The best NBA Draft pick of all time at every slot

NEW YORK - JUNE 26: LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers poses with his jersey during the 2003/2004 NBA Draft Portrait at Paramount Theatre Madison Square Garden on June 26, 2003 in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice: Copyright 2003 NBAE (Photo by: Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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Basketball: Portrait of Boston Celtics Kevin McHale #32 happy posing w. teammate Robert Parish #00. (Photo by Steve Lipofsky/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images) /

8. Robert Parish, 1976 NBA Draft (Golden State Warriors)

Robert Parish was acquired by the Boston Celtics in the same deal that also netted them the draft pick they would use in the 1980 NBA Draft to select Kevin McHale. While McHale’s tenure with Boston is probably more etched into the minds of Celtics’ fans it is Parish who ends up on this list.

Parish was taken eighth overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 1976 NBA Draft. In his first four seasons in the NBA he was decent, but nothing special as a player. So when Red Auerbach came calling and offered up the first and 13th overall picks in the 1980 NBA Draft in exchange for the third overall pick and Parish, it is easy to see why the Warriors jumped at the chance to acquire the top pick.

With the Celtics, Parish would turn his career around and put together a Hall-of-Fame-worthy 14 seasons. His point and rebound averages would increase in Boston and, surrounded by the likes of Larry Bird, McHale, Dennis Johnson, and other Celtics luminaries, Parish became a beloved member of the fabled Celtics franchise lore.

Parish was part of three Celtics championships and in his final season (1996-97 at age 43) with the Chicago Bulls, he would win his fourth. Being part of such a historic run and a crucial piece cemented his status as one of the best players of his time — he too was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players of All-Time in NBA history. He was a steadying presence and a piece that fit so perfectly alongside the other greats that he shared the court with. Playing with Boston helped him elevate his game and created cohesion for the franchise that helped them get back to their past winning ways.

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