With the start of the 2021-22 season just hours away, Cleveland Cavaliers rookies RJ Nembhard, Kevin Pangos and Evan Mobley will be looking to start their NBA careers with a bang. Well, Mobley at minimum.
While Nembhard (a two-way player) and Pangos aren’t likely to see much action, especially on opening night against the Memphis Grizzlies, # 2 pick Evan Mobley projects not only to start, but is viewed as a foundational piece of the Cavs’ future.
Mobley, Cleveland’s ninth top-5 draft pick since 2003, enters his first game with oodles of anticipation and expectation, exuding the archetypal potential of a modern NBA big: elite defensive versatility and 3-point range. Mobley has also flashed the aforementioned potential in plenty of sequences in preseason.
All of this has made me wonder: How have previous Cavs rookies begun their careers? What have been some of the best debuts? How might we rank them?
In an attempt to answer these questions I decided on testing each rookie debut against a metric called “Game Score.” Developed by John Hollinger, a former NBA executive and now a writer for The Athletic, Game Score attempts to encapsulate a player’s overall performance in a single game based on box score data. You can find further detail here but below is the formula:
PTS + 0.4 * FG – 0.7 * FGA – 0.4*(FTA – FT) + 0.7 * ORB + 0.3 * DRB + STL + 0.7 * AST + 0.7 * BLK – 0.4 * PF – TOV
In short: efficient scoring, rebounds, steals, assists and blocks are good; fouls, turnovers and missed shots are bad.
For some context on the Game Score metric, check out the all-time leaders at this link. Michael Jordan’s 69-point game against, yes, the Cavaliers is tops with 60.60. LeBron James’ 57-point-11 rebound-7 assist game against the Wizards in 2017 holds the Cavs’ Game Score record with 53.20 (ninth all-time).
Before we get started though there are a few housekeeping notes. Game Score does not exist prior to 1977-78 as this was the first season turnovers were officially recorded. In addition, box scores for the Cavalier rookie debuts of Butch Lee, Walter Jordan, Chad Kinch and Bill Laimbeer are missing key statistical categories which voided their Game Score results.
Laimbeer’s debut in 1980 did not have steals or turnovers recorded despite other games on that date logging those statistics. While “Counterfeit Bill’s” 0 points, 2 rebounds and 1 foul in this game doesn’t suggest a place on this list, Lee (18 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists in 1978) would have challenged for a high debut ranking if the box score was complete. Kinch’s 10 points-3 rebound-2 assist performance in 1980 would have been a chance here too.
Finally, Jordan McRae – technically a rookie in 2016 for the Cavs – actually played his NBA debut (12 points-4 assists) for the Phoenix Suns before being traded to Cleveland after just 8 games. Sorry, but that rules you out Orange Mamba.
With all of that out of the way, let’s get started: The top 20 Cleveland Cavalier rookie debuts of all-time.
#20: Randolph Keys (22nd overall) – Nov. 4, 1988
Game Score of 7.2
A high-scoring forward from the University of Southern Mississipi, Keys began his NBA career with an efficient 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-3 FT) in 12 minutes during a 40-point win over the Charlotte Hornets. Cracking the long-term rotation of a conference powerhouse would prove difficult however and Keys was traded the following season. This set in motion somewhat of a journeyman career which included stints in Europe and the Los Angeles Lakers where Keys wore number 8 for the final time before Kobe Bryant.
#19: Mark Price (Second round, 25th overall) – Nov. 5, 1986
Game Score of 7.5
Any Cavs All-time list that has Mark Price this low suggests a pretty strong field. One of the original 50-40-90 threats, Price scored 8 points, dished out 4 assists and grabbed 5 rebounds in 15 minutes on debut. He also flashed his shooting prowess going 2-2 from 3-point range. Price’s debut would be the beginning of a Cavalier career which spanned nine seasons and currently ranks second in franchise history in steals and assists, third in 3-pointers and fifth in points. His number 25 was retired by the Cavaliers in 1999.
Despite being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks, Price landed in Cleveland as part of the ridiculous 1986 Cavs rookie class (broken down in intricate detail here by KJG’s own John Suchan). Seriously, if anyone can name a better rookie class on a single team than the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 1986-87 season, please leave a comment below.
Price’s debut may have ended in a loss against the Utah Jazz but it featured a matchup with another up-and-coming point guard – third-year reserve John Stockton.
#18: Bob Sura (17th overall) – Nov. 3, 1995
Game Score: 8.4
Bob Sura can now add this All-time list to his career highlights which included invitations to the Slam Dunk (1997) and 3-point (2000) competitions. Sura’s debut (6 points, 6 assists and 2 steals) would mark the beginning of five seasons as a Cavalier – highlighted by averages of 13.8 points, 3.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 1999-00.
#17: Melvin Turpin (Sixth overall) – Oct. 26, 1984
Game Score: 9.1
When I hear the name “Melvin Turpin” I’m immediately taken back to a Michael Jordan game which is (among others) etched in Jazz lore. After MJ dunked in the vicinity of John Stockton, a Jazz fan rose from his courtside seat demanding Jordan pick on someone his own size. MJ’s response: a dunk on 6-foot-11 Mel Turpin a few possessions later with Jordan replying “was he big enough?”
Three seasons before this exchange, Turpin and Jordan would enter the league together in the iconic 1984 NBA Draft. Selected by Washington just three spots after His Airness, Turpin was traded to the Cavaliers on draft night and would start 45 games, averaging 10.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks as a rookie. In his debut he faced an imposing Philadelphia 76ers front line of Moses Malone, Julius Erving and fellow rookie Charles Barkley, posting a valiant 13 points and 10 rebounds (5 offensive) in 39 minutes.
Despite showing progress in his second season, “The Big Dipper” struggled with consistency in his career and would bounce around the league including a stint in Spain. Turpin died in 2010 of a reported suicide at the age of 49.
#15 (tied): Dion Waiters (Fourth overall) – Oct. 30, 2012
Game Score: 9.8
If your investment portfolio ever included stock in Waiters Island, I hope a mitigation strategy was in place to get you back to the safety of the mainland.
For a while there, Dion Waiters commodity had its value. His combination of athleticism and perpetual heat-checking saw the 6-foot-3, 215-pound guard carve out a Sixth-man-scorer role which, after Cleveland, included prominent stints with the title-contending Oklahoma City Thunder and post-LeBron Miami Heat.
Drafted fourth overall out of Syracuse, Waiters, who averaged 14.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in almost three seasons with the Cavs, didn’t disappoint on debut. Outclassing fellow rookie Bradley Beal, he posted 17 points on 14 shots along with 3 steals in the Cavs’ 10-point win. Waiters would go on to earn All-Rookie First Team honors.
It wouldn’t take long for his career to stray however. After being traded to the Thunder and subsequently released, Waiters signed with the Heat where he would be disciplined multiple times, including reportedly consuming THC-infused edibles on a flight which led to a panic attack. Waiters then joined the other 2020 NBA Finalist LA Lakers, all but guaranteeing himself a ring in the Bubble. Not long after, the 29-year old hinted at retirement due to the “politics” of the NBA. Waiters hasn’t played in the league since.
#15 (tied): Eddie Jordan (Second round, 33rd overall), Oct. 18, 1977
Game Score: 9.8
“Fast Eddie” is probably best remembered as a former NBA head coach which included stops with the Sacramento Kings (1998), Washington (2003-08) and, most recently, Philadelphia in 2010.
Before becoming a coach however, Jordan journeyed the NBA as a backup point guard, playing 420 games on four different teams. Despite being traded just 22 games into his rookie season, the second-round draft pick impressed in his debut with 11 points, 6 assists and 2 steals in 23 minutes.
#14: D.J. Kennedy (Undrafted), April 25, 2012
Game Score: 9.9
Undrafted out of St. John’s in 2011, Kennedy’s first NBA game wouldn’t come until April in 2012 and despite playing only one more career game after his debut, Kennedy posted 12 points (5-6 FG), 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in 31 minutes. He has since played in stops all around the world and is currently a member of BC Kamianske in the Ukraine.
#12 (tied): Tristan Thompson (Fourth overall), Dec. 26, 2011
Game Score: 10.1
As the fourth selection in the 2011 NBA Draft, Tristan Thompson held the record of highest drafted Canadian before the Cavaliers selected fellow Canuck Anthony Bennett (2013) and Andrew Wiggins in (2014) #1 overall. Unlike Bennett and Wiggins however, Thompson would prove to be a foundational piece, playing 619 career games and helping the Cavs reach four straight NBA Finals. This included averages of 10.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in the 2016 NBA Finals which saw the Wine and Gold bring home their first NBA championship in franchise history.
Thompson’s debut against his native Toronto Raptors was an indication of what was to come for the Cavaliers – a solid and respectable 12 points (4-6 FG) and 5 rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench. The 6-foot-9 power forward/center (at that point) would go on to earn All-Rookie Second Team honors in 2012.
#12 (tied): Paul Thompson (Third round, 50th overall), Oct. 28, 1983
Game Score: 10.1
Selected 50th overall by Cleveland in the old 10-round NBA Draft system, Thompson quickly proved his worth as a high energy small forward off the bench. In his debut the ex-Tulane Green Wave registered a quick-fire 10 points (4-8 FG) in just 12 minutes, adding 2 steals and a block. In the 7-point loss to the New York Knicks, Thompson had the opportunity to see another small forward up close – Hall of Famer Bernard King.
#10 (tied): Isaac Okoro (Fifth overall), Dec. 23, 2020
Game Score: 11.1
With the backcourt locked up in SexLand, the Cavaliers went hunting for frontcourt depth in 2020. After reportedly considering options at the Four, as our Robbie DiPaola then hit on, the Wine and Gold landed on defensive-minded and under-17 gold medal winner Isaac Okoro. Starting all 67 games he played last season, Okoro flashed 3-and-D potential and appears to be the Cavs’ wing-of-choice moving forward.
On debut, Okoro recorded 11 points (4-5 FG), three rebounds and five assists in 34 minutes. Cleveland’s 7-point win would come against the Charlotte Hornets and future Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball.
#10 (Tied): Zydrunas Ilgauskas (20th overall), Oct. 31, 1997
Game Score: 11.1
An underrated first-round selection in the ridiculous 1996 NBA Draft, a foot injury would derail Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ entire rookie season before it even got started. Ilgauskas’ return however would mark the beginning of a 771-game career with the Cavs, becoming their all-time leader in blocks (1269) while ranking second in minutes (21820), points (10616) and rebounds (5904).
On debut, 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas recorded a dominant 16 points and 16 rebounds (8 offensive) in a 10-point loss to the Houston Rockets. Even more impressive was the opposing center he faced – Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon.
#9: Ron Harper (Eighth overall), Nov. 1, 1986
Game Score: 11.2
Long before he was a defensive stopper on the second three-peat Chicago Bulls, Ron Harper was a high flying wing who could do it all. Drafted eighth overall by a Cavaliers team lacking scoring and playmaking, “Harp” quickly became their go-to guy as a rookie, averaging 22.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.5 steals in 37.4 minutes per game.
His debut would mark the beginning of three-and-a-half seasons with the Cavs and despite 7 turnovers, Harper posted 25 points, 5 assists and 2 steals in a 7-point win over the Washington Bullets.
#7 (tied): Terrell Brandon (11th overall), Nov. 1, 1991
Game Score: 12.2
Beginning his career as backup point guard to Price, Terrell Brandon’s resilience would pay off when he was handed the reigns following Price’s departure. Improving his scoring average from 7.4 to 19.5 points per game in six seasons as a Cavalier, “Tee Bee” would be named to back-to-back All-Star teams in 1996 and 1997.
Filling in for the absent Price on debut, the Oregon native showed what the future had in store, posting 15 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals in 30 minutes. The Cavs’ 11-point loss would come against a team Brandon, now a member of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame, had intimate knowledge of – the would-be-finalist Portland Trail Blazers.
#7 (tied): Roy Hinson (20th overall), Oct. 28, 1993
Game Score: 12.2
Like Terrell Brandon, undersized big man Roy Hinson also showed significant progress as a Cavalier, improving his scoring average from 5.5 to19.6 points per game in just three seasons. A participant in the famous 1986 Slam Dunk contest, Hinson flashed his defensive potential on debut recording 8 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 blocks in 27 minutes of action against the Knicks.
#6: Dirk Minniefield (Second round, 33rd overall), Oct. 25, 1985
Game Score: 12.3
Named Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball in 1979, Dirk Minniefield would be waived and traded a total of three times before finally making his debut for the Cavaliers. In a 1-point loss to second-year guard Michael Jordan and the Bulls, Minniefield posted 11 points (3-4 FG), 4 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals in just 16 minutes.
#5: Dajuan Wagner (Sixth overall), Nov. 26, 2002
Game Score: 13.1
One of 26 players to officially record 100 points in a single high school game since 1913, Wagner continued his offensive acumen for the University of Memphis as a freshman (21.2 points per game). His NBA career appeared to be headed in a similar direction, averaging 13.4 points per game as a rookie before health problems would cut the 6-foot-2 combo guard’s career short. On debut, Wagner displayed the scoring potential he was drafted for, posting 17 points (4-10 FG, 7-9 FT), 3 assists and 3 steals in 33 minutes.
#4: Brevin Knight (16th overall), Oct. 31, 1997
Game Score: 15.3
It’s not often a rookie leads the NBA in a statistical category but that’s exactly what career ball-hawk Brevin Knight did in 1998, recording a league-best 196 steals in 80 games. His 2.5 thefts per game (just behind leader Mookie Blaylock’s 2.6) and 8.2 assists per game earned Knight All-Rookie 1st Team honors. It would be the beginning of a career that spanned 729 NBA games on nine different teams for the Stanford standout.
Now a color commentator for the Memphis Grizzlies, the 6-foot guard shined on debut, posting 18 points (5-9 FG, 8-10 FT) and 3 steals off the bench in 24 minutes.
#3: John ‘Hot Rod’ Williams (Second round, 45th overall), Nov. 1, 1986
Game Score: 20.2
Due to standing trial for alleged point shaving in 1985, John ‘Hot Rod’ Williams’ NBA career would start a year after being selected 45th overall by the Cavaliers. While awaiting the verdict (he was acquitted of all charges), Williams would play in the USBL, eventually joining fellow rookies Ron Harper and Brad Daugherty on the NBA’s 1987 All-Rookie team. This would mark the beginning of nine seasons in Cleveland with his name littered among Cavalier All-time leaders including blocks (2nd), minutes (3rd), rebounds (5th) and points (7th).
On debut, Hot Rod proved he was more than worth the wait, posting 22 points (8-11 FG, 6-7 FT), 7 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block in 39 minutes of action.
Williams was diagnosed with cancer in 2014. He passed away in December 2015, aged just 53.
#2: Ron Anderson (Second round, 27th overall), Oct. 26, 1986
Game Score: 22
Drafted by the Cavaliers at the advanced age of 26, Ron Anderson’s career would take a while to get going, and despite playing in leagues all around the world, he still managed to log 664 games over 10 seasons in the NBA.
The 6-foot-7 small forward, who played college ball for both Santa Barbara CC and Fresno State, came out swinging on debut. In 40 minutes of action, he posted 27 points (10-14 FG, 7-9 FT), 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a 10-point loss to Philadelphia.
#1: LeBron James (First overall), Oct. 29, 2003
Game Score: 24.7
Facing unprecedented hype and pressure on debut, the “Chosen One” – right from the chalk-clap and tip off – provided a glimpse into the future of the NBA post-Michael Jordan.
Just a minute-and-a-half into the game, James flashed the vision and versatility which was already captivating the basketball world; rebounding and pushing in transition to set up Ricky Davis for an alley-oop dunk. The main highlight though? Three consecutive steals in the first quarter which led to three dunks, including his own iconic breakaway debut slam.
After it was all over, James had posted 25 points (12-20 FG), 9 assists, 6 rebounds and 4 steals in a loss to the powerhouse Kings. It would be the beginning of a Rookie of the Year campaign featuring averages of 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists. That would be the beginning of – currently – 4 NBA championships, 4 MVPs, 3 Finals MVPs, 24 All-NBA selections, 17 All-Star games and 2 Olympic Gold Metals.
As of his before his game on Tuesday, the King entered his 19th season just 1561 points behind Karl Malone for second place all-time in NBA history. Even at age 37 in a couple of months, LeBron James continues to remind us that the hype was real.