Pittsburg Pipers in 1967. Also impressive is that his Phoenix Suns lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers.

1. Elvin Hayes
1968-1969 San Diego Rockets
28.4 PPG (career high)
17.1 RPG (2nd highest)
1.4 APG
44.7% FG%
45.1 MPG
15-67 Before Hayes
37-45 With Hayes
+22 wins Team Wins Increase
No playoffs Before Hayes
L in 1st round With Hayes
54 points in one game Career high
Led NBA in Scoring 5th best Scoring rookie of All-time
All-Star

Hayes was not only the top scoring PF rookie of all-time, as a rookie Hayes started in the ’69 All-star game (as a center) over the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. Can you remember which players are ahead of Hayes on the all-time rookie PPG list?

As one can see, Griffin’s peers in this category—almost all/all were selected to the all-star game.

So, maybe we should hold up putting Blake Griffin him among the all-time greats (until his career is nearing completion).

But it is a fair question: is Blake Griffin the best rookie power forward of all-time?

I think Griffin is in the discussion, but he has yet to match some of the other great rookie years in NBA history.

But this shows even more proof that, at least historically, Blake Griffin should be an All-star. See the appendix below for more.

As a side note, arguably the best rookie PF of all-time in the ABA was Spencer Haywood who averaged 30 ppg and 19.5 rpg in his first season.

Top Scoring Rookies

  1. Wilt Chamberlain 37.6 ppg
  2. Walt Bellamy 31.6 ppg
  3. Oscar Robertson 30.5 ppg
  4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 28.8 ppg
  5. Elvin Hayes 28.4 ppg
  6. Michael Jordan 28.2 ppg

The only current player in the top 20 is Shaquille O’Neal (19th).

R.S. De France is a College and University instructor of English Composition living in Los Angeles. He has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing. De France has played, coached, and officiated competitive high school basketball in California for many years. Recently, De France, his wife, and another colleague started an internationally read magazine at Shwibly.com.

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