#1 Overall Picks in the NBA Draft Quiz

Answer:

The first draft was held in 1947, and the now defunct team, the Pittsburgh Ironmen had the first pick. Clifton McNeely became the very first player drafted in the NBA draft, after playing forward in college for the Texas Wesleyan Rams. McNeeley however, was not interested in signing with the Pittsburgh Ironmen who had a dismal 14-45 record (thus "earning" the #1 draft position). Instead McNeeley went on to coach high school basketball at Pampa High School in Texas.

The "Big O", superstar Oscar Roberton was picked #1 in 1960 by the Cincinnati Royals, from his Cincinnati Bearcats college team. His NBA status is legendary: He was a 12-time All-Star, a league MVP winner, two-time inductee in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (once for his pro career, and once for being a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team).

The following year, Walt Bellamy of Indiana University was drafted first overall, by an NBA called The Chicago Packers back then. His promising outlook carried over as he won the Rookie of the Year award in the NBA.

The year after that, The Chicago Packers again had the first pick of the draft, but this time they were called The Chicago Zephyrs. Just in case THAT was the problem. They picked center/forward Bill McGill in 1962, taking him from the University of Utah. He invented the "jump hook" shot in college and continued to use it in the pros.

In 1964, The New York Knicks had the first pick and they chose Jim Barnes, a center/forward from Texas Western College. He performed well as a rookie, making the 1965 NBA All-Rookie Team. During his second season he was traded along with two other players to the Baltimore Bullets, for guess who? The aforementioned Walt Bellamy, the first overall draft pick of 1961.
1969 saw the initiation of perhaps the greatest player in NBA history, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He had won three consecutive NCAA Championships at UCLA, and was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks, and easily won Rookie of the Year. What hasn't he accomplished is more the question. Six championships between the Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Six times he won MVP of the league. Nineteen times an All-Star. He's in the Hall of Fame. He held the NBA's record for most career points scored since 1984, until 2023 when LeBron James surpassed it.

Eight years later, the Milwaukee Bucks would again have the first overall pick, and in 1977, they chose Kent Benson, the center for the Indiana Hoosiers, a team he led to the NCAA Championship with an undefeated 32-0 record. His NBA career didn't live up to his promise, as he averaged only 9.1 points a game over 12 seasons.

The Los Angeles Lakers would pick James Worthy first from North Carolina in the 1982 draft. He joined fellow #1 pick Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on that famous Laker team. Worthy was indeed worthy of his high draft pick, becoming a 7-time All-Star and helping the Lakers win three championships.

1991's Number 1 pick overall was Larry Johnson of UNLV. The Charlotte Hornets snatched him up, and he won Rookie of the Year. The power forward was an All-Star twice.

Coming out of Ohio State University, Greg Oden was the 1st overall draft pick in 2007, and was selected by the Portland Trailblazers. Due to surgery, he missed that entire first season, but he was able to debut in 2008. Unfortunately injuries plagued him for the rest of his career, and to everyone's disappointment he played only three years in the NBA.

Paolo Banchero was 2022's overall first draft pick, when the Orlando Magic picked up the forward from Duke University. Like others on this list, he too won Rookie of the Year honors. His career seems on track for great success as he's had a scoring average of over 20 points a game in his first two season.

Bill Russell was the 3rd overall pick of the 1956 NBA draft, chosen by the St. Louis Hawks. On the day of the draft, the Boston Celtics made a deal with the Hawks, giving them Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan in exchange for Bill Russell.
The now defunct Syracuse Nationals picked Hal Greer 13th overall in the 1958 NBA draft.

In 1962, Ohio State University's John Havlicek was drafted by the Boston Celtics
in the first round, but was the 7th pick overall.

Dave Bing was close to being a #1 pick. He was drafted 2nd overall in the 1966 draft, selected by the Detroit Pistons. He would stick around Detroit after retiring from the NBA and became that city's 74th mayor.

Dan Issel graduated from Kentucky University in 1970, and wasn't drafted until the 8th round by the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. But the rival league, the American Basketball Association's Kentucky Colonels drafted him in the 1st round, the 2nd overall pick. He would later also play in the NBA for the Denver Nuggets.

Bernard King was the 7th overall pick in the 1977 draft, picked by the New Jersey Nets. He was a forward for the Tennessee Volunteers in college.
In that aforementioned 1982 draft where James Worthy was the first overall pick, Dominique Wilkins was close behind as the third overall pick.

1984 was one of the NBA's most impactful years in the draft. Michael Jordan was drafted third overall, chosen by the Chicago Bulls.

Dikembe Mutombo, played college ball for the mighty Georgetown Hoyas, and in the 1991 draft was selected by the Denver Nuggets. He would later become a notable humanitarian creating the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation.

People booed when The Phoenix Suns drafted the little-known Steve Nash 15th overall in the first round of the 1996 NBA draft. Little did they know at the time he become one of the greatest guards in the history of the NBA with his uncanny passing skills.