#1 Overall Picks in the NBA Draft (Part 7) Quiz

Answer:

First off, here are the players that were #1 overall draft picks in various years:

1953 - RAY FELIX
He was selected as the number 1 overall pick in the 1953 NBA Draft in a year that featured a system with Territorial Picks, allowing teams to forfeit their first-round pick to select a player from a local college or area. So, after the Philadelphia Warriors selected Ernie Beck from La Salle University and the New York Knicks picked up Walter Dukes from Seton Hall University as their Territorial Picks, then the Baltimore Bullets drafted Ray Felix, a 6'11" center from Long Island University. He was the first African-American player selected overall first in an NBA draft, and he went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award.
1963 - TOM THACKER
One decade later, after The Cincinnati Royals chose Tom Thacker from the University of Cincinnati as their territorial pick, the New York Knicks made Art Heyman of the Duke Blue Devils the official #1 pick overall in the NBA Draft. He had been the National Player of the Year (AP, UPI, USBWA), ACC Player of the Year, and Consensus first-team All-American. In the NBA he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1964.
1970 - BOB LANIER
The number 1 overall pick in 1970 by the Detroit Pistons was Bob Lanier, a two-time Consensus All-American at St. Bonaventure University. Famous for his size 22 sneaker size, Lanier was 8-time NBA All-Star, and MVP of the 1974 All-Star Game. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 where a bronzed pair of his Bigfoot-sized sneakers are on display. And somewhere, I have his basketball card.
1976 - JOHN LUCAS
The first pure point guard ever taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft was John Lucas of the University of Maryland Terrapins. The Houston Rockets selected him in 1976, whereupon he made All-Rookie First Team. In a 14-season playing career he played for six NBA teams, and after that he became an NBA coach, helming the San Antonio Spurs and Philadelphia 76ers. He went back home to the Houston Rockets, and works as a player development coach.
1984 - HAKEEN OLAJUWON
The Houston Rockets had the number one pick again in the 1984 NBA Draft, and selected the legendary center Hakeem Olajuwon who would lead the team to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. That 1984 draft contained one of the most valuable collection of players in any draft as in addition to Olajuwon there was Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Stockton, all four of them being in the Hall of Fame. Hakeem Olajuwon is the first player in NBA history to win MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP in the same season (1994).
1986 - BRAD DAUGHERY
In 1986, on the eve of the NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers traded their center Roy Hinson and some cash money to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the right to have the number one draft pick. And they used it to draft Brad Daugherty of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. He went on to become an All-Rookie First Team member, and a 5-time NBA All-Star. A back injury limited his career to eight seasons, but the Cavaliers retired his jersey number.
1995- JOE SMITH
University of Maryland power forward/center Joe Smith was chosen by the Golden State Warriors as the number one overall selection in 1995. He was National Player of the Year (Naismith and AP honors) and ACC Player of the Year in 1995. In an NBA career spanning 16 seasons, he bounced around a lot, changing teams 14 times. He would average 10.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game over his career.
2004 - DWIGHT HOWARD
He was the third high school player in NBA history to be selected with the first overall pick, when the Orlando Magic drafted him in the 2004 draft. He became an 8-time NBA All-Star and the first player in NBA history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award three straight years. He led the NBA in rebounding Leader 5 seasons and in blocked shots 2 seasons. In 2008 he helped Team USA win the Olympic Gold Medal in 2008. He won an NBA Championship in 2020 with the Los Angeles Lakers.
2013 - ANTHONY BENNETT
Anthony Bennett of the University of Las Vegas Running Rebels, was selected as the number 1 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was the first Canadian to be selected #1 overall in NBA history, but his professional career was a disappointment as he averaged just 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game his rookie season. He struggled throughout his career, lasting only 4 seasons, averaging 4.4 points, and 3.1 rebounds per game. He has been listed as one of the very least successful #1 NBA Draft picks in history.
2018 - DEANDRRE AYTON
Since being drafted Number 1 overall from the University of Arizona in 2018 by the Phoenix Suns, Deandre Ayton has been a solid NBA center, though not quite the superstar many expected. He was an NBA All‑Rookie First Team member, and in 2021 helped the Suns reach the 2021 NBA Finals. The 7'1" Bahamian center signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2025.
2020 - ANTHONY EDWARDS
The 2020 NBA Draft was held on November 18, 2020, delayed several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Anthony Edwards, a shooting guard from the University of Georgia wound up being the #1 selection when the Minnesota Timberwolves when the pick was announced from ESPN headquarters in Connecticut rather than the traditional Barclay Center with a large audience. Edwards has since been an NBA All-Star multiple times as well as a multiple All-NBA Second Team selection. And, he helped the U.S. Olympic team win the Gold Medal in 2024.

And which legendary NBA players were NOT #1 overall draft selections?

KEVIN GARNETT
Widely considered one of the greatest power forwards of all time, Kevin Garnett would be picked 5th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was the NBA's MVP in 2004.
TIME HARDAWAY
He was selected 14th overall in the 1st round of the 1989 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. A 5-time NBA All-Star, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022.
DENNIS JOHNSON
He was selected 29th overall (2nd round) in the 1976 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. A 5‑time NBA All‑Star, he would win 3 NBA championships- once with the Seattle SuperSonics (1979) and twice with the Boston Celtics (1984, 1986).
PETE MARAVICH
One of the greatest and most creative shooting, passing and ball-handling guards in NBA history (watch his highlight reels on youtube and be astounded), Pete Maravich AVERAGED 44 points per game in college at Louisiana State University, and a total 3,667 points-still NCAA records. And consider this-he did that BEFORE the NCAA's 3-point shot line and the 24-second clock. And yet still he was only selected 3rd in the NBA Draft in 1970. Even Magic Johnson said he used all Maravich's moves. He's the most underrated player of all time, as the teams he was on weren't well-suited to winning championships unfortunately. Bill Walton once said, it was like Maravich was often playing 1 against 5. He is however, in the Hall of Fame.
BOB McADOO
He was the 2nd overall pick, colloquially known as the "runner-up" pick when chosen by the Buffalo Braves in 1972. He was however, the #1 overall pick of the rival ABA (Virginia Squires). He was an NBA MVP (1975), Rookie of the Year (1973), 5-time All-Star, 3-time Scoring Champion, 2-time NBA Champion (with the Lakers in 1982 and 1985), and he's a Hall of Famer.
TRACEY NcGRADY
He was selected straight out of high school, the 9th overall pick of the 1997 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. He was a 2‑time NBA scoring champion, the NBA Most Improved Player (2001), a 7‑time NBA All‑Star, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
CHRIS PAUL
He was selected #4 overall in the 2005 NBA Draft, chosen by the New Orleans Hornets. He made the All-NBA team 11 times (4 times as First Team), the All-Defensive Team 9 times (7 times as First Team), and also led the NBA in steals 6 times and assists 4 times. A 12-time All-Star, he won Olympic Gold for Team USA in 2008 and 2012.
PAUL PIERCE
He was selected 10th overall in the 1st round of the 1998 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. He became a 10‑time NBA All‑Star, a 2008 NBA champion with the Celtics, winning that Finals MVP Award. With over 26,000 career points he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021.
DOLPH SCHAYES
He was selected with the 4th overall pick by the New York Knicks in the 1948 BAA Draft (the league that would become the NBA after a merger). He was also drafted by the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in the rival NBL draft, and they traded his NBL rights to the Syracuse Nationals, who offered Schayes a contract that was 50% higher than the Knicks' offer. So, he played his entire Hall-of-Fame career with them.
JOHN STOCKTON
He was a relatively unknown player from a small college (Gonzaga) so he was drafted 16th overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz. He became the first player in NBA history to reach over 15,800 career assists as well as the first to reach over 3,200 career steals. He is also one of the best defensive guards of all time. He did it all. Another fun fact is that if one looked at a statistic that is used in the NHL that ranked players by points scored combined with assists - a way of ranking players by way of "Points Created" - then John Stockton shoots up to 4th place of all time behind LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Karl Malone.
RUSSELL WESTBROOK
Point guard Russell Westbrook was selected with the 4th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics from the UCLA. In 2021, he broke Oscar Robertson's NBA record for most career triple-doubles, a record Robertson had since 1974. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, one of the 75 greatest players in league history.