Test Bilal Coulibaly’s defensive range if you want but it’s not recommended. Keeping track of his own check over the course of an Indiana Pacers possession, Coulibaly catches his man in the middle of a backdoor cut, then trails the attempt and spikes it out of bounds. It was one of three blocks in the October 25, 2023 debut for the Washington Wizards rookie, who also chipped in three points, four boards and three assists.

Bilal Coulibaly

Bilal Coulibaly spikes layup attempt out of bounds in first NBA game

When Saddiq Bey sees an opportunity to score, he takes it. The Detroit Pistons rookie sizes up an open lane as his teammates set up their offense, calls for the rock then drives through the paint for a contested two-handed slam. Bey racked up 28 points and 12 boards in the March 17, 2021 win over the Toronto Raptors.

Saddiq Bey

Saddiq Bey cuts through the paint for slam in high-scoring night

With a reputation of doing a bit of everything to help his team in the win column, it’s no surprise that Olivier-Maxence Prosper was willing to battle for his first NBA basket. After calling for a skip pass from a teammate, Prosper loses one defender with a pump fake, drives hard along the baseline and absorbs help-side contact en route to two points. The Dallas Mavericks rookie finished the November 12, 2023 contest with four points.

Olivier-Maxence Prosper

Olivier-Maxence Prosper soars along baseline for first career bucket

Unlimited range in today’s NBA is a beautiful thing. New Orleans Pelicans rookie Trey Murphy III shows off his marksmanship with no hesitation as he drains a long three. Murphy converted on two triples in his NBA debut on October 20, 2021.

Trey Murphy III

Trey Murphy III pulls up from deep for triple in first NBA matchup

An imposing big with a penchant for flying above the rim, Trayce Jackson-Davis adds yet another offensive option for the Golden State Warriors. After setting a formidable screen for teammate Chris Paul beyond the arc in his second NBA contest, Jackson-Davis rolls hard into the paint, catches a pass and soars for a two-handed flush. Jackson-Davis racked up 13 points and nine rebounds while swatting four blocks in the October 30, 2023 contest.

Trayce Jackson-Davis

Trayce Jackson-Davis rolls to the hoop for first basket of career

The young man has got hops! In his first NBA game, Golden State Warriors standout rookie center James Wiseman flies in for an earth-shattering two-handed hammer against the Brooklyn Nets on December 22, 2020. The second overall draft pick delivered a terrific debut performance, recording 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals.

James Wiseman

James Wiseman leaps through paint for slam in first NBA matchup

With size and vision to wreak havoc with the ball in their hands, big guards like Anthony Black thrive in the two-man game. Capitalizing on a gap created by a teammate’s quick screen, Black lunges into the paint and opts to call his own shot, canning a runner while absorbing contact for an and-1 opportunity. Black scored five points and added two blocks in his Orlando Magic debut on October 25, 2023.

Anthony Black

Anthony Black buries runner through contact in first NBA contest

As comfortable scoring the ball as ever, Marcus Sasser didn’t wait long into his Detroit Pistons career to bury his first deep three. Afforded space beyond the arc when his defender ducks under a screen, Sasser cues up and fires from two feet behind the line. Sasser, every bit of the scoring spark plug he figured to be ahead of the season, finished his October 25, 2023 debut with eight points in 10 minutes of action.

Marcus Sasser

Marcus Sasser pulls up from deep 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

Vintage Rondo! Rajon Rondo of the Los Angeles Lakers flexes his defensive muscle with a beautiful steal before driving the length of the court and dropping the sweet dime to teammate LeBron James for the easy two-handed dunk against the Denver Nuggets during Western Conference Finals action on September 24, 2020.

Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo dishes transition dime to trailer in 2020 Conference Finals

Now that’s how you announce your presence to the rest of the league. A year after averaging just three points per game in less than eight minutes a night, Nick Richards has burst on to the scene for the Charlotte Hornets in the early stages of the 2022-23 season. After erupting for 19 points and 10 rebounds in the season opener, the reserve center one-ups himself against the Atlanta Hawks. Executing a flawless pick-and-roll with fellow reserve James Bouknight, Richards takes a bounce pass from his teammate and rises up for an emphatic one-handed slam. It was a perfect game for Richards, who made all nine of his field goal attempts in a 20-point, 11-rebound, two-block effort in 20 efficient minutes in Charlotte’s 126-109 win on October 23, 2022.

Nick Richards

Nick Richards goes hard to the rack in flawless night from the field

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal gets the sweet reverse game-winning layup to go against the Dallas Mavericks on February 7, 2020.

Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal runs off screen, straight to the hoop for game-winner vs. Mavs

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