
NBA Rankings: The League's No. 1 Draft Picks Since 2000
Every year there is a lot of pressure on the No. 1 overall draft pick in any sport. The NBA is no exception. Some No. 1 picks have been game changers, others have been solid, but not spectacular players and some have been complete busts. The follow is a ranking of the 11 players who have gone No. 1 overall since 2000.
No. 11 Kwame Brown 2001 Washington Wizards
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Kwame Brown has been one of the biggest busts in the history of the draft. He's still getting a paycheck in the NBA, but is nothing more than a mediocre backup center at best. Over his career he has averaged 6 points and 5 rebounds a game.
No. 10 Greg Oden, 2007 Portland Trail Blazers
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Bad luck has struck Portland twice. After selecting Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan in perhaps the biggest mistake in draft history, the Trail Blazers took Oden over Kevin Durant.
Oden has been almost a replica of Bowie. He has talent, but has been hurt so much he hasn't had a chance to show his true value. Because of his injury situation Oden has to be labeled a bust.
No. 9 Kenyon Martin, 2000 New Jersey Nets
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Martin has had a solid, but not spectacular career that is starting to wind down. Now with the Denver Nuggets, Martin has averaged more than 13 points and seven rebounds a game over his career.
No. 8 Andrew Bogut, 2005 Milwaukee Bucks
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Bogut has turned out to be a solid center, but not someone worthy of a No. 1 pick. Bogut has averaged more than 12 points and nine rebounds a game over his career.
No. 7 Andrea Bargnani, 2006 Toronto Raptors
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Bargnani is not a franchise player, but has shown steady progress throughout his career to the point to where he could become an All-Star. Averaging over 21 points a game this season, he has upped his game now that Chris Bosh has left for Miami.
No. 6 John Wall, 2010 Washington Wizards
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Wall has had some ups and downs as a rookie. But he appears to be headed toward a long career that should include several trips to the All-Star game.
No. 5 Yao Ming, 2002 Houston Rockets
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Even though injuries have plagued Yao, he is a six-time All-Star and has averaged 19 points and nine rebounds a game over his career.
No. 4 Derrick Rose, 2008, Chicago Bulls
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Now in his third year Rose is one of the best players in the NBA and is showing everyone that he was deserving of being the No. 1 pick after just one season at Memphis. He figures to have many All-Star games ahead of him.
No. 3 Dwight Howard, 2004 Orlando Magic
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Howard is an absolute freak of nature. Although he may not have the greatest basketball skills, Howard is certainly one of the best athletes to ever player in the NBA. Howard's leaping ability has made it difficult for opponents to shoot the ball. No fan will ever get bored watching Howard play.
Howard will be playing in his fifth All-Star game this year. He has averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds a game over the length of his career.
No. 2 Blake Griffin, 2009 Los Angeles Clippers
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The Clippers had to wait an extra year to get Griffin due to an injury that wiped out what would have been his rookie year. But Griffin has been worth the wait. He is already one of the best players in the league, averaging more than 22 points and 12 rebounds a game. Griffin only figures to get better and might be the most popular player in Los Angeles.
No. 1 LeBron James, 2003 Cleveland Cavaliers
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James is everything you can want in a player as he can play any position on the court. He is Magic Johnson's versatility, Michael Jordan's quickness and Karl Malone's strength all packaged into one. One of the game's greats, James now needs to start winning some rings if he wants to be mentioned as one of the best ever.









