The 1960–61 season was the Royals 13th season in the NBA and its fourth in Cincinnati. The season was defined by the debut of Oscar Robertson. He would win the Rookie of the Year by nearly averaging a triple double for the entire season. The Big O averaged 30.5 points per game, 10.1 rebounds per game and 9.7 assists per game. He was also MVP of the 1961 NBA All-Star Game.[1] Robertson's arrival drew considerable publicity to a team on the verge of folding after the last two brutal seasons. Even a year ago, with the Royals playing before sparse crowds, the mantra was ' Robertson will be here next year '.The Royals actually had four key rookies that year arrive. Along with Robertson, previous #1 pick Bob Boozer, guard Ralph Davis, and college scorer Jay Arnette all arrived to boost the roster.Tom Marshall had served as coach the previous two difficult years. While many thought a bigger NBA name like Red Rocha should now take over, kindly small-college coach Charlie Wolf was inexpensively brought on to aid the young roster. Wolf moved Robertson to lead guard, and the team immediately improved. Jack Twyman, Wayne Embry and Arlen Bockhorn were solid starters in support of the new superstar. Robertson brought a brash leadership to the team, helping to organize the team's attack. The infusion of talented youth overall gave the team a real lift.No ordinary rookie, Robertson scored 30.5 points per game, led the NBA in assists by a clear margin, sank the third-highest number of free throws in the league, and was even second on the Royals in rebounding. He was a 6' 5 player unlike any seen before in the NBA.Robertson's debut was against the now-Los Angeles Lakers in their first game since moving from Minneapolis on October 19. It was also the rookie debut of the Lakers' Jerry West. Robertson triple-doubled in his first NBA game and led the Royals to the highest point total since moving to Cincinnati in the 140–123 win before a large Gardens crowd. Robertson produced large turnouts for the Royals all through November. But the team went 4–13 that month, ending their star's honeymoon. Injuries to the hard-worked Embry saw the team go 6–12 in January, souring the team's playoff chances.Star forward Twyman was the chief target of Robertson passes. Twyman's deadly jumper found the net at 25.3 points per game.The Royals would fall 1 game short of a playoff appearance as they finished in last place with a record of 33 wins and 46 losses.[1]
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati | ||
| 2 | 9 | Jay Arnette | Texas | ||
| 1960-61 NBA Records | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | BOS | CIN | DET | LAL | NYK | PHI | STL | SYR |
| Boston | — | 7–3 | 8–2 | 8–2 | 10–3 | 8–5 | 6–4 | 10–3 | |
| Cincinnati | 3–7 | — | 2–11 | 8–5 | 8–2 | 2–8 | 6–7 | 4–6 | |
| Detroit | 2–8 | 11–2 | — | 4–9 | 5–5 | 5–5 | 3–10 | 4–6 | |
| Los Angeles | 2–8 | 5–8 | 9–4 | — | 7–3 | 2–8 | 5–8 | 6–4 | |
| New York | 3–10 | 2–8 | 5–5 | 3–7 | — | 2–11 | 1–9 | 5–8 | |
| Philadelphia | 5–8 | 8–2 | 5–5 | 8–2 | 11–2 | — | 3–7 | 6–7 | |
| St. Louis | 4–6 | 7–6 | 10–3 | 8–5 | 9–1 | 7–3 | — | 6–4 | |
| Syracuse | 3–10 | 6–4 | 6–4 | 4–6 | 8–5 | 7–6 | 4–6 | — | |
| 1960–61 Game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | October 19 | 123–140 | Jack Twyman (30) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | October 20 | 113–105 | Oscar Robertson (28) | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | October 22 | New York | 117–119 | Phil Jordon (28) | 3–0 | |
| 4 | October 23 | 103–114 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 4–0 | ||
| 5 | October 26 | 117–131 | Jack Twyman (33) | 4–1 | ||
| 6 | October 27 | 140–143 (OT) | Oscar Robertson (39) | 5–1 | ||
| 7 | October 29 | @ St. Louis | 97–113 | Oscar Robertson (17) | 5–2 | |
| 8 | November 1 | 131–113 | Phil Jordon (18) | 5–3 | ||
| 9 | November 5 | 113–104 | Oscar Robertson (25) | 6–3 | ||
| 10 | November 8 | Boston | 136–120 | Jack Twyman (32) | 6–4 | |
| 11 | November 11 | N Boston | 110–128 | Jack Twyman (29) | 6–5 | |
| 12 | November 12 | @ Detroit | 112–116 | Jack Twyman (25) | 6–6 | |
| 13 | November 13 | Detroit | 125–113 | Robertson, Twyman (34) | 6–7 | |
| 14 | November 15 | Philadelphia | 115–124 | Oscar Robertson (44) | 7–7 | |
| 15 | November 16 | @ Syracuse | 87–124 | Jack Twyman (22) | 7–8 | |
| 16 | November 18 | St. Louis | 128–129 (OT) | Oscar Robertson (36) | 8–8 | |
| 17 | November 19 | @ St. Louis | 120–121 | Oscar Robertson (37) | 8–9 | |
| 18 | November 20 | Boston | 120–103 | Oscar Robertson (21) | 8–10 | |
| 19 | November 22 | N Los Angeles | 133–118 | Phil Jordon (25) | 8–11 | |
| 20 | November 23 | Los Angeles | 118–122 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 9–11 | |
| 21 | November 24 | N Los Angeles | 108–100 | Jack Twyman (35) | 9–12 | |
| 22 | November 26 | @ Philadelphia | 108–138 | Oscar Robertson (26) | 9–13 | |
| 23 | November 27 | New York | 122–118 (OT) | Oscar Robertson (42) | 9–14 | |
| 24 | November 29 | N Syracuse | 129–105 | Jack Twyman (31) | 9–15 | |
| 25 | December 1 | Syracuse | 137–126 | Oscar Robertson (41) | 9–16 | |
| 26 | December 4 | N Detroit | 116–115 | Oscar Robertson (34) | 9–17 | |
| 27 | December 6 | @ New York | 117–112 | Jack Twyman (28) | 10–17 | |
| 28 | December 7 | Los Angeles | 112–114 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 11–17 | |
| 29 | December 8 | N Boston | 118–115 | Robertson, Twyman (36) | 12–17 | |
| 30 | December 9 | @ Boston | 123–146 | Jack Twyman (29) | 12–18 | |
| 31 | December 13 | N Syracuse | 107–105 | Jack Twyman (37) | 12–19 | |
| 32 | December 14 | New York | 114–121 | Arlen Bockhorn (35) | 13–19 | |
| 33 | December 16 | Los Angeles | 116–130 | Oscar Robertson (39) | 14–19 | |
| 34 | December 18 | Philadelphia | 128–112 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 14–20 | |
| 35 | December 20 | N Boston | 112–115 | Jack Twyman (36) | 14–21 | |
| 36 | December 25 | Detroit | 119–126 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 15–21 | |
| 37 | December 26 | @ Detroit | 132–137 | Oscar Robertson (43) | 15–22 | |
| 38 | December 27 | Syracuse | 124–129 | Oscar Robertson (45) | 16–22 | |
| 39 | December 28 | N New York | 104–114 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 17–22 | |
| 40 | December 29 | @ Philadelphia | 124–128 | Oscar Robertson (36) | 17–23 | |
| 41 | December 30 | N Philadelphia | 130–136 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 18–23 | |
| 42 | January 1 | St. Louis | 112–114 | Oscar Robertson (28) | 19–23 | |
| 43 | January 2 | N Syracuse | 125–126 | Oscar Robertson (42) | 20–23 | |
| 44 | January 4 | @ Syracuse | 134–126 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 21–23 | |
| 45 | January 5 | Boston | 125–107 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 21–24 | |
| 46 | January 10 | @ St. Louis | 110–119 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 21–25 | |
| 47 | January 11 | @ Detroit | 122–126 | Oscar Robertson (29) | 21–26 | |
| 48 | January 12 | N Detroit | 124–112 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 21–27 | |
| 49 | January 14 | @ Los Angeles | 114–123 | Oscar Robertson (45) | 21–28 | |
| 50 | January 15 | @ Los Angeles | 109–105 | Jack Twyman (31) | 22–28 | |
| 51 | January 18 | N Detroit | 144–128 | Ralph Davis (25) | 22–29 | |
| 52 | January 19 | New York | 129–122 | Jack Twyman (34) | 22–30 | |
| 53 | January 21 | N Detroit | 130–106 | Jack Twyman (22) | 22–31 | |
| 54 | January 22 | St. Louis | 108–115 | Wayne Embry (28) | 23–31 | |
| 55 | January 24 | Detroit | 106–104 | Jack Twyman (37) | 23–32 | |
| 56 | January 25 | @ Detroit | 125–138 | Jack Twyman (21) | 23–33 | |
| 57 | January 27 | Syracuse | 138–126 | Jack Twyman (37) | 23–34 | |
| 58 | January 28 | @ St. Louis | 116–136 | Jack Twyman (34) | 23–35 | |
| 59 | January 30 | Boston | 88–116 | Jack Twyman (41) | 24–35 | |
| 60 | February 2 | @ Philadelphia | 118–133 | Jack Twyman (25) | 24–36 | |
| 61 | February 3 | N Philadelphia | 136–135 | Wayne Embry (37) | 24–37 | |
| 62 | February 5 | @ Syracuse | 115–129 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 24–38 | |
| 63 | February 6 | N Los Angeles | 110–101 | Oscar Robertson (37) | 24–39 | |
| 64 | February 9 | N New York | 115–119 | Wayne Embry (23) | 25–39 | |
| 65 | February 11 | @ St. Louis | 122–123 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 25–40 | |
| 66 | February 12 | @ New York | 105–104 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 26–40 | |
| 67 | February 13 | N Los Angeles | 100–104 | Oscar Robertson (40) | 27–40 | |
| 68 | February 16 | St. Louis | 107–133 | Oscar Robertson (31) | 28–40 | |
| 69 | February 19 | Los Angeles | 106–112 | Oscar Robertson (43) | 29–40 | |
| 70 | February 21 | @ St. Louis | 114–126 | Oscar Robertson (36) | 29–41 | |
| 71 | February 22 | N Philadelphia | 132–131 | Oscar Robertson (39) | 29–42 | |
| 72 | February 25 | Philadelphia | 129–120 | Oscar Robertson (39) | 29–43 | |
| 73 | February 26 | St. Louis | 148–122 | Jack Twyman (25) | 29–44 | |
| 74 | February 28 | N St. Louis | 105–131 | Jack Twyman (24) | 30–44 | |
| 75 | March 1 | Detroit | 122–137 | Oscar Robertson (37) | 31–44 | |
| 76 | March 5 | @ New York | 124–118 | Robertson, Twyman (27) | 32–44 | |
| 77 | March 7 | N Boston | 121–124 | Oscar Robertson (32) | 32–45 | |
| 78 | March 11 | @ Los Angeles | 108–105 | Jack Twyman (23) | 33–45 | |
| 79 | March 12 | @ Los Angeles | 122–123 | Oscar Robertson (38) | 33–46 |