List of first overall NBA draft picks
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The first overall pick in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the league's annual 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 NBA team that garners the top overall draft pick selection generates significant media attention,[1] as does the respective player who eventually gets selected with that first pick.
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Eleven 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), LeBron James (four-time winner), and Derrick Rose (youngest winner).
China's Yao Ming (2002), Italy's Andrea Bargnani (2006), France's Victor Wembanyama (2023), and Zaccharie Risacher (2024) are the only players without competitive experience in the United States to be drafted first overall. Eleven other international players with U.S. college experience have been drafted first overall—Mychal Thompson (Bahamas) in 1978, Olajuwon (Nigeria) in 1984, Patrick Ewing (Jamaica) in 1985, Duncan (U.S. Virgin Islands) in 1997, Michael Olowokandi (Nigeria) in 1998, Andrew Bogut (Australia) in 2005, Kyrie Irving (Australia) in 2011, Anthony Bennett (Canada) in 2013, Andrew Wiggins (Canada) in 2014, Ben Simmons (Australia) in 2016, and Deandre Ayton (Bahamas) in 2018. 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 the District of Columbia.[2] Ewing[3] had dual Jamaican—American citizenship when he was drafted, and Irving[4] and Simmons[5] had dual Australian—American citizenship when they were drafted.
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
| ^ | Denotes players who have been selected to the All-Star Game or All-NBA Team |
| ^* | Denotes Hall of Famers |
| PPG | Points per game[a] |
| APG | Assists per game[a] |
| RPG | Rebounds per game[a] |
| Player (in italic text) |
Rookie of the Year |
| Player (in bold text) |
Denotes a player who is currently active in the NBA |
List of first overall picks
First overall picks by NBA team
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards have each held the first overall pick a total of six times, the most of any NBA team. This includes the Wizards time as the Chicago Packers, Chicago Zephyrs, and Baltimore Bullets. The Pittsburgh Ironmen, and Providence Steamrollers are the only defunct franchises to have held a first overall pick. The Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Utah Jazz are the only teams that have never had the first overall pick.
First overall picks by school
Duke has the most first overall picks with 6. Kentucky has the second-most first overall picks with 3. Only one school have had first overall picks in consecutive years: Duquesne, with Dick Ricketts (1955), and Sihugo Green (1956).
First overall picks by position
| Position | Number of selections | Last year selected |
|---|---|---|
| Center | 37 | 2023 |
| Forward | 37 | 2025 |
| Guard | 24 | 2021 |
See also
Notes
- All statistics are taken from the players' respective rookie season unless otherwise noted.
- Clifton McNeely never played professional basketball. Instead, he became a basketball coach for Pampa High School in Texas.[6][7]
- Howie Shannon was the first overall pick, although Ed Macauley and Vern Mikkelsen had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[9]
- Charlie Share did not play in the 1950–51 season. His rookie statistics are from the 1951–52 season.[11] Share was the first overall pick, although Paul Arizin had been taken before the draft as the Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick.[12]
- Gene Melchiorre never played in the NBA. He was banned for life from the NBA due to his involvement in the 1951 college basketball point-shaving scandal.[13] Melchiorre was the first overall pick, although Myer Skoog had been taken before the draft as the Minneapolis Lakers' territorial pick.[14]
- Mark Workman was the first overall pick, although Bill Mlkvy had been taken before the draft as the Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick.[15]
- Ray Felix was the first overall pick, although Ernie Beck and Walter Dukes had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[17]
- Dick Ricketts was the first overall pick, although Dick Garmaker and Tom Gola had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[20]
- Sihugo Green was the first overall pick, although Tom Heinsohn had been taken before the draft as the Boston Celtics' territorial pick.[22]
- Elgin Baylor was the first overall pick, although Guy Rodgers had been taken before the draft as the Philadelphia Warriors' territorial pick.[25]
- Bob Boozer was the first overall pick, although Wilt Chamberlain and Bob Ferry had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[27]
- Although Oscar Robertson was drafted as a territorial pick by the Cincinnati Royals, he was also recognized as the first pick in the first round of the draft as the Royals also held the first overall draft pick.[29][30]
- Bill McGill was the first overall pick, although Dave DeBusschere and Jerry Lucas had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[33]
- Art Heyman was the first overall pick, although Tom Thacker had been taken before the draft as the Cincinnati Royals' territorial pick.[35]
- Jim Barnes was the first overall pick, although Walt Hazzard and George Wilson had been taken before the draft as their teams' territorial picks.[37]
- 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.[39]
- David Thompson played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) in the 1975–76 season and did not play in the NBA until 1976. His rookie statistics are from the 1976–77 season.[51]
- Hakeem Olajuwon was born in Nigeria, but became a naturalized United States citizen in 1993. When he arrived to 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, saying, "I'm not changing the spelling of my name, I'm correcting it."[60][61]
- Patrick Ewing was born in Jamaica, but had become a naturalized United States citizen while at Georgetown.[63] He represented the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympics.[64]
- David Robinson did not play in the NBA until 1989 due to commitments to the United States Navy.[67] His rookie statistics are from the 1989–90 season.[68]
- Elton Brand shared Rookie of the Year honors with Steve Francis of the Houston Rockets.[81]
- 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.[90]
- Blake Griffin injured his left kneecap in a pre-season game before the 2009–10 season. He underwent a surgery in January 2010 and missed the entire season. His rookie statistics are from the 2010–11 season.[93]
- Karl-Anthony Towns was born and raised in the United States; his mother is Dominican. He has chosen to represent the Dominican Republic at the international level.
- Ben Simmons injured his right foot during training camp before the 2016–17 season. He missed the entire season. His rookie statistics are from the 2017–18 season.[103]
- Simmons was born in Melbourne, Australia, to an American father and Australian mother. He chose to represent Australia at international level.