NBA Deep Cut #19 Board: Name a player who scored 20+ points in their NBA debut (debuts since 1955-56).

About this Board

On Monday, October 12, 1 player took on NBA Deep Cut #19: “Name a player who scored 20+ points in their NBA debut (debuts since 1955-56).” The prompt had 84 valid answers, and players found 3 of them. Correct answers score more the fewer people name them, so the deepest cuts are the ones worth the most.

Answers and recap (spoilers)

The most popular answer was John Drew, named by 100% of players. The rarest correct answer anyone found was Maurice Stokes (1 player, 70 points). Nobody found the day's Sleeper: Geoff Petrie.

Named by players

John Drew (John Drew (F · ATL, UTA · 1974–1985)): 1 player, 100%, 35 points. Debut (1974-10-18): 32 points
Gordan Giricek (Gordan Giricek (G · MEM, ORL, UTA, PHI, PHX · 2002–2008)): 1 player, 100%, 48 points. Debut (2002-10-30): 29 points
Maurice Stokes (Maurice Stokes (F · SAC · 1955–1958)): 1 player, 100%, 70 points. Debut (1955-11-05): 32 points

Nobody named

LeBron James: Debut (2003-10-29): 25 points
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Debut (1969-10-18): 29 points
Hakeem Olajuwon: Debut (1984-10-27): 24 points
Elvin Hayes: Debut (1968-10-17): 25 points
Wilt Chamberlain: Debut (1959-10-24): 43 points
Magic Johnson: Debut (1979-10-12): 26 points
Otis Thorpe: Debut (1984-10-27): 21 points
Michael Cooper: Debut (1978-10-17): 31 points
Jerry West: Debut (1960-10-19): 20 points
David Robinson: Debut (1989-11-04): 23 points
Bill Cartwright: Debut (1979-10-12): 22 points
Ron Harper: Debut (1986-11-01): 25 points
Isiah Thomas: Debut (1981-10-30): 31 points
Lamar Odom: Debut (1999-11-02): 30 points
Oscar Robertson: Debut (1960-10-19): 21 points
Elgin Baylor: Debut (1958-10-22): 25 points
Walter Davis: Debut (1977-10-18): 20 points
Mychal Thompson: Debut (1978-10-15): 23 points
Dominique Wilkins: Debut (1982-10-29): 23 points
Steven Smith: Debut (1991-11-02): 24 points
Hersey Hawkins: Debut (1988-11-04): 20 points
Jerry Stackhouse: Debut (1995-11-03): 27 points
Earl Monroe: Debut (1967-10-18): 22 points
Bob McAdoo: Debut (1972-10-10): 20 points
Bob Lanier: Debut (1970-10-14): 22 points
Walt Bellamy: Debut (1961-10-19): 29 points
Allen Iverson: Debut (1996-11-01): 30 points
Rudy Gay: Debut (2006-11-01): 21 points
Nick Van Exel: Debut (1993-11-05): 23 points
Maurice Lucas: Debut (1976-10-23): 24 points
Grant Hill: Debut (1994-11-04): 25 points
Damian Lillard: Debut (2012-10-31): 23 points
Donyell Marshall: Debut (1994-11-04): 26 points
Jerry Lucas: Debut (1963-10-16): 23 points
Hot Rod Williams: Debut (1986-11-01): 22 points
K.C. Jones: Debut (1958-10-25): 20 points
Artis Gilmore: Debut (1976-10-22): 21 points
Guy Rodgers: Debut (1958-12-11): 24 points
Jason Williams: Debut (1999-02-05): 21 points
Anthony Davis: Debut (2012-10-31): 21 points
Blake Griffin: Debut (2010-10-27): 20 points
Bobby Jackson: Debut (1997-10-31): 27 points
Dan Issel: Debut (1976-10-22): 30 points
Billy Paultz: Debut (1976-10-22): 27 points
Darrell Griffith: Debut (1980-10-10): 26 points
Marques Johnson: Debut (1977-10-18): 21 points
Dan Roundfield: Debut (1976-10-21): 23 points
Sean Rooks: Debut (1992-11-07): 20 points
Jamal Mashburn: Debut (1993-11-05): 22 points
Tom Gugliotta: Debut (1992-11-06): 20 points
Calvin Natt: Debut (1979-10-12): 20 points
Ron Anderson: Debut (1984-10-26): 27 points
Willie Anderson: Debut (1988-11-05): 30 points
Joel Embiid: Debut (2016-10-26): 20 points
Billy Knight: Debut (1976-10-21): 29 points
Bryant Stith: Debut (1992-11-07): 20 points
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf: Debut (1990-11-10): 26 points
Billy McKinney: Debut (1978-10-15): 23 points
P.J. Washington: Debut (2019-10-23): 27 points
RJ Barrett: Debut (2019-10-23): 21 points
Mitchell Wiggins: Debut (1983-10-29): 26 points
George Johnson: Debut (1978-10-15): 31 points
Michael Carter-Williams: Debut (2013-10-30): 22 points
Speedy Claxton: Debut (2001-10-30): 20 points
Geoff Petrie: Debut (1970-10-16): 21 points
Brandon Roy: Debut (2006-11-01): 20 points
Eddielee Wilkins: Debut (1984-10-27): 24 points
Paolo Banchero: Debut (2022-10-19): 27 points
Willie Burton: Debut (1990-11-02): 25 points
John Williamson: Debut (1976-10-22): 27 points
Zion Williamson: Debut (2020-01-22): 22 points
Kendrick Nunn: Debut (2019-10-23): 24 points
Jahlil Okafor: Debut (2015-10-28): 26 points
Bobby Wilson: Debut (1974-10-18): 20 points
Rudy Macklin: Debut (1981-10-31): 25 points
Chris Duarte: Debut (2021-10-20): 27 points
Wil Jones: Debut (1976-10-21): 21 points
VJ Edgecombe: Debut (2025-10-22): 34 points
Bo Kimble: Debut (1990-11-02): 22 points
Johnny Neumann: Debut (1976-10-21): 21 points
Cleo Hill: Debut (1961-10-21): 26 points

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