The best NBA Draft pick ever made at every slot

The 2026 NBA Draft could be one of the best of all time. The focus is on the top four, where AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson and Darryn Peterson could change the future of four franchises. It’s not often that a team can get a superstar fourth overall, but it’s not impossible. Russell Westbrook, Dikembe Mutombo, and Chris Bosh all have gone fourth overall, and none of them are the best player ever taken there. 

So, we wanted to look at every single possible pick. There are usually 60 picks in an NBA Draft. Do we have stars picked at every pick? While most of the focus is on number one, more times than not, the best player comes at a different choice. It’s just simple math. These are mostly still teenagers, and a lot can change during their 10-20-year career.

However, when looking at the top 10, some of these are pretty obvious. Here are the best players ever taken at each NBA Draft slot.

1. LeBron James, 2003 NBA Draft

LeBron James is often considered the best or second-best player of all time. There’s no way he wasn’t going here. James famously signed a $90 million endorsement contract with Nike. He was insanely talented and one of the best prospects in the history of the game. He had no need to go to college, and he might be the most ridiculous athlete in the history of sports. 

Why is James the best number-one overall pick of all time? He’s broken more NBA records than we can count, and he’s still playing in the league despite being drafted in 2003. He’s going to sign another contract this offseason despite starting his career about the same time that Apple launched the iTunes store. We could run down the numbers, but we won’t bore you with that. James is the most dominant player in the NBA, a freak athlete who could have excelled at any sport. We’re just lucky that he chose basketball. 

We do have to acknowledge that Victor Wembenyama is very close to being one of the best first-overall picks of all time already. If he can stay healthy, he will probably challenge LeBron James for this one day.

2. Bill Russell, 1956 NBA Draft

Obviously, when Bill Russell was drafted, this was a completely different sport, but can one imagine if someone else had acquired Russell instead of the Boston Celtics? What changes in the history of the NBA if the Rochester Royals picked Russell? Or how about if the St. Louis Hawks kept Russell instead of trading him to the Celtics? Russell was the catalyst for the early dynasty in Boston. He is the reason they are considered the prime franchise in the league. 

We know about Russell’s NBA chops, but he came into the league a champion already. He won back-to-back NCAA titles with San Francisco College. The Celtics acquired Russell in 1956, and they won their first championship in 1957. Russell would go on to win 10 titles, a ridiculous number that will never be matched by anyone ever in any sport. There have been some great second-overall picks, like Kevin Durant, Jerry West, and Jason Kidd, but Russell is head and shoulders above all of them. 

3. Michael Jordan, 1984 NBA Draft

It’s Michael Jordan. The GOAT. He’s everything anyone could ever want in the best player in the history of the sport. He has an aura that’s beyond anything we’ve seen in an athlete since. He was and still is an enigma. That’s why we were so enthralled by The Last Dance when it came out during the pandemic. We’ve never seen that version of Jordan, and we got to see an insight into the mindset of the greatest champion of all time. Even beyond Russell, who had a higher volume of championships, Jordan in his prime was unstoppable. 

Jordan has two separate three-peats with the Chicago Bulls. This could have been the Portland Trail Blazers, but they went with Sam Bowie in the 1984 NBA Draft. Who knows how history changes if they take Jordan, or if Houston took Jordan over Hakeem Olajuwon? The entire foundation of the league might be different. Hockey might be the second most-popular sport. Clyde Drexler might have become the GOAT. Crazy things could have changed if Jordan went somewhere else, but the best possible situation commenced, and he’s the best at three and of all time.

4. Chris Paul, 2005 NBA Draft

We already discussed the different names that have had great careers after being selected fourth overall in the NBA Draft. Chris Paul is the best. He’s one of the greatest point guards in the history of the NBA. At one point, he changed the game. Teams were changing their focus to make the point guard a significant part of their franchise plan. During his time with Lob City and the Los Angeles Clippers, he played alongside Blake Griffin for one of the best viewing experiences in league history. 

Paul has played 1,370 regular-season games in his career. He’s averaged 16.8 points and 9.2 assists per game over his career, and that’s with a few years of lesser numbers in recent years. At his peak, Paul was scoring north of 20 points with 11+ assists per game. He led the league in assists per game five times, and his two-way play was his best attribute. Paul led the league in steals per game six times. It’s unfortunate that Paul never got the championship he deserved, but he still is one of the best point guards to ever play the game.

5. Kevin Garnett, 1995 NBA Draft

Rounding out the top five is Kevin Garnett. When he was in the league, he was known as a dominant forward and one of the best power forwards in league history. Today, we do feel like he’s lost a little bit of his original luster, but that’s not his fault. He’s just become underrated as the years have gone by. 

The 2004 MVP has a long list of additional accolades. Besides lifting the Timberwolves to new heights for his entire career, he was a 2008 NBA Champion with the Celtics, famously belting out “anything is possible” after the clock hit zero. He’s a 15-time NBA All-Star, including winning the 2003 All-Star Game MVP. He was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, and he was on the All-NBA Defensive team nine times. Garnett was everything on offense and defense in his prime, dominating opposing forwards in a great era for the West. There were a few players who had his intensity, lifting him to a Hall of Fame career.

6. Larry Bird, 1978 NBA Draft

The Larry Bird draft situation is largely forgotten, but there’s a reason why he fell to sixth overall in the 1978 NBA Draft. It’s because he didn’t play until 1979. Then, he threatened to re-enter the draft in 1979 during contract negotiations. It would have been one of the most incredible “what ifs” in NBA history, as this would have caused the discussion for the top pick to split between Magic Johnson and Bird, two players with the most famous player rivalry in the history of the sport. 

Larry Bird is one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. He’s in everyone’s top 10, especially if those analysts want their list to be respected. He is a three-time NBA Champion, bringing back a winning culture to New England. Twice, he won the Finals MVP. He’s also a three-time league MVP and 12-time All-Star. Bird was one of the first big men to really take advantage of the three-point shot, and that changed the game. Bird is a legend in Boston for a reason, and his impact is still seen today. 

7. Steph Curry, 2009 NBA Draft

Can we talk about how the Minnesota Timberwolves had picks five and six of the NBA Draft, and they took Ricky Rubio and Johnny Flynn. Not only did they take back-to-back point guards in the top six, but they did it while leaving Steph Curry on the board. The Warriors watched as the Davidson product fell to them at seven, and they didn’t just get one of the best players in the game for the next 15 years, but they got someone who revolutionized the game.

We’ve had sharp shooters in the NBA before, but there was nobody who had the acumen and the accuracy as Curry. He drove the Warriors to a dynasty with his insane shooting percentage from behind the arc. And what made it better was his pure confidence from anywhere on the court. He would shoot it from behind halfcourt with the same confidence as he did an inch from the rim. Curry is still playing today with four championships and two MVPs under his belt, but he’s so much more than just three-point shooting. He’s led the league in steals before, won the scoring title in both 2016 and 2021, and now the 38-year-old is preparing for one last run in the twilight of his career. 

8. Robert Parish, 1976 NBA Draft

Robert Parish played a ridiculous 21 season, hitting more than 1,600 games in his illustrious career. A central part of one of the Boston Celtics’ dynasties, Parish was a four time NBA champion and a nine-time All-Star. Not bad for a guy coming out of a college called the “Centenary.” Parish was actually drafted three times. He was originally drafted by the Warriors in the NBA, referenced here. He was also drafted by the Utah Stars of the ABA in a Special Circumstances draft. Then, in 1975, the San Antonio Spurs of the ABA drafted him, but he chose to go with the Warriors, who were two seasons removed from a championship.

Unfortunately for Parish, the Warriors were in a downturn, and Parish’s numbers were mediocre (13.8 points per game and 9.5 rebounds during his four years in California). He was traded to the Celtics in a trade that would break the internet today. Boston’s Red Auerbach sent his number-one overall pick and an addition first rounder to the Warriors for Parish and the third-overall pick. The Celtics already had Bird, and they took Kevin McHale with the third pick. Their next dynasty was built, and Parish was a huge part of it. He was the forward they needed, putting up close to 20 points per game and 10-12 rebounds. 

9. Dirk Nowitzki, 1998 NBA Draft

Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, European players did not get preference in the NBA Draft. The was great news for the Dallas Mavericks, who watched players like Robert Traylor, Larry Hughes, and Jason Williams go before Dirk Nowitzki. To be completely honest, this might be one of the better drafts of the era, so the teams that missed really missed. Three Hall of Famers went in the top 10, Nowitzki being one of them.

Nowitzki was actually drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks, but in a draft-day trade, he went to Dallas (that same trade also brought Steve Nash to the Mavericks). There wasn’t a long history of German players in the NBA, with the best probably being Detlef Schrempf. Nowitzki blew all expectations out of the water, becoming one of the best scoring big men in the league. He scored between 21 and 27 points per game for every season from 2000 to 2012. The 14-time All-Star and 2007 MVP’s best moment came in the 2011 NBA Finals. Taking on the biggest villains of all time in the Miami Heat, Nowitzki single-handedly dragged his team of misfits against the greatest assembly of talent since Jordan’s Bulls and won. 

10. Paul Pierce, 1998 NBA Draft

The 10th overall pick is an interesting one. There are some really good players like Brook Lopez, C.J. McCollum, and Gail Goodrich, but the choice comes down to three incredible players: Paul Pierce, Willis Reed, and Paul George. While all three have their reasons to be at the top, we’re going with the Boston Celtics legend. Pierce is a player that’s hard to peg in terms of greatness. In the aggregate, his numbers are staggering. He scored 26,000 points in his career, but he’s never finished higher than seventh in MVP voting, and he has just one top-10 finish. 

Pierce did win an arguably more important award. He was the NBA Finals MVP in 2008. His legacy was built in that run. The combination of Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett brought a championship back to Boston for the first time since the Larry Bird era. He hasn’t made an All-NBA first team in his career, which shows where he lies in the all-time rankings, but he was a very good player during an interesting era, acting as the face of the most important franchise in the league. 

11. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 2018 NBA Draft

There are certain players you just know are going to be here and amazing for a long time. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of those players. Even when he was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Oklahoma City Thunder, it seemed likely that SGA was going to be something. Did we ever expect him to be this special? It’s hard to predict a back-to-back MVP who fell all the way to 11th in the draft, but he always had the talent. The 2018 NBA Draft was insane, with DeAndre Ayton and Marvin Bagley going before Luca Doncic, then Doncic getting traded to the Mavericks for Trae Young and a future first-round pick. The Knicks took Kevin Knox over Mikal Bridges, who ironically just helped them win a championship. 

What’s funny is when you look at the draft grades from 2018, many were pushing for the Clippers, who traded into this pick at the cost of two second-rounders to move up one spot, to take Michael Porter Jr. Luckily for this list, we have SGA at 11 to rank. He’s one of the NBA’s best players today, and at 27 years old, he should remain in his prime for a few more years. As of this writing, there are no eligible former MVP winners who are not enshrined in the Hall of Fame, so we expect SGA to get there in the next couple of decades. 

12. Julius Erving, 1972 NBA Draft

This one’s a strange one, but literally everyone knows about Dr. J. Julius Erving is one of the early stars in the sport of basketball. He was drafted 12th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1972. However, he played exactly zero minutes in Wisconsin as a member of that franchise. It’s crazy what if, since the Bucks had Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at the time. However, a judge forced him to remain in the ABA, and he played for the Virginia Squires. 

When the ABA joined with the NBA, Erving was a member of the New York Nets, but the New York Knicks levied crazy fees on them to join the NBA, and Erving had to be traded just for the Nets to survive. He went to the Philadelphia 76ers, and that started an incredible NBA career. He was an 11-time All-Star, the 1981 MVP, and he won the title alongside Moses Malone. Dr. J has one of the great legacies in the history of the league, but his draft pick is probably the smallest part of his legacy. 

13. Kobe Bryant, 1996 NBA Draft

Many consider this the greatest draft pick in the history of the league and one of the great fumbles in the history of the league. Kobe Bryant fell to 13th in the 1996 NBA Draft. It was an interesting draft, with superstar players like Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, and Antoine Walker. Then, there are terrible picks like Lorenzen Wright, Samaki Walker, and Erick Dampier. Calling Bryant at 13th overall a steal is the understatement of the century. 

Kobe Bryant might be the greatest scorer in the history of the league. He’s a five-time NBA Champion, with two NBA Finals MVPs to his name. He was an 18-time All-Star and the 2008 league MVP. He made 11 first-team All-NBA teams, and he even made the All-Defensive team nine times in his career. He’s considered a top-10 player in league history. His legacy only grew after his tragic death, and he has an aura of a player who was the biggest superstar in the post-Michael Jordan era. 

14. Clyde Drexler, 1983 NBA Draft

Clyde Drexler in the grand scheme of NBA history, is one of the most underrated players. He finished his career with 22,000 points, which is more than Larry Bird, Gary Payton, and David Robertson. He spent most of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers, but he spent the last few years with the Houston Rockets. He immediately won a championship in his second city.

What’s crazy is how efficient Drexler became with the Rockets. He dropped his total shots from 18+ in the playoffs with Portland to just over 14. Yet, he scored more points. That’s what happens when Hakeem Olakuwon is taking up the minds of his opponents. Drexler was a perfect complement to those Rocket teams, and it brought a championship to Houston.

15. Giannis Antetokounmpo, 2013 NBA Draft

Drafting Giannis Antetokounmpo 15th overall in 2013 is one of the greatest value picks in NBA history. He was playing in Greece's second division at the time of his prospect status, but it was clearly one of the great gambles in the history of the league. Giannis is a two-time MVP, a Defensive Player of the Year, an NBA champion, and a Finals MVP. Of course, he's now in trade rumors, which could provide a return that sets the future of the franchise. He's going to be the gift that keeps on giving from the 2013 NBA Draft.

The players taken ahead of Giannis are an embarrassment of embarrassments. Anthony Bennett might be the worst first-overall pick of all time, especially when considering the current era. It was an insane pick by the Cavaliers at the time, and it only got worse with time. After that, it's not much better. It's a who's who of who's terrible. Meanwhile, one of the best players of this era was sitting there waiting to be drafted.

16. John Stockton, 1984 NBA Draft

John Stockton is one of the great point guards in the history of the league. His partnership with Karl Malone is probably the best long-time one-two punch that didn’t win an NBA Championship. That’s the issue with playing against Michael Jordan for so long. Stockton became of the best passers in the league, setting up a Utah Jazz team looking to compete on a yearly basis. Stockton made all his teammates better.

His stats speak for themselves, with 10 All-Star appearances, two first-team All-NBA honors, and two NBA Finals appearances. He’s led the league in assists nine times and steals twice. Not bad for a member of the Gonzaga Bulldogs, before that was considered a top college in basketball. 

17. Jermaine O'Neal, 1996 NBA Draft

It is crazy how quickly things fall off here. We literally go from John Stockton, one of the best point guards of all time and a sure-fire Hall of Famer, to Jermaine O’Neal, someone who has never sniffed Springfield. Now, we know this sounds cruel, but we didn’t think we could write about this without pointing out the level of career drop from 16 to 17. That said, O’Neal had himself a really good career.

O’Neal is a six-time All-Star, scored 13,000 points and finished his career with more than 7,200 rebounds. He was great for the Indiana Pacers, who many thought should have won a championship. Of course, the Malice at the Palace threw everything off for that team, but O’Neal was considered one of the best forwards in the league for a few years. 

18. Eric Bledsoe, 2009 NBA Draft

For some reason, picking 18th overall hasn’t produced much of anything in the NBA Draft. This century, we’re looking at names like Ty Lawson, David West, and JR Smith. These are fine complimentary players, as is Eric Bledsoe. He was a fine player for some teams and had a decent prime. He was drafted by the Clippers, but he was immediately stapled to the bench when they acquired Chris Paul. They traded him to the Phoenix Suns, and that’s when his career took off. 

Bledsoe became one of the best defensive guards in the league and had a few seasons over 20 points per game. He was a true two-way contributor. He even made the All-Defensive first team in 2019 and the second team in 2020. Bledsoe was hoping to be a key piece to a contender, but his Suns teams did not make the playoffs. He did get a chance to play in the playoffs at the tail end of his prime with the Milwaukee Bucks, but he never made it to the Finals. 

19. Zach Randolph, 2001 NBA Draft

Zach Randolph played everywhere and seemed to make a huge impact wherever he was playing. He was never a huge playoff contributor, breaking 20 points per game five times in his career. In his third NBA season, he was named the league’s Most Improved Player. He was doing this while breaking 10 rebounds nine times in his career. His numbers are pretty staggering. 

Coming into the draft, Randolph was chastised for his weight, and that’s probably why he fell. He spent a few years getting into game shape, mostly sitting on the bench for two years in Portland. Once he hit the floor, he was a great stat accumulator. 

20. Larry Nance, 1981 NBA Draft

Larry Nance was one of the great draft steals of the 1980s. Selected by the Phoenix Suns in the 1981 NBA Draft, he became a three-time All-Star, three-time All-Defensive Team selection (once a first-team and twice a second-team), and averaged 17.1 points and 8.0 rebounds for his career. He finished second in his draft class with 109.6 career Win Shares, second only to Buck Williams and ahead of Isaiah Thomas. We’re not saying he’s better than the Pistons’ great, but he has this one stat ahead of him.

Several lottery selections underperformed relative to Nance. Picks like Al Wood, Danny Vranes, and Albert King were far less impactful. Meanwhile, Nance retired with 15,000 points and 7,000 rebounds. He was one of the great aerial players in the league at the time, proven with his Slam Dunk Contest win in 1984. 

21. Rajon Rondo, 2006 NBA Draft

It’s so hard to put into so few words the career of Rajon Rondo. He had more eras than Taylor Swift. There was a time he was considered the most underrated player in the league, making an absolute impact with the Boston Celtics despite being surrounded by stars. Then, he started to exhibit star-like behavior, and his career started to… travel. 

The 2006 draft was a weird one, as Rondo was the first point guard taken, and he didn’t make the top 20. There were no All-Stars from pick six (Brandon Roy) to Rondo. There were some good names there, like Rudy Gay and JJ Reddick, but there was more bad than good. Rondo was mostly good during his NBA career, becoming one of the better two-way guards in the NBA.

22. Reggie Lewis, 1987 NBA Draft

This is the first choice where we’re talking about some pretty hard choices at a pick; not because there are too many choices but because there are not enough. There are some picks like Jarrett Allen and Mason Plumlee, but nobody is telling you those names are considered greats. So, we went with a player who was supposed to be great before tragedy hit. 

Reggie Lewis was building a career as the next era of Celtics basketball.  Larry Bird was fighting through back injuries at this point, and the rest of the core was getting up there in age. Lewis brought youth to a roster desperate for it. He took over as captain after Bird retired. He had more than 20 points per game in his last two seasons. In April 1993, Lewis collapsed on the court in a playoff game against the Hornets. He went to doctors about a heart issue, which unfortunately took his life during a workout just a few months later. 

23. Alex English, 1976 NBA Draft

When people talk about the greatest draft steals in NBA history, Alex English doesn’t always come up, but he deserves to be part of the conversation. He was selected 23rd overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1976 NBA Draft. No one expected him to become one of the best scorers in the league

English started his career with the Bucks and later played for the Indiana Pacers, but he finally broke out with the Denver Nuggets. He relied on smooth shooting and smart movement to put up points and became one of the NBA's most reliable offensive players. Did you know that English scored more points than any other player in the 1980s? English was one of the great scorers, and it’s crazy he isn’t discussed more than he is at this point. 

24. Kyle Lowry, 2006 NBA Draft

We hear about players like Chris Paul and LeBron James, and we’re surprised they’ve been in the league as long as they have. Both players are superstars, and their incredible talent is the reason they are still in the league. Then, there’s Kyle Lowry. He’s definitely a star, but was he ever a superstar? How surprised are you to see that he’s been in the league for 20 years and is still technically active?

Because he’s been in the league for so long, Lowry is now passing some absolute legends in all-time points. Recently, he passed Pete Maravich, Stephon Marbury, and James Worthy. Lowry had a decent peak, making six All-Star teams in a row from 2015 to 2020. He is one of the best players in the history of the Toronto Raptors, and he’s spent the last three seasons acting as a veteran presence on the Philadelphia 76ers. A 20-year career is not bad for a former 24th-overall pick.

25. Mark Price, 1986 NBA Draft

Mark Price is a name that often gets overlooked. That started with his draft, where he was selected 25th overall by the Dallas Mavericks before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Right away, he was overlooked. As a late first-round pick, Price was not expected to become one of the best point guards of his era, but that's exactly what happened. Once again, he outdid his expectations.

Price is one of those players who played in the wrong era. He was the king of the early pick-and-roll offense, something that wasn’t nearly as common as it is now. Still, he did so much on the court every night for the Cavs that he grew his star power for a non-traditional franchise. He was a three-point shooter who hit more than 90% of his free throws. Seriously, this would be a $50 million player today.

26. Vlade Divac, 1989 NBA Draft

Vlade Divac had such an interesting career. He was kind of a star with the Los Angeles Lakers; his popularity skyrocketed when he joined the Sacramento Kings. Now, we have to admit, we’re grading on a curve here. Divac made one All-Star Game in his career and never finished on any All-NBA team, but being a contributing player on this era of Kings team was something. 

He was the extra piece on the Kings team that was probably the best they’ve ever had,led by Mike Bibby and Chris Webber, and the way things are going, that is the best they will ever be. Divac had a few good seasons, like his 16 points and 10 rebounds per game in 1998-99. He’ll always be remembered as the complementary player on those great Kings teams.

27. Dennis Rodman, 1986 NBA Draft

Dennis Rodman is one of the wildest characters in the history of sports. That’s the understatement of the century, but his wild characteristics actually had many of us forgetting how great he was as a basketball player. Coming into the draft, he was an undersized player who didn’t score. And we have to imagine the interview process was insane, so that likely didn’t help his draft stock.

Yet, when he got into the league, he became possibly the greatest rebounder in the history of basketball. Rodman finished his career with just under 12,000 rebounds in the regular season and another 1,600 in the playoffs. He won five championships: two with the Bad Boy Pistons and three with the second half of the Jordan Dynasty. 

28. Tony Parker, 2001 NBA Draft

The San Antonio Spurs built a dynasty on the heels of Tim Duncan, but it was big to keep getting late draft wins. There might be a few other options still on this list, but getting a superstar point guard at the end of the first round is dirty business. Tony Parker became a six-time All-Star and got MVP votes on seven different occassions. He even finished in the top five in 2012. 

Of course, Parker contributed to four championship teams in San Antonio. He even won Finals MVP in 2007. That season, he had just under 21 points per game and a tick under six assists per game. He averaged a little more than 24 points per game in the four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a microcosm of his impact on the Spurs. And it showed just how great this draft pick was. 

29. Dennis Johnson, 1976 NBA Draft

Dennis Johnson developed into one of the most complete guards in NBA history. Technically selected in the second round of the 1976 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, Johnson quickly exceeded expectations and became a cornerstone of the franchise. A true two-way forward with elite defense, his ability to perform in crucial moments is what made him a star.

Johnson helped lead Seattle to its only NBA championship in 1979 and was named NBA Finals MVP. He was known for shutting down opposing stars while also contributing offensively as a scorer and playmaker. Throughout his career, he earned nine NBA All-Defensive Team selections, making it known he was part of the elite defensive class.

30. Jimmy Butler, 2011 NBA Draft

There are plenty of stars in this era of basketball. LeBron James is the generational great. Kevin Durant is the talent that’s beyond belief. Victor Wembanyama is a physical freak who appears unstoppable. James Harden is a scoring machine. Russell Westbrook is the ultimate five-tool player. How do we judge Jimmy Butler? Well, he’s a winner.

Butler isn’t the most talented player in the league, but he might be the scariest one to see in the postseason. Especially during his run with the Miami Heat, Butler has been able to make the most of his opportunities. Since joining the Heat in 2019, Butler was the best player on two NBA Finals teams, both of which included major upsets along the way. We can talk about his resume and how many All-Star Games he made, but his legend was built in the playoffs. 

31. Gilbert Arenas, 2001 NBA Draft

The Gilbert Arenas experience was a roller coaster, but not always in a negative way. There were highs that were truly exasperating. He brought the Washington Wizards to heights that even Michael Jordan couldn’t. However, his height was very short-lived. He averaged 29.3 points in 05-06 and 28.4 points in 06-07. Then, the injuries started and his off-the-court antics made it worse. He never played more than 32 games in a season for the Wizards again, eventually getting traded to the Orlando Magic in 2010. He was out of the league by 2012. 

32. Rashard Lewis, 1998 NBA Draft

Of course, we’re into the second round now, and the picks should be few and far between, but if you don’t remember Rashard Lewis, he was a sharpshooter by the truest sense of the word. Some second rounders don’t even make it past training camp. Lewis played as a specialist for 16 years. The former Mr. Basketball USA became a two-time All-Star and won a championship with the 2013 Miami Heat. 

33. Jalen Brunson, 2018 NBA Draft

This might seem early, but Jalen Brunson is well on his way to a Hall of Fame career. When he joined the New York Knicks, many thought he would be a complement to what they were building. Instead, he put himself in the conversation for best guards in the NBA, and he took the Knicks from the laughing stock in all of sports to a true contender. He is now a legend in New York, possibly as the biggest star in the biggest sports city in the world. In 2026, he took another step forward, and he broke the Knicks' championship drought. Nobody else in history can claim to do something like that. 

34. Norm Van Lier, 1969 NBA Draft

There are a few amazing Chicago Bulls picks in the history of that franchise, and nobody is going to compare Norman Van Lier to the top of the top, but getting him in 1969 as the 34th-overall pick is insane. He was a bulldog on the court. He had all the skill of a scoring and distributor, but he chose to utilize his package of talent to disrupt everything the other team was trying to do. He was a three-time All-Star and was selected to eight NBA All-Defensive Teams. He was a Bulls fan favorite prior to their very best eras. 

35. Draymond Green, 2012 NBA Draft

Draymond Green is a controversial figure in the NBA world and his value has been known to be varied based on the analyst you speak with, but there’s no doubt that a budding dynasty getting a borderline Hall of Famer in the second round is massive. Green was drafted in 2012 and is still contributing today. He was a great defensive player who brought grit and determination to a team that became a dynasty. 

36. Malcolm Brogdon, 2016 NBA Draft

Malcolm Brogdon spent four years at the University of Virginia, becoming one of the older draft picks in 2016. Many questioned whether he had the athletic profile to succeed in the NBA. Boy, were those analysts wrong. Brogdon immediately averaged double-digits in scoring and played multiple positions on both sides of the court. He became just the second player in NBA history to win Rookie of the Year after being taken in the second round. Since then, he’s been a contributor around the league, including winning Sixth Man of the Year for the Celtics in 2023.

38. Chandler Parsons, 2014 NBA Draft

Listen, this looks bad for us, but the 38th overall pick is bad. Like, Spencer Dimwittie is in the conversation, bad. The only All-Star to come from this selection is Turkish player Mehmet Okur. Chandler Parsons at least had a few seasons where he was a good contributor for a few teams. He gets the nod here for standing out above the rest. 

39. Khris Middleton, 2012 NBA Draft

Back to our regularly scheduled programming, Khris Middleton had stretches where he was legitimately a great basketball player. Not bad for a guy who was a forgotten part of the Brandon Jennings trade to the Pistons. Middleton felt like a throw in after an unsuccessful rookie season, but he became one of the better number twos in the league. He helped the Bucks win the NBA Championship in 2021, and he even won a gold medal that same year.

40. Monta Ellis, 2005 NBA Draft

Monta Ellis’s legacy is interesting, since he was the odd-man out on the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty. Ellis was there when they draft Steph Curry in 2009. They built the backcourt for parts of three seasons before Ellis was traded to the Bucks in 2012. Three years later, the Warriors dynasty began. However, Ellis was a really good player for a couple years there. He was a small but dynamic scorer who held his own in big games. 

41. Nikola Jokić, 2014 NBA Draft

The Denver Nuggets made the greatest draft pick in the history of the league when they took Nikola Jokic, now considered a top-three player in the NBA today. He brought a championship to Denver, and he’s that team’s one advantage in a stacked Western Conference. His list of accomplishments is so long. He’s a three-time MVP, a Finals MVP, an eight-time All-Star, a six-time All-NBA first team, and he was just the assists and rebounds leader in the NBA in 2026. Jokic is going to go down as one of the best players ever, and the Nuggets got him at a draft pick that doesn’t always make it past Summer League. 

42. Stephen Jackson, 1997 NBA Draft

Stephen Jackson was a dog of a basketball player in his era. He could get under the skin of a player like few on the court. He was drafted in 1997, but he didn’t make the league until after we all survived Y2K. Jackson played in Australia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic before clawing his way back to the NBA. Now, he had some issues during his career, highlighted by the Malace at the Palace, but he was a key contributor to multiple teams, including the 2003 champion Spurs.

43. Michael Redd, 2000 NBA Draft

When you think of NBA one-hit wonders, Michael Redd might be the top of the list. Out of nowhere, he took over the league. In 2006-07, he averaged more than 26 points per game and broke the Bucks record for most points scored in a single game with 57 points against the Jazz. Then, in 2009, he tore his ACL and MCL, and his career was never the same. He needed the explosiveness that became a part of his game to be successful, and he can’t make a comeback because he tore his ACL and MCL again a year later. That was pretty much it for Redd.

44. Brian Cardinal, 2000 NBA Draft

So, what is the best part of Brian Cardinal’s career? Um… we’re not going to lie… this isn’t a good choice, but there are no good choices at 44th overall. We’re not going to waste a lot of time here. He did win a ring with the 2011 Mavericks. But a guy averaging four points per game over his career being the “best” isn’t much to call home about. 

45. Antonio Davis, 1990 NBA Draft

This one comes down to two and is one of the better arguments in the second round. Antonio Davis and Goran Dragic come down to preference. We’re going with Davis just because of his defensive intensity. He was stability and structure for teams in the 1990s and early 2000s. Interestingly, the Pacers drafted him in 1990, and he didn’t play with them until 1993. After a long career, he finally made an All-Star Game in 2001. 

46. Jeff Hornacek, 1986 NBA Draft

As time went by, Jeff Hornacek became a bigger and bigger part of the Phoenix Suns' success. He was eventually a third option on a playoff team, which is pretty good for this draft pick. He even made an All-Star Game in 1991 after averaging 20 points for the season. Then, he became one of the biggest pieces in the Charles Barkley trade from the 76ers to the Suns. 

47. Paul Millsap, 2006 NBA Draft

There’s really no doubt who is the pick here. Paul Millsap is a four-time All-Star and was a key starter on multiple playoff teams. He was a decent defensive player and averaged more than 13 points per game over his career. He was a double-double machine oftentimes, putting up great rebounding numbers throughout his career. 

48. Marc Gasol, 2007 NBA Draft

Marc Gasol had one of the wildest runs in NBA history. He was one of the few players to ever get traded for his brother, with the Memphis Grizzlies shrewdly demanding him in return for Pau Gasol in the trade to the Lakers. Gason became one of the best centers in the league. He was an All-NBA first-team in 2015, and he won the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year Award. In 2019, he was traded to the Toronto Raptors, and he won a championship alongside Kawhi Leonard. 

49. Eddie Johnson, 1977 NBA Draft

Eddie Johnson lifted the Atlanta Hawks up during a period where they had trouble making it happen. When he joined the Hawks, they hadn’t made the playoffs in four seasons. During his tenure, they made it in six of eight seasons. He made two All-Star Games, and he was even a second-team all-defense in 1979 and 1980. Unfortunately, Johnson’s career was derailed by his own decisions, he was kicked out of the league, and he passed away in prison. It was a terrible end to a talented life. 

50. Steve Kerr, 1988 NBA Draft

Steve Kerr is known today as one of the greatest coaches to ever live. The driver of the Warriors’ dynasty, Kerr has four championships to his name. Well, four championships as a coach. As a player, Kerr was a ring bearer. The sharpshooter played a key role on the dynasty Bulls and the superstar Spurs. He retired as one of the great three-point shooters in league history, and he went on to coach the greatest three-point shooter of all time in Steph Curry.

51. Kyle Korver, 2003 NBA Draft

Kyle Korver was one of the better complementary players in the NBA. He played 1,300 games and scored more than 13,000 points. His accolades aren’t crazy because of the role he played, making just one All-Star Game, but teams wanted to keep him as part of their crew. He was another great shooter, leading the league in three-point shooting multiple times. 

52. Toumani Camara, 2023 NBA Draft

There are no All-Stars ever chosen at 52nd-overall. When we’re looking at options like Donald Royal and Steve Kuberski, we can do a little projection with this pick. Toumani Camara only has a few years in the league, but he’s already made an All-Defense second-team and could be a great player once the Portland Trail Blazers become contenders again.

53. Anthony Mason, 1988 NBA Draft

Anthony Mason had a really solid career. And it built in an interesting way. He made one All-Star Game in his career, and it came 13 years in. Prior to that appearance in 2001, he was an NBA Comeback Player of the Year (1995) and made the All-NBA Third Team (1997). He finished his career with more than 9,000 points and 7,000 rebounds. He was a solid player with a solid career. 

54. Sam Mitchell, 1985 NBA Draft

There isn’t much of an argument because this pick is bad, and this is the theme now that we are in the 50s. After he was drafted in 1985, he clawed his way into the league, playing on teams like the Tampa Bay Flash and Rapid City Thrillers. He finally made the league in 1989 and scored just under 9,000 points and had some highs, including scoring 17 points per game in his first 28 games of his career.

55. Patty Mills, 2009 NBA Draft

Patty Mills had a really fun run with the San Antonio Spurs and even won a championship in 2014. In that series, he scored 14 points in the third quarter of Game 5 against the Miami Heat. The last time the “dream team” Heat played in the Finals together, they were dispatched by a superstar effort by Patty Mills. He had a decent career around that performance, but a 55th-overall pick clinching a championship against LeBron James in his prime is something worth talking about. 

56. Luis Scola, 2002 NBA Draft

After a really good European career, Luis Scola had a decent NBA run. However, his biggest contribution to basketball is when he helped Argentina win a gold medal in 2004. In a low point for USA basketball, Scola was able secure the top prize in sports. The 6’9 forward was another great pick by the San Antonio Spurs and Greg Popovich.

57. Manu Ginobili, 1999 NBA Draft

The San Antonio Spurs beat the New York Knicks in the 1999 NBA Finals. It was their first title, which has become one of many. And the reason they were able to continue this trend, in part, was because of who they drafted right after they won. Manu Ginobili came to the NBA out of Argentina. He’s one of two players ever to win a EuroLeague title, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. He played basketball for more than two decades, and he runs away with best 57th-overall pick of all time.

58. Kurt Rambis, 1980 NBA Draft

Kurt Rambis is known today as a head coach who brought the Lakers a championship as an assistant, but he was an underrated winner during his playing career. He was on four different championship teams for the Lakers. First, let’s talk about his draft. The Knicks selected him 58th, but they waived him. He went to Greece, and he won a championship there. Wherever Rambis went, he won. He eventually signed as a free agent with the Lakers, and he became a part of their next dynasty.

59. Pat Cummings, 1978 NBA Draft

Pat Cummings has an interesting story. The Milwaukee Bucks drafted him before he was ready to join the NBA, so he went back to college while the Bucks retained his rights. He obviously didn’t have as good a career, but he was a really good player for going so late in the draft. He averaged north of 15 points in 1984-85 and 1985-86 for the New York Knicks. Unfortunately, foot problems really ended his effectiveness, and he was a bench player for most of the rest of his career. 

60. Isaiah Thomas, 2011 NBA Draft

Last, but certainly not least, Isaiah Thomas was such a fun player when he was at his peak. He was a revelation for a very bad Sacramento Kings team, but because they were so bad, he was constantly in trade rumors. He was finally moved in a sign-and-trade with the Suns, who then traded him to the Boston Celtics one year later. There, he became a fan favorite and a star. He played through insane injuries to lift the Celtics back to playoff contention. He was an All-Star both his seasons in Boston, but in a shrewd move, they let him go after he suffered a hip injury. Despite his short time in Boston, he was a superstar and one of the biggest fan favorites in recent Celtics history.

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