Every NBA draft no. 1 overall pick and where they went to college originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
With the first pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs select….
When Adam Silver completes that sentence on June 22, almost certainly with the words Victor Wembanyama, another name will be added to a long list of No. 1 overall picks in NBA history.
Some – like Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and 16 others so far – have been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Others – like Ben Simmons, Anthony Bennett, Greg Oden and many others – have failed to meet the enormous expectations that come with sitting atop an NBA draft class.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made more No. 1 overall picks than any other NBA team with six, including three over a four-year span from 2011 to 2014. Duke has produced the most players to be selected first overall with five, including last year with the Orlando Magic drafting Paolo Banchero.
Three top-pick draftees were selected straight out of high school.
The first No. 1 pick was made by the Pittsburgh Ironmen. You remember them and who they selected, don’t you?
Just in case you forgot, here’s a look back at all of the top picks in NBA draft history, which dates back to 1947.
Every NBA draft no. 1 overall pick
2022 – Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero (Duke)
2021 – Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State)
2020 – Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards (Georgia)
2019 – New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson (Duke)
2018 – Phoenix Suns: DeAndre Ayton (Arizona)
2017 – Philadelphia 76ers: Markelle Fultz (Washington)
2016 – Philadelphia 76ers: Ben Simmons (LSU)
2015 – Minnesota Timberwolves: Karl Anthony-Towns (Kentucky)
2014 – Cleveland Cavaliers: Andrew Wiggins (Kansas)
2013 – Cleveland Cavaliers: Anthony Bennett (UNLV)
2012 – New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
2011 – Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving (Duke)
2010 – Washington Wizards: John Wall (Kentucky)
2009 – Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin (Oklahoma)
2008 – Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose (Memphis)
2007 – Portland Trail Blazers: Greg Oden (Ohio State)
2006 – Toronto Raptors: Andrea Bargnani (Italy)
2005 – Milwaukee Bucks: Andrew Bogut (Utah)
2004 – Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard (High school)
2003 – Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James (High school)
2002 – Houston Rockets: Yao Ming (China)
2001 – Washington Wizards: Kwame Brown (High school)
2000 – New Jersey Nets: Kenyon Martin (Cincinnati)
1999 – Chicago Bulls: Elton Brand (Duke)
1998 – Los Angeles Clippers: Michael Olowokandi (Pacific)
1997 – San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan (Wake Forest)
1996 – Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Iverson (Georgetown)
1995 – Golden State Warriors: Joe Smith (Maryland)
1994 – Milwaukee Bucks: Glenn Robinson (Purdue)
1993 – Orlando Magic: Chris Webber (Michigan)
1992 – Orlando Magic: Shaquille O’Neal (LSU)
1991 – Charlotte Hornets: Larry Jackson (UNLV)
1990 – New Jersey Nets: Derrick Coleman (Syracuse)
1989 – Sacramento Kings: Pervis Ellison (Louisville)
1988 – Los Angeles Clippers: Danny Manning (Kansas)
1987 – San Antonio Spurs: David Robinson (Navy)
1986 – Cleveland Cavaliers: Brad Daugherty (North Carolina)
1985 – New York Knicks: Patrick Ewing (Georgetown)
1984 – Houston Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston)
1983 – Houston Rockets: Ralph Sampson (Virginia)
1982 – Los Angeles Lakers: James Worthy (North Carolina)
1981 – Dallas Mavericks: Mark Aguirre (DePaul)
1980 – Golden State Warriors: Joe Barry Carroll (Purdue)
1979 – Los Angeles Lakers: Magic Johnson (Michigan State)
1978 – Portland Trail Blazers: Mychal Thompson (Minnesota)
1977 – Milwaukee Bucks: Kent Benson (Indiana)
1976 – Houston Rockets: John Lucas (Maryland)
1975 – Atlanta Hawks: David Thompson (NC State)
1974 – Portland Trail Blazers: Bill Walton (UCLA)
1973 – Philadelphia 76ers: Doug Collins (Illinois State)
1972 – Portland Trail Blazers: LaRue Martin (Loyola Chicago)
1971 – Cleveland Cavaliers: Austin Carr (Notre Dame)
1970 – Detroit Pistons: Bob Lanier (St. Bonaventure)
1969 – Milwaukee Bucks: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (UCLA)
1968 – San Diego Rockets: Elvin Hayes (Houston)
1967 – Detroit Pistons: Jimmy Walker (Providence)
1966 – New York Knicks: Cazzie Russell (Michigan)
1965 – San Francisco Warriors: Fred Hetzel (Davidson)
1964 – New York Knicks: Jim Barnes (UTEP)
1963 – New York Knicks: Art Heyman (Duke)
1962 – Chicago Zephyrs: Bill McGill (Utah)
1961 – Chicago Packers: Walt Bellamy (Indiana)
1960 – Cincinnati Royals: Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati)
1959 – Cincinnati Royals: Bob Boozer (Kansas State)
1958 – Minneapolis Lakers: Elgin Baylor (Seattle)
1957 – Cincinnati Royals: Hot Rod Hundley (West Virginia)
1956 – Rochester Royals: Si Green (Duquesne)
1955 – Saint Louis Hawks: Dick Ricketts (Duquesne)
1954 – Baltimore Bullets: Frank Selvy (Furman)
1953 – Philadelphia Warriors: Ernie Beck (Pennsylvania)
1952 – Milwaukee Hawks: Mark Workman (West Virginia)
1951 – Baltimore Bullets: Gene Melchiorre (Bradley)
1950 – Boston Celtics: Chuck Share (Bowling Green)
1949 – Providence Steamrollers: Howie Shannon (Kansas State)
1948 – Providence Steamrollers: Andy Tonkovich (Marshall)
1947 – Pittsburgh Ironmen: Clifton McNeeley (UTEP)