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List of first overall NBA draft picks

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LeBron James preparing to shoot a free throw.
LeBron James was one of the most anticipated first overall draft picks in recent years.[1]

The National Basketball Association's first overall pick is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the annual National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft. The first pick is awarded to the team that wins the NBA Draft Lottery; in most cases, that team had a losing record in the previous season. The team with the first pick attracts plenty of media attention,[2] as does the player who is selected with that pick.

Ten first picks have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award: Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (record six-time winner), Bill Walton, Magic Johnson (three-time winner), Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan (two-time winner), and LeBron James.

China's Yao Ming (2002) and Italy's Andrea Bargnani (2006) are the only two players without competitive experience in the United States to be drafted first overall. Five other international players with U.S. college experience have been drafted first overall—Mychal Thompson (Bahamas) in 1978, Hakeem Olajuwon (Nigeria) in 1984, Tim Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands) in 1997, Michael Olowokandi (Nigeria) in 1998, and Andrew Bogut (Australia) in 2005. Duncan is an American citizen, but is considered an "international" player by the NBA because he was not born in one of the fifty states or Washington, D.C.[3]

Note that the drafts between 1947 and 1949 were held by the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The Basketball Association of America became the National Basketball Association after absorbing teams from the National Basketball League in the fall of 1949. Official NBA publications include the BAA Drafts as part of the NBA's draft history.

Key

All-Star
^ Hall of Famer
Player
(in bold text)
Rookie of the Year
PPG Points per game[a]
APG Assists per game[a]
RPG Rebounds per game[a]

List of first overall picks

Draft Selected by Player Nationality College/high school/former club PPG[a] RPG[a] APG[a] Ref.
1947 Pittsburgh Ironmen Clifton McNeely[b]  USA Texas Wesleyan [b]
1948 Providence Steamrollers Andy Tonkovich  USA Marshall 2.6 0.6 [4]
1949 Providence Steamrollers Howie Shannon[c]  USA Kansas State 13.4 2.3 [5]
1950 Boston Celtics Charlie Share[d]  USA Bowling Green 3.9 5.3 1.0 [6]
1951 Baltimore Bullets Gene Melchiorre[e]  USA Bradley [e]
1952 Milwaukee Hawks Mark Workman[f]  USA West Virginia 5.1 3.0 0.6 [7]
1953 Baltimore Bullets Ray Felix[g]  USA Long Island 17.6 13.3 1.1 [8]
1954 Baltimore Bullets Frank Selvy  USA Furman 19.0 5.5 3.5 [9]
1955 Milwaukee Hawks Dick Ricketts[h]  USA Duquesne 8.9 7.2 3.0 [10]
1956 Rochester Royals Sihugo Green[i]  USA Duquesne 11.5 5.2 3.6 [11]
1957 Cincinnati Royals Rod Hundley  USA West Virginia 7.0 2.9 1.9 [12]
1958 Minneapolis Lakers Elgin Baylor^[j]  USA Seattle 24.9 15.0 4.1 [13]
1959 Cincinnati Royals Bob Boozer[k]  USA Kansas State 8.4 6.2 1.4 [14]
1960 Cincinnati Royals Oscar Robertson^  USA Cincinnati 30.5 10.1 9.7 [15]
1961 Chicago Packers Walt Bellamy^  USA Indiana 31.6 19.0 2.7 [16]
1962 Chicago Zephyrs Bill McGill[l]  USA Utah 7.4 2.7 0.6 [17]
1963 New York Knicks Art Heyman[m]  USA Duke 15.4 4.0 3.4 [18]
1964 New York Knicks Jim Barnes[n]  USA Texas Western 15.5 9.7 1.2 [19]
1965 San Francisco Warriors Fred Hetzel[o]  USA Davidson 6.8 5.2 0.5 [20]
1966 New York Knicks Cazzie Russell  USA Michigan 11.3 3.3 2.4 [21]
1967 Detroit Pistons Jimmy Walker  USA Providence 8.8 1.7 2.8 [22]
1968 San Diego Rockets Elvin Hayes^  USA Houston 28.4 17.1 1.4 [23]
1969 Milwaukee Bucks Lew Alcindor^[p]  USA UCLA 28.8 14.5 4.1 [24]
1970 Detroit Pistons Bob Lanier^  USA St. Bonaventure 15.6 8.1 1.8 [25]
1971 Cleveland Cavaliers Austin Carr  USA Notre Dame 21.2 3.5 3.4 [26]
1972 Portland Trail Blazers LaRue Martin  USA Loyola (Chicago) 4.4 4.6 0.5 [27]
1973 Philadelphia 76ers Doug Collins  USA Illinois State 8.0 1.8 1.6 [28]
1974 Portland Trail Blazers Bill Walton^  USA UCLA 12.8 12.6 4.8 [29]
1975 Atlanta Hawks David Thompson^  USA NC State 26.0 6.3 3.7 [30]
1976 Houston Rockets John Lucas  USA Maryland 11.1 2.7 5.6 [31]
1977 Milwaukee Bucks Kent Benson  USA Indiana 7.7 4.3 1.4 [32]
1978 Portland Trail Blazers Mychal Thompson  BHS Minnesota 14.7 8.3 2.4 [33]
1979 Los Angeles Lakers Earvin Johnson^  USA Michigan State 18.0 7.7 7.3 [34]
1980 Golden State Warriors Joe Barry Carroll  USA Purdue 18.9 9.3 1.4 [35]
1981 Dallas Mavericks Mark Aguirre  USA DePaul 18.7 4.9 3.2 [36]
1982 Los Angeles Lakers James Worthy^  USA North Carolina 13.4 5.2 1.7 [37]
1983 Houston Rockets Ralph Sampson  USA Virginia 21.0 11.1 2.0 [38]
1984 Houston Rockets Akeem Olajuwon^[q]  NGA[q] Houston 20.6 11.9 1.4 [39]
1985 New York Knicks Patrick Ewing^  USA[r] Georgetown 20.0 9.0 2.0 [40]
1986 Cleveland Cavaliers Brad Daugherty  USA North Carolina 15.7 8.1 3.8 [41]
1987 San Antonio Spurs David Robinson^[s]  USA Navy 24.3 12.0 2.0 [42]
1988 Los Angeles Clippers Danny Manning  USA Kansas 16.7 6.6 3.1 [43]
1989 Sacramento Kings Pervis Ellison  USA Louisville 8.0 5.8 1.9 [44]
1990 New Jersey Nets Derrick Coleman  USA Syracuse 18.4 10.3 2.2 [45]
1991 Charlotte Hornets Larry Johnson  USA UNLV 19.2 11.0 3.6 [46]
1992 Orlando Magic Shaquille O'Neal  USA LSU 23.4 13.9 1.9 [47]
1993 Orlando Magic Chris Webber  USA Michigan 17.5 9.1 3.6 [48]
1994 Milwaukee Bucks Glenn Robinson  USA Purdue 21.9 6.4 2.5 [49]
1995 Golden State Warriors Joe Smith  USA Maryland 15.3 8.7 1.0 [50]
1996 Philadelphia 76ers Allen Iverson  USA Georgetown 23.5 4.1 7.5 [51]
1997 San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan  VIR[t] Wake Forest 21.1 11.9 2.7 [52]
1998 Los Angeles Clippers Michael Olowokandi  NGA Pacific 8.9 7.9 0.6 [53]
1999 Chicago Bulls Elton Brand  USA Duke 20.1 10.0 1.9 [54]
2000 New Jersey Nets Kenyon Martin  USA Cincinnati 12.0 7.4 1.9 [55]
2001 Washington Wizards Kwame Brown  USA Glynn Academy HS (Brunswick, GA) 4.5 3.5 0.8 [56]
2002 Houston Rockets Yao Ming  CHN Shanghai Sharks (China) 13.5 8.2 1.7 [57]
2003 Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James  USA St. Vincent-St. Mary HS (Akron, OH) 20.9 5.5 5.9 [58]
2004 Orlando Magic Dwight Howard  USA SACA (Atlanta, GA) 12.0 10.0 0.9 [59]
2005 Milwaukee Bucks Andrew Bogut  AUS Utah 9.4 7.0 2.3 [60]
2006 Toronto Raptors Andrea Bargnani  ITA Benetton Treviso (Italy) 11.6 3.9 0.8 [61]
2007 Portland Trail Blazers Greg Oden[u]  USA Ohio State 8.9 7.0 0.5 [62]
2008 Chicago Bulls Derrick Rose  USA Memphis 16.8 3.9 6.3 [63]
2009 Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin  USA Oklahoma [64]

Notes

  • a All statistics are taken from the players' respective rookie season unless otherwise noted.
  • b Clifton McNeely never played professional basketball. Instead, he became a basketball coach for Pampa High School in Texas.[65][66]
  • c Howie Shannon was the first overall pick, although Ed Macauley and Vern Mikkelsen had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[67]
  • d Charlie Share did not play in the 1950–51 season. His rookie statistics are from the 1951–52 season.[6] Share was the first overall pick, although Paul Arizin had been taken before the draft as the Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick.[68]
  • e Gene Melchiorre never played in the NBA. He was banned for life from the NBA due to his involvement in the CCNY Point Shaving Scandal.[69] Melchiorre was the first overall pick, although Myer Skoog had been taken before the draft as the Minneapolis Lakers' territorial pick.[70]
  • f Mark Workman was the first overall pick, although Bill Mlkvy had been taken before the draft as the Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick.[71]
  • g Ray Felix was the first overall pick, although Ernie Beck and Walter Dukes had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[72]
  • h Dick Ricketts was the first overall pick, although Dick Garmaker and Tom Gola had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[73]
  • i Sihugo Green was the first overall pick, although Tom Heinsohn had been taken before the draft as the Boston Celtics' territorial pick.[74]
  • j Elgin Baylor was the first overall pick, although Guy Rodgers had been taken before the draft as the Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick.[75]
  • k Bob Boozer was the first overall pick, although Wilt Chamberlain and Bob Ferry had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[76]
  • l Bill McGill was the first overall pick, although Dave DeBusschere and Jerry Lucas had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[77]
  • m Art Heyman was the first overall pick, although Tom Thacker had been taken before the draft as the Cincinnati Royals' territorial pick.[78]
  • n Jim Barnes was the first overall pick, although Walt Hazzard and George Wilson had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[79]
  • o Fred Hetzel was the first overall pick, although Bill Bradley, Bill Buntin and Gail Goodrich had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[80]
  • p Before the 1971–72 season, Lew Alcindor converted to Islam and changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.[81]
  • q Hakeem Olajuwon was born in Nigeria, but became a naturalized United States citizen in 1993. When he arrived in the United States, the University of Houston incorrectly spelled his first name "Akeem". Olajuwon used that spelling until March 9, 1991, when he announced that he would add an H.[82][83]
  • r Patrick Ewing was born in Jamaica, but had become a naturalized United States citizen while at Georgetown.[84] He represented the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics.[85]
  • s David Robinson did not play in the NBA until 1989 due to commitments to the United States Navy.[86] His rookie statistics are from the 1989–90 season.[42]
  • t Tim Duncan is a United States citizen by birth, as are all natives of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Because of this citizenship arrangement, Duncan has played for the U.S. internationally.[87]
  • u Greg Oden underwent microfracture surgery on his right knee before the 2007–08 season, and missed the entire season. His rookie statistics are from the 2008–09 season.[88]

References

General
  • "Draft Index". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
Specific
  1. ^ "Most anticipated No. 1 draft picks". CBC Sports. 2005-07-27. Retrieved 2008-06-16. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ Ronald Tillery (2008-06-18). "Landing the top draft pick can lift NBA team to new heights, and also fill arena". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 2008-06-16. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ "Bargnani becomes first European top NBA draft pick". People's Daily Online. 2006-06-29. Retrieved 2008-06-16. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ "Andy Tonkovich". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  5. ^ "Howie Shannon". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  6. ^ a b "Chuck Share". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  7. ^ "Mark Workman". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  8. ^ "Ray Felix". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  9. ^ "Frank Selvy". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  10. ^ "Dick Ricketts". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  11. ^ "Sihugo Green". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  12. ^ "Rod Hundley". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  13. ^ "Elgin Baylor". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  14. ^ "Bob Boozer". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  15. ^ "Oscar Robertson". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  16. ^ "Walt Bellamy". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  17. ^ "Bill McGill". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  18. ^ "Art Heyman". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  19. ^ "Jim Barnes". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  20. ^ "Fred Hetzel". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  21. ^ "Cazzie Russell". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  22. ^ "Jimmy Walker". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  23. ^ "Elvin Hayes". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  24. ^ "Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  25. ^ "Bob Lanier". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  26. ^ "Austin Carr". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  27. ^ "LaRue Martin". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  28. ^ "Doug Collins". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  29. ^ "Bill Walton". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  30. ^ "David Thompson". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  31. ^ "John Lucas". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  32. ^ "Kent Benson". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  33. ^ "Mychal Thompson". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  34. ^ "Earvin Johnson (Magic Johnson)". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  35. ^ "Joe Barry Carroll". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  36. ^ "Mark Aguirre". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  37. ^ "James Worthy". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  38. ^ "Ralph Sampson". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  39. ^ "Hakeem Olajuwon". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  40. ^ "Patrick Ewing". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  41. ^ "Brad Daugherty". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  42. ^ a b "David Robinson". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  43. ^ "Danny Manning". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  44. ^ "Pervis Ellison". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  45. ^ "Derrick Coleman". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  46. ^ "Larry Johnson". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  47. ^ "Shaquille O'Neal". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  48. ^ "Chris Webber". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  49. ^ "Glenn Robinson". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  50. ^ "Joe Smith". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  51. ^ "Allen Iverson". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  52. ^ "Tim Duncan". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  53. ^ "Michael Olowokandi". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  54. ^ "Elton Brand". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  55. ^ "Kenyon Martin". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  56. ^ "Kwame Brown". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  57. ^ "Yao Ming". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  58. ^ "LeBron James". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  59. ^ "Dwight Howard". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  60. ^ "Andrew Bogut". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  61. ^ "Andrea Bargnani". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  62. ^ "Greg Oden". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  63. ^ "Derrick Rose". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-12-26.
  64. ^ "Griffin top pick in NBA draft". ESPN.com. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
  65. ^ Bob Cook (2007-09-13). ""Oden's injury a cruel blow for cursed Blazers"". NBC Sports. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  66. ^ "Obituaries: Clifton McNeely 12/29/03". amarillo.com. 2003-12-29. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  67. ^ "1949 BAA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  68. ^ "1950 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  69. ^ Wright Thompson (2007-08-09). "For the 1951 point-shavers, a life lived in infamy". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  70. ^ "1951 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  71. ^ "1952 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  72. ^ "1953 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  73. ^ "1955 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  74. ^ "1956 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  75. ^ "1958 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  76. ^ "1959 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  77. ^ "1962 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  78. ^ "1963 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  79. ^ "1964 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  80. ^ "1965 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2008-06-19.
  81. ^ "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Bio". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved 2008-08-04.
  82. ^ "Hakeem Olajuwon Bio: 1992-93". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved 2008-06-15.
  83. ^ Dufresne, Chris (1991-03-11). "Hakeem Still Can Be Called 'the Dream'". Los Angeles Times. p. 2. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  84. ^ Ralph Wiley (1985-01-07). "The Master Of The Key: After years of relying on others to unlock doors for him, Georgetown's center Patrick Ewing will soon go off on his own". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2008-06-16. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  85. ^ "All-Time USA Basketball Men's Roster: E". USA Basketball. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
  86. ^ Dave Anderson (1987-05-18). "Sports of the Times; The Robinson Plot Thickens". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-06-16. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  87. ^ "All-Time USA Basketball Men's Roster: D". USA Basketball. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
  88. ^ "Oden's recovery from surgery likely in range of 6-12 months". ESPN.com. 2007-09-14. Retrieved 2008-06-16.