Here are rookie seasons that would make up the top 20, but narrowly miss out on the top 10.
| Season | Player | Team | Win Shares per 48 | Win Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979-80 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | .180 | 10.5 |
| 1979-80 | Larry Bird | Boston Celtics | .182 | 11.2 |
| 2015-16 | Nikola Jokic | Denver Nuggets | .185 | 6.7 |
| 1977-78 | Marques Johnson | Milwaukee Bucks | .185 | 10.6 |
| 1977-78 | Walter Davis | Phoenix Suns | .187 | 10.1 |
| 1963-64 | Jerry Lucas | Cincinnati Royals | .187 | 12.7 |
| 1969-70 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee Bucks | .187 | 13.8 |
| 1997-98 | Zydrunas Ilgauskas | Cleveland Cavaliers | .189 | 9.4 |
| 1970-71 | Calvin Murphy | San Diego Rockets | .191 | 8.0 |