The National Basketball League Rookie of the Year was an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given between 1983 and 2022 to the top rookie of the regular season. Traditionally for a player to be considered for Rookie of the Year, they must have been an unrestricted non-import player without previous professional experience.^[1] This rule was relaxed in 2020 when American Next Star LaMelo Ball was named Rookie of the Year.^[2]

The award was discontinued in 2023 following the introduction of the Next Generation Award.^[3]

Winners

Year Player Nationality Team 1983 Jamie Kennedy  Australia Canberra Cannons 1984 Andrew Gaze  Australia Melbourne Tigers 1985 Mike McKay  Australia Adelaide 36ers 1986 Steve Lunardon  Australia Nunawading Spectres 1987 Greg Hubbard  Australia Illawarra Hawks 1988 Shane Heal  Australia Brisbane Bullets 1989 Justin Withers  Australia Illawarra Hawks 1990 Justin Cass  Australia Hobart Tassie Devils 1991 Andrew Vlahov  Australia Perth Wildcats 1992 Lachlan Armfield  Australia Canberra Cannons 1993 Chris Blakemore  Australia Adelaide 36ers 1994 Sam Mackinnon  Australia South East Melbourne Magic 1995 John Rillie  Australia Brisbane Bullets 1996 Scott McGregor  Australia Newcastle Falcons 1997 Matthew Nielsen  Australia Sydney Kings 1998 David Smith  Australia North Melbourne Giants 1998–99 Damien Ryan  Australia Canberra Cannons 1999–2000 Derek Moore  Australia Sydney Kings 2000–01 Axel Dench  Australia Wollongong Hawks 2001–02 Travis Lane  Australia Sydney Kings 2002–03 Gary Boodnikoff  Australia Sydney Kings 2003–04 Steven Marković  Australia West Sydney Razorbacks 2004–05 Brad Newley  Australia Townsville Crocodiles 2005–06 Mark Worthington  Australia Sydney Kings 2006–07 Joe Ingles  Australia South Dragons 2007–08 Nathan Jawai  Australia Cairns Taipans 2008–09 Aaron Bruce  Australia Adelaide 36ers 2009–10 Jesse Wagstaff  Australia Perth Wildcats 2010–11 Ben Madgen  Australia Sydney Kings 2011–12 Anatoly Bose  Kazakhstan Sydney Kings 2012–13 Cameron Gliddon  Australia Cairns Taipans 2013–14 Tom Jervis  Australia Perth Wildcats 2014–15 Angus Brandt  Australia Sydney Kings 2015–16 Nick Kay  Australia Townsville Crocodiles 2016–17 Anthony Drmic  Australia Adelaide 36ers 2017–18 Isaac Humphries  Australia Sydney Kings 2018–19 Harry Froling  Australia Adelaide 36ers 2019–20 LaMelo Ball  United States Illawarra Hawks 2020–21 Josh Giddey  Australia Adelaide 36ers 2021–22 Bul Kuol  South Sudan Cairns Taipans

References[edit]

1. ^ "CROCS YOUNG GUN NICK KAY WINS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR". NBL.com.au. 17 February 2016. Archived from the original on 25 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
2. ^ "LaMelo Ball crowned NBL's Rookie of the Year". nine.com.au. 16 February 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
3. ^ "NBL Launches Next Generation Award". NBL.com.au. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.