The best pick from every NBA Draft

Jayson Tatum had an outstanding first season as the third overall pick in 2017, but his season was not as impressive as Donovan Mitchell's debut. Taken 13th overall by the Nuggets and traded to the Jazz, Mitchell led all rookies in 2017-18 in points, averaging 20.5 per game, and he helped the Jazz reach the postseason when expectations were low after Gordon Hayward went to Boston in free agency.

His rookie season may have been delayed a year, but 76ers rookie Ben Simmons is expected to develop into an All-Star forward sooner than later after his remarkable debut. Simmons has absurdly good court vision for a 6-foot-10 player and has all the physical tools needed to become one of the NBA’s best. As a rookie, he led the Sixers to the postseason and helped them advance to the second round, and he led all rookies in rebounds, assists, steals and triple doubles.

After just three years in the NBA, Karl-Anthony Towns looks like a future MVP candidate in the making. The seven-foot center can do it all for the Timberwolves and at just 22 years of age has so much room to grow. The first pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, Minnesota made a wise decision selecting the big man out of Kentucky.

It took a while for Embiid to get on the court, but it's clear he's the most talented player from the 2014 draft. While Andrew Wiggins won Rookie of the Year in 2014-15 and has shown flashes, Embiid "trusted the Process" and turned into an All-Star in 2017-18, dominating on both ends of the court. To date, he's averaged 22 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and two blocks per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the field, 32.7 percent from three and 77.4 percent from the line.

One of the most tantalizing talents in the NBA, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks has already blossomed into a superstar. A near seven-footer on the wing, “The Greek Freak” has massive hands, amazing leaping ability, a jump shot that's getting better and better, and is an outstanding passer. The 14th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the sky is the limit for the 23-year-old Antetokounmpo, who has been an All-Star the past two seasons.

Although injuries have hampered his play at times so far, there is no doubt that Pelicans big man Anthony Davis is currently the best NBA player from the 2012 NBA Draft. A dominant force on both sides of the floor, “The Brow” averaged 28.1 points, 11.1 rebounds and led the NBA for the third time with 2.6 blocks per game this past year for New Orleans. The craziest part of it all is that Davis is just 25 years old!

The 2014 NBA Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard is the NBA’s quietest superstar, but don’t let Leonard’s reserved demeanor fool you, as the 26-year-old is easily one of the game's best two-way players. The NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 missed most of 2017-18 due to a quad injury, which caused an odd saga in San Antonio, but Leonard is expected to make a full recovery and be back to his dominant two-way self next season.

Despite suffering a catastrophic leg injury in 2014, Paul George is still one of the NBA’s top forwards. The 10th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, the All-Star can score from anywhere on the floor and is a fantastic one-on-one defender.

Curry is without question the best player to come out of the 2009 NBA Draft and just won his third NBA title in the past four seasons. The first unanimous MVP in NBA history, Curry has already established himself as the greatest shooter ever to grace a basketball court and led his Warriors to the NBA’s all-time best regular-season record at 73-9 in 2015-16.

Perhaps the most explosive player the NBA has ever seen, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook plays basketball with a psychotic intensity. A triple-double machine, Westbrook is unstoppable in transition and has the ability to set up his teammates as well with pinpoint precision passing. With Kevin Durant departed to California, Westbrook became just the second player ever to average a triple-double in 2016-17, joining Oscar Robertson.

Kevin Durant stunned the basketball fanswhen he decided to leave Oklahoma City and head to Golden State. A four-time scoring champion and five-time First-Team All-NBA player in OKC, Durant has been one of the NBA’s best since he was drafted second overall in the 2007 NBA Draft. Now, he is one of the NBA’s most hated players as well, but he's also a two-time champion and two-time NBA Finals MVP.

The second overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, LaMarcus Aldridge is one of NBA’s most productive power forwards. A six-time All-Star, Aldridge played the first nine years of his career with the Trail Blazers before joining the Spurs.

Paul has been one of the, if not the, best point guards in the NBA since he entered the league. The fourth pick in the 2005 NBA Draft by New Orleans, Paul is a four-time All-NBA First-Team selection and has led the NBA in assists four times and steals six times since becoming a pro. The Rockets' point guard was the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 2013.

Although he his now looked at unfavorably by most fans, during his time with the Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard was easily the best center in the NBA. An eight-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, D-12 is now playing for the Hornets.

The 2003 NBA Draft might be remembered as the NBA’s best ever, with players like Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chis Bosh entering the league. However, the prize of that draft was the immense talent that is LeBron James. Love him or hate him, “King James” is already one of the best basketball players ever, and after bringing the Cavs and the city of Cleveland their first NBA title in 2016, James still has plenty of time for his legend to grow.

Only one player from the 2002 draft is currently a Hall of Famer, which made this pick an easy one. Ming had injury issues during his relatively brief NBA career, but he made the All-Star Game in each season in which he saw the court and averaged 19 points, 9.2 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game during his career with the Rockets.

A six-time All-Star, Spanish-born power forward Pau Gasol is one of the most skilled big men to play in the NBA in recent memory. The third overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, Gasol became a prominent player in Memphis with the Grizzlies before winning two championships in Los Angeles with the Lakers as Kobe Bryant’s wing man. Now with the Spurs, Gasol has a place in the Hall of Fame waiting for him whenever he chooses to hang up his sneakers.

The 2000 NBA Draft was perhaps the weakest in modern NBA history. Of the few quality players who came out that draft, Jamal Crawford is the best of the lot. A three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award winner, Crawford is a natural-born scorer and is still getting buckets, even in his late 30s.

The 57th overall pick of the 1999 NBA Draft, Manu Ginobili wouldn’t arrive in the NBA until 2002, but for the San Antonio Spurs the wait was worth it. A two-time All-Star, Ginobili has helped the Spurs win four championships, and during his prime, he could take a game over with his exquisite passing and three-point shooting. The greatest basketball player we’ve ever seen from Argentina, expect Ginobili to wind up in the NBA Hall of Fame someday.

In retrospect, it seems insane that eight teams passed on Dirk Nowitzki at 1998 NBA Draft. The German-born power forward was considered a risk, but selecting Nowitzki with the ninth pick that year was a gamble that continues to pay off for the Dallas Mavericks. A 13-time All-Star, the sharpshooting power forward is one of the best players of his era and will go down as the greatest European-born player in NBA history.

Perhaps one of the 10 best NBA players ever, Tim Duncan led his San Antonio Spurs to five championships over the course of his 19-year career. A two-time NBA MVP, Duncan was as fundamentally sound of a player as you’ll ever see and could dominate the game at both ends of the floor. Born in the Virgin Islands, the Spurs truly hit the jackpot when they were able to draft him No. 1 overall in 1997.

One of the most enigmatic players in NBA history, it’s hard to believe Kobe Bryant slipped all the way down to the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. It wouldn’t take long, however, for Kobe to make every team who passed him up regret it. An 18-time All-Star, “The Black Mamba” led the Lakers to five championship wins in 20 seasons, was a four-time All-Star Game MVP and was selected to 11 All-NBA First Teams. Considered by most to be the second best shooting guard in NBA history behind Michael Jordan, Bryant scored an incredible 60 points in his final career game.

One of the most notable players to go straight from high school to the pros, there was never any question Minnesota Timberwolves great Kevin Garnett belonged in the NBA. Garnett is one of the best power forwards in NBA history, as he was a 15-time All-Star over the course of his career with the Timberwolves and Celtics. The 2004 NBA MVP, Garnett led the Celtics to their first NBA title in 22 years in 2008.

One of the smoothest passers in NBA history, Jason Kidd is the textbook definition of a “floor general.” Second best all time in total assists and steals behind John Stockton in both categories, Kidd was as pure of a point guard as a coach could ever hope for and was a fan favorite for the Suns, Nets and Mavs. The 10-time All-Star helped Dallas win its first NBA title in 2011, and he is in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Although all-time greats like Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett now overshadow him, there was a time when Chris Webber was the NBA’s top power forward. The first pick of the 1993 NBA Draft, C-Webb’s best years came with the Kings, where you could pencil him in for 20-10 every night. Webber also came tantalizingly close to leading the Kings to an NBA title in 2002, but the Shaq and Kobe Lakers had other ideas.

A 15-time All-Star, few players in recent memory have dominated basketball the way Shaquille O’Neal did. Simply too big and strong for most players to handle in the post by themselves, O’Neal averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in his 19 years in the NBA. O’Neal also won four championships and was named NBA Finals MVP three times.

Born in the Congo, Hall of Fame center Dikembe Mutombo came a long way just to play in the NBA in the first place. One of the greatest shot blockers in NBA history, few NBA players have also been as universally loved as Mutombo, as his glowing personality lights up every room he’s in. The fourth overall pick of the 1991 NBA Draft, Mutombo was an eight-time All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year as well.

Perhaps the greatest defensive point guard in NBA history, Gary Payton was a matchup nightmare for every team he faced off against. Also one of the greatest trash talkers in NBA history, Payton was selected to nine All-Star teams and made the All-NBA Defensive First Team an incredible nine times as well.

The 17th pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, Shawn Kemp was one of the NBA’s elite power forwards in the 1990s. Kemp, who was six-time All-Star for the Seattle SuperSonics and Cleveland Cavaliers, was a ferocious dunker, a facet of his game that earned the nickname of the “Reign Man” during his playing days in the Pacific Northwest.

The 1988 NBA Draft didn’t produce too many great players, but it did give basketball fans shooting guard Mitch Richmond. A six-time All-Star, Richmond was a career 21 point per game scorer over the course of his 14-year NBA career with the Warriors, Kings, Wizards and Lakers.

The first pick of the 1987 NBA Draft out of the United States Naval Academy, center David Robinson had a Hall of Fame career with the San Antonio Spurs. “The Admiral” was always one of the top players in the NBA over his 14-year career, averaging 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and three blocks per game. Robinson was also a 10-time All-Star and helped the Spurs win two championships.

One of the most controversial players in NBA history, it’s easy to forget Dennis “The Worm” Rodman was one of the greatest rebounders basketball has ever seen. A second-round pick out of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Rodman crashed the boards like no one else, as he averaged 13.1 rebounds per game for his career, including an incredible 18.7 rebounds for the Detroit Pistons in 1992. Although his off-the-court troubles have tarnished his legacy to a degree, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Rodman was a key member of five NBA title-winning teams.

One of the best low-post players in NBA history, Karl Malone racked up 36,928 points in his career, good for second all time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “The Mailman” played nearly 20 years in the NBA for the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers and was an 11-time All-NBA First-Team player. Unfortunately for Malone, his Jazz never won a championship, as Utah fell in the Finals twice to Michael Jordan’s Bulls.

How in the world did Michael Jordan fall into the Chicago Bulls' lap with the third pick in the 1984 NBA Draft? Considered by most to be the greatest basketball player of all time, Jordan was an unstoppable scorer, shut-down defender and clutch shot maker, and he carried the NBA as a whole to unprecedented heights. An All-star in all but one of the 15 seasons he played in the NBA, MJ led the Bulls on six championship runs in the 1990s, and that number would have likely been eight had Jordan not decided to briefly retire and pursue a career in baseball in 1993.

One of the greatest shooting guards in NBA history, Clyde Drexler played 16 years in the NBA after being drafted 14th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 1983 draft. Drexler scored over 22,000 points, made 10 All-Star teams and was also an instrumental part of the Houston Rockets' 1995 championship-winning team.

Remembered fondly as one the NBA’s greatest dunkers, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Dominique Wilkins is also one of the greatest small forwards in NBA history. Although his Atlanta Hawks teams could never get past Michael Jordan’s Bulls, Wilkins still managed to score over 26,000 points and make nine All-Star teams along the way. Wilkins was selected third overall in the 1982 draft by the Utah Jazz but was able to force a trade to Atlanta soon after he was drafted.

The heartbeat of Detroit's “Bad Boys” teams, Isiah Thomas led the Pistons to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. Thomas, who possessed a unique combination of smooth skill and shrewd toughness, averaged over 19 points, nine assists and nearly two steals per game over his 13-year NBA career for Detroit.

Along with Larry Bird and Robert Parish, Kevin McHale helped form the Celtics' big three that led them to glory in the 1980s. The third overall pick in the 1980 NBA Draft, McHale was a constant force in the paint for the Celtics, averaging 17.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks for his career. McHale also won two Sixth Man of the Year Awards during his time in the NBA.

One of the most exciting and charismatic sports figures ever, Magic Johnson is easily the best NBA player born in the state of Michigan. Magic and his “Showtime” Lakers helped revolutionize basketball and make it one of the most popular sports across the globe. Widely considered to be the greatest point guard in NBA history, Johnson led the Lakers to five championship wins in the 1980s and is back helping lead the organization as president of basketball operations.

There’s a reason he’s called “Larry Legend.” In fact, there are many reasons why former Celtics great Larry Bird earned that nickname. Along with winning three championships for Boston in the 1980s, Bird is one of the greatest shooters the NBA has ever seen, evident by his three victories in the NBA’s Three-Point Shooting Contest. A nine-time First-Team All-NBA player, Bird averaged 24.3 points per game over the course of his Hall of Fame career.

From Brooklyn, N.Y., Bernard King was one the NBA’s most lethal scorers of the 1980s. Playing the brightest years of his career with his hometown Knicks, King won the 1985 scoring title, averaging nearly 33 points a game. Remembered best for his 60-point game on Christmas Day in 1984, King was the seventh overall pick in the 1977 draft.

The eighth overall pick of the 1976 NBA Draft, center Robert Parish played a record 1,611 career games in 21 years as a pro. Parish, who won championships with both the Celtics and Bulls, was a nine-time All-Star and is considered by many to be one of the greatest shooting big men ever. Parish was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003.

One of just five NBA players to score more than 70 points in a single game, former Nuggets and SuperSonics great David Thompson was a deadly scorer when he got into a groove. A four-time All-Star, Thompson would likely be remembered in higher regard had his career not been derailed due to issues with drug abuse.

Had his NBA career not been hampered due to a multitude of injuries, center Bill Walton would have likely gone down as one of the greatest professional basketball players of all time. The first overall pick in the 1974 draft by the Trail Blazers, Walton was able to lead Portland to an NBA championship in 1977 before injuries rendered him a role player for the remainder of his career. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.

Now known best for his time as a coach and NBA television analyst, there was a time when Doug Collins was a pretty darn good basketball player as well. The first pick of the 1973 NBA Draft by the 76ers, Collins was a four-time All-Star and averaged nearly 18 points per game for his career.

Although he played the first five years of his career in the ABA, Julius Erving’s impact on the game of basketball can’t be overstated. The high-flying abilities of “Dr. J” not only gave birth to the dunk contest, but popularized the dunk as a method to demoralize the opponent. Erving was an All-Star in every one of his 16 years as pro and won championships in both the NBA and ABA.

Although the 1971 NBA Draft wasn’t jam-packed with talent, four-time All-Star forward Sidney Wicks did come out of that year’s class. Wicks, who played his prime years with the Portland Trail Blazers, was also named Rookie of the Year in 1972.

The first pick of the 1970 NBA Draft, center Bob Lanier was an eight-time All-Star in 14 seasons with the Pistons and Bucks. Lanier, who averaged better than 20 points per game for his career, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer, few professional athletes have been more successful and respected than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Hall of Fame center played 20 seasons in the NBA, winning six championships, six MVPs and earning 19 All-Star Game selections. The first pick of the 1969 NBA Draft, Abdul-Jabbar is also the NBA’s all-time leader in minutes played, field goals made, blocked shots and defensive rebounds. And who could ever forget that “skyhook”?

One of the NBA’s great forgotten scorers, Elvin Hayes was the first pick of the 1968 NBA Draft by the San Diego Rockets. An All-Star in each of his first 12 seasons in the NBA, Hayes averaged 21 points per game over the course of his career as a pro.

One of the smoothest point guards in NBA history, Walt Frazier was the most charismatic star on the New York Knicks teams that won championships in 1970 and 1973. Frazier was a point guard who could do just about everything on a basketball court, as he was named to four All-NBA First Teams, six All-NBA Defensive Teams and seven All-Star teams.

A seven-time NBA All-Star, point guard Dave Bing is the best player to come out of the 1966 draft. Bing, who played the best years of his career with the Pistons, averaged 20.3 points and six assists a night as a pro. In 2008, Bing ran for mayor of Detroit and won, serving four years in office.

One of the best shooters in NBA history, Rick Barry was taken with the second overall pick in the 1965 NBA Draft by the San Francisco Warriors. A career 23.2 point per game scorer in the NBA, Barry is the only basketball player ever to lead the NCAA, NBA and ABA in scoring for a season.

With the first pick of the second round of the 1964 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks selected a largely unknown center from Grambling State University by the name of Willis Reed. Picking Reed would prove to be one of the wisest draft choices in Knicks history. Reed was a seven-time All-Star, led the Knicks to two championships and was later inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Nate Thurmond was just behind Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain as the greatest center of his era. In his 15-year NBA career, Thurmond averaged over 15 points and 15 rebounds per game and was selected to seven All-Star Games. The former Warriors great was the third overall pick in the 1963 NBA Draft.

Playing alongside Bill Russell and Bob Cousy, some basketball fans have forgotten or have yet to realize just how good John Havlicek was. Although he never won an MVP, Havlicek did make 13 All-Star teams, score over 26,000 pints and win eight championships, including winning Finals MVP in 1974.

The first overall pick of the 1961 NBA Draft by the Chicago Packers, center Walt Bellamy was a dominant scorer and rebounder wherever he played in the NBA. A four-time All-Star, Bellamy played the prime years of his career with the Baltimore Bullets and averaged a double-double in 13 NBA seasons.

A 12-time NBA All-Star, Oscar Robertson was the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season and was the only player to ever do so until Russell Westbrook accomplished the feat with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016-17. The 1962 NBA MVP, Robertson played his best years for the Cincinnati Royals but was able win a championship in 1971 with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks. Robertson was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.

The first pick in the 1959 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia Warriors, every basketball fan on the planet is aware of the legend that is Wilt Chamberlain. The Hall of Fame center once averaged over 50 points a game for an entire season and scored a record 100 points in one game. Chamberlain also averaged an absurd 22.9 rebounds a night over his 14-year career with the Warriors, 76ers and Lakers. A four-time NBA MVP, “Wilt the Stilt” finished his career with 31,419 points scored.

Although he was an undersized forward, former Lakers great Elgin Baylor was an unstoppable scorer. The first overall pick of the 1958 NBA Draft, Baylor could shoot, post up or just drive by defenders to basket during his heyday. A 10-time First-Team All-NBA player, Baylor averaged better than 27 points a night for his career and still holds the record for most points scored in an NBA Finals game with 61.

A longtime teammate of Bill Russell in Boston, shooting guard Sam Jones helped lead the Celtics to 10 NBA titles during his 12-career with the team. A career 17.7 point per game scorer, Jones was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984.

Perhaps the greatest rebounder and defender in NBA history, Russell won an incredible 11 championships with the Boston Celtics. A five-time NBA MVP, Russell is universally considered one of the best players ever to touch a basketball. A forgotten fact, Russell was originally drafted by the Hawks in 1956 but was traded by the team to Boston on draft night.

Taken in the second round of the 1955 NBA Draft, small forward Jack Twyman had a Hall of Fame career with the Rochester and Cincinnati Royals. A six-time All-Star, Twyman averaged better than 19 points a night in his career.

The first winner of the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award, Hawks center Bob Pettit was the second pick in the 1954 NBA Draft. A dominant scorer and rebounder, Pettit was an All-Star in each of his 11 seasons in the NBA, averaging 26.4 points and 16.2 rebounds over the course of his Hall of Fame career.

The NBA’s first “sixth man,” Hall of Fame guard Frank Ramsey was an integral member of Red Auerbach’s early Boston Celtics. A seven-time NBA champion with the Celtics, Ramsey was selected by Boston with the fifth overall pick in the 1953 NBA Draft.

A two-time First-Team All-American at Kansas, Clyde Lovellette was taken by the Minneapolis Lakers with the ninth overall pick of 1952 draft. A four-time All-Star, he played 11 seasons in the NBA, averaging 17 points per game and winning three championships.

The second overall pick of the 1951 NBA Draft, big man Mel Hutchins had a successful career in the 1950s with the Hawks, Pistons and Knicks. A four-time All-Star, Hutchins averaged 11.1 points and 9.6 rebounds for his career.

One of the greatest point guards in NBA history, Boston Celtics legend Bob Cousy is without question the best player to come out of the 1950 NBA Draft. A 13-time All-Star and 10-time First-Team All-NBA player, Cousy helped lead the Celts to six NBA titles and averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds along the way.

A seven-time All-Star, Dick McGuire was one of the best guards of the 1950s. McGuire, who played the majority of his career with the Knicks, led the NBA in assists as a rookie.

With the fourth overall pick of the 1948 NBA Draft, the Syracuse Nationals selected Hall of Fame forward Dolph Schayes. One of professional basketball’s first great players, Schayes was a six-time All-NBA First-Team player and led the Nationals to the 1955 NBA championship.

The first ever NBA Draft was in 1947, and the best player to come out of the event was Harry Gallatin, who was selected by the Baltimore Bullets. However, Gallatin never played for Baltimore, instead going back to the draft in 1948, when the Knicks drafted him. A seven-time All-Star, Gallatin played 10 years in the NBA, averaging 13 points and 11.9 rebounds with the New York Knicks.