NBA Players With The Most Points In Their First Career Game

Every kid that has ever picked up a basketball has had the dream at least one time of playing the game they love on a professional level. I would be lying if I said that I hadn’t had that same dream. The roar of the crowd, the smell of popcorn in the air, and the buzz around you as you make your way onto an NBA court for the first time. Those are feelings that can only be felt by actually making it to the NBA, sort of how Dale Ellis told us last week in his sitdown with me.

Today, we are going to take a look at the NBA players who made the most out of their very first moments on an NBA court. The very first time that these 10 players below stepped on a court, they etched their names into the history books at the same time. Some of these players went on to become legends, MVPs, and NBA champions. Others, well, they could qualify for falling into obscurity. Whether it was adrenaline, a matchup advantage, or just pure luck, for one night, these players shined in their first game as professional basketball players.

These are the 10 NBA players who scored the most points in their first career game.

T10. Gordan Giricek – 29 Points

Gordan Giricek was a 6’6’’ shooting guard and small forward out of Croatia who was selected in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks. Rather than going straight to the NBA after being drafted, Giricek decided to play three seasons in Croatia and Russia before making his debut with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2002. Giricek would play just six seasons in the NBA with five different teams and averaged a career-high 12.3 PPG as a rookie with Memphis and the Orlando Magic. 

Giricek’s first game came on October 30, 2002, as a member of the Grizzlies, taking on the team that drafted him three years prior, the Dallas Mavericks. Giricek was slated to be the Sixth Man on the night for Memphis, which is a role he filled in quite well on this night in particular. Giricek would see just over 31 minutes of playing time and knocked down 76.9% of his shots. He went 10-13 overall from the field while also knocking down 4-6 three-pointers. He was 5-8 from the foul line as well and ended up leading the team in scoring on the night. Unfortunately, Giricek’s amazing debut was spoiled by the Mavericks as they took the game 119-108.

T10. Walt Bellamy – 29 Points

As the number one overall pick in 1961, Walt Bellamy was expected to be a force to be reckoned with in the NBA from the get-go. He would go on to win Rookie of the Year with the Chicago Packers averaging 31.6 PPG and 19.0 RPG. With numbers like those, it is hard to imagine a world where he didn’t end up on this list. Bellamy would go on to become a four-time All-Star and one of the few NBA players who averaged at least 20.0 PPG and 10.0 RPG for their careers. 

In his first career game, Bellamy and the Chicago Packers were set to take on the New York Knicks on October 19, 1961. The Knicks would have three players go for over 20 points in the game and ended up blowing out the Packers by 17 points. Bellamy led the way for Chicago with 29 points and 17 rebounds on 7-14 shooting from the floor and 15-18 from the foul line. This was only the beginning for Bellamy, as he would have 51 games with at least 30 points in his rookie season and 12 games with at least 40 points.

T10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 29 Points

Coming out of UCLA, it was expected that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was going to be one of the most pro-ready players to come out of college in a long time. Over the next 20 seasons, Kareem would become one of the greatest players in NBA history. He would win six MVP awards, six NBA championships, and two Finals MVP awards in his career as well as setting the all-time scoring record in NBA history. He delivered big moments and big performances on a regular basis with the Bucks and Lakers in his career, and it all started on a fall night in 1969. 

In his first contest in the NBA, Kareem suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks for a game against the Detroit Pistons. Detroit came in boasting a lineup that had legends like Terry Dischinger, Walt Bellamy, and Dave Bing. No task was too tall for Kareem as he and the Bucks dismissed the Pistons by a score of 119-110. Kareem led the way for the Bucks with 29 points and 12 rebounds on 12-27 shooting from the floor and 5-8 from the foul line. Teammates Flynn Robinson and Jon McGlocklin each poured in 23 points to celebrate Kareem’s debut with a win.

T7. Willie Anderson – 30 Points

Willie Anderson was the 10th overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1988 NBA Draft. He would spend his first seven seasons with the Spurs, where he peaked in his earlier seasons on the team. Anderson averaged a career-high 18.6 PPG as a rookie and 15.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 4.7 APG, and 1.3 SPG over the first four seasons of his career. At the conclusion of the 1997 season, Anderson walked away from the NBA to play two years overseas in Greece and Israel.

In his first career matchup, Anderson and the Spurs suited up against Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were coming off an NBA championship, and Kareem was setting out on his farewell tour. The Spurs came out and punched the Lakers right in the mouth, blowing them out by 15 points on the night. Anderson finished with 30 points, five rebounds, six assists, and two steals to help the Spurs to victory, while teammate Alvin Robertson also had himself a 30-point night. Anderson would go on to have four more 30-point games in his rookie season as well.

T7. Lamar Odom – 30 Points

Lamar Odom is a heavily underrated player when it comes to his overall resume in the NBA. Odom was drafted fourth overall in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers and would remain with them for his first four seasons. Odom went on to join Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in 2005, where he would end up playing a large role in two NBA championships in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, he was named the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year as well, and although he never made an All-Star or All-NBA Team, Odom’s place is cemented among the most skillful at his position.

Odom’s NBA debut came on November 2nd, 1999, with the Clippers in a matchup with the Seattle SuperSonics. The Clippers were not a very well-constructed team and struggled in their opener of the 1999-00 season. Odom was the lone bright spot for the Clippers, with 30 points on 10-18 shooting from the field and 8-15 from the foul line. No other Clippers player reached 20 points in the contest, and Seattle rolled to a 104-92 victory. They were led by Gary Payton’s 22 points and 13 assists on the night.

T7. Allen Iverson – 30 Points

Allen Iverson is one of the most offensively gifted talents the NBA has ever seen. With his 6’0’’ frame, Iverson showed no fear in his relentless attacks on the basket in an era dominated by big men. Iverson would have a Hall of Fame career in the NBA, winning four scoring titles, an MVP, 11 All-Star selections, a Rookie of the Year, and seven All-NBA Team selections. Iverson’s early 2000s seasons are some of the best we have ever seen from a player of his stature, as he went on to average 26.7 PPG for his 14-year career.

After being selected as the first overall pick in 1996, Iverson made his debut for the 76ers on November first of that season. The Sixers were set to take on the Milwaukee Bucks, who were armed with a young Ray Allen and Vin Baker. Iverson would record 30 points in his debut on 12-19 shooting from the field while also dishing out six assists. Unfortunately for Philly fans, the Bucks came away with a 111-108 win behind 25 points from Baker and an unexpected 22 points from Sherman Douglas.

4. Isiah Thomas – 31 Points

Speaking of undersized superstars, Isiah Thomas ran so Allen Iverson could walk. Thomas broke into the NBA in 1981, where he immediately became an All-Star and was well on his way to becoming one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. Thomas would eventually lead the Detroit Pistons to two NBA championships in 1989, famously taking down Jordan, Bird, and Magic all in one 1989 playoff run. Thomas would go on to be an All-Star 12 out of 13 seasons in the NBA as well as a two-time All-Star Game MVP and a five-time All-NBA Team selection. He was also named the MVP of the 1990 NBA Finals.

Coming out of Indiana, Thomas was the second overall pick to Detroit in the 1981 NBA Draft. In his first game on October 30, 1981, Thomas and the Pistons were set to take on the Milwaukee Bucks. With Bob Lanier and Sidney Moncrief leading Milwaukee, Thomas was tasked with leading Kelly Tripucka and Phil Hubbard on this night. That is exactly what Thomas would do, scoring 31 points on 10-19 shooting from the field and capturing a 118-113 win over the Bucks. He also dished out 11 assists and recorded one steal and one block as well.

T3. John Drew – 32 Points

John Drew was a talented prospect coming out of college in 1974. Coming out of a relatively unknown school like Gardner-Weeb University, Drew fell to the second round, where he was selected 25th overall by the Atlanta Hawks. Over the next 11 seasons, Drew would become a two-time All-Star with the Hawks and Jazz and finish with career averages of 20.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 1.4 SPG. He never earned an NBA championship with Atlanta or Utah but is considered to be among the top players within each organization’s history.

John Drew’s first career game came on October 18, 1974, when he and the Hawks traveled to Chicago to take on the Bulls. The Bulls were a powerhouse that season, winning 47 games and the Midwest Division. It was clear from the opening tip that Drew was not going to be afraid to let the ball fly and that he did. Drew shot 13-34 from the field to get his 32 points that evening, a whopping 38.2% shooting. He also grabbed 14 rebounds and swiped four steals, but it was not enough as the Bulls pulled away late 120-115, led By Nate Thurmond and Chet Walker.

T3. Maurice Stokes – 32 Points

In 1955, the Rochester Royals selected Maurice Stokes with their second overall pick. Stokes stood at 6’7’’ and weighed in at 232 lbs. He would go on to man Rocheter’s frontcourt for just three seasons before being forced to retire after a traumatic injury at the age of 25. Stokes was an All-Star in each of his first three seasons with Rochester and Cincinnati, leading the NBA in rebounds as a rookie and averaging 16.4 PPG and 17.3 RPG for his career. What could have been had only he stayed healthy? 

Stokes’ first game of his Rookie of the Year campaign began against the New York Knicks on November 5, 1955. The game was a tight one as Stokes showed his talent in every way possible on this evening. He shot 11-18 from the field and 10-11 from the foul line to get his 32 points while also pulling down 20 rebounds and dishing out eight assists. Stokes and the Royals would fall just short of the Knicks by two points, 100-98.

2. Frank Selvy – 35 Points

In the 1954 NBA Draft, Frank Selvy was made the number one overall pick by the Baltimore Bullets. Selvy would play nine seasons in the NBA, being named an All-Star in each of his first two. Selvy was traded from the Bullets to the Milwaukee Hawks as a rookie and would spend the rest of his career jumping from the Hawks to the Lakers, Knicks, and Nationals.

In his first career game, Selvy and the Bullets got matched up with the powerhouse Boston Celtics. Selvy would have a great game for the Bullets, recording 35 points on 12-25 shooting from the field and 11-16 from the foul line. He would also pull down nine rebounds and dish out six assists. Boston was far too much for the Bullets, though, and ended up winning the game by a margin of 19 points. Bob Cousy led the way for Boston with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists in the win.

1. Wilt Chamberlain – 43 Points

Oh look, another scoring record held by Wilt Chamberlain, what a surprise. Wilt was one of the biggest NBA prospects ever, with his superhuman athletic ability and basketball skill combined to make a specimen the basketball world had never seen at the time or since. Over the next 14 seasons, Chamberlain would rewrite the history books for the NBA and own just about every scoring record there was at the time. He would win seven scoring titles, four MVPs, two NBA titles, and a Finals MVP award during his legendary career.

Wilt’s first career NBA game came on October 24, 1959, when his Philadelphia Warriors were set to take on the New York Knicks led by Kenny Sears. Chamberlain would have the greatest debut game in NBA history that night, going for 43 points and 28 rebounds. He shot 17-27 from the field and 9-15 from the foul line to get there while also helping his team pick up the 9-point win. Sears had a great game for New York with 35 points and 15 rebounds, but it was not enough to overcome the overall dominance of Wilt Chamberlain.

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