Part 2 of Top 10 Overall Number One Draft Picks in NBA History

Welcome back to my rankings of the top 10 first overall picks in the history of the NBA draft. Last week I touched on my selection for picks 6-10. There have been a plethora of successful top draft choices and as you can see from picks 1-5, the pedigree just gets better and better with each choice. So without further ado, let's get right back into it.

Number 5

Elgin Baylor (Minneapolis Lakers) - 1958

Arguably one of the most exciting players to lace up a pair of shoes, Baylor revolutionized the game from the get go. The combination of shooting, rebounding and passing prowess made him one of the most dynamic players the NBA had ever seen as he played his 13 seasons with the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers. Of those 13 seasons he was selected to an astounding 11 all-star games. His stretch of dominance in the start of the 1960's was unprecedented (with the exception of Wilt Chamberlain) as he averaged almost 36 points per game including an unheard of 38.3 points per game in the 1961-62 season. He was a prolific scorer and retired as the third leading scorer in NBA history and was an easy choice to be elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame (1977). Baylor might not have been the flashiest number one pick of all time, but for an undersized forward he was able to become one of the best game-changers the league has ever seen.

Number 4

Shaquille O'Neal (Orlando Magic) - 1992

If you've seen a trend from this list, it's the dominating and revolutionary way that each player made their mark on the NBA. Shaq is no exception. There had not been a more imposing bib man that had entered the league when he was drafted in 1992. At 7 feet tall and over 300 pounds, Shaq was an unstoppable force from the moment he stepped on the floor. With earth shaking dunks and otherworldly defense, Shaq invoked fear into the opposing teams. When he teamed up with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, the league had its first dynasty of the 2000's as they ran off with three consecutive championships. Much to Kobe's chagrin Shaq was the focal point of the teams. He's won every award imaginable (15 all-star selections, MVP, rookie of the year, scoring champ) and every championship possible. Shaq has dominated the league since he was drafted and will surely be recognized as one of the greatest players in NBA history when it is all said and done.

Number 3

Lew Alcindor (Milwaukee Bucks) - 1969

Lew Alcindor (more commonly known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) is the most decorated player the NBA has ever seen. He holds the record for most career points (38,387), most all-star selections (19) and is in the top 10 in countless other categories. When the Bucks drafted him in 1969, the face of the NBA was changed forever. With a ruthless efficiency, Alcindor was able to compile points and due to his height and length, he was virtually unstoppable. 6 NBA titles, 6 MVP selections and one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History is evidence enough that Alcindor was one of the most prolific game changers to ever wear an NBA uniform. His reign of dominance and statistical achievement will likely never be challenged so it's safe to say that Alcindor could very well be the best player in NBA history, let alone the best first overall choice.

Number 2

Oscar Robertson (Cincinnati Royals) - 1960

Oscar Robertson nearly averaged a triple double for his career. Think about that again. His career average of 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists per game is one of the most remarkable statistics in all of sports. It is not hard to say that Robertson is the best guard that has ever played basketball. The skill that "The Big O" brought to the court was unlike any that the NBA had ever seen. His combination of size, speed, and athleticism was unprecedented and was what ultimately led him to dominate the league for so long. He could pass like a point guard, shoot like a gunner and rebound like a forward. There are other more decorated and statistically renowned players on this list, but his career averages and his 1961-62 season where he did in fact average a triple double for the entire season set him apart. No one before or since has even come close to this kind of versatility and control of the game. The Royals were apt to make Robertson the first pick in 1960.

Number 1

Earvin "Magic" Johnson (Los Angeles Lakers) - 1979

What to say about Magic. Kareem has more points, titles and MVPs, but he couldn't have been able to do it without Magic. Much like Robertson, Magic's combination of size and game management changed the way that the game was played. Teams drove themselves crazy developing game plans to stop Magic and his teams but he was a matchup nightmare. His passing ability has widely been recognized as the greatest the NBA has ever seen and he revolutionized the way to control a game and find the open man. The Lakers and the NBA were stagnant before Magic was drafted. After he entered the NBA, the face, style of play and skill level of the league would never be the same. There are other more recognized players on this list, but Magic made the league his own and forever changed the way that the NBA operated the way the greatest number one overall draft pick in NBA history should.

Works Cited:

All data and statistics from www.basketball-reference.com