10 Best No. 1 Draft Picks in NBA History
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The 2019 NBA Draft kicks off on June 20 and it is a foregone conclusion that the New Orleans Pelicans will draft Zion Williamson with the first pick.
When that happens, he will join a class made up of many NBA legends. Here are the 10 best.
— Written by Aaron Tallent, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. Tallent is a writer whose articles have appeared in The Sweet Science, FOX Sports’ Outkick the Coverage, Liberty Island and The Washington Post. Follow him on Twitter at @AaronTallent.
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10. Elvin Hayes, F, Houston
1968 Draft – Minneapolis LakersHayes is 10th all-time in scoring and fourth in rebounds. He also never missed more than two games in any of his 16 seasons.
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9. Oscar Robertson, PG, Cincinnati
1960 Draft – Cincinnati RoyalsRobertson is one of two players to average a triple-double for a full season and actually had a triple-double average over his first five seasons.
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8. David Robinson, C, Navy
1987 Draft – San Antonio SpursAfter serving his active-duty obligation for the Navy, Robinson joined the Spurs in 1989 and led one of the greatest single-season turnarounds in NBA history. San Antonio had gone 21-61 in the 1988-89 season and then went 56-26 upon the Admiral’s arrival.
Related: 25 Greatest Centers in NBA History
(Photo courtesy of NBA.com)
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7. Elgin Baylor, F, Seattle
1958 Draft – Minneapolis LakersFormer Lakers owner Bob Short famously said if Baylor had not turned the team around, “The club would have gone bankrupt.”
(Photo courtesy of NBA.com)
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6. Hakeem Olajuwon, C, Houston
1984 Draft – Houston RocketsOlajuwon was the first player taken in arguably the most talent-laden draft in NBA history. He “held his own,” winning two titles and retiring as the league’s all-time leader in blocked shots.
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5. Tim Duncan, F, Wake Forest
1997 Draft – San Antonio SpursThe 15-time All-Star averaged 19 points and and 10.8 rebounds per game, winning five NBA titles during his remarkable career.
(Photo courtesy of NBA.com)
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4. Shaquille O’Neal, C, LSU
1992 Draft – Orlando MagicThe most physically gifted center to ever play the game was named NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week in the opening week of his rookie season. It only got better from there.
(Photo courtesy of NBA.com)
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3. LeBron James, F, St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
2003 Draft – Cleveland CavaliersWith everything he has accomplished, it's easy to forget that James is only 34 years old and can experience more greatness before he hangs it up.
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2. Magic Johnson, PG, Michigan State
1979 Draft – Los Angeles LakersJohnson won his first NBA title his first season and became the only rookie to be named Finals MVP for his play. He won four more championships after that.
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1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, C UCLA
1969 Draft – Milwaukee BucksThe NBA’s all-time leading scorer won six titles with two different teams and six MVP awards during his career.
