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The 2020 NBA Draft is only a week away, but even at this stage, it is a mystery who will be the first overall pick this year. Throughout NBA history, the No. 1 pick of the draft has always been a major talking point, and many players who were selected first overall went on to have unbelievably stellar careers. In this article, we will look at the 10 greatest No. 1 picks in NBA Draft history.
NBA Draft: 10 greatest No. 1 picks in league history
Ranking the best No. 1 picks in NBA Draft history is not straightforward, because many things have to be considered regarding a player's overall selection.
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To analyze the success of a No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, the player's career is not enough, as the team which made that selection and the results obtained from it have to be part of the equation.
Without further ado, let us take a look at the 10 greatest No. 1 picks in league history.
#10 Bill Walton - No. 1 pick in the 1974 NBA Draft
Bill Walton is probably a top-15 center in NBA history and nothing more, but his immediate impact on the league and the team that drafted him with the first pick of the 1974 NBA Draft - the Portland Trail Blazers - was huge.
After averaging 20 points and 15 rebounds for UCLA in college and winning two NCAA championships, Walton came into the league.
Portland had played just four NBA seasons before drafting Walton and had never won more than 29 games. Just three years later, Walton led the team to their first postseason appearance and their only NBA title so far. He earned Finals MVP for Portland in 1977 before winning the regular-season MVP in the following season.
In just four years with the team that selected him in the NBA Draft, Walton won an NBA title, Finals MVP, NBA MVP, and earned two All-Star, two All-NBA, and two All-Defense selections.
His number 32 was retired by the Portland Trail Blazers.
#9 Elgin Baylor - No. 1 pick in the 1958 NBA Draft
The Minneapolis Lakers selected Elgin Baylor with the No. 1 pick in the 1958 NBA Draft just two years after they had drafted him in 1956, but Baylor had not entered the NBA at that time.
When his career with the Lakers started in 1958, the team had three consecutive seasons with losing records, but behind Baylor's unique abilities, they made it to the 1959 NBA Finals, where they fell to the Boston Celtics.
Baylor went on to play his entire 14-year career with the Minneapolis/LA Lakers, averaging 27.4 points (third-highest in NBA history) and 13.5 rebounds per game in 846 regular-season games.
When Jerry West arrived in the Lakers' scene in 1960, the team got even better. But Baylor could not find a way to win in the NBA Finals, as the team lost in each of their seven appearances during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Ultimately, Baylor was an 11-time All-Star for the Lakers and earned 10 All-NBA selections in his Hall-of-Fame career.
#8 Oscar Robertson - No. 1 pick in the 1960 NBA Draft
The Cincinnati Royals (now Sacramento Kings) selected Oscar Robertson with their first pick of the 1960 NBA Draft (their second consecutive No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft). Robertson arrived in the NBA and immediately created a huge impact.
The Big O averaged 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game in his first year. He led the Royals to six straight appearances in the NBA Playoffs from his second year, twice reaching the Divison Finals (Conference Finals now) and falling twice to Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics.
Robertson did not give the Royals a title, but his impact was unique and proved to be a tremendous pick for Cincinnati. Of course, he averaged a triple-double while playing at Cincinnati in the 1961-1962 season, becoming the first player to do so and the only one until 2017.
#7 David Robinson - No. 1 pick in the 1987 NBA Draft
David Robinson was the first pick of the 1987 NBA Draft, and even though his naval service did not allow him to play in the league until 1989, he was tremendous for the San Antonio Spurs.
Robinson entered the league as a solid player, and averaged 24 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks per game. He played his entire 14-year career for San Antonio, and helped the team achieve the NBA Playoffs 13 times (with the only exception being the 1996-97 season in which he got hurt, but the team could draft another unique superstar in the NBA Draft).
Robinson won the NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards with the Spurs while making 10 All-Star games, 10 All-NBA teams, and eight All-Defensive teams. He was also unselfish at the end of his career and allowed his younger teammates to lead the team, which resulted in two NBA titles with the Spurs.
#6 Shaquille O'Neal - No. 1 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft
Shaquille O'Neal was selected first overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic, and his presence in the league was felt throughout his career.
Though Shaq did not win a title with the Magic, he established the franchise on the NBA picture. The team was founded in 1989 and never had a winning season until Shaq got there. O'Neal played four years at Orlando, and their worst season saw them register a 41-41 record.
O'Neal also led Orlando to the NBA Finals in 1995, before leaving for the LA Lakers and dominating the league with four titles (one with the Miami Heat). He won three NBA Finals MVPs and is undoubtedly one of the greatest big men in NBA history.
#5 LeBron James - No. 1 pick in the 2003 NBA Draft
ron James was the first pick of the tremendous 2003 NBA Draft class. The King was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers - a team which he eventually led to the NBA championship in his second stint.
Though LeBron James is arguably the greatest NBA player in history, he does not rank first in this list because out of his four NBA championships, only one came with the team that drafted him.
Still, he fulfilled his duties with Cleveland handsomely, pushing the team to five NBA Finals appearances and one unbelievable championship run in 2016. The Cavs' pick in the 2003 NBA Draft proved huge for the franchise, though the championship arrived 13 years later.
#4 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - No. 1 pick in the 1969 NBA Draft
The Milwaukee Bucks selected Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor) with the first pick of the 1969 NBA Draft.
Kareem became arguably the greatest player in the game's history and the all-time leader in points in NBA history.
He won a record six NBA MVPs and six NBA championships, with two NBA Finals MVP awards with the Bucks and the LA Lakers.
In just his second season with the Milwaukee Bucks and with Oscar Robertson in his corner, Kareem led the Bucks to their first and so far only NBA title. Kareem's second year was Milwaukee's third in the NBA, and he delivered the biggest prize.
Kareem led the Bucks to two NBA Finals appearances in his six years at Milwaukee.
#3 Hakeem Olajuwon - No. 1 pick in the 1984 NBA Draft
The Houston Rockets have four NBA Finals appearances and two NBA championships in their history. Their two titles and three of their four NBA Finals appearances came with Hakeem Olajuwon as their driving force.
They chose Hakeem (then named Akeem) with the first pick of the 1984 NBA Draft ahead of Sam Bowie and Michael Jordan, and the Rockets will never receive any criticism because they selected The Dream ahead of Jordan.
Hakeem played 17 seasons with the Rockets, winning a regular-season MVP, two championships, two NBA Finals MVPs, and a DPOY. The Rockets missed the NBA Playoffs just three times in the 17 years that followed their selection in the 1984 NBA Draft.
The Dream became the greatest player in the franchise's history and one of the greatest centers ever.
#2 Magic Johnson - No. 1 pick in the 1979 NBA Draft
The LA Lakers selected Earvin Magic Johnson with the first pick of the 1979 NBA Draft, and he changed everything.
Of course, the team already had Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the roster when Magic arrived, but he led them to the NBA championship in his rookie season while winning NBA Finals MVP recognition in the same year.
In his 12 years with the Lakers, Magic won five NBA championships, three NBA Finals MVPs, three regular-season MVPs, and reached nine NBA Finals. Magic became arguably the greatest Lakers player in history and certainly one of the greatest leaders in NBA history.
#1 Tim Duncan - No. 1 pick in the 1997 NBA Draft
Tim Duncan played his entire 19-year career with the San Antonio Spurs after the team picked him with the first selection in the 1997 NBA Draft.
The Spurs already had David Robinson on their roster, and with Duncan's arrival and his greatness, championships were truly possible. In just his second season, Duncan led the Twin-Tower Spurs to the first NBA title in franchise history and won NBA Finals MVP recognition.
Duncan led the Spurs to the NBA Playoffs in each of his 19 NBA seasons and won five championships at San Antonio, with three NBA Finals MVP awards.
Simple. The Spurs made the greatest No. 1 pick in NBA Draft history. They selected a player that completely changed the franchise's history, and that player featured for them throughout his Hall-of-Fame career.
