Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
The Significance of Winning the Draft Lottery Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History Winning the draft lottery is a franchise-defining moment because, more often than not,Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History the first pick in the draft becomes a great NBA player.Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History 65% of all players drafted first overall became All-Stars, 38% made at least one All-NBA team, and 18% became MVPs.Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History There have been a total of 77 NBA drafts and, consequently, Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History 77 first overall picks.Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
Top 10 Best Number One Picks in NBA History
Number 10: Anthony Davis
Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History Starting at number 10, we have the first pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, Anthony Davis. Even though he’s never won the Defensive Player of the Year award, Davis is arguably the most versatile defender in NBA history.
Standing at 6’10” with an unreal 7’6″ wingspan, crazy athleticism, and almost unprecedented mobility for a guy his size, Davis has the perfect defensive toolbox for a modern big man. But it’s not just his athleticism. What sets AD apart is his immaculate feel for the game, understanding of defensive schemes, and precision in guarding both the roll man and the ball handler in pick-and-roll.Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
All those skills allow Davis to guard one through five, making him a dominant defender both in the paint and on the perimeter. For the modern NBA, with spread offenses that require big men to switch and run after the Steph Currys of the world, AD might be the best defensive player ever.
On top of his Spider-Man-like defensive reflexes, AD is a hell of an offensive player too. Davis looks spectacular—unstoppable, even. With a soft touch around the basket, a polished mid-range jumper, and the ball-handling of a guard, Davis averages 24 points per game on 52% shooting for his career. He’s even better in the playoffs, averaging 26 points on 54% shooting, which is astonishing production for someone whose primary skill is defense.Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
The Brow spent the first part of his career in New Orleans with insufficient talent around him, but when he got to LA, he was arguably the best player on a team that won the 2020 NBA title. Due to his quiet demeanor, injuries, and the fact that he joined the biggest superstar in the NBA to win a ring, he often gets forgotten in discussions about the best players in the league. But don’t get it twisted—Anthony Davis is an absolute monster and is the second-best number one pick of this millennium.Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
Number 9: Allen Iverson Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
Being forgotten isn’t an issue for the number nine player on this list because, even today, more than a decade after his retirement, he’s more popular than the majority of current NBA players.
We’re talking about the first pick of the best draft class of all time—the man they called “The Answer,” Allen Iverson. At 6 feet and 155 lbs, AI was the shortest and lightest number one pick ever. Despite some absolute legends being drafted in 1996, Philadelphia can’t be mad for picking him first overall.
Sure, he was a below-average defender and an inefficient scorer, but the passion AI played with made him one of the most transcendent players of all time. Iverson changed how the point guard position was played, reverting from the pass-first mold of Magic Johnson, John Stockton, and Jason Kidd, and blazing a new way for shoot-first, ask-questions-later guards that came after him.
But the biggest impact AI had was on the culture. Before Iverson, nobody had tattoos, nobody wore hip-hop style clothes to games, and nobody was so unapologetically themselves like “The Answer”.
Iverson’s MVP season and leading the Sixers to the 2001 Finals was legendary. Even though he never won a title, he was the people’s champion, winning the hearts of fans worldwide. With four scoring titles, three-time steals leader honors, and 11 All-Star appearances, Iverson was the fastest and deadliest point guard of his era.
Defenders feared him, and Kobe Bryant gave him the biggest compliment: “We’re fortunate that Allen Iverson isn’t 6’5.” Even at 6 feet, AI’s 26.6 points per game rank in the top 10 all-time.
Honorable Mentions Before Number 8 Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
Before we get to the eighth-best number one pick, we’ll name some players who didn’t make the cut but definitely deserve a mention.
- Kyrie Irving: The first pick of the 2011 Draft is probably a better overall player than Iverson, with an ambidextrous handle, the ability to jump off both feet, and a deep bag of spins, fakes, and crossovers. Irving also has an NBA championship to his name after hitting one of the biggest shots in NBA Finals history. However, due to AI’s cultural impact, Kyrie ranks just below him.
- Other notable number one picks: Elgin Baylor, Elvin Hayes, Bill Walton, and Patrick Ewing were all first-ballot Hall of Famers, but none quite matched the number eight player on this list.
Number 8: David Robinson Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
The number eight player on this list is someone who did something unimaginable for most people. After being selected with the first pick in the 1987 Draft, David Robinson decided to pass on the NBA and millions of dollars in order to serve in the Navy.
Known as “The Admiral,” Robinson was a 7’1″ center who could run the floor like a gazelle and looked like he was competing in Mr. Olympia. In the first seven years of his career, Robinson led the league in rebounding, blocks, and scoring, averaging 25 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 3.6 blocks per game.
In that seven-year span, Robinson won Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and MVP while making an All-Defensive and All-NBA team every season.
Even in the later years of his career, slowed by injuries, Robinson still averaged 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game, winning two NBA Championships with the Spurs in 1999 and 2003.
Number 7: Oscar Robertson Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
At number seven, we have another player who loved to stuff the stat sheet. Known as “Mr. Triple-Double” before triple-doubles were even a thing, Oscar Robertson was selected first overall in the 1960 Draft.
In his first six seasons, Robertson averaged 30.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 10.7 assists. Standing at 6’5 and 210 lbs, Robertson was the LeBron James of the 1960s. His combination of size and speed, combined with excellent handles and shooting ability, made him unstoppable.
With one scoring title and six seasons leading the NBA in assists, Robertson was the first player to lead the league in both categories and is still one of only seven players to accomplish that.
Number 6: Hakeem Olajuwon Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
At number six, we have a player who is still the all-time leader in blocks—Hakeem Olajuwon. Selected with the first pick of the 1984 draft (two spots ahead of Michael Jordan), the Houston Rockets made the right choice by drafting Hakeem, unlike Portland, who still regret picking Sam Bowie.
Hakeem first started playing basketball at 17, but his soccer background gave him unbelievable coordination and footwork for a center. Because he started playing late, Hakeem didn’t think like the prototypical center—he always wanted to play like a guard. That’s exactly what he became: a guard in a center’s body.Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
No other center of his era moved like Olajuwon. He was unpredictable in the post; defenders thought he was going one way, but he’d go the other. Nobody had his fakes, spins, and of course, his Dream Shake—one of the most unstoppable moves of all time. That’s why Hakeem is considered one of the best post players ever.
On top of two Defensive Player of the Year awards and being the all-time blocks leader, Hakeem is also among the top 10 in steals, the only big man in that category. With nearly 27,000 career points, he is 13th on the all-time scoring list.
Hakeem’s dominance extended to both sides of the court. He was one of the rare players who was simultaneously among the best offensive and defensive players in the NBA. Olajuwon won two NBA championships, with his second title coming against one of the most dominant players ever, who is next on our list.Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
Number 5: Shaquille O’Neal Top 10 #1 Draft Picks In NBA History
At number five, we have Shaquille O’Neal, who would be the first to tell you he wasn’t the best player in college. However, despite the defensive greatness of Alonzo Mourning and the two NCAA titles of Christian Laettner, only a blind man would choose them over the physical phenomenon that was Shaq.
“The Big Diesel” was the first pick of the 1992 NBA draft, and over the next 14 seasons, Shaq averaged 26 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.5 blocks, leading
There was no stopping the “Shaq Attack.” He was dominant on both ends of the court. His presence struck fear into opponents, and he became a symbol of unmatched physical domin.
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