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The NBA draft 2019 is going to be held on 20th June 2019 and has one of the best talents in a long time in Zion Williamson, who is currently the consensus No. 1 pick.
This does not take away anything from the other players in the draft but Zion is on another level. With players like Ja Morant, RJ Barrett, Darius Garland in the draft, this will be one of the more interesting drafts in recent years.
With that in mind, let's take a look at all the No. 1 picks from the past five years and see how much they have progressed (or regressed) after entering the NBA.
DeAndre Ayton (Phoenix Suns): No.1 pick in 2018
In a draft which had flashy and headline grabbing players like Luka Doncic and Trade Young, the Phoenix Suns chose a player from Arizona itself at No.1, Center DeAndre Ayton from Arizona University.
Ayton has been one of the more consistent rookies from the 2018 NBA draft. Standing at 7 foot 1 inch with a massive 7 feet 5 inch wingspan, Ayton should have projected to be a good rim protector, if not a great one.
Yet, Ayton is a very proficient and polished offensive player. His movement on the court, running up and down and setting screens as well as his superb footwork has led him to record 39 double doubles this season for the Suns.
Ayton averaged 16.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.9 blocks per game in his rookie season. He will not be in contention for Rookie of the Year given how Trae Young and Luka Doncic performed, but he will definitely be a part of the All-Rookie team.
Defense is one of his major drawback, but he has steadily improved as the season progressed and held his own against bigger Centers like Giannis Anterokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Andre Drummond. He will only become better as he establishes himself behind Booker as their No. 2 star.
Career Statistics: 16.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.9 blocks in 71 matches for the Phoenix Suns
Markelle Fultz (Orlando Magic): No.1 pick in 2017
Markelle Fultz was chosen as the No.1 pick in the 2017 draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, who traded up after a trade with the Boston Celtics.
Fultz was considered to become the final piece and mark an end to "The Process". Fultz averaged 23.2 points, 5.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds in 35.7 minutes, shooting 41.3% from the 3 for Washington.
But a mysterious shoulder injury derailed his rookie season, along with a change in his shooting mechanics had a very negative impact on his game. Fultz went from a No.1 pick, a sure shot success, to an absolute bust who was just an extra space on the Philadelphia 76ers roster.
Fultz ended up playing just 33 games for Philadelphia and was subsequently diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet syndrome, which has kept him out indefinitely.
The 76ers ended their association with Fultz in his sophomore season, trading him to the Orlando Magic, where he is yet to start a game. All in all, Fultz has had a very bad start to his NBA career and his future looks bleak, but a lot of players have got their careers back on track after a setback and Fultz could do the same.
Career statistics: 33 matches - 7.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists per game, 26.7% from the 3 and 53.4% made from the freethrow line
Ben Simmons (Philadelphia 76ers): No. 1 pick in 2016
Ben Simmons was chosen as the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, ahead of players like Brandon Ingram, Jaylen Brown and Jamal Murray. Simmons is a point guard with a body of a power forward or a small ball center. Standing at 6 foot 10, he became another "Unicorn" in the NBA.
He has created mismatches at the point guard slot and forcing the opposition to put a bigger defender on him, which allowed him to use his elite athleticism and blow by them to score an easy bucket.
He missed his entire rookie season with a broken bone in his foot and won the Rookie of the Year in his first full season in 2018, averaging a solid 15.8 points, 8.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds in 79 matches for the 76ers. His feel for the game, elite level of athleticism and passing ability for a player his size is unique and the 76ers seem to have got a really good player from the draft.
One of his most glaring weaknesses has been his lack of a jumpshot. He has not yet scored a 3 pointer in his two seasons with the 76ers and his free throw percentages have been poor too. Yet, he is one of the best No. 1 drafted players in a long time.
Career statistics: 160 games - 16.4 points, 7.9 assists, 8.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 0.8 blocks, shooting 55.4% from the field and 58.3% from the FT line
Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves): No.1 pick in 2015
Karl-Anthony Towns was picked No. 1 in the 2015 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, ahead of D'Angelo Russell, Jahlil Okafor and Devin Booker, among others. Towns was one of the premier big men to come into the league that season and quickly established himself as one of the best, continuing his solid season at Kentucky in the NBA.
He has been dominant throughout his first four seasons in the NBA, starting off his career by winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2016. Towns is already a two-time All Star and had never missed a game until the 2018-19 season, where a car accident forced him sit out matches for the first time.
Towns has developed his game to become a great fit in the modern NBA. His offense has become the focal point of game, from shooting three-pointers with superb accuracy to finishing in the paint, Towns can do it all.
His defense was always under scrutiny and even more so with Jimmy Butler joining the ranks, but Towns has improved each year and was superb on defense in the 2018-19 season.
Towns has easily been the best among all the No. 1 picks in the past five years in the NBA and with the 2019 NBA draft in sight, the New Orleans Pelicans will be hoping to draft a better player than Towns at the No. 1 spot.
Career statistics: 323 games - 22.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.5 blocks, shooting 53.7% from the field, 39.2% from 3 and 83.6% from the FT line
Andrew Wiggins (Minnesota Timberwolves): No. 1 pick in 2014
Andrew Wiggins was drafted No. 1 by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2014 NBA draft and was promptly traded two months later to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal for Kevin Love, forming a new big 3 at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Wiggins was drafted No. 1 in a draft which had now superstar, Joel Embiid, was touted to be one of the best players coming into the draft and was built for the game of the modern NBA, standing in at 6 feet 8 inches with a 6 feet 11 inch wingspan. He is a super athlete and his potential ability to defend multiple positions along with an established, solid offensive game at Kansas had the Timberwolves sold.
Given his athleticism and ability to be an explosive player, Wiggins has not been more than a secondary scorer for the Timberwolves, with most thinking he has failed to reach his potential. He is averaging a really solid 19.4 points, along with 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists over 400 games in career. His defensive numbers have not been as great, averaging just a steal and 0.6 blocks a game.
While he has been one of the most reliable option on offense for the Timberwolves, more was expected from him as the No. 1 pick and with the raw potential he still has.
Career statistics: 400 games: - 19.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1 steal, 0.6 blocks, shooting 44% from the field, 33.2% from 3 and 73.5% from the FT line
