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

Trailer, trailer, trailer. With the defense on its heels, San Antonio Spurs rookie Joshua Primo provides an outlet for his teammate and readies himself for a three-point shot. Like clockwork, Primo collects the pass, steps into his shot, then releases over the defense for his first points in his NBA debut on October 20, 2021.

Joshua Primo

Joshua Primo knocks down catch-and-shoot three in first NBA contest

Morgan Bertsch waited years to play in her first WNBA game — so when the opportunity finally came, she didn’t waste it. Bertsch was drafted in 2019 by the Dallas Wings but didn’t find her name on a roster until she made the Chicago Sky out of training camp in 2023. In the season’s first game, the Sky inserted Bertsch into the starting lineup and saw the move pay immediate dividends. When Chicago came up with a steal on defense, Bertsch ran the break with her teammates and corralled a last-second dump off from Courtney Williams that Bertsch converted into a transition layup for the first bucket of her career. Bertsch posted six points, two rebounds, four assists and two blocks in the Sky’s 77-66 win over the Minnesota Lynx on May 19, 2023. 

Morgan Bertsch

Morgan Bertsch hits scoop shot for first WNBA bucket

Any time he sets foot on the court, Amen Thompson puts pressure on the defense. After running his own defender off a high screen beyond the arc, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft drives straight to the cup, catches a help-side defender off-guard and throws down a memorable first dunk. The Houston Rockets rookie finished the October 25, 2023 debut contest with eight points and five rebounds.

Amen Thompson

Amen Thompson penetrates for dunk in first NBA contest

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

A tantalizing combination of skill and size since the moment he appeared on the basketball radar, Chet Holmgren’s NBA debut with the Oklahoma City Thunder did not disappoint. Checked by a veteran big in the corner, Holmgren feigns a post move before pivoting into a picturesque turnaround jumper. Holmgren finished his October 25, 2023 debut with 11 points, four boards and three assists.

Chet Holmgren

Chet Holmgren drills turnaround jumper for first NBA basket

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

Already effective picking apart defenses and manufacturing scoring opportunities, Keyonte George is an outright problem with NBA court spacing. Checked at half court in his first professional contest, George zips past his defender and floats through the paint for an untouched layup. George scored eight points in his debut with the Utah Jazz, adding two boards and two assists in the October 25, 2023 contest.

Keyonte George

Keyonte George splits defense for drive in first NBA game

Lauded as an NBA three-point threat the minute his name was called in the draft, Gradey Dick commands respect beyond the arc. After shuffling into position behind the three-point line in a half-court set, Dick draws the attention of the defense and promptly kicks the ball back to a wide-open teammate for three. The dime – Dick’s first career assist – came in a Toronto Raptors victory on October 25, 2023.

Gradey Dick

Gradey Dick sets up shooter for dime in first NBA matchup

An electric package of athleticism and offense, Scoot Henderson is well-equipped to take the reins of the Portland Trail Blazers’ new backcourt. The No. 3 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft flashes a sign of the production to come with a quick-release – and borderline untouchable – floater for the first basket of his NBA career. Henderson finished his October 25, 2023 debut with 11 points and four assists.

Scoot Henderson

Scoot Henderson sinks floater for first basket of NBA career

Worth the wait! Orlando Magic rookie Chuma Okeke, the 16th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, buries a three in his first taste of action after sitting out last season due to injury. Okeke hauled in five boards in the December 23, 2020 contest against the Miami Heat.

Chuma Okeke

Chuma Okeke drains corner triple in first taste of NBA action

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