# Continental Basketball Association Rookie of the Year Award

The Continental Basketball Association Rookie of the Year was an annual award given to the best rookie(s) of the regular season of the CBA. The award was given to players on their first CBA season and with no prior professional experience.

## History

The award was established in 1957, when the league was operating under the name Eastern Professional Basketball League. The first winner was Dick Gaines, from Seton Hall. In 1970 the league changed its name, becoming the Eastern Basketball Association. In 1975–76, for the first time in CBA history, the award was shared by two players: Mo Rivers (from NC State) and Walter Luckett (from Ohio). In 1977 a new award, the Newcomer of the Year, was created: while the Rookie of the Year was given to players on their first season with no experience in professional leagues, the Newcomer of the Year was given to players who already had professional experience. In 1996–97 the award was shared by Bernard Hopkins (from VCU) and Jason Sasser (from Texas Tech): Sasser was also called up in the NBA by the San Antonio Spurs. In 2001–02 Rookie of the Year Kenny Inge had started the 2001-02 season with BC Žalgiris in Lithuania, and joined the Rockford Lightning of the CBA on December 20, 2001. Only two players won the Rookie of the Year award and the Player of the Year award during their career: Julius McCoy (Rookie of the Year in 1959, Player of the Year in 1966) and Ken Wilburn (Rookie of the Year in 1967, Player of the Year in 1968 and 1974).

## Key

| ^ | Denotes player who simultaneously won CBA Most Valuable Player/Player of the Year Award |
| † | Denotes player whose team won championship that year |
| Ref | Reference |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been named MVP |
| Team (X) | Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won |

## Table

| Season | Player | Position | Nationality | Team | Ref |
| Eastern Professional Basketball League ||||||
| 1957–58 | Dick Gaines | Guard | United States | Easton Madisons | |
| 1958–59 | Julius McCoy | Forward | United States | Williamsport Billies | |
| 1959–60 | Alonzo Lewis | Guard | United States | Sunbury Mercuries | |
| 1960–61 | Dave Gunther | Forward | United States | Williamsport Billies (2) | |
| 1961–62 | Jim Huggard | Guard | United States | Sunbury Mercuries (2) | |
| 1962–63 | Emerson Baynard | Forward | United States | Sunbury Mercuries (3) | |
| 1963–64 | Ken Rohloff | Guard | United States | Sunbury Mercuries (4) | |
| 1964–65 | Swish McKinney | Guard | United States | Wilmington Blue Bombers | |
| 1965–66 | Bob Love | Forward | United States | Trenton Colonials | |
| 1966–67 | Ken Wilburn | Forward | United States | Trenton Colonials (2) | |
| 1967–68 | Don Carlos | Guard/Forward | United States | Hartford Capitols | |
| 1968–69 | Richie Cornwall | Guard | United States | Binghamton Flyers | |
| 1969–70† | Eddie Mast | Forward | United States | Allentown Jets | |
| Eastern Basketball Association ||||||
| 1970–71 | Charlie Wallace | Guard/Forward | United States | Trenton Pat Pavers | |
| 1971–72 | Craig Mayberry | Forward | United States | Hartford Capitols (2) | |
| 1972–73 | Vincent White | Forward | United States | Garden State Colonials | |
| 1973–74 | Dennis Bell | Forward | United States | Allentown Jets (2) | |
| 1974–75† | Aulcie Perry | Center | United States | Allentown Jets (3) | |
| 1975–76 | Mo Rivers | Guard | United States | Lancaster Red Roses | |
| 1975–76 | Walter Luckett | Guard | United States | Long Island Sounds | |
| 1976–77 | Major Jones | Center | United States | Allentown Jets (4) | |
| 1977–78 | Bill Terry | Guard | United States | Shore Bullets | |
| Continental Basketball Association ||||||
| 1978–79 | Billy Ray Bates | Guard | United States | Maine Lumberjacks | |
| 1979–80 | Edgar Jones | Center | United States | Lehigh Valley Jets | |
| 1980–81† | Lee Johnson | Center | United States | Rochester Zeniths | |
| 1981–82 | Larry Spriggs | Forward | United States | Rochester Zeniths (2) | |
| 1982–83 | Mike Sanders | Guard | United States | Montana Golden Nuggets | |
| 1983–84 | Greg Jones | Guard | United States | Wisconsin Flyers | |
| 1984–85 | Eric Turner | Guard | United States | Detroit Spirits | |
| 1985–86 | Michael Adams | Guard | United States | Bay State Bombardiers | |
| 1986–87 | Ron Rowan | Guard | United States | Topeka Sizzlers | |
| 1987–88 | Jamie Waller | Guard | United States | Quad City Thunder, Charleston Gunners | |
| 1988–89 | Daren Queenan | Guard | United States | Charleston Gunners (2) | |
| 1989–90 | Clifford Lett | Guard | United States | Pensacola Tornados | |
| 1990–91 | Stephen Thompson | Guard | United States | Rapid City Thrillers | |
| 1991–92 | Marcus Kennedy | Forward/center | United States | Grand Rapids Hoops | |
| 1992–93 | Gerald Madkins | Guard | United States | Grand Rapids Hoops (2) | |
| 1993–94 | Alphonso Ford | Guard | United States | Tri-City Chinook | |
| 1994–95 | Kendrick Warren | Forward | United States | Rockford Lightning | |
| 1995–96 | Ray Jackson | Forward | United States | Grand Rapids Mackers (3) | |
| 1996–97 | Bernard Hopkins | Forward | United States | Yakima Sun Kings | |
| 1996–97 | Jason Sasser | Forward | United States | Sioux Falls Skyforce | |
| 1997–98† | Alvin Sims | Guard | United States | Quad City Thunder | |
| 1998–99 | Bakari Hendrix | Forward | United States | Quad City Thunder (2) | |
| 1999–2000 | Jamel Thomas | Guard/Forward | United States | Quad City Thunder (3) | |
| 2000–01 | Not awarded after league went defunct | Not awarded after league went defunct | Not awarded after league went defunct | Not awarded after league went defunct | Not awarded after league went defunct |
| 2001–02 | Kenny Inge | Forward | United States | Rockford Lightning (2) | |
| 2002–03 | Immanuel McElroy | Guard | United States | Grand Rapids Hoops (4) | |
| 2003–04 | David Bailey | Guard | United States | Idaho Stampede | |
| 2004–05 | Jackie Butler | Forward/center | United States | Great Lakes Storm | |
| 2005–06 | Roger Powell | Forward | United States | Rockford Lightning (3) | |
| 2006–07 | Travis Garrison | Forward | United States | Great Falls Explorers | |
| 2007–08 | Anthony Washington | Forward/center | United States | Yakama Sun Kings (2) | |