And the #1 Pick of the NBA Draft Goes To...
Written by Ben Pogany
It feels like I’ve barely recovered from the hangover of the game 7, and here comes the NBA draft, beckoning me for another round. And as difficult as it is to get down, perhaps a bit of the hair of the dog that bit me is exactly when I need right now. Because what is the NBA draft if not hope for a better tomorrow? Washington knows it. Philadelphia knows it. New Jersey and their bazillion dollar owner know it.
There are few sure things in the world of sports, even less so when those things are teenagers (see: Kwame Brown). Call me crazy, but 2010 feels a little more assured. Between John Wall, Evan Turner, and Derrick Favors, its seems as if the league will be gaining some truly special talent this time around.
Here’s a look at the 25 “can’t miss” #1 picks who turned out to be exactly that.
- Magic Johnson ('79)
- Lou Alcindor ('69)
- Shaquille O'Neal ('92)
- Oscar Robinson ('60)
- Lebron James ('03)
- Hakeem Olajuwon ('84)
- Tim Duncan ('97)
- Elgin Baylor ('68)
- David Robinson ('87)
- Patrick Ewing ('85)
- Allen Iverson ('96)
- James Worthy ('82)
- Bill Walton ('74)
- David Thompson ('75)
- Elvin Haynes ('68)
- Walt Bellamy ('61)
- Bob Lanier ('70)
- Ralph Sampson ('83)
- Dwight Howard ('04)
- Danny Manning ('88)
- Larry Johnson ('91)
- Brad Daugherty ('86)
- Derrick Coleman ('90)
- Yao Ming ('02)
- Elton Brand ('99)
