The National Basketball League Rookie of the Year Award was an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given to the top rookie(s) of the regular season in each of the twelve years the league existed. The Rookie of the Year was selected by sports writers, broadcasters, coaches, and managers.[1] [2] Despite the dozens of teams that played in the NBL through its history, three of them collectively dominated the award's recipients. The Indianapolis Kautskys and Sheboygan Red Skins had three winners each, while the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots had two, for a combined eight of the twelve awards bestowed (66.7%).[3]
Among the winners were two future Basketball Hall of Famers, Red Holzman (1986) and Dolph Schayes (1973).[4] [5]
| Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | |
| Team (X) | Denotes the number of times a player from this team had won at that time |
| Season | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1937–38 | Forward | Indianapolis Kautskys | |
| 1938–39 | Forward | Indianapolis Kautskys (2) | |
| 1939–40 | Guard / forward | Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | |
| 1940–41 | Guard | Indianapolis Kautskys (3) | |
| 1941–42 | Forward / center | Akron Goodyear Wingfoots (2) | |
| 1942–43 | Forward / center | Sheboygan Red Skins | |
| 1943–44 | Guard / forward | Cleveland Chase Brassmen | |
| 1944–45 | Forward | Chicago American Gears | |
| 1945–46 | Guard | Rochester Royals | |
| 1946–47 | Guard / forward | Sheboygan Red Skins (2) | |
| 1947–48 | Forward / center | Sheboygan Red Skins (3) | |
| 1948–49 | Center | Syracuse Nationals | |