Unafraid to let loose from beyond the arc, the New Orleans Pelicans have a scorer in Jordan Hawkins. Spreading the defense in his first NBA contest, Hawkins bides his time beyond the arc before catching a pass and immediately firing up a deep triple. The first career basket of Hawkins’ career fell swiftly through the net and he added two assists in the October 25, 2023 victory.

Jordan Hawkins

Jordan Hawkins queues up and buries first basket of NBA career

Relentless on the glass and defensive end, Ausar Thompson didn’t waste time leaving an impression on his new ball club. Just minutes into his first regular season game with the Detroit Pistons, Thompson deflects a Tyler Herro shot attempt off the backboard. Thompson finished his debut contest on October 25, 2023 with four points, seven rebounds and five blocks.

Ausar Thompson

Ausar Thompson blocks shot against backboard in five-block NBA debut

Crafty scorers put the ball in the basket, whatever it takes. Checked at the elbow in his first NBA contest, Jaime Jaquez Jr. gets his defender to bite with a pump fake, then lasers in on the cup and finishes the play with an acrobatic reverse layup. The first-year wing went a perfect 3-for-3 in his Miami Heat debut on October 25, 2023, adding two dimes and two steals in the process.

Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. slices through D for acrobatic layup in first game

Broken plays happen, capitalizing on the chaos is a skill. Unfazed after a defender gets his hand on a pass, Milwaukee Bucks rookie Andre Jackson Jr. returns the favor with an interception of his own, then finds a teammate in the corner for the first assist of his NBA career. Jackson Jr. also racked up four rebounds in the October 29, 2023 matchup.

Andre Jackson Jr.

Andre Jackson Jr. saves possession and dishes first career assist

Watching that first NBA basket fall through the hoop is pretty high up on the list of dreams to achieve - nobody expects you to make your defender touch earth in the process. Sizing up a gap in the New Orleans Pelicans defense, Golden State Warriors rookie Brandin Podziemski wastes no time capitalizing, attacking his man off the dribble, leaving him in the dust on a crossover, then euro stepping into a finger roll. Podziemski finished with five points and eight boards in his October 30, 2023 debut.

Brandin Podziemski

Brandin Podziemski floors defender on way to first career bucket

Despite not suiting up during his lone college campaign last season, Shaedon Sharpe was more than ready for his NBA debut. The Portland Trail Blazers’ prized rookie shows no evidence of rust against the Sacramento Kings, casually shaking off his defender and draining a corner triple off an inbound pass. Sharpe made a major impact in just 16 minutes off the bench, scoring 12 points — shooting 3-for-3 on three-pointers — and adding two rebounds in a 115-108 win on October 19, 2022.

Shaedon Sharpe

Shaedon Sharpe drains catch-and-shoot triple in first NBA appearance

With downhill speed and the strength to get where he wants on the court, Cam Whitmore can be a scary sight in transition. Seeing extended run in his third NBA contest, Whitmore eyes up a gap in his opponents’ defense and heads straight into the paint for the first bucket of his career. Whitmore finished the November 6, 2023 matchup – a Houston Rockets victory – with seven points.

Cam Whitmore

Cam Whitmore battles in transition for first basket of career

Confident shooters aren’t afraid to let it fly. After hauling in a rebound on one end of the floor in his NBA debut, Portland Trail Blazers rookie Toumani Camara trails his team down the court, shuffles into position beyond the arc and buries a wide-open lefty triple. Camara finished with seven points, two rebounds and a block in his first game on October 25, 2023.

Toumani Camara

Toumani Camara pulls up from deep for first NBA basket

Sasha Vezenkov is a threat from beyond the arc and he knows it - soon the rest of the league will, too. Spacing the floor in his first NBA contest, the 28-year-old Sacramento Kings rookie gets an opportunity, clears space with a ball fake then pulls up from deep. Vezenkov finished the October 25, 2023 contest with eight points, two rebounds and two steals.

Sasha Vezenkov

Sasha Vezenkov fakes pass and buries triple in first NBA game

There isn’t much time to recover if Patrick Williams gets the jump on you. The ultra-athletic Chicago Bulls rookie cuts backdoor against the New York Knicks, flags down an entry pass and unleashes a two-handed slam on February 3, 2021.

Patrick Williams

Patrick Williams zips backdoor for uncontested two-hand slam

Underestimate Kristaps Porzingis’ aggression above the rim at your own peril. Left unchecked as a teammates’ shot caromed off the heel of the net, Porzingis leaps through the paint and flushes a putback slam to the dismay of an unprepared Milwaukee Bucks frontcourt. The New York Knicks unicorn poured in 14 points and 13 rebounds in the November 6, 2015 contest and would ultimately win three Rookie of the Month honors and secure a spot on the 2015-16 All-Rookie First Team.

Kristaps Porziņģis

Kristaps Porziņģis leaps through paint for putback slam as rookie

Picture-perfect passing! Chicago Bulls guard Coby White threads the needle with a sick behind-the-back dime to Kris Dunn for the easy two against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 25, 2019.

Coby White

Coby White absorbs contact, hits teammate with pinpoint behind-back dish

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