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Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, LeBron James 3409937543, CC BY-SA 2.0
Who are the top #1 overall picks in NBA history? Here is our top 10 countdown:
Note: Updated in 2021.
10. Patrick Ewing (1985): the top overall pick in 1985, Ewing was a 20-10 machine during his career and an imposing force on both ends of the court, though was never quite the best center in the league and could never get the New York Knicks over the hump to a title.
9. Elgin Baylor (1958): an 11x All-Star and 10x All-NBA selection, Baylor was one of the most dominant players of the 1960s, averaging 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game for his career; however, in eight NBA Finals matchups vs. the rival Celtics, his Lakers lost each time, though he was given an honorary ring when Los Angeles finally broke through in 1971-1972.
8. David Robinson (1987): in his prime, Robinson was one of the most athletic, versatile, and consistent big men in the game – in addition to winning both an MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors, he also recorded the most recent quadruple-double in NBA history in 1994.
7. Hakeem Olajuwon (1984): an MVP and 2x Defensive Player of the Year, among countless other accolades, Olajuwon was arguably the best player in the NBA during Michael Jordan’s retirement in the mid-1990s and is the only player in NBA history to win regular season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, an NBA title, and Finals MVP in the same season (1994).
6. Oscar Robertson (1960): the first player to average a triple-double over a full season, Robertson was a dynamic playmaker who led the league in assists 6x and actually averaged a triple-double over his first five NBA seasons; he remains the all-time leader currently with 181 career triple-doubles.
5. Tim Duncan (1997): a franchise cornerstone and consistently dominant force on both ends of the court (15x All-Star, 15x All-NBA, and 15x All-Defensive), Duncan won two MVPs while leading the San Antonio Spurs to five NBA titles, earning Finals MVP in the process 3x.
4. Shaquille O’Neal (1992): perhaps the most physically imposing center of all-time and well-known for his thundering dunks, O’Neal was not only a league MVP and a 2x scoring champion, but also won four NBA titles (including three-in-a-row at the turn of the century playing with Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers) and was named Finals MVP 3x.
3. Magic Johnson (1979): a 6’9” tour de force who revolutionized the point guard position and was the maestro of the 1980s “Showtime” Lakers, Magic could do it all on the court – a 3x MVP and 5x NBA champion (3x Finals MVP), he averaged double-digit assists for his career (4x assists leader) and also racked up 138 career triple-doubles.
2. LeBron James (2003): destined for greatness since coming out of high school, LeBron is consistently in the GOAT conversation – a 4x MVP and nightly triple-double threat, he has led the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Lakers to NBA titles, earning Finals MVP during each championship run.
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969): so dominant in college that they banned dunking because of him, Abdul-Jabbar was a 6x NBA champion and record 6x league MVP who remains the all-time leading scorer in NBA history.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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