Remembering the last 20 number one NBA Draft picks

The NBA Draft Lottery has become a spectacle set smack dab in the heat of the playoffs, to give teams that are out of contention a glimmer of hope for the future. Teams who come away with the first overall pick have a chance to select a franchise-altering player. We’ll take a look back at the last 20 players who went number one in the NBA Draft.

The Magic would seem to have a special player in their kingdom, as former Duke player Paolo Banchero established his dominance right from the get-go. He won Rookie Of The Year in 2022-2023, average 20 points, 3.7 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game. Banchero looks to be on the fast track to stardom.

Cade Cunningham has a well rounded skill set that would appear to be a great fit for the modern game. He can score, rebound and pass, but next year, he’ll just need to stay healthy. Cunningham was only able to suit up in 12 games in his second NBA season, which was supposed to be a stepping stone for him and the Pistons.

The sky is the limit for how good Anthony Edwards can be, but he’s already one of the most exciting players in the NBA. He has elite level athleticism, and is constantly featured on social media finishing plays with ferocious dunks. Edwards has made one All Star team in his first three seasons, and should be a fixture in the midseason game for years to come.

There are few players in the NBA right now who are more polarizing than Zion Williamson. Finding holes in his game would be a difficult task, as Williamson has been every bit the prospect New Orleans hoped he would be. The problem has been Williamson’s health, as he hasn’t been able to get consistent reps on the floor.

All things considered, the Suns have to be happy with the selection they made at the top of the 2018 NBA Draft. Deandre Ayton was just signed to a new contract, and has been the man in the middle for perennial playoff teams in Phoenix. It’ll be interesting to see how effective Ayton is offensively once Chris Paul is no longer in the picture, but he’s a reliable part of the roster.

The 76ers thought that they had a franchise building block in guard Markelle Fultz. The front office was enamored with his play at the University of Washington. However, Fultz was involved in one of the strangest sagas in recent history. His shooting form with the 76ers looked nothing like it did in college, and he flamed out in Philadelphia after just two years.

NBA teams are still trying to figure out how to unlock Ben Simmons. He has a unique blend of size, athleticism, vision and defensive ability, which were all evident early on in his 76ers career. Since that point, his dedication to the sport has been questioned, and it’s unclear whether Simmons will ever be able to get back to his initial form.

Karl-Anthony Towns has been nothing short of an offensive force since he entered the NBA. He’s averaged 23 points per game for his career, to go along with over 11 rebounds. He’s also been an effective floor spacer, shooting nearly 40% from three-point range as a big man. In order to take the next step, Towns will need to lead the Timberwolves to a second round playoff appearance.

Andrew Wiggins never played one minute of basketball for the Cavaliers, as he was traded to the Timberwolves in a deal that brought Kevin Love to Cleveland. Wiggins was viewed as something of an underachiever in Minnesota, but has resurrected his career with some clutch performances as a member of the Golden State Warriors.

Unfortunately for Anthony Bennett and the Cavaliers, he has the distinction of being one of the most disappointing number one overall picks in NBA history. A lot of analysts questioned the pick at the time, as Bennett struggled mightily to adjust to the professional game. He has career averages of 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds.

It’s not an over exaggeration to say that Anthony Davis may have saved basketball in the New Orleans market. He brought a one of a kind skill set to a franchise desperately looking for a centerpiece. He gave the team seven marvelous seasons, before he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he would win a title in 2020.

The Cavaliers nailed the first overall pick in 2011, selecting Kyrie Irving. He was a dribbling wizard who could get any shot off at any time, and had a knack for finishing in the paint against much taller players. Irving would go on to make one of the biggest shots in team history, a three pointer to clinch the championship in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.

There were fewer players who were faster will the ball in their hands than John Wall. He came out of the University of Kentucky as a can’t miss prospect, and his physical skills were evident. Wall would also improve his jump shot as time went on, which allowed him to more easily get a step on his defender as well.

Things got off to a shaky start for Blake Griffin’s NBA career, as he missed his first year with a knee injury. He would return to the court with a level of spring in his step that few have ever matched. Griffin was an extremely talented player on Los Angeles Clippers teams known for their highlight reel dunks.

Derrick Rose took the league by storm, and had a unique opportunity to perform in front of his hometown fans. The Chicago native dazzled supporters with his explosive ability to get to the rim and finish over players a foot taller than him. Injuries would sap Rose of his generational athleticism, but he would find a way to hang around with determined persistence and a revised gameplan.

It’s one of the most unfortunate selections in NBA Draft history. Greg Oden was set to take over the paint for an extended period of time after a stellar college career at Ohio State. Unfortunately, his knees would never cooperate. Oden only ended up playing a total of 105 games in the NBA.

Franchises have been enamored with taller players who have the ability to put the ball on the floor and stretch the defense with reliable shooting. The Raptors were enthralled with Andrea Bargnani’s skill set along these lines. Bargnani didn’t have a terrible NBA career, but was miscast as a franchise cornerstone in Toronto.

Andrew Bogut’s career was largely average for the first seven years of his career. It’s not usually the case that a player’s stock leaps after that type of sample size, but Bogut was a perfect fit on the ascending Warriors teams of the early 2010’s. He provided much needed toughness and rim protection for team that was set at the offensive end.

Dwight Howard is the last player who was drafted first overall straight out of high school, but the Magic knew they could help mold the freakish athlete into something special. Howard was a cut above his peers as a physical specimen during his time with the Magic. He made eight All Star teams, and is quietly one of the best big men of all time.

Everything changed for the Cavaliers the moment they won the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery. Hometown kid LeBron James would get to play in his home state of Ohio, while hoping to realize his destiny as a once in a lifetime basketball prodigy. He sure did reach those heights, winning four NBA titles and breaking the NBA’s all time scoring record.