# NBL Rookie of the Year Award

National Basketball League awards and honors :
Championship :
Dr John Raschke Trophy :
Individual awards :
Most Valuable Player
Fans MVP
Best Sixth Man
Next Generation
Good Hands (defunct)
Rookie of the Year (defunct)
Grand Final MVP
Best Defensive Player
Most Improved Player
Coach of the Year
Most Efficient Player (defunct) :
Honours :
All-NBL Team
Scoring champion :
vte :
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. This rule was relaxed in 2020 when American Next Star LaMelo Ball was named Rookie of the Year.
The award was discontinued in 2023 following the introduction of the Next Generation Award.

## 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 |