Grading Every No. 1 Overall NBA Draft Pick

NBA franchises rise and fall based on what they do with the No. 1 overall pick. Here's who got it right and wrong.

Grading Every No. 1 Overall NBA Draft Pick

Magic Johnson holds up a Los Angeles Lakers jersey at New York's Plaza Hotel after being the first pick in the 1979 draft. Johnson is joined by NBA commissioner Larry O'Brien and his parents, Earvin and Christine Johnson.

The NBA has come a long way since its first draft in 1947. Gone are the days of "territorial pick" rules that allowed teams to forfeit their first-round pick and choose a local college player before any other teams could make a selection. That system lasted from 1949 to 1965 and defined the league's early history.

Now teams can choose whoever they want. But they don't always make the right choice, especially with the No. 1 overall pick. Those decisions still can make or break teams.

Here's a look at every NBA draft, with grades for every player taken first overall and who would be the No. 1 overall pick today.

1947: Clifton McNeely, Guard

Drafted by: Pittsburgh IronMen

College/prep: Texas Wesleyan

NBA career: Did not play

Teams: N/A

Stats: N/A

Grade: F

New No. 1 pick: Harry Gallatin, forward/center (No. 40 overall, Baltimore Bullets)

1947: Bottom Line

From 1947 to 1950, the NBA was known as the Basketball Association of America (BAA), before it changed its name.

In a testament to what pro sports paid at the time, No. 1 overall pick Clifton McNeely decided to take a job coaching basketball instead of continuing his playing career.

Harry Gallatin was the only player from the 1947 draft to be inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame, and he also went on to have a successful career as a college and NBA coach.

1948: Andy Tonkovich, Guard/Forward

Drafted by: Providence Steamrollers

College/prep: Marshall University

NBA career: 1 season (1948-49)

Teams: Providence Steamrollers

Stats: 17 G, 2.6 PPG, 0.6 APG, 26.8 FG%

Grade: F

New No. 1 pick: Dolph Schayes, forward/center (No. 4 overall, New York Knicks)

1948: Bottom Line

The first of back-to-back misses with the No. 1 overall pick, the Providence Steamrollers only got 17 games out of Andy Tonkovich before he called it a career.

Dolph Schayes played 16 years of pro basketball and led his team to the playoffs 15 times, including winning an NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1955.

Schayes was inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 1972 and his son, Danny, played 18 seasons in the NBA.

1949: Howie Shannon, Center

Drafted by: Providence Steamrollers

College/prep: Providence Steamrollers

NBA career: 2 seasons (1948-50)

Teams: Providence Steamrollers (1948-49), Boston Celtics (1949-50)

Stats: 122 G, 10.8 PPG, 2.5 APG, 35.5 FG%

Grade: D

New No. 1 pick: Dick McGuire, guard (No. 7 overall, New York Knicks)

1949: Bottom Line

Howie Shannon's best season as a pro was the one before he was drafted.

In the 1948-49 season, he was named BAA Rookie of the Year for the Providence Steamrollers after he was ruled ineligible to play in college, and the Steamrollers promised to pick him No. 1 the next year if he was allowed to play for them right away.

Shannon only played one more season, but No. 7 pick Dick McGuire was a seven-time All-Star and played 11 seasons, including leading the league in assists in 1951.

1950: Chuck Share, Center

Drafted by: Boston Celtics

College/prep: Bowling Green University

NBA career: 9 seasons (1951-60)

Teams: Fort Wayne Pistons (1951-53), Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (1953-60), Minneapolis Lakers (1960)

Stats: 596 G, 8.3 PPG, 1.4 APG, 40.0 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Bob Cousy, point guard (No. 3 overall, Tri-Cities Blackhawks)

1950: Bottom Line

The Celtics drafted Chuck Share No. 1, but he chose to play in the upstart National Professional Basketball League instead. The NPBL folded after the season, but not before the team sold Share's rights to the Fort Wayne Pistons.

Bob Cousy wanted to play for the Celtics all along, and he refused to play for several teams that drafted him or had his rights until the Celtics obtained his rights.

Cousy won six NBA championships, earned 1957 NBA Most Valuable Player honors and was elected to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971.

1951: Gene Melchiorre, Guard

Drafted by: Baltimore Bullets

College/prep: Bradley University

NBA career: Did not play

Teams: N/A

Stats: N/A

Grade: F

New No. 1 pick: Mel Hutchins, forward/center (No. 2 overall, Tri-Cities Blackhawks)

1951: Bottom Line

After the Baltimore Bullets drafted Gene Melchiorre, NBA commissioner Maurice Podoloff banned Melchiorre and several other players from playing in the NBA for life as a result of their roles in a massive point-shaving scandal in college.

Mel Hutchins was a four-time All-Star who averaged nearly a double-double and was one of the league's earliest lockdown defenders.

Hutchins' younger sister, Colleen Kay Hutchins, married NBA player Ernie Vandeweghe, and their son, Kiki Vandeweghe, was a two-time NBA All-Star.

1952: Mark Workman, Center

Drafted by: Milwaukee Hawks

College/prep: West Virginia University

NBA career: 2 seasons (1952-54)

Teams: Milwaukee Hawks (1952), Philadelphia Warriors (1952-53), Baltimore Bullets (1953-54)

Stats: 79 G, 4.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.6 APG, 33.1 FG%

Grade: D-

New No. 1 pick: Clyde Lovellette, forward/center (No. 9 overall, Minneapolis Lakers)

1952: Bottom Line

Only Charleston (West Virginia) High School has produced two No. 1 overall NBA draft picks — Mark Workman and Rod Hundley in 1957.

Workman's career was more evidence of the economic realities of the time, as he opted to go on a European tour with the Harlem Globetrotters instead of right to the NBA.

Workman lasted just two seasons in the league while Clyde Lovellette was a four-time All-Star who won three NBA titles with two teams and is the only player from the 1952 class inducted into the Hall of Fame.

1953: Ray Felix, Guard/Forward

Drafted by: Baltimore Bullets

College/prep: LIU Brooklyn

NBA career: 9 seasons (1953-62)

Teams: Baltimore Bullets (1953-54), New York Knicks (1954-60), Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers (196-62)

Stats: 637 G, 10.9 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 0.7 APG, 41.2 FG%

Grade: C

New No. 1 pick: Cliff Hagan, guard/forward (No. 21 overall, Boston Celtics)

1953: Bottom Line

While Ray Felix had a solid career, averaging almost a double-double, he's more known for being knocked out cold with a punch by a young Bill Russell when Russell thought he was trying to intimidate him.

The Bullets missed on three Hall of Famers taken in the first two rounds in 1953: Bob Houbregs, Frank Ramsey and Cliff Hagan.

Hagan was a five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA pick who led the St. Louis Hawks to an NBA title in 1958.

1954: Frank Selvy, Forward/Center

Drafted by: Baltimore Bullets

College/prep: Furman University

NBA career: 10 seasons (1954-64)

Teams: Baltimore Bullets (1954), Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (1954-58), Minneapolis Lakers (1958, 1959-64), New York Knicks (1958-59), Syracuse Nationals (1959)

Stats: 565 G, 10.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 39.4 FG%

Grade: D+

New No. 1 pick: Bob Pettit, forward/center (No. 2 overall, Milwaukee Hawks)

1954: Bottom Line

It was bad luck that could be blamed for a lot of Frank Selvy's professional woes — particularly because the Bullets folded just months into his career and he was picked up by the Milwaukee Hawks.

Those same Hawks took Hall of Famer Bob Pettit with the second pick in the 1954 draft. And Pettitt went on to be a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP.

Pettit also led the Hawks to the 1958 NBA championship and was an All-NBA pick in all 11 of his seasons in the league.

1955: Dick Ricketts, Guard/Forward

Drafted by: Milwaukee Hawks

College/prep: Duquesne University

NBA career: 3 seasons (1955-58)

Teams: St. Louis Hawks (1955-56), Rochester/Cincinnati Royals (1956-58)

Stats: 212 G, 9.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 32.8 FG%

Grade: D-

New No. 1 pick: Jack Twyman, small forward (No. 8 overall, Rochester Royals)

1955: Bottom Line

Dick Ricketts was the first of two Duquesne players taken with the No. 1 overall pick in consecutive years, followed by Sihugo Green.

Ricketts, traumatized by an injury to teammate Maurice Stokes, left basketball and played professional baseball for nine seasons, including with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jack Twyman was one of the greatest scorers of his generation, and in 1959-60, he and Wilt Chamberlain became the first players in NBA history to average over 30 points for an entire season.

1956: Sihugo Green, Guard/Forward

Drafted by: Rochester Royals

College/prep: Duquesne University

NBA career: 8 seasons (1956-57, 1958-65)

Teams: Rochester Royals (1956-57), Cincinnati Royals (1958-59), St. Louis Hawks (1959-61), Chicago Packers/Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets (1961-65), Boston Celtics (1965)

Stats: 504 G, 9.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.3 APG, 38.7 FG%

Grade: F

New No. 1 pick: Bill Russell, center (No. 2 overall, St. Louis Hawks)

1956: Bottom Line

The Boston Celtics obtained three future Hall of Famers in the 1956 NBA draft, taking Tommy Heinsohn with their territorial pick, K.C. Jones at No. 13 overall and trading Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan to the Hawks for the rights to Bill Russell, the No. 2 overall pick.

Russell was the clear-cut No. 1 pick headed into the draft, but Celtics coach Red Auerbach talked the Rochester Royals out of taking Russell by making sure the Ice Capades came and played in the team's arena for several years.

So the Royals took Sihugo Green, who was a role player throughout his career, at best.

1957: Rod Hundley, Guard

Drafted by: Cincinnati Royals

College/prep: West Virginia University

NBA career: 6 seasons (1957-63)

Teams: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers

Stats: 846 G, 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 43.1 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Sam Jones, guard/forward (No. 8 overall, Boston Celtics)

1957: Bottom Line

Top pick Rod Hundley's playing days were short-lived — bad knees limited him to just six seasons.

While Hundley went on to have a lengthy, celebrated career as a broadcaster, the only Hall of Famer picked in 1957 was Sam Jones, who helped lead the Celtics to a stunning 10 NBA championships.

That stat is even more incredible when we realize that Jones only played 12 seasons and played in the NBA Finals 11 times, with the only loss coming to the St. Louis Hawks in 1958.

1958: Elgin Baylor, Forward

Drafted by: Minneapolis Lakers

College/prep: Seattle University

NBA career: 13 seasons (1958-71)

Teams: Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers

Stats: 846 G, 27.4 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 43.1 FG%

Grade: A

New No. 1 pick: Baylor

1958: Bottom Line

With the benefit of hindsight, this seems like the first time an NBA team nailed the No. 1 overall pick.

Elgin Baylor was an offensive wizard and is one of the game's greatest players. His career averages of almost 30 points and 14 rebounds per game jump off the page.

However, Baylor does have one big thing missing from his resume. The Lakers went 0-for-8 in the NBA Finals over the course of his career, with seven of those losses against the Boston Celtics.

1959: Bob Boozer, Forward

Drafted by: Cincinnati Royals

College/prep: Kansas State University

NBA career: 11 seasons (1960-71)

Teams: Cincinnati Royals (1960-63), New York Knicks (1963-65), Los Angeles Lakers (1965-66), Chicago Bulls (1966-69), Seattle SuperSonics (1969-70), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-71)

Stats: 874 G, 14.8 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 46.2 FG%

Grade: C

New No. 1 pick: Wilt Chamberlain, center (territorial pick, Philadelphia Warriors)

1959: Bottom Line

The 1959 NBA draft's shameful legacy was cemented when the league changed its own rules regarding the territorial draft in order for the Philadelphia Warriors to take University of Kansas center Wilt Chamberlain.

Previously with territorial picks, teams were limited to swapping their first-round pick for any player from a college within 50 miles. This year and this year alone, the rule was extended to a player's high school, and Chamberlain was nabbed by Philly.

Had he gone to the team he should've gone to — the Cincinnati Royals — he would've teamed with Oscar Robertson to form perhaps the greatest 1-2 punch in NBA history.

1960: Oscar Robertson, Guard/Forward

Drafted by: Cincinnati Royals

College/prep: University of Cincinnati

NBA career: 14 seasons (1960-74)

Teams: Cincinnati Royals (1960-70), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-74)

Stats: 1,040 G, 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, 48.5 FG%

Grade: A+

New No. 1 pick: Robertson

1960: Bottom Line

Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson's name is often found around the fringes of "greatest of all time" discussions, and it's a shame that modern fans don't have as much of an appreciation of what he did on the court.

Robertson, the 1964 NBA Most Valuable Player, was the first player in league history to average a triple-double and a 12-time All-Star.

An 11-time All-NBA pick, Robertson led the league in assists six times and was one of the key figures in overturning the league's rigid rules on free agency and with the draft itself.

1961: Walt Bellamy, Center

Drafted by: Chicago Packers

College/prep: University of Indiana

NBA career: 13 seasons (1961-74)

Teams: Chicago Packers/Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets (1961-65), New York Knicks (1965-68), Detroit Pistons (1968-70), Atlanta Hawks (1970-74), New Orleans Jazz (1974)

Stats: 1,043 G, 20.1 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 2.4 APG, 51.6 FG%

Grade: B+

New No. 1 pick: Bellamy

1961: Bottom Line

Walt Bellamy had an outstanding career and can claim status as a Hall of Famer as an individual and with a team, when he was inducted as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team that won a gold medal in Rome and featured Bellamy, Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Jerry Lucas and Bob Boozer.

Bellamy holds one NBA record that will likely never be broken. Because of trades and offset schedules, he played 88 regular-season games in the 1968-69 season.

1962: Bill McGill, Forward/Center

Drafted by: Chicago Zephyrs

College/prep: University of Utah

NBA career: 3 seasons (1962-65)

Teams: Chicago Zephyrs/Baltimore Bullets (1962-63), New York Knicks (1963-64), St. Louis Hawks (1964), Los Angeles Lakers (1965)

Stats: 295 G, 10.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 51.4 FG%

Grade: D-

New No. 1 pick: John Havlicek, guard/forward (No. 7 overall, Boston Celtics)

1962: Bottom Line

The 1962 draft saw five Hall of Famers selected in the first two rounds, including territorial picks Dave DeBusschere and Jerry Lucas. Bill McGill wasn't one of them.

McGill had a short, unspectacular career. But he did make a major contribution to the game and is credited with inventing the jump hook.

Hall of Famer John Havlicek is one of the greatest athletes to ever play pro sports, winning eight championships with the Boston Celtics.

Havlicek made the All-NBA team 11 times, was a 13-time All-Star and made the NBA All-Defensive Team five times.

1963: Art Heyman, Forward/Guard

Drafted by: New York Knicks

College/prep: Duke University

NBA career: 3 seasons (1963-66)

Teams: New York Knicks (1963-65), Cincinnati Royals (1965), Philadelphia 76ers (1965-66)

Stats: 310 G, 13.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 42.7 FG%

Grade: D

New No. 1 pick: Nate Thurmond, forward/center (No. 3 overall, San Francisco Warriors)

1963: Bottom Line

Art Heyman had a lengthy pro basketball career — just not in the NBA. He was drummed out of the Knicks' lineup after two seasons because of his temper and attitude, then spent the bulk of his career in the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the ABA.

Hall of Famer Nate Thurmond played 14 seasons in the NBA, was a seven-time All-Star and five-time NBA All-Defensive Team pick. He also was the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double — points, assists rebounds, blocks — and one of just four players in NBA history to record 40 rebounds in a single game.

1964: Jim Barnes, Center/Forward

Drafted by: New York Knicks

College/prep: University of Texas-El Paso

NBA career: 6 seasons (1964-70)

Teams: New York Knicks (1964-65), Baltimore Bullets (1965-66, 1970), Los Angeles Lakers (1966-68), Chicago Bulls (1968), Boston Celtics (1968-70)

Stats: 454 G, 8.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 0.8 APG, 42.9 FG%

Grade: D

New No. 1 pick: Willis Reed, forward/center (No. 8 overall, New York Knicks)

1964: Bottom Line

Jim "Bad News" Barnes had an awful nickname. By all accounts, he was beloved by teammates and fans alike for his amazing demeanor off the court and the nickname only applied to the punishment he doled out as a college star at UTEP.

In the NBA, he was average and played only six seasons for five different teams.

Willis Reed orchestrated one of the most iconic moments in NBA history when he limped out of the tunnel to start Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals with a torn thigh muscle, the first of two championships he won with the Knicks.

1965: Fred Hetzel, Forward/Center

Drafted by: San Francisco Warriors

College/prep: Davidson College

NBA career: 6 seasons (1965-71)

Teams: San Francisco Warriors (1965-68), Milwaukee Bucks (1968-69), Cincinnati Royals (1969), Philadelphia 76ers (1969-70), Los Angeles Lakers (1970-71)

Stats: 416 G, 11.2 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 42.1 FG%

Grade: D

New No. 1 pick: Rick Barry, forward (No. 2 overall, San Francisco Warriors)

1965: Bottom Line

Other than the 1959 draft that saw Wilt Chamberlain go to the Philadelphia Warriors, the shameful "territorial" picks that defined the draft never had a better year than 1965, when Hall of Famers Bill Bradley (Princeton) and Gail Goodrich (UCLA) went to the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.

Top overall pick Fred Hetzel suffered by comparison against No. 2 pick Rick Barry, also taken by the Warriors, who became a Hall of Famer and led the franchise to the NBA championship in 1975.

1966: Cazzie Russell, Forward/Guard

Drafted by: New York Knicks

College/prep: University of Michigan

NBA career: 12 seasons (1966-78)

Teams: New York Knicks (1966-71), Golden State Warriors (1971-74), Los Angeles Lakers (1974-78), Chicago Bulls (1978)

Stats: 817 G, 15.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 46.4 FG%

Grade: C

New No. 1 pick: Dave Bing, point guard (No. 2 overall, Detroit Pistons)

1966: Bottom Line

Cazzie Russell was a steady and sometimes standout player in the NBA for over a decade, including winning an NBA title with the Knicks in 1970.

But the only Hall of Famer taken in the 1966 draft was Dave Bing, who was a seven-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA pick.

Bing played his first nine seasons for the Detroit PIstons and became a multi-millionaire through his company, The Bing Group, one of the largest steel manufacturers in Michigan.

Bing was elected mayor of Detroit in 2009, serving just one term.

1967: Jimmy Walker, Guard

Drafted by: Detroit Pistons

College/prep: Providence College

NBA career: 9 seasons (1967-76)

Teams: Detroit Pistons (1967-72), Houston Rockets (1972-73), Kansas City Kings (1973-76)

Stats: 698 G, 16.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 3.5 APG, 46.1 FG%

Grade: D

New No. 1 pick: Walt Frazier, guard (No. 5 overall, New York Knicks)

1967: Bottom Line

Jimmy Walker was the No. 1 overall pick in both the NBA draft and the first ABA draft in 1967, where the Indiana Pacers selected him. Walker's struggles with keeping his weight down dogged him throughout his career.

Walt Frazier led the New York Knicks to the only two NBA championships in franchise history, was a six-time All-NBA pick and seven-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection.

Two of the greatest coaches in NBA history and a pair of Hall of Famers, Pat Riley and Phil Jackson, also were taken in the first two rounds.

1968: Elvin Hayes, Center/Forward

Drafted by: San Diego Rockets

College/prep: University of Houston

NBA career: 16 seasons (1968-84)

Teams: San Diego/Houston Rockets (1968-72), Baltimore/Washington Bullets (1972-78), Houston Rockets (1981-84)

Stats: 1,303 G, 21.0 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 1.8 APG, 45.0 FG%

Grade: A

New No. 1 pick: Hayes

1968: Bottom Line

The first two picks in the 1968 NBA draft, Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld, were the only two Hall of Famers taken that year and teamed up four years later when Hayes was traded to the Bullets.

Hayes, a 12-time All-Star, played with Unseld for the better part of the decade to form one of the most formidable frontcourts in NBA history.

The Bullets played in the NBA Finals in 1975, 1978 and 1979, winning the title in 1978.

1969: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Center

Drafted by: Milwaukee Bucks

College/prep: UCLA

NBA career: 20 seasons (1969-89)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-75), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-89)

Stats: 1,560 G, 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 55.9 FG%

Grade: A+

New No. 1 pick: Abdul-Jabbar

1969: Bottom Line

Perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and six NBA Most Valuable Player awards.

Abdul-Jabbar also was a 19-time All-Star and is still the NBA's career leader in scoring and wins. Abdul-Jabbar was one of two Hall of Famers selected in the 1969 draft, alongside University of Kansas guard Jo Jo White, who was selected at No. 9 overall by the Boston Celtics.

White famously led the Celtics to an upset of Abdul-Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1974 NBA Finals.

1970: Bob Lanier, Center

Drafted by: Detroit Pistons

College/prep: St. Bonaventure University

NBA career: 14 seasons (1970-84)

Teams: Detroit Pistons (1970-80), Milwaukee Bucks (1980-84)

Stats: 959 G, 20.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, 51.4 FG%

Grade: A-

New No. 1 pick: Dave Cowens, forward/center (No. 4 overall, Boston Celtics)

1970: Bottom Line

The 1970 NBA draft is in the discussion for the best in league history. Eight Hall of Famers were taken in the draft, including the first four players selected and six Hall of Famers in the first 20 picks.

Bob Lanier, the No. 1 pick, had the misfortune of playing for the Pistons in one of the most unstable times in franchise history and had eight different head coaches in 10 seasons.

Dave Cowens led the Celtics to two NBA titles, was the 1973 NBA Most Valuable Player and an eight-time All-Star.

1971: Austin Carr, Guard

Drafted by: Cleveland Cavaliers

College/prep: University of Notre Dame

NBA career: 10 seasons (1971-81)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (1971-80), Dallas Mavericks (1980), Washington Bullets (1980-81)

Stats: 682 G, 15.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, 44.9 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Artis Gilmore, center (No. 117 overall, Chicago Bulls)

1971: Bottom Line

Injuries plagued Austin Carr throughout his 10-year career. He missed at least half of four seasons because of them.

Carr and Lenny Wilkens formed a solid backcourt for the Cavs in the 1970s, but they only made it past the first round of the playoffs once.

Two Hall of Famers were picked in 1971 — Spencer Haywood and 7-foot-2 center Artis Gilmore, one of the most underrated players in basketball history.

Gilmore averaged 18.8 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks throughout his 17-year career in the ABA and NBA.

1972: LaRue Martin, Center

Drafted by: Portland Trail Blazers

College/prep: Loyola University

NBA career: 4 seasons (1972-76)

Teams: Portland Trail Blazers

Stats: 271 G, 5.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 0.7 APG, 41.6 FG%

Grade: F

New No. 1 pick: Julius Erving, forward (No. 12 overall, Milwaukee Bucks)

1972: Bottom Line

No team has failed more dramatically when it comes to the NBA draft than the Portland Trail Blazers. The 1972 selection of LaRue Martin is the beginning of those woes, which then included passing on Michael Jordan in 1984 and Kevin Durant in 2007.

Martin was the third-best player available, with Julius Erving already playing in the ABA and Bob McAdoo, reportedly, unable to come to a deal with the Blazers before the draft.

Martin only played four years in the NBA, and his shy personality was a huge hindrance to becoming a star. He repeatedly said he never got used to the notoriety that came with being the No. 1 overall pick.

1973: Doug Collins, Guard/Forward

Drafted by: Philadelphia 76ers

College/prep: Illinois State University

NBA career: 8 seasons (1973-81)

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers

Stats: 415 G, 17.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 50.1 FG%

Grade: B

New No. 1 pick: George McGinnis, forward/center (No. 22 overall, Philadelphia 76ers)

1973: Bottom Line

Doug Collins didn't just have a respectable career in the NBA — he was a bona fide star for several seasons, including four All-Star seasons.

But there was only one Hall of Famer that came out of the 1973 draft, and that was George McGinnis, who was also the only player out of the draft to make both an All-Star team and an All-NBA team.

McGinnis, however, was one of several players from this era who had his best seasons in the ABA, leading the Indiana Pacers to back-to-back ABA titles in 1972 and 1973.

1974: Bill Walton, Center

Drafted by: Portland Trail Blazers

College/prep: UCLA

NBA career: 13 seasons (1974-87)

Teams: Portland Trail Blazers (1974-79), San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers (1979-85), Boston Celtics (1985-87)

Stats: 468 G, 13.3 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 3.4 APG, 52.1 FG%

Grade: B-

New No. 1 pick: Walton

1974: Bottom Line

The Trail Blazers knew about Bill Walton's long history of injuries dating back to his high school days in San Diego, but the thought of bringing a proven winner like Walton into the fold was too much to pass up.

And while those injuries persisted for Walton, taking him paid off in a big way for the Blazers when Walton led them to arguably the most improbable championship in NBA history in 1977.

Walton won another title as a reserve for the 1986 Boston Celtics, who are in the conversation as the greatest NBA team of all time.

1975: David Thompson, Forward/Guard

Drafted by: Atlanta Hawks

College/prep: North Carolina State University

NBA career: 9 seasons (1975-84)

Teams: Denver Nuggets (1975-82), Seattle SuperSonics (1982-84)

Stats: 592 G, 22.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, 50.5 FG%

Grade: B

New No. 1 pick: Thompson

1975: Bottom Line

It's tough to explain to the modern basketball fan what a revelation David Thompson was during his college playing days at North Carolina State. He was nicknamed "Skywalker" years before anyone knew what Star Wars was.

Thompson's high-flying style of play inspired none other than Michael Jordan, who asked Thompson to be the introductory speaker at his Hall of Fame induction in 2009.

Thompson, one of the greatest dunkers in basketball history, saw his career ultimately derailed by cocaine addiction but was worth the price of admission almost every night he played.

1976: John Lucas, Guard

Drafted by: Houston Rockets

College/prep: University of Maryland

NBA career: 14 seasons (1976-90)

Teams: Houston Rockets (1976-78, 1984-86, 1989-90), Golden State Warriors (1978-81), Washington Bullets (1981-83), San Antonio Spurs (1983-84), Milwaukee Bucks (1986-88), Seattle SuperSonics (1988-89)

Stats: 928 G, 10.7 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.0 APG, 44.9 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Robert Parish, center (No. 8 overall, Golden State Warriors)

1976: Bottom Line

John Lucas was a talented point guard whose career came undone by addictions to cocaine and alcohol that he eventually overcame.

Robert Parish played four seasons with the Warriors before a brilliant pre-draft trade in 1980 brought him to the Celtics, who swapped their No. 1 overall pick and a later pick for Parish and took Kevin McHale at No. 3 overall.

Parish won four championships with the Celtics and holds the record for most games played in NBA history with 1,611.

1977: Kent Benson, Center

Drafted by: Milwaukee Bucks

College/prep: Indiana University

NBA career: 11 seasons (1977-88)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1977-80), Detroit Pistons (1980-86), Utah Jazz (1986-87), Cleveland Cavaliers (1987-88)

Stats: 680 G, 9.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 49.3 FG%

Grade: D

New No. 1 pick: Bernard King, forward (No. 7 overall, New Jersey Nets)

1977: Bottom Line

Kent Benson never lived up to being the No. 1 overall pick and had an unbelievable stroke of bad luck in his first game as a pro, when Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke Benson's jaw with a punch.

Bernard King was a gifted scorer, four-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA pick who led the league in scoring in 1985 at 32.5 points per game.

King is widely thought of as one of the toughest players to guard in league history because of his rare combination of height, at 6-foot-7, and speed.

1978: Mychal Thompson, Forward/Center

Drafted by: Portland Trail Blazers

College/prep: University of Minnesota

NBA career: 13 seasons (1978-91)

Teams: Portland Trail Blazers (1978-86), San Antonio Spurs (1986-87), Los Angeles Lakers (1987-91)

Stats: 935 G, 13.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 50.4 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Larry Bird, forward (No. 6 overall, Boston Celtics)

1978: Bottom Line

Mychal Thompson, who was born in the Bahamas and is the father of Warriors superstar Klay Thompson, was the first foreign-born player selected No. 1 overall and had his best years as a role player for the Los Angeles Lakers, winning NBA titles in 1987 and 1988.

The Trail Blazers, like four other teams, passed on Larry Bird. They shied away from the Indiana State star because of his enormous salary demands — five years and $3.25 million.

It was money well spent for the Celtics, who paid up, then cashed in to the tune of three NBA titles and three NBA Most Valuable Player trophies for Larry Legend.

1979: Magic Johnson, Point Guard

Drafted by: Los Angeles Lakers

College/prep: Michigan State University

NBA career: 13 seasons (1979-91, 1996)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers

Stats: 906 G, 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG, 52.0 FG%

Grade: A+

New No. 1 pick: Johnson

1979: Bottom Line

Magic Johnson is perhaps the greatest point guard of all time. He also is one of the most exciting, dynamic players in NBA history and a global sports icon. Which is a mouthful.

But Magic's impact on basketball was tremendous. And his rivalry with Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird, who faced off in the 1979 NCAA championship game and throughout their NBA careers, put the league on the path to becoming the international behemoth it is today, generating approximately $8 billion in revenue annually.

1980: Joe Barry Carroll, Center

Drafted by: Golden State Warriors

College/prep: Purdue University

NBA career: 11 seasons

Teams: Golden State Warriors (1980-87), Houston Rockets (1987-88), New Jersey Nets (1988-90), Denver Nuggets (1990), Phoenix Suns (1991)

Stats: 705 G, 17.7 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.8 APG, 47.4 FG%

Grade: D

New No. 1 pick: Kevin McHale, forward/center (No. 3 overall, Boston Celtics)

1980: Bottom Line

Joe Barry Carroll's career numbers stand above more than a fair share of the overall No. 1 picks in NBA history — he also averaged 1.6 blocks.

But the story of his NBA career was determined by a pre-draft trade and his seeming disinterest with the game itself, earning him the nickname "Joe Barely Cares" early in his career.

The Celtics swapped their No. 1 pick to the Warriors for fourth-year forward Robert Parish and the No. 3 pick, which they used to select Kevin McHale and create one of the greatest frontcourts in NBA history.

1981: Mark Aguirre, Forward

Drafted by: Dallas Mavericks

College/prep: DePaul University

NBA career: 13 seasons (1981-94)

Teams: Dallas Mavericks (1981-89), Detroit Pistons (1989-93), Los Angeles Clippers (1993-94)

Stats: 923 G, 20.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.1 APG, 48.4 FG%

Grade: C

New No. 1 pick: Isiah Thomas, point guard (No. 2 overall, Detroit Pistons)

1981: Bottom line

Mark Aguirre was an elite scorer and one of the best players in the NBA during his eight seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. He even led a team that pushed the Lakers to seven games in the 1988 Western Conference finals.

But Aguirre's biggest career success came when he was traded to the Pistons, where he was paired with fellow Chicagoan and 1981 No. 2 pick Isiah Thomas, and they won NBA titles in 1989 and 1990.

1982: James Worthy, Forward

Drafted by: Los Angeles Lakers

College/prep: University of North Carolina

NBA career: xxx

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers

Stats: 926 G, 17.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 52.1 FG%

Grade: A

New No. 1 pick: Worthy

1982: Bottom Line

The central debate about the 1982 draft boils down to whether you think James Worthy or Dominique Wilkins is a better basketball player. Sounds simple, right? It's not.

The basic idea is that Worthy, already indoctrinated into the idea of team ball at North Carolina with Dean Smith, was the perfect fit for the Lakers. He also knew how to win, with the 1982 NCAA title under his belt.

But couldn't Magic Johnson have won with anyone of a certain skill level? And what would he have done with Wilkins running the wing?

1983: Ralph Sampson, Center

Drafted by: Houston Rockets

College/prep: University of Virginia

NBA career: 9 seasons (1983-92)

Teams: Houston Rockets (1983-87), Golden State Warriors (1987-89), Sacramento Kings (1989-91), Washington Bullets (1991-92)

Stats: 456 G, 15.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 48.6 FG%

Grade: D+

New No. 1 pick: Clyde Drexler, shooting guard (No. 14 overall, Portland Trail Blazers)

1983: Bottom Line

The expectations placed on Ralph Sampson when he entered the NBA was that he would be another Wilt Chamblerlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Bill Russell.

Sampson, 7-foot-4, made just one All-NBA team in his career and played in the NBA Finals once, losing to the Boston Celtics in 1986.

Clyde Drexler was a 10-time All-Star, made the All-NBA team six times and won an NBA title with Sampson's former team, the Rockets, in 1995.

1984: Hakeem Olajuwon, Center

Drafted by: Houston Rockets

College/prep: University of Houston

NBA career: 18 seasons (1984-2002)

Teams: Houston Rockets (1984-2001), Toronto Raptors (2001-02)

Stats: 1,238 G, 21.8 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 51.2 FG%

Grade: A-

New No. 1 pick: Michael Jordan, shooting guard (No. 3 overall, Chicago Bulls)

1984: Bottom Line

It's impossible to say Hakeem Olajuwon didn't give the Houston Rockets everything they could've asked for and more in a No. 1 overall pick, leading them to back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995.

The real travesty in this draft was the Portland Trail Blazers taking Sam Bowie with the No. 2 overall pick over Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time, a six-time NBA champion and, of course, the star of the hit ESPN documentary series "The Last Dance."

1985: Patrick Ewing, Center

Drafted by: New York Knicks

College/prep: Georgetown University

NBA career: 17 seasons (1985-2002)

Teams: New York Knicks (1985-2000), Seattle SuperSonics (2000-01), Orlando Magic (2001-02)

Stats: 1,183 G, 21.0 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 50.4 FG%

Grade: A

New No. 1 pick: Ewing

1985: Bottom Line

Feel free to do as much Google searching as your heart desires on "The Ewing Theory" — the idea that the 1985 draft lottery was rigged to get the Knicks the No. 1 pick and coveted Georgetown center Patrick Ewing.

What's not up for debate is that whichever team had the top pick was going to grab Ewing, a transcendent center who dominated in the NBA for over a decade and led the Knicks to two Eastern Conference championships.

But he never won an NBA title.

1986: Brad Daugherty, Center

Drafted by: Cleveland Cavaliers

College/prep: University of North Carolina

NBA career: 8 seasons (1986-94)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers

Stats: 548 G, 19.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 3.7 APG, 53.2 FG%

Grade: C

New No. 1 pick: Dennis Rodman, forward (No. 27 overall, Detroit Pistons)

1986: Bottom Line

Hands down, the 1986 draft was the most infamous in NBA history — mainly because of drug issues that plagued several first-round picks, including No. 3 overall pick Len Bias, who died of a cocaine overdose just days after the draft.

Top pick Brad Daughtery was a five-time All-Star but played just eight seasons. Second-round pick Dennis Rodman, out of tiny NAIA school Southeastern Oklahoma State, was a five-time NBA champion who became one of the greatest rebounders and defenders in NBA history.

1987: David Robinson, Center

Drafted by: San Antonio Spurs

College/prep: Naval Academy

NBA career: 14 seasons (1989-2003)

Teams: San Antonio Spurs

Stats: 987 G, 21.1 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 2.5 APG, 51.8 FG%

Grade: B+

New No. 1 pick: Robinson

1987: Bottom Line

David Robinson didn't play for the Spurs until two years after he was drafted to fulfill his military service obligation with the Navy.

When Robinson did play, he turned around the entire franchise and was named the NBA Most Valuable Player in 1995. The biggest knock on Robinson was he lacked killer instinct when it came to close games or the playoffs.

He won two NBA championships late in his career playing with Tim Duncan, and his career average of 3.0 blocks per game is one of the best in league history.

1988: Danny Manning, Forward

Drafted by: Los Angeles Clippers

College/prep: University of Kansas

NBA career: 15 seasons (1988-2003)

Teams: Los Angeles Clippers (1988-94), Atlanta Hawks (1994), Phoenix Suns (1994-99), Milwaukee Bucks (1999-2000), Utah Jazz (2000-01), Dallas Mavericks (2001-02), Detroit Pistons (2003)

Stats: 883 G, 14.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.3 APG, 51.1 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Rik Smits, center (No. 2 overall, Indiana Pacers)

1988: Bottom Line

Injuries decimated Danny Manning's NBA career, and he became the first player in league history to come back from reconstructive surgeries on both knees to play.

Manning still was effective for a long time playing limited minutes and was even named NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 1998.

Rik Smits was a dominant NBA center for much of the 1990s, teaming with Reggie Miller to make the Pacers one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, including several seasons in which he averaged at least two blocks per game.

1989: Pervis Ellison, Center

Drafted by: Sacramento Kings

College/prep: University of Louisville

NBA career: 11 seasons (1989-2000)

Teams: Sacramento Kings (1989-90), Washington Bullets (1990-94), Boston Celtics (1994-2000), Seattle SuperSonics (2000)

Stats: 474 G, 9.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, 51.0 FG%

Grade: D-

New No. 1 pick: Shawn Kemp, power forward (No. 17 overall, Seattle SuperSonics)

1989: Bottom Line

It's really unfortunate that Pervis Ellison played in the era he did.

After leading Louisville to the 1986 NCAA championship as a freshman, he would've been a top three NBA draft selection, but it was a time when players never, ever left that early. Once in the NBA, Ellison had a career defined by injuries.

Shawn Kemp was one of the most electric players in the NBA for the first decade after he was drafted, when he was named All-NBA three times and picked to six All-Star teams.

1990: Derrick Coleman, Forward/Center

Drafted by: New Jersey Nets

College/prep: Syracuse University

NBA career: 15 seasons (1990-2005)

Teams: New Jersey Nets (1990-95), Philadelphia 76ers (1995-99, 2001-04), Charlotte Hornets (1999-2001), Detroit Pistons (2004-05)

Stats: 781 G, 16.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.5 APG, 44.7 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Gary Payton, point guard (No. 2 overall, Seattle SuperSonics)

1990: Bottom Line

Derrick Coleman had the talent to be one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. He just lacked the motivation and drive to make that happen.

Coleman made just one All-Star team in his career while No. 2 overall pick Gary Payton became one of the greatest point guards in NBA history.

Along with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, Payton is one of just four players in NBA history to make the NBA All-Defensive Team nine times.

Payton was inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.

1991: Larry Johnson, Power Forward

Drafted by: Charlotte Hornets

College/prep: UNLV

NBA career: 10 seasons (1991-2001)

Teams: Charlotte Hornets (1991-96), New York Knicks (1996-2001)

Stats: 707 G, 16.2 PGG, 7.5 RPG, 3.3 APG, 48.4 FG%

Grade: B-

New No. 1 pick: Dikembe Mutombo, center (No. 4 overall, Denver Nuggets)

1991: Bottom Line

Larry Johnson was one of the most dynamic players in the NBA early in his career, but serious back issues forced him to change his game and ultimately ended his career after just 10 seasons.

The only player in the 1991 draft class to make the Hall of Fame, Dikembe Mutombo, became one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, winning NBA Defensive Player of the year four times and being named to eight All-Star teams.

Don't feel too bad for Johnson. The 12-year, $84 million contract he signed with the Hornets in 1993 was the richest in NBA history at the time.

1992: Shaquille O'Neal, Center

Drafted by: Orlando Magic

College/prep: Louisiana State University

NBA career: 19 seasons (1992-2011)

Teams: Orlando Magic (1992-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2004), Miami Heat (2004-08), Phoenix Suns (2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10), Boston Celtics (2010-11)

Stats: 1,207 G, 23.7 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 58.2 FG%

Grade: A

New No. 1 pick: O’Neal

1992: Bottom Line

Shaquille O'Neal is one of the greatest centers in NBA history, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell. Besides being a four-time NBA champion, O'Neal also was a 15-time All-Star and 14-time All-NBA pick.

That the Magic couldn't re-sign the big man and let him sign with the Lakers in free agency was as much a result of O'Neal's agent, Leonard D'Amato, wanting him in Los Angeles as much as the Magic not wanting to pay up.

Hands down one, O'Neal is one of the most popular players in league history as well.

1993: Chris Webber, Power Forward

Drafted by: Orlando Magic

College/prep: University of Michigan

NBA career: 15 seasons (1993-2008)

Teams: Golden State Warriors (1993-94, 2008), Washington Bullets/Wizards (1994-98), Sacramento Kings (1998-2005), Philadelphia 76ers (2005-07), Detroit Pistons (2007)

Stats: 831 G, 20.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 47.9 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Webber

1993: Bottom Line

The problem isn't that the Orlando Magic picked Chris Webber No. 1 overall. It's that they traded him to the Warriors and denied us all the chance to see what would've been a frontcourt for the ages.

In an era when a team still could win an NBA championship with dominant post players, the Magic would have wreaked havoc on the rest of the league with Webber and a young Shaquille O'Neal as teammates.

1994: Glenn Robinson, Forward

Drafted by: Milwaukee Bucks

College/prep: Purdue University

NBA career: 11 seasons (1994-2005)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1994-2002), Atlanta Hawks (2002-03), Philadelphia 76ers (2003-04), San Antonio Spurs (2005)

Stats: 688 G, 20.7 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 45.9 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Jason Kidd, point guard (No. 3 overall, Dallas Mavericks)

1994: Bottom Line

Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson's 10-year, $68 million rookie contract is still the richest rookie deal in NBA history 26 years later.

His career numbers are more than respectable. The problem is, the next two picks — Jason Kidd and Grant Hill — both ended up as Hall of Famers, and Robinson never made an All-NBA team. Kidd is among the greatest point guards in NBA history and led the league in assists five times.

Robinson and Kidd won NBA titles late in their careers, Robinson with the Spurs in 2005 and Kidd with the Mavericks in 2011.

1995: Joe Smith, Forward

Drafted by: Golden State Warriors

College/prep: University of Maryland

NBA career: 16 seasons (1995-2011)

Teams: Golden State Warriors (1995-98), Philadelphia 76ers (1998, 2006-07), Minnesota Timberwolves (1999-2000, 2001-03), Detroit Pistons (2000-01), Milwaukee Bucks (2003-06), Denver Nuggets (2006), Chicago Bulls (2007-08), Cleveland Cavaliers (2008, 2009), Oklahoma City Thunder (2008-09), Atlanta Hawks (2009-10), New Jersey Nets (2010), Los Angeles Lakers (2010-11)

Stats: 1,030 G, 10.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.0 APG, 45.5 FG%

Grade: D-

New No. 1 pick: Kevin Garnett, power forward (No. 5 overall, Minnesota Timberwolves)

1995: Bottom Line

The real shame of the Warriors picking Joe Smith overall was that he was one of four forwards taken over the first five picks.

Smith ended up being a journeyman, playing for 12 teams in 16 seasons and never made an All-Star team.

Kevin Garnett, the No. 5 overall pick, was the 2004 NBA Most Valuable Player, 2008 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a 15-time All-Star.

Garnett, who also made nine All-NBA teams, led the Celtics to the 2008 NBA title and was elected to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.

1996: Allen Iverson, Guard

Drafted by: Philadelphia 76ers

College/prep: Georgetown University

NBA career: 14 seasons (1996-2010)

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006, 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-08), Detroit Pistons (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009)

Stats: 914 G, 26.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 42.5 FG%

Grade: B+

New No. 1 pick: Kobe Bryant, shooting guard (No. 13 overall, Charlotte Hornets)

1996: Bottom Line

The 1996 NBA draft was one of the most talented in league history — with a record eight players named to at least one All-NBA team.

Four players from the first round are already Hall of Famers: Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, Steve Nash and the late Kobe Bryant.

Two of those players, Iverson and Bryant, were pop-culture icons during their careers, and Bryant's name is often tossed around with the greatest players in NBA history after he led the Lakers to five NBA championships in 20 seasons.

1997: Tim Duncan, Forward/Center

Drafted by: San Antonio Spurs

College/prep: Wake Forest University

NBA career: 19 season (1997-2016)

Teams: San Antonio Spurs

Stats: 1,392 G, 19.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 50.6 FG%

Grade: A+

New No. 1 pick: Duncan

1997: Bottom Line

The Spurs hit an absolute home run when they picked Tim Duncan with the No. 1 pick in 1997, bringing perhaps the greatest power forward in NBA history into the fold.

Duncan led the Spurs to five NBA championships in 19 seasons, won two NBA Most Valuable Player awards, was a 15-time All-Star and made the NBA All-Defensive Team a stunning 15 times.

Duncan, now an assistant coach for the Spurs, could be the team's next head coach when Gregg Popovich retires.

1998: Michael Olowokandi, Center

Drafted by: Los Angeles Clippers

College/prep: University of the Pacific

NBA career: 8 seasons (1999-2007)

Teams: Los Angeles Clippers (1999-2003), Minnesota Timberwolves (2003-06), Boston Celtics (2006-07)

Stats: 500 G, 8.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 0.7 APG, 43.5 FG%

Grade: F

New No. 1 pick: Dirk Nowitzki, forward (No. 9 overall, Milwaukee Bucks)

1998: Bottom Line

Michael Olowokandi was a surprise No. 1 pick by the Los Angeles Clippers and one of the biggest busts in draft history. He only averaged in double digits for scoring in two seasons.

What's worse for the Clippers is that there were three likely Hall of Famers taken in the first 10 picks — Vince Carter, Paul Pierce and Dirk Nowitzki.

The prize jewel of those three was Nowitzki, the 2007 NBA Most Valuable Player, a 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA pick and leader of one of the most historic upsets in NBA Finals history in 2011, when the Mavericks beat the Miami Heat.

1999: Elton Brand, Power Forward

Elton Brand played 17 seasons in the NBA.

Drafted by: Chicago Bulls

College/prep: Duke University

NBA career: 17 seasons (1999-2016)

Teams: Chicago Bulls (1999-2001), Los Angeles Clippers (2001-08), Philadelphia 76ers (2008-12, 2016), Dallas Mavericks (2012-13), Atlanta Hawks (2013-15)

Stats: 1,058 G, 15.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 50.0 FG%

Grade: C

New No. 1 pick: Manu Ginobili, guard (No. 57 overall, San Antonio Spurs)

1999: Bottom Line

Elton Brand was a two-time All-Star and one of the premiere power forwards in the NBA throughout the first part of his career, but he was never the same player after rupturing his Achilles tendon, which forced him to miss most of two seasons.

The next-to-last pick in the 1999 draft, Manu Ginobili, didn't join the Spurs until 2002, but he played 16 seasons, won four NBA championships and was one of the most consistent shooting guards in the NBA for almost his entire career.

2000: Kenyon Martin, Forward

Drafted by: New Jersey Nets

College/prep: University of Cincinnati

NBA career: 15 seasons (2000-15)

Teams: New Jersey Nets (2000-04), Denver Nuggets (2004-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2012), New York Knicks (2013-14), Milwaukee Bucks (2015)

Stats: 757 G, 12.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 48.3 FG%

Grade: C

New No. 1 pick: Martin

2000: Bottom Line

That Kenyon Martin remains the No. 1 overall pick speaks more to how awful the 2000 draft class was and less to how good Martin's career was. He only made one All-Star team in 15 seasons, which was one of just two All-Star nods for the entire 2000 first round.

Analytics show that the average Wins Above Replacement (WAR) stat for players drafted in the first round was 17.3 — making it the first draft class in modern history to make the NBA talent pool worse upon entering the league.

2001: Kwame Brown, Center

Drafted by: Washington Wizards

College/prep: Glynn Academy

NBA career: 12 seasons (2001-13)

Teams: Washington Wizards (2001-05), Los Angeles Lakers (2005-08), Memphis Grizzlies (2008), Detroit Pistons (2008-10), Charlotte Bobcats (2010-11), Golden State Warriors (2012-13), Philadelphia 76ers (2012-13)

Stats: 607 G, 6.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 0.9 APG, 49.2 FG%

Grade: D-

New No. 1 pick: Pau Gasol, center (No. 3 overall, Atlanta Hawks)

2001: Bottom Line

High school phenom Kwame Brown was a spectacular swing and a miss for Washington Wizards player/president Michael Jordan in his first attempt at the NBA draft.

Brown never made an All-Star team, never made an All-NBA team and never played on a team that made it past the first round of the NBA playoffs. He ended up playing for eight teams in 12 seasons.

Pau Gasol teamed with Kobe Bryant to win two NBA titles, made six All-Star teams and was a four-time All-NBA pick.

2002: Yao Ming, Center

Drafted by: Houston Rockets

College/prep: Shanghai Sharks

NBA career: 9 seasons (2002-2011)

Teams: Houston Rockets

Stats: 486 G, 19.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 52.4 FG%

Grade: B

New No. 1 pick: Ming

2002: Bottom Line

The Houston Rockets made Yao Ming the first international player selected No. 1 overall without playing U.S. college basketball, and it represented a seismic shift in how the NBA was looked at worldwide.

Yao, at 7-foot-5 with skills, captured the imagination of fans in both the U.S. and in his native China, and was a five-time All-NBA pick and eight-time All-Star. He played only nine seasons because of injuries and actually only played five full seasons in the NBA.

But Yao was elected to the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016, and it's not overstating his impact on the game to say he is one of the most important players in basketball history.

2003: LeBron James, Forward/Guard

Drafted by: Cleveland Cavaliers

College/prep: St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High School

NBA career: 17 seasons (2003-present)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18), Miami Heat (2010-14), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present)

Stats: 1,258 G, 27.1 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 7.4 APG, 50.4 FG%

Grade: A+

New No. 1 pick: James

2003: Bottom Line

LeBron James would've been the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft following his junior year of high school in 2002, but a legal challenge to the NBA's rule prohibiting players from going into the draft before they finished high school failed.

James has won three NBA titles and played in the NBA Finals nine times, he's been selected to the All-NBA team a record 15 times, is a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and 16-time All-Star.

James also is one of the richest athletes of all time. He made an estimated $92 million in 2019 alone and has a lifetime contract with Nike worth a reported $1 billion.

2004: Dwight Howard, Center

Drafted by: Orlando Magic

College/prep: Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy

NBA career: 16 seasons (2004-present)

Teams: Orlando Magic (2004-12), Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13, 2019-present), Houston Rockets (2013-16), Atlanta Hawks (2016-17), Charlotte Hornets (2017-18), Washington Wizards (2018-19)

Stats: 1,106 G, 16.8 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, 58.6 FG%

Grade: B-

New No. 1 pick: Howard

2004: Bottom Line

Despite what’s happened in the second half of his career, you can’t make an argument for the Magic taking anyone but Dwight Howard with the No. 1 pick.

Howard was the dominant defensive player in the NBA for the better part of a decade, winning NBA Defensive Player of the Year three times, leading the NBA in rebounds five times and blocked shots twice, along with taking the Magic to the NBA Finals in 2009.

The downside was Howard's inability to develop his offensive game or be a good teammate. After leaving the Magic in 2012, he's played five teams in seven seasons.

2005: Andrew Bogut, Center

Drafted by: Milwaukee Bucks

College/prep: University of Utah

NBA career: 13 seasons (2005-18)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (2005-12), Golden State Warriors (2012-16), Dallas Mavericks (2016-17), Los Angeles Lakers (2017-18)

Stats: 706 G, 9.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 53.5 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Chris Paul, point guard (No. 4 overall, New Orleans Hornets)

2005: Bottom Line

Andrew Bogut had a solid but mostly unspectacular career. He never made an All-Star team but won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2015, was an All-NBA pick in 2015 and led the NBA in blocked shots in 2011.

Chris Paul has been one of the NBA’s elite point guards for 15 years, an almost unprecedented run of success with eight All-NBA selections, nine NBA All-Defensive Team selections and 10 All-Star nods.

Paul, however, has never played in the NBA Finals.

2006: Andrea Bargnani, Forward/Center

Drafted by: Toronto Raptors

College/prep: Benetton Treviso

NBA career: 10 seasons (2006-16)

Teams: Toronto Raptors (2006-13), New York Knicks (2013-15), Brooklyn Nets (2015-16)

Stats: 550 G, 14.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.2 APG, 43.9 FG%

Grade: D

New No. 1 pick: Rajon Rondo, point guard (No. 21 overall, Phoenix Suns)

2006: Bottom Line

The Raptors drafted Andrea Bargnani as Dirk Nowitzki was establishing himself as one of the greatest players in NBA history, and the thought was Bargnani would be the next Dirk. He wasn’t.

Bargnani had a decent — not terrible — career but never even made an All-Star team.

Rajon Rondo became one of the NBA’s best point guards for a decade, helping lead the Celtics to an NBA title in 2008, made four All-Star teams and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team four times.

2007: Greg Oden, Center

Drafted by: Portland TrailBlazers

College/prep: Ohio State University

NBA career: 7 seasons (2007-14)

Teams: Portland Trail Blazers (2007-12), Miami Heat (2013-14)

Stats: 105 G, 8.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 0.5 APG, 57.4 FG%

Grade: F

New No. 1 pick: Kevin Durant, forward (No. 2 overall, Seattle SuperSonics)

2007: Bottom Line

The debate between who to pick — Greg Oden or Kevin Durant — went up until draft day. The Blazers settled on Oden and thought he would be a dominant center for the next decade. They were wrong. Oden missed his rookie season because of microfracture surgery and battled injuries for all seven seasons.

Durant is arguably one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history: a nine-time All-NBA pick, two-time NBA champion and the 2014 NBA Most Valuable Player.

Oden is a top three all-time draft bust. And he might be the worst.

2008: Derrick Rose, Guard

Drafted by: Chicago Bulls

College/prep: University of Memphis

NBA career: 12 seasons (2008-present)

Teams: Chicago Bulls (2008-16), New York Knicks (2016-17), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18), Minnesota Timberwolves (2018-19), Detroit Pistons (2019-present)

Stats: 596 G, 18.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.6 APG, 45.6 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Russell Westbrook, guard (No. 4 overall, Seattle SuperSonics)

2008: Bottom Line

Three years into his career, Derrick Rose looked like he was going to have the career Russell Westbrook actually ended up having.

Rose was the 2011 NBA Most Valuable Player, but his career and his image came undone shortly after being named MVP due to a devastating stretch of injuries and a rape accusation that ended in a messy civil lawsuit.

Westbrook, an eight-time All-NBA pick, has led the league in scoring twice and was named the 2017 NBA MVP. Westbrook’s current contract, which goes through the 2022-23 season, will put his career earnings at approximately $206.7 million.

2009: Blake Griffin, Power Forward

Drafted by: Los Angeles Clippers

College/prep: University of Oklahoma

NBA career: 11 seasons (2009-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Clippers (2009-18), Detroit Pistons (2018-present)

Stats: 622 G, 21.7 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 4.4 APG, 49.8 FG%

Grade: C+

New No. 1 pick: Stephen Curry, guard (No. 7 overall, Golden State Warriors)

2009: Bottom Line

Steph Curry has been named NBA Most Valuable Player twice.

Blake Griffin helped define an era for the Los Angeles Clippers in which the franchise was consistently competitive for an extended period for the first time, ever.

He also helped define that same stretch by injuries and questionable decisions off the court, including injuring his hand when he punched a member of the team’s equipment staff.

If Warriors guard Stephen Curry quit basketball tomorrow, he would be a lock to make the Hall of Fame, with two NBA Most Valuable Player trophies and three NBA championships to his name.

Curry is a dyed-in-the-wool winner who is in the discussion, if not at the forefront, of greatest shooters in NBA history.

2010: John Wall, Guard

Drafted by: Washington Wizards

College/prep: University of Kentucky

NBA career: 10 seasons (2010-present)

Teams: Washington Wizards

Stats: 573 G, 19.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 9.2 APG, 43.3 FG%

Grade: C

New No. 1 pick: Paul George, forward/guard (No. 10 overall, Indiana Pacers)

2010: Bottom Line

After the Wizards drafted John Wall, they gave him the keys to the franchise, for better or worse, and in 10 seasons he’s never led his team past the Eastern Conference semifinals.

What’s worse, now the turnover-prone Wall, a five-time All-Star, is coming back from a torn Achilles suffered in January 2019 that will end up keeping him out, possibly, until 2021.

Paul George has been one of the most dynamic players in the NBA over the last decade and is a five-time All-NBA pick and four-time All-NBA Defensive Team pick.

2011: Kyrie Irving, Point Guard

Drafted by: Cleveland Cavaliers

College/prep: Duke University

NBA career: 9 seasons (2011-present)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2011-17), Boston Celtics (2017-19), Brooklyn Nets (2019-present)

Stats: 528 G, 22.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.7 APG, 46.6 FG%

Grade: B-

New No. 1 pick: Kawhi Leonard, small forward (No. 15, Indiana Pacers)

2011: Bottom Line

No one can dispute that Kyrie Irving has as much talent as any player in the NBA, and that his 3-pointer to win Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals for the Cleveland Cavaliers is one of the greatest shots in NBA history.

What’s also not up for debate anymore is whether Irving can exist within a team environment, because he has alienated coaches and teammates in dramatic fashion on each team he’s been on.

Kawhi Leonard, who was considered a workman-like player coming out of San Diego State, already has led two different teams to NBA championships and is vying for a third.

2012: Anthony Davis, Center

Drafted by: New Orleans Pelicans

College/prep: University of Kentucky

NBA career: 8 seasons (2012-present)

Teams: New Orleans Pelicans (2012-19), Los Angeles Lakers (2019-present)

Stats: 521 G, 24.0 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 51.7 FG%

Grade: B

New No. 1 pick: Davis

2012: Bottom Line

The only thing missing from Anthony Davis’ NBA resume is postseason success, and he seems primed for his first taste of that with the Lakers.

Davis is already one of the best shot-blockers in NBA history, averaging 2.4 blocks for his career and leading the league in blocks three seasons. He’s already a seven-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA pick, along with being named All-Star Most Valuable Player in 2017.

It’s not hard to envision Davis winning NBA titles and NBA MVP awards in the future, especially if he sticks to his natural position of center.

2013: Anthony Bennett, Forward

Drafted by: Cleveland Cavaliers

College/prep: UNLV

NBA career: 4 seasons (2013-17)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2013-14), Minnesota Timberwolves (2014-15), Toronto Raptors (2015-16), Brooklyn Nets (2016-17)

Stats: 151 G, 4.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.5 APG, 39.2 FG%

Grade: F

New No. 1 pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo, guard/forward (No. 15 overall, Milwaukee Bucks)

2013: Bottom Line

The Cleveland Cavaliers can at least share their shame in not picking future Hall of Famer and 2019 NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo with 13 other teams.

What they can’t share with any of those other teams is the fact that they made one of the more stunning No. 1 overall picks in NBA draft history when they selected Anthony Bennett, who played for four teams in four NBA seasons.

Bennett is one of the worst No. 1 overall picks not just in NBA history, but in the history of North American team sports.

2014: Andrew Wiggins, Forward/Guard

Drafted by: Cleveland Cavaliers

College/prep: University of Kansas

NBA career: 6 seasons (2014-present)

Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (2014-20), Golden State Warriors (2020-present)

Stats: 454 G, 19.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.3 APG, 44.1 FG%

Grade: D

New No. 1 pick: Nikola Jokic, center (No. 41 overall, Denver Nuggets)

2014: Bottom Line

The entire NBA seemed convinced Andrew Wiggins was the top player in the 2014 draft before his lone college season started. So much so that the Minnesota Timberwolves ignored his performance there, including a complete meltdown in the NCAA Tournament.

The Timberwolves shipped Wiggins to the Warriors after five seasons while Denver’s Nikola Jokic, a second-round pick, already has racked up two All-Star appearances and an All-NBA selection.

Jokic also signed a five-year, $148 million max contract in July 2018 and is only 25 years old, meaning he could easily get another max deal.

2015: Karl-Anthony Towns, Center

Drafted by: Minnesota Timberwolves

College/prep: University of Kentucky

NBA career: 5 seasons (2015-present)

Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves

Stats: 358 G, 22.7 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, 53.4 FG%

Grade: C

New No. 1 pick: Devin Booker, guard (No. 13 overall, Phoenix Suns)

2015: Bottom Line

We have enough of a sample size for the 2015 draft class to start looking at it as a bit of a disappointment, and the leader of that group is Karl-Anthony Towns.

In five seasons, Towns has more All-Star appearances (two) than playoff appearances (one) and hasn't turned the Timberwolves into a championship contender.

Devin Booker, Towns’ college teammate, has yet to make the playoffs but is an elite shooting guard and doesn’t appear to alienate his teammates on the level Towns does. Booker just plays for a poorly run franchise.

2016: Ben Simmons, Guard

Drafted by: Philadelphia 76ers

College/prep: Louisiana State University

NBA career: 2016-present

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers

Stats: 214 G, 16.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 8.0 APG, 56.1 FG%

Grade: B

New No. 1 pick: Simmons

2016: Bottom Line

Say what you want about Ben Simmons’ inability to shoot with any sort of consistency — mid-range jumpers or 3-pointers — the numbers just don’t lie. And dealing with a 6-foot-10 point guard is untenable for most teams.

If the 76ers can surround Simmons with elite shooters and find a way to unload center Joel Embiid, they could be a team that is a perennial NBA Finals contender.

There aren’t many players who can do what Simmons does, and the fact that he averages almost a triple-double for his size and ability is rare.

2017: Markelle Fultz, Point Guard

Drafted by: Philadelphia 76ers

College/prep: University of Washington

NBA career: 3 seasons (2017-present)

Teams: Philadelphia 76ers (2017-19), Orlando Magic (2019-present)

Stats: 97 G. 10.6, 3.4 RPG, 4.6 APG, 45.6 FG%

Grade: F

New No. 1 pick: Donovan Mitchell, guard (No. 13, Denver Nuggets)

2017: Bottom Line

The mystery of what caused Markelle Fultz to miss all but 33 regular-season games through his first two seasons might never be solved. Was it a physical injury or was it partly psychological?

Either way, the 76ers cut bait and traded Fultz to the Magic for a pittance, where he looks like a solid role player.

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell has injected life into the franchise in three seasons and already is one of the NBA’s most popular players.

He’s also already an All-Star and slam dunk contest champion.

2018: Deandre Ayton, Center

Drafted by: Phoenix Suns

College/prep: University of Arizona

NBA career: 2 seasons (2018-present)

Teams: Phoenix Suns

Stats: 101 G, 17.1 PG, 10.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 57.2 FG%

Grade: C-

New No. 1 pick: Luka Doncic, guard (No. 3 overall, Atlanta Hawks)

2018: Bottom Line

Deandre Ayton was never a hands-down No. 1 overall pick. There was some doubt about his college production. But he’s been solid in his first two seasons.

Unfortunately for the Suns, they lost a key stretch with Ayton when he was suspended for 25 games to start the 2019-20 season for failing a drug test.

Luka Doncic, the No. 3 overall pick, already is one of the NBA’s top players and a future MVP candidate for the Mavericks, who obtained him in a draft-day trade with the Atlanta Hawks.

2019: Zion Williamson, Power Forward

College/prep: Duke University

NBA career: 1 season (2019-present)

Teams: New Orleans Pelicans

Stats: 19 G, 23.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 58.9 FG%

Grade: B

New No. 1 pick: Williamson

2019: Bottom Line

There’s such a small sample size for Zion Williamson’s career that it’s hard to make much of a final judgment on his rookie season, but the fact he's only played 19 games because of an injury does raise questions about his durability.

We know he dominated when he returned and seems to be picking up steam. We also know that No. 2 pick Ja Morant seems like the next Russell Westbrook, so the jury is still out on if Williamson was the right choice.