PRESENTED BY
Anthony Chiusano | NCAA.com | June 27, 2024
March Madness highlights of NBA No. 1 overall picks from 1958-2022
With Paolo Banchero's selection in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic at No. 1, Duke now boasts five top overall picks in draft history (since 1947) — the most of any NCAA school.
Banchero joins Zion Williamson (2019), Kyrie Irving (2011), Elton Brand (1999) and Art Heyman (1963) as Blue Devils to hear their names called to start off draft night.
After Duke, Kentucky has the next most top picks with three —Karl Anthony-Towns (2015), Anthony Davis (2012) and John Wall (2010).
📊 DRAFT DATA:College basketball schools with the most NBA 1st-round draft picks, all time
The Cleveland Cavaliers have selected first overall a league-high six times, most recently selecting Andrew Wiggins out of Kansas in 2014. The Cavs have also taken Anthony Bennett out of UNLV (2013), Irving (2011), LeBron James from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (2003),Brad Daugherty of UNC (1986) and Austin Carr of Notre Dame (1971).
See the full history of No. 1 overall picks in the NBA Draft since 1947 below:
| DRAFT YEAR | NBA TEAM | PLAYER | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Atlanta Hawks | Zaccharie Risacher | N/A (France) |
| 2023 | San Antonio Spurs | Victor Wembanyama | N/A (France) |
| 2022 | Orlando Magic | Paolo Banchero | Duke |
| 2021 | Detroit Pistons | Cade Cunningham | Oklahoma State |
| 2020 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Anthony Edwards | Georgia |
| 2019 | New Orleans Pelicans | Zion Williamson | Duke |
| 2018 | Phoenix Suns | DeAndre Ayton | Arizona |
| 2017 | Philadelphia 76ers | Markelle Fultz | Washington |
| 2016 | Philadelphia 76ers | Ben Simmons | LSU |
| 2015 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Karl Anthony-Towns | Kentucky |
| 2014 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Andrew Wiggins | Kansas |
| 2013 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Anthony Bennett | UNLV |
| 2012 | New Orleans Pelicans | Anthony Davis | Kentucky |
| 2011 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Kyrie Irving | Duke |
| 2010 | Washington Wizards | John Wall | Kentucky |
| 2009 | Los Angeles Clippers | Blake Griffin | Oklahoma |
| 2008 | Chicago Bulls | Derrick Rose | Memphis |
| 2007 | Portland Trail Blazers | Greg Oden | Ohio State |
| 2006 | Toronto Raptors | Andrea Bargnani | N/A (Italy) |
| 2005 | Milwaukee Bucks | Andrew Bogut | Utah |
| 2004 | Orlando Magic | Dwight Howard | N/A (High school) |
| 2003 | Cleveland Cavaliers | LeBron James | N/A (High school) |
| 2002 | Houston Rockets | Yao Ming | N/A (China) |
| 2001 | Washington Wizards | Kwame Brown | N/A (High school) |
| 2000 | New Jersey Nets | Kenyon Martin | Cincinnati |
| 1999 | Chicago Bulls | Elton Brand | Duke |
| 1998 | Los Angeles Clippers | Michael Olowokandi | Pacific |
| 1997 | San Antonio Spurs | Tim Duncan | Wake Forest |
| 1996 | Philadelphia 76ers | Allen Iverson | Georgetown |
| 1995 | Golden State Warriors | Joe Smith | Maryland |
| 1994 | Milwaukee Bucks | Glenn Robinson | Purdue |
| 1993 | Orlando Magic | Chris Webber | Michigan |
| 1992 | Orlando Magic | Shaquille O'Neal | LSU |
| 1991 | Charlotte Hornets | Larry Jackson | UNLV |
| 1990 | New Jersey Nets | Derrick Coleman | Syracuse |
| 1989 | Sacramento Kings | Pervis Ellison | Louisville |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Clippers | Danny Manning | Kansas |
| 1987 | San Antonio Spurs | David Robinson | Navy |
| 1986 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Brad Daugherty | North Carolina |
| 1985 | New York Knicks | Patrick Ewing | Georgetown |
| 1984 | Houston Rockets | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston |
| 1983 | Houston Rockets | Ralph Sampson | Virginia |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | James Worthy | North Carolina |
| 1981 | Dallas Mavericks | Mark Aguirre | DePaul |
| 1980 | Golden State Warriors | Joe Barry Carroll | Purdue |
| 1979 | Los Angeles Lakers | Magic Johnson | Michigan State |
| 1978 | Portland Trail Blazers | Mychal Thompson | Minnesota |
| 1977 | Milwaukee Bucks | Kent Benson | Indiana |
| 1976 | Houston Rockets | John Lucas | Maryland |
| 1975 | Atlanta Hawks | David Thompson | NC State |
| 1974 | Portland Trail Blazers | Bill Walton | UCLA |
| 1973 | Philadelphia 76ers | Doug Collins | Illinois State |
| 1972 | Portland Trail Blazers | LaRue Martin | Loyola Chicago |
| 1971 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Austin Carr | Notre Dame |
| 1970 | Detroit Pistons | Bob Lanier | St. Bonaventure |
| 1969 | Milwaukee Bucks | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | UCLA |
| 1968 | San Diego Rockets | Elvin Hayes | Houston |
| 1967 | Detroit Pistons | Jimmy Walker | Providence |
| 1966 | New York Knicks | Cazzie Russell | Michigan |
| 1965 | San Francisco Warriors | Fred Hetzel | Davidson |
| 1964 | New York Knicks | Jim Barnes | UTEP |
| 1963 | New York Knicks | Art Heyman | Duke |
| 1962 | Chicago Zephyrs | Bill McGill | Utah |
| 1961 | Chicago Packers | Walt Bellamy | Indiana |
| 1960 | Cincinnati Royals | Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati |
| 1959 | Cincinnati Royals | Bob Boozer | Kansas State |
| 1958 | Minneapolis Lakers | Elgin Baylor | Seattle |
| 1957 | Cincinnati Royals | Hot Rod Hundley | West Virginia |
| 1956 | Rochester Royals | Si Green | Duquesne |
| 1955 | Saint Louis Hawks | Dick Ricketts | Duquesne |
| 1954 | Baltimore Bullets | Frank Selvy | Furman |
| 1953 | Philadelphia Warriors | Ernie Beck | Pennsylvania |
| 1952 | Milwaukee Hawks | Mark Workman | West Virginia |
| 1951 | Baltimore Bullets | Gene Melchiorre | Bradley |
| 1950 | Boston Celtics | Chuck Share | Bowling Green |
| 1949 | Providence Steamrollers | Howie Shannon | Kansas State |
| 1948 | Providence Steamrollers | Andy Tonkovich | Marshall |
| 1947 | Pittsburgh Ironmen | Clifton McNeeley | UTEP |
COLLEGE BASKETBALL LEGENDS
1950s: Bill Russell| Jerry West| Oscar Robertson
1960s: Lew Alcindor | "Pistol" Pete Maravich | Jerry Lucas
1970s: Bill Walton | Magic Johnson | Larry Bird
1980s: Michael Jordan | Patrick Ewing | Charles Barkley
1990s: Christian Laettner| Tim Duncan
2000s: Carmelo Anthony | Steph Curry | Kevin Durant| Kemba Walker
2010s: Anthony Davis
Irma Garcia appointed to NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee
Manhattan Athletics Director Irma Garcia has been appointed to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee
READ MORE
These college basketball teams and conferences have the most NBA first-round draft picks
Kentucky, North Carolina and Duke are the college basketball teams with the most first-round picks in NBA draft history.
READ MORE
Where the 2024 U.S. Olympic men's 3x3 basketball team played in college
Four players will represent Team USA in Paris 2024 in the first men's 3x3 Olympic basketball team. Here are details on the college careers of each player.
READ MORE
March Madness
- 🗓️ 2024 March Madness schedule, dates
- 👀 Everything to know about March Madness
- ❓ How the field of 68 is picked
- 📓 College basketball dictionary: 51 terms defined
DI Men's Basketball News
- Irma Garcia appointed to NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee
- College basketball teams with the most NBA 1st-round draft picks
- Every NBA Draft No. 1 overall pick, and where they went to college
- Where the 2024 U.S. Olympic men's 3x3 basketball team played in college
- Top 12 college basketball transfers, ahead of the 2024-25 season
- These 7 men's basketball programs won big from the NBA draft withdrawal deadline
- Basketball icon, Hall of Fame legend Jerry West passes away at 86
- Stu Jackson appointed to NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee
- New Power 36 rankings after NBA draft early entry withdrawal deadline
- UCLA mourns the loss of Bill Walton
