# Rookie won the NBA championship



## Ballscientist

How many rookies have ever won the NBA title?
How about 2nd or 3rd year in the NBA?

They must be top 5 contributors in their teams.


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## BG7

Manu ginobli


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## -33-

Magic Johnson (i think)

Sam Cassell


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## XxMia_9xX

manu.. rookie
tony parker and claxton...2nd

datz all i knoe


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## Greg Ostertag!

> Originally posted by <b>Caron_Butler</b>!
> Magic Johnson (i think)
> 
> Sam Cassell


Magic Johnson, correct.

IIRC, Cassell and Horry won championships with the Rockets in their rookie and sophomore seasons...


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## Big John

Tom Heinsohn in 1957. In addition to being the team's 3rd leading scorer throughout the year (after Sharman and Cousy), Heihsohn had 37 points and 23 rebounds in the 7th game against the Hawks.

The Hawks beat the Celtics in 1958 (when Bob Pettit scored 50 in game 7), but after that, until his retirement after the 1964-65 season, Heinsohn never played on team that did not win the NBA championship.


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## Big John

*I forgot to add..*

Bill Russell was also a rookie in 1956-57. He averaged 14.6 points per game and was the 4th leading scorer behind Cousy, Sharman and Heinsohn. Russell also averaged 19.6 rebounds per game.

Russell, of course, went on to win 11 championships over the next 13 years.


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## Stinger

I was just wondering if every single person on a championship team gets a ring? Do starters get different rings?


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## Pistolballer

> Originally posted by <b>Stinger</b>!
> I was just wondering if every single person on a championship team gets a ring? Do starters get different rings?


i dont know about the old days, but these days im pretty sure they have to be on the active roster (there is no IR in the playoffs) and they have to play a minimal amount of minutes


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## HallOfFamer

I remember Isaiah Rider got a ring for the first Lakers championsihp during their threepeat and he hardly played.


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## Mattsanity

> Originally posted by <b>HallOfFamer</b>!
> I remember Isaiah Rider got a ring for the first Lakers championsihp during their threepeat and he hardly played.


Wrong. 2nd championship during their three peat and he played a lot.


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## AL9045

No one said Duncan?


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## Scinos

> Originally posted by <b>AL9045</b>!
> No one said Duncan?


He was in his second year when he won his first championship...(wasn't he ?)


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## Greg Ostertag!

> Originally posted by <b>Scinos</b>!
> 
> 
> He was in his second year when he won his first championship...(wasn't he ?)


Nope. First year.

Championship ring, All-NBA 1st Team, Rookie of the Year, Finals MVP... IIRC.


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## BG7

no 2nd for TimmyD MJ's bulls won the championship in his rookie year


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## Greg Ostertag!

OK, I stand corrected... checked his stats, it was his second year.


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## bender

Rookie:
Magic Johnson 1980
Kevin McHale 1981

Sophomores:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 1971
Tim Duncan 1999

3rd year:
James Worthy 1985
Dennis Rodman 1989


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