Every #1 Overall NBA Draft Pick Ranked:
79 Years, 79 Verdicts
Kareem. LeBron. Duncan. Magic. Then the busts, the tragedy cases, and the forgotten names from drafts nobody remembers. We scored all 79 first overall picks in NBA history.
The NBA has been holding a draft since 1947. For 79 years, some franchise has walked to the podium first and staked a claim on the player they believed would transform their team. Sometimes they were right. Sometimes they were historically, catastrophically wrong.
This is every single #1 pick, ranked from best to worst. I used a scoring system out of 10.0. Every pick gets a number. No one is exempt - not the guys who never played a game, not the guys who burned bright and flamed out, and not the legends who proved the draft process can occasionally get it exactly right.
The most decorated #1 pick in NBA history and it isn't close. Six MVP awards - a record nobody has touched. Six rings across Milwaukee and Los Angeles. Nineteen All-Star appearances across a 20-year career. The all-time scoring record, which stood for 39 years until LeBron James broke it in 2023. Kareem's skyhook was the most unstoppable shot in NBA history and remained that way for two full decades. He won his first ring at 24 and his last at 41. Pick-for-pick, the greatest return on investment in the history of the NBA Draft.
The greatest basketball player of the modern era and the strongest argument anyone has made that the selection process can get it completely right. LeBron came straight out of high school in 2003 and 23 years later is still the best player on his NBA roster. Four MVPs, four rings across three franchises - Miami (2012, 2013), Cleveland (2016) and the Lakers (2020) - four Finals MVPs, and the all-time scoring record. He's the only player to win a Finals MVP with three different teams. The only reason he's second and not first is Kareem's extra two rings and two extra MVPs. It is an extremely minor distinction.
Five rings. One team. One city. Nineteen seasons. Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward in NBA history and built the most sustained dynasty of the 2000s almost entirely on the back of his quiet, relentless excellence. He won a championship in 1999 as the primary star and in 2014 as a 38-year-old elder statesman. Most franchise cornerstones get five years of relevance before the slide begins. Duncan was elite for fifteen. The greatest #1 pick in San Antonio history, which is saying something given the franchise he helped build.
Three MVPs, five championships, three Finals MVPs, the all-time assists per game record, and a career cut short at 32 by an HIV diagnosis. That last fact is the only thing keeping Magic at 9.5 rather than fighting LeBron for the top spot. He redefined the point guard position at 6'9", orchestrated the Showtime Lakers dynasty, and delivered one of the greatest rookie Finals performances in history - 42 points playing five positions while Kareem sat injured. His career averages of 19.5 points, 11.2 assists, and 7.2 rebounds are almost incomprehensible for a player his size. A perfect 10 if he plays out his natural career.
The most technically skilled center the game has ever produced. His Dream Shake was a weapon so advanced that even players who had studied it for years couldn't stop it - NBA players would openly admit after games that they had no answer. He won back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995, the second coming in the same season Michael Jordan was playing minor league baseball. Both Finals MVP awards were emphatic. He also holds the NBA record for career blocks and is widely considered the greatest defensive big man of all time. The argument that this was the right pick over Jordan in 1984 is a legitimate one.
The God Tier's five players combined for 22 MVPs, 22 rings, and 77 All-Star appearances. Between them they won at least one championship in 1971, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2020. That is two and a half decades of championship basketball driven by five #1 picks. The rest of the list makes very different reading.
When Shaq was locked in between 1999 and 2002 he was the most physically dominant force the game has ever seen. Three consecutive Finals MVPs with the Lakers. Four rings total. His peak was a legitimate 10.0 season - the problem is that his conditioning issues and early retirement from serious competition cost him what could have been an even longer dynasty run. Still, four rings and three consecutive championship performances puts him firmly in elite company.
Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double for an entire season - 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 11.4 assists in 1961-62 - and it took decades for anyone to match it. His career averages across 14 seasons are 25.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 9.5 assists. He won his ring late in his career with the Bucks alongside Kareem. The scoring numbers he put up in the early 1960s, in an era with no three-point line, no shot clock abuse, and far more physical defence, remain staggering. One of the most complete players in NBA history.
No rings. Still an 8.5. That tells you what Allen Iverson meant to the game. At 6 feet and 165 lbs soaking wet, he led the NBA in scoring four times and dragged a Philadelphia team with very little supporting cast to the Finals in 2001, where he won Game 1 against the all-time Lakers and delivered one of the most iconic crossover moments in basketball history. He played the game at a level of effort that bordered on reckless and took every possession personally. An MVP, eleven All-Star appearances, and a Hall of Famer who never had the right team around him.
The Admiral didn't play his first two NBA seasons because of military service obligations, and still put together a Hall of Fame career. He averaged 24.3 points and 12 rebounds in his rookie year. Won the MVP in 1995. Won two rings - one as the primary star in 1999, one as the wise elder statesman alongside Tim Duncan in 2003. A genuinely great player and by all accounts one of the finest people the league has ever produced. Lost half his prime to the Navy. Still scored 8.5.
No rings, no MVP - and still one of the greatest basketball players to ever live. Baylor is an 8.2 because he fundamentally invented a style of play that nobody in 1958 had seen before. He played above the rim in an era of plodders. He could stop on a dime and hit a jumper over a defender who didn't even know jumpers were a real thing. He averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds for his career. The cruellest twist: he retired nine games into the 1971-72 season due to a knee injury - and the Lakers went on to win the championship that year.
Rest of the Elite Tier
| # | Player | Year | Team | Score | Key Numbers | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Patrick Ewing | 1985 | New York Knicks | 7.8 | HOF • 11 All-Stars • 0 rings • First lottery pick | HALL OF FAMER |
| 12 | Anthony Edwards | 2020 | Minnesota T-Wolves | 7.8 | Active • 24 yrs old • 3x All-Star • Score will rise | ASCENDING |
| 13 | Anthony Davis | 2012 | New Orleans Hornets | 7.5 | 1 ring • 8 All-Stars • When healthy, unguardable | BRILLIANT / FRAGILE |
| 14 | Walt Bellamy | 1961 | Chicago Packers | 7.5 | HOF • 4 All-Stars • 31.6 ppg rookie yr • Underrated | OVERLOOKED |
This tier covers a wide range. Some of these players had legitimate All-Star careers but never quite justified the top billing. Some were sabotaged by injuries at the worst possible moment. A few were simply better players than the organisations around them allowed them to be.
| # | Player | Year | Team | Score | Key Facts | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Victor Wembanyama | 2023 | San Antonio Spurs | 7.2* | ROY • 2x All-Star • Defensive POY • Score provisional | TRACKING 10.0 |
| 16 | Yao Ming | 2002 | Houston Rockets | 7.0 | HOF • 8 All-Stars • Career destroyed by foot injuries | HOF / TRAGIC |
| 17 | Derrick Rose | 2008 | Chicago Bulls | 6.5 | Youngest MVP ever • 3 All-Stars • ACL at 24 ended the prime | HEARTBREAKER |
| 18 | Kyrie Irving | 2011 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 6.5 | 7 All-Stars • 1 ring • The Game 7 shot • Complicated legacy | COMPLICATED |
| 19 | Zion Williamson | 2019 | New Orleans Pelicans | 6.5 | 3 All-Stars • Elite scorer • Availability a permanent concern | JURY STILL OUT |
| 20 | Dwight Howard | 2004 | Orlando Magic | 6.5 | 1 ring • 8 All-Stars • Def POY x3 • Never matched early hype | GOOD NOT GREAT |
| 21 | Blake Griffin | 2009 | LA Clippers | 6.2 | 6 All-Stars • ROY • Injuries stripped the athleticism early | COULD HAVE BEEN MORE |
| 22 | Ralph Sampson | 1983 | Houston Rockets | 6.2 | HOF • 4 All-Stars • Injuries wrecked what should have been a dynasty | WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN |
| 23 | Bill Walton | 1974 | Portland Trail Blazers | 6.0 | HOF • 1 MVP • 2 rings • Played only 468 career games out of injuries | TRAGIC GENIUS |
| 24 | Karl-Anthony Towns | 2015 | Minnesota T-Wolves | 6.0 | 3 All-Stars • 1 ring • Best shooting big of his era | DELIVERED |
| 25 | Paolo Banchero | 2022 | Orlando Magic | 6.0 | ROY • 2 All-Stars • Orlando looking legitimate • Active | BUILDING SOMETHING |
| 26 | Cade Cunningham | 2021 | Detroit Pistons | 6.0 | 2 All-Stars • Franchise cornerstone • Still developing | STEADY |
| 27 | Elvin Hayes | 1968 | San Diego Rockets | 5.8 | HOF • 12 All-Stars • 1 ring • All-time top 10 scorer | HALL OF FAMER |
| 28 | Bob Lanier | 1970 | Detroit Pistons | 5.8 | HOF • 8 All-Stars • Knee injury in NCAA final shadowed career | UNDERRATED |
| 29 | James Worthy | 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | 5.8 | HOF • 7 All-Stars • 3 rings • Finals MVP 1988 • Perfect role | WINNER |
| 30 | Deandre Ayton | 2018 | Phoenix Suns | 5.5 | 1 All-Star • Never fully escaped the Luka Doncic comparison | SERVICEABLE |
| 31 | John Wall | 2010 | Washington Wizards | 5.5 | 5 All-Stars • Elite when healthy • Injuries stole the prime | INJURY STORY |
| 32 | Ben Simmons | 2016 | Philadelphia 76ers | 5.5 | ROY • 3 All-Stars • The free throw situation. The Bucks series. | WASTED TALENT |
| 33 | Andrew Bogut | 2005 | Milwaukee Bucks | 5.5 | 1 ring with Golden State • 1 All-Star • Solid career | FINE |
| 34 | Elton Brand | 1999 | Chicago Bulls | 5.5 | 2 All-Stars • Solid 16-year career • Delivered | DID THE JOB |
| 35 | Andrew Wiggins | 2014 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 5.5 | 1 ring • 1 All-Star • Found his role late at Golden State | UNDERPERFORMED |
| 36 | Mark Aguirre | 1981 | Dallas Mavericks | 5.0 | 2 rings with Detroit • 2 All-Stars • Never a franchise star | SOLID CAREER |
| 37 | Derrick Coleman | 1990 | New Jersey Nets | 5.0 | 2 All-Stars • Immense talent • Never applied it consistently | ATTITUDE ISSUES |
| 38 | Larry Johnson | 1991 | Charlotte Hornets | 5.0 | 2 All-Stars • Back injuries ended the promise early | PROMISE UNFULFILLED |
| 39 | Mychal Thompson | 1978 | Portland Trail Blazers | 5.0 | 2 rings with Lakers • Never a star • Solid journeyman | RING COLLECTOR |
| 40 | Danny Manning | 1988 | LA Clippers | 5.0 | 1 All-Star • Blown ACL in rookie year derailed everything | NEVER THE SAME |
These picks range from solid role players drafted way too high, to careers destroyed by injuries, to a handful of names from the early draft era who never amounted to much. Some of these guys had careers. Just not careers that justified being first overall.
| # | Player | Year | Score | Quick Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | David Thompson | 1975 | 4.8 | Played ABA first • 4 All-Stars • Drug problems ended it early |
| 42 | Glenn Robinson | 1994 | 4.8 | 2 All-Stars • Solid scorer • Not a franchise cornerstone |
| 43 | Brad Daugherty | 1986 | 4.5 | 5 All-Stars • Career ended at 27 due to back injury |
| 44 | Joe Smith | 1995 | 4.5 | 16-year career • Never an All-Star • Shouldn't have gone #1 |
| 45 | Kenyon Martin | 2000 | 4.5 | 1 All-Star • Solid career • Not a #1 pick calibre player |
| 46 | Chris Webber | 1993 | 4.5 | 5 All-Stars • Traded same day • Timeout scandal • Complicated |
| 47 | Doug Collins | 1973 | 4.5 | 4 All-Stars • Injuries limited him • Better coach than player |
| 48 | Cazzie Russell | 1966 | 4.0 | Selected over Dave Bing • Decent but never a star |
| 49 | Pervis Ellison | 1989 | 4.0 | Called "Never Nervous Pervis." Should have been "Always Injured." |
| 50 | Joe Barry Carroll | 1980 | 4.0 | 1 All-Star • Nicknamed "Joe Barely Cares" by Warriors fans |
| 51 | John Lucas | 1976 | 4.0 | 2 All-Stars • Addiction problems derailed his career |
| 52 | Austin Carr | 1971 | 3.8 | Knee injuries wrecked his career • Never fulfilled the promise |
| 53 | Kent Benson | 1977 | 3.8 | First punch in NBA history (punched by Kareem) • Unremarkable career |
| 54 | Jimmy Walker | 1967 | 3.5 | Decent 8-year career • Should not have gone #1 over Earl Monroe |
| 55 | Art Heyman | 1963 | 3.5 | Never lived up to the billing • Left for ABA • Forgettable |
| 56 | Fred Hetzel | 1965 | 3.5 | 7-season career • Solid but never justified the top pick |
| 57 | Hot Rod Hundley | 1957 | 3.5 | 6 seasons • Averaged 8.4 points • Better broadcaster than player |
| 58 | Jim Barnes | 1964 | 3.5 | 5 seasons • Averaged 8.1 points • Never the franchise player |
| 59 | Bob Boozer | 1959 | 3.5 | 1 ring • Solid journeyman • Not a first overall talent |
These are the picks that haunt front offices across decades. Some were injuries. Some were attitude. Some were outright selection errors. And one man never played a single professional game.
Greg Oden was not a bust in the traditional sense - he genuinely looked like the best player in his draft class and had the physical tools to be one of the greatest centres of his generation. But his body simply wouldn't cooperate. He underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee before playing a single NBA game. He played 105 games total across his entire career. He was taken one pick ahead of Kevin Durant, who went on to be one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. Oden's story is tragedy, not failure - but the result on a pick chart is the same.
Markelle Fultz forgot how to shoot. That sentence should not be possible to write about the first overall pick. But in his rookie season with Philadelphia he could no longer release the ball normally - his shot became a mechanical catastrophe that the basketball world watched in real time with bewilderment. The cause was never fully explained, though a thoracic outlet syndrome diagnosis was eventually offered. He has since rebuilt a serviceable career in Orlando, but the Philadelphia era was one of the strangest single seasons in NBA draft history. *Stats from healthy Orlando seasons.
The 1998 Clippers had the first overall pick and used it on Michael Olowokandi, a center from the University of the Pacific who had been playing basketball seriously for only two years before the draft. The players available: Dirk Nowitzki (went #9), Paul Pierce (#10), Vince Carter (#5), Antawn Jamison (#4). Olowokandi averaged 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds for his career and was out of the league in nine seasons. Nowitzki won an MVP and a championship. The Clippers were, predictably, the Clippers.
A 7-foot centre who averaged 3.9 rebounds per game across his career. Three point nine. The knock on Bargnani was always that he couldn't rebound, couldn't defend, and was simply a soft-touch scorer in a body that suggested he should be one of the most dominant big men in the league. He scored at a decent clip when healthy but gave Toronto almost nothing defensively and rebounded like a 6-foot guard. Toronto spent years trying to build around someone who could not be built around.
Michael Jordan personally selected Kwame Brown as the first overall pick in 2001 - the first high school player ever taken #1 in the draft. Jordan described him before the draft as a future Hall of Famer. Brown averaged 6.6 points and 5.5 rebounds across a 12-season career and was never an All-Star. He was openly mocked by his own teammates in Washington, reportedly reduced to tears by Jordan's criticism in practice. It is one of the most complete failures of player evaluation in NBA history - made worse by it being made by one of the greatest scouts the game has ever seen.
The worst #1 pick in NBA history, by any reasonable measure. Anthony Bennett shot 39.7% from the field in his rookie season and averaged 4.2 points. He played four seasons across five teams and was out of the league entirely by 24. The Cavaliers had the first pick because they were one of the worst teams in the league - and somehow managed to miss on every level. One year later, with the same pick, they took Andrew Wiggins. The year after that, LeBron James came home. Cleveland figured it out. It just took a historically catastrophic selection first.
| # | Player | Year | Score | Quick Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 66 | Frank Selvy | 1954 | 3.0 | 7 seasons • 11.1 pts/game • Adequate scorer, not a franchise pick |
| 67 | Ray Felix | 1953 | 2.5 | 1 All-Star • Serviceable centre • Limited impact |
| 68 | Bill McGill | 1962 | 2.0 | Averaged 14.1 pts in one good season • Faded quickly • Out in 5 years |
| 69 | Si Green | 1956 | 2.0 | 5 seasons • 7.2 pts • Quietly unremarkable |
| 70 | Charlie Share | 1950 | 2.0 | 9 seasons • 6.8 pts • Big man in an era of big men, nothing more |
| 71 | LaRue Martin | 1972 | 1.5 | Portland passed on Bob McAdoo, Julius Erving & Paul Westphal. Martin averaged 5.3 pts. Four seasons. |
| 72 | Mark Workman | 1952 | 1.5 | 3 seasons • 5.7 pts • Forgettable |
| 73 | Dick Ricketts | 1955 | 1.5 | 2 seasons • 8.1 pts • Chose baseball (Cardinals organisation) over the NBA |
| 74 | Howie Shannon | 1949 | 1.5 | 2 seasons • Pre-modern era • 5.9 pts/game |
| 75 | Andy Tonkovich | 1948 | 1.0 | 2 seasons • The BAA era • Not an NBA-calibre player by modern standards |
| 76 | Clifton McNeeley | 1947 | 1.0 | First ever #1 pick • Never played professionally • Chose to finish university |
| 77 | Gene Melchiorre | 1951 | 0.5 | Selected by Baltimore Bullets. Banned from the NBA for gambling before playing a single professional game. |
| 78 | Zaccharie Risacher | 2024 | N/A | Active rookie • Atlanta Hawks • Too early to score • Ceiling TBD |
Gene Melchiorre gets 0.5 rather than 0.0 because he was legitimately a good basketball player - his exclusion was not a performance failure but a disciplinary one. The 0.5 acknowledges that someone thought highly enough of him to make him the first overall pick. Anthony Bennett gets 1.2 because he at least showed up and played. These distinctions matter when you're doing this properly.
