The annual Draft for the NBA is a huge draw for spectators around the world to watch live, or at least check for updates about frequently throughout the day.
This is the time when new talent gets discovered and promising young athletes with a strong high school or college career make their official debut in the big leagues. Many aspiring players also attend basketball classes near me to build a solid foundation in the sport.
Representation from all 30 NBA teams are in attendance as the top prospects show off their skills in the draft combine followed by the actual choosing in the draft.
Find out more about how the NBA draft works and why the first pick is such a coveted title.
What is the NBA Draft & How Does It Work?
The NBA Draft is the method by which many new players are signed onto an NBA team for the first time. More than 60 athletes attend the event in person as managers from all 30 NBA teams work to secure the talent they think will do their team the most good.
The NBA teams choose draftees in an order determined by the teams’ win/loss ratio in the regular season and a lottery. In general, teams who did the worst in the most recent regular season get to choose first, and the best teams choose last.
There are two rounds in the draft, meaning that each team has two opportunities to choose a new player.
However, there can be fewer draft picks in extenuating circumstances. In 2023, there were only 58 picks instead of 60 because the Chicago Bulls and the Philadelphia 76ers lost their second-round picking privilege due to violating the NBA’s free agency tampering rules. In 2022, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat lost their second-round picks for the same reason. This year, in 2024, there will also only be 58 picks because the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns also violated the tampering in free agency rules.
The NBA hopefuls who register for the Draft can attend the NBA Draft Combine beforehand to show off their skills and try to catch the eye of one of the NBA teams. On the night of the Draft, the Draftees find out about their Draft status just moments before the rest of the world also finds out.
Any eligible players who are not chosen in the draft can become free agents and try to secure a place on a team via a contract instead.
Furthermore, many teams will trade new draft picks and other players with each other after the draft concludes in strategic moves to secure players who are a better fit for their teams.
The rules of the draft have changed significantly several times since 1947, but the first pick has always been a pivotal position for new players.
What is the Significance of the First Pick?
While up to 59 other players may also be chosen in the entire draft, only one gets the distinguished title of First Pick.
Draftees who are picked first are often thought of as the most accomplished or promising new athlete that year, so securing that title contributes a lot to the star factor in their NBA career.
Many players who were first picks often go on to have legendary basketball careers, winning MVP awards and multiple championships as well as inductions into the Hall of Fame.
NBA 1st Pick Draft History Since 1976
Why do we care about draft picks since 1976? What about those who came before?
In 1976, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL) merged to create the NBA. So, while there were drafts for basketball before this time, and even though the NBA considers the history of the BAA as its own, the organisation as we know it began in ‘76.
Without further ado, here are all the first picks in the NBA draft since the league began in 1976!
| Draft Year | Player | Drafting Team | College/High School/Former Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | Metropolitans 92 (France) |
| 2022 | Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic | Duke |
| 2021 | Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons | Oklahoma State |
| 2020 | Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves | Georgia |
| 2019 | Zion Williamson | New Orleans Pelicans | Duke |
| 2018 | Deandre Ayton | Phoenix Suns | Arizona |
| 2017 | Markelle Fultz | Philadelphia 76ers | Washington |
| 2016 | Ben Simmons | Philadelphia 76ers | LSU |
| 2015 | Karl-Anthony Towns | Minnesota Timberwolves | Kentucky |
| 2014 | Andrew Wiggins | Cleveland Cavaliers | Kansas |
| 2013 | Anthony Bennett | Cleveland Cavaliers | UNLV |
| 2012 | Anthony Davis | New Orleans Hornets | Kentucky |
| 2011 | Kyrie Irving | Cleveland Cavaliers | Duke |
| 2010 | John Wall | Washington Wizards | Kentucky |
| 2009 | Blake Griffin | Los Angeles Clippers | Oklahoma |
| 2008 | Derrick Rose | Chicago Bulls | Memphis |
| 2007 | Greg Oden | Portland Trail Blazers | Ohio State |
| 2006 | Andrea Bargnani | Toronto Raptors | Benetton Treviso (Italy) |
| 2005 | Andrew Bogut | Milwaukee Bucks | Utah |
| 2004 | Dwight Howard | Orlando Magic | SACA (Atlanta) |
| 2003 | LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers | St. Vincent–St. Mary HS (Akron, Ohio) |
| 2002 | Yao Ming | Houston Rockets | Shanghai Sharks (China) |
| 2001 | Kwame Brown | Washington Wizards | Glynn Academy HS (Brunswick, Georgia) |
| 2000 | Kenyon Martin | New Jersey Nets | Cincinnati |
| 1999 | Elton Brand | Chicago Bulls | Duke |
| 1998 | Michael Olowokandi | Los Angeles Clippers | Pacific |
| 1997 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | Wake Forest |
| 1996 | Allen Iverson | Philadelphia 76ers | Georgetown |
| 1995 | Joe Smith | Golden State Warriors | Maryland |
| 1994 | Glenn Robinson | Milwaukee Bucks | Purdue |
| 1993 | Chris Webber | Orlando Magic | Michigan |
| 1992 | Shaquille O'Neal | Orlando Magic | LSU |
| 1991 | Larry Johnson | Charlotte Hornets | UNLV |
| 1990 | Derrick Coleman | New Jersey Nets | Syracuse |
| 1989 | Pervis Ellison | Sacramento Kings | Louisville |
| 1988 | Danny Manning | Los Angeles Clippers | Kansas |
| 1987 | David Robinson | San Antonio Spurs | Navy |
| 1986 | Brad Daugherty | Cleveland Cavaliers | North Carolina |
| 1985 | Patrick Ewing | New York Knicks | Georgetown |
| 1984 | Akeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets | Houston |
| 1983 | Ralph Sampson | Houston Rockets | Virginia |
| 1982 | James Worthy | Los Angeles Lakers | North Carolina |
| 1981 | Mark Aguirre | Dallas Mavericks | DePaul |
| 1980 | Joe Barry Carroll | Golden State Warriors | Purdue |
| 1979 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | Michigan State |
| 1978 | Mychal Thompson | Portland Trail Blazers | Minnesota |
| 1977 | Kent Benson | Milwaukee Bucks | Indiana |
| 1976 | John Lucas | Houston Rockets | Maryland |
Most Famous NBA First Picks
The most famous first picks from the NBA draft in the past 48 years are names anyone can recognise, even if they don’t know anything about basketball.
Shaquille O’Neal (1992)
Shaq is known for his dominant playing style on the court. His huge figure is perfect for blocking and dunking, making his game performance impressive and exciting to watch. He was exceptionally talented at basketball from an early age, and he only got better as a professional. In his career, he achieved four NBA championship titles, three NBA Finals MVP awards, and is a 15-time NBA All-Star, among other achievements. He retired in 2011. Off the court, O’Neal is also known for his amicable personality and has even acted in movies, TV, and music videos. Many aspiring players seek guidance from a skilled basketball coach to elevate their game.
Magic Johnson (1979)
Earvin “Magic” Johnson made playing basketball look fun and easy due to his love of the game and his incredible body control. Even though he was a towering player, his swift movements left opponents and fans dazzled. He won three MVP Awards and Finals MVP Awards, was a 12-time All-Star, and was a gold medal winner in the 1992 Olympics. Off the court, he is known for his business ventures, playing basketball with President Obama, and raising awareness for HIV/AIDS.
Lebron James (2003)
A true basketball prodigy, James immediately started making a name for himself after he was drafted. He has been called The New Michael Jordan for his successful career and universal appeal to the public. He is the only player in both the top 10 all-time ranking for points scored and for assists in the NBA. He has won four NBA championships with three different teams and is a two-time Olympic gold winner (and one bronze as well). Additionally, King James is also well-known for being a community activist and leader, bringing positive change to the world, especially for his hometown of Akron, Ohio, which experiences a lot of poverty.
Andrew Bogut (2005)
As the first Australian to be chosen as a first draft pick, Bogut made history on Draft Day 2005. He was signed by the Milwaukee Bucks, where he was able to show the NBA that he had what it takes to play in the big leagues, earning a place on the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2006. He played for several teams in his NBA career, even taking a break in between to return home and play for the Sydney Kings in the 2018-19 season. Despite dealing with a severe ankle injury midway through his basketball career, he was able to heal and make a grand return. Over the course of his career, he earned a multitude of recognition and awards such as making it to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team and winning an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2015.
Bogut recently retired back in 2020, due to various reoccurring injuries.
As an Australian, he brought a lot of pride to the folks back home, especially Australian NBA fans!
Victor Wembanyama (2023)
The most recent NBA draft first pick, Wembanyama is a young French basketball player currently playing with the San Antonio Spurs. Although he is only 20 years old, he stands at 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) tall (a tie with Boban Marjanović, the other tallest active NBA player) and is considered one of the greatest basketball prospects of this generation. He also set a record by being the first French NBA first draft pick player in history.
He was an exceptional player in his younger days in the French leagues, earning accolades like being a Pro A MVP winner (the youngest ever), being awarded Pro A Best Defender honours, being named LNB All-Star twice, winning the All-Star Game MVP, and being named Pro A Best Young Player thrice!
So far, he has shown himself to be just as exceptional in the NBA. On 8 December 2023, he became the youngest player in NBA history to achieve at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game, just to name one of his recent accomplishments! He is sure to have an incredible NBA career ahead of him!
The 2024 NBA Draft Outlooks
As the 2024 Draft approaches, many experts are speculating on who will be the most promising young players in this year’s event. Stats are still up in the air as the players continue to play in their high school, college, and current organisations’ teams.
The top two contenders are the French youths: Alexandre Sarr (currently for the Perth Wildcats of the NBL) and Zaccharie Risacher (currently for the JL Bourg-en-Bresse of the LNB Élite).
Other notable players looking to be selected include Reed Sheppard (Kentucky), Ron Holland (G League Ignite), Cody Williams (Colorado), Rob Dillingham (Kentucky), Nikola Topić (KK Crvena Zvezda), and Matas Buzelis (G League Ignite).
The 2024 NBA Draft will be held on 26-27 June. The Draft Combine will be on 12 May and 19 May 2024.
This year’s draft will no doubt be exciting as the world watches new talent enter the league. Moreover, many aspiring athletes look for quality basketball coaching melbourne to guide their development. Who knows which draftees will find themselves with as lustrous a career as the likes of MJ, Magic, Shaq, and LeBron!
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I enjoyed the article however, the list of the Most famous NBA first pick definitely missing a few names:
Allen Iverson-
Kyrie Irving
Tim Duncan.
How is Andrew Bogut more famous than the above names?