10 Most Underrated No. 1 NBA Draft Picks of All Time

Say what you want about players with big contracts or those approaching a key milestone.  The player in the NBA that is under the most pressure each season is the one taken with the first overall pick in the most recent NBA draft.  Some of these men go on to have successful NBA careers and become fan favorites, while others are first-class busts and are out of the NBA fairly quickly.

Former No. 1 picks that most fans know today include Derrick Rose, John Wall and future Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal.

However, throughout NBA history, there have been many No. 1 picks who have enjoyed moderate to great success in the league, yet fans seem to forget about them.  One name that comes to mind is Andrew Bogut, who was taken No. 1 by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2005.  Sure, his NBA career has been limited by injuries, but there is no denying that he is a tough presence on both sides of the court when healthy.  Last season, he led the NBA in blocked shots.

Here are 10 former No. 1 picks throughout NBA history, Bogut included, who just don't seem to get enough respect.

No. 10: Joe Barry Carroll

Nicknamed "Joe Barely Cares" for his sometimes slow play on the court and strained relationship with the media, Joe Barry Carroll was taken out of Purdue University with the first pick by the Golden State Warriors in 1980.  A 7'0", 225 pound center, he became a starter immediately.

In his rookie season, Carroll averaged 18.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.  Two seasons later, he reached his career high when he averaged 24.1 points per game.  He spent six-and-a-half years with the Warriors and had good to average high scoring numbers with decent rebounding stats as well.  On paper, his season by season stats remind me of Amar'e Stoudemire.

Carroll's production dropped when he was traded from Golden State to the Houston Rockets in 1987.  He then spent time with the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns before retiring in 1991 at age 32.  For his career, he averaged 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds.

He is not the best No. 1 pick of all time by any means, but he isn't the worst either.  With an All-Star appearance under his belt and respectable numbers posted in the first half of his career, Carroll is the perfect man to kick off this list.

No. 9: Andrew Bogut

Even though he was taken with the first overall pick in 2005, many would say that Andrew Bogut has not lived up to expectations.  I can see the argument, but let's not forget that Bogut has missed time due to injury in four of his six seasons.  Also, with the exception of Chris Paul and Deron Williams, the 2005 NBA draft class was pretty weak.

Still, Bogut has managed to be an effective center in the NBA.  For the past three seasons, despite being injured in each one, the former University of Utah star has averaged 13.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and two blocks per game.  Last season, he led the league in blocked shots.

He has never been to an All-Star Game and is not averaging as many points per game as he was in college, but Bogut has adapted well enough to the NBA that he is a valuable contributor on his team.  He may not have the electrifying statistics expected of a No. 1 pick, but he easily has the heart of one.

No. 8: Doug Collins

Fans today may know him as the man who coached the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards and currently the Philadelphia 76ers.  However, a lot of people don't know that Doug Collins was the first overall pick in the 1973 draft, selected out of Illinois State University by the very team he coaches now.

Injuries limited Collins to just eight seasons but in that short period of time, he established himself as one of the league's most accurate shooters.  Upon being inserted into the starting lineup his second season, Collins averaged 17.9 points per game.

Versatility wasn't Collins' strong point, as his game was limited beyond his shooting ability.  However, when he retired, his career field-goal percentage was an incredible 50 percent.  On top of that, he played in four All-Star games.

He may be better known as a coach, but the playing days of Doug Collins should be remembered as well.

No. 7: Brad Daugherty

A product of the University of North Carolina, the Cleveland Cavaliers took Brad Daugherty with the No. 1 pick in 1986.  Back problems limited him to eight seasons and forced him to retire at age 28, but it's no secret that the man made the most of his time in the NBA.

For three of his eight seasons, Daugherty averaged over 20 points and over 10 rebounds per game.  He finished with career averages of 19 points and 9.5 rebounds.

More importantly, Daugherty was a five-time All-Star.  He may have played for a small market team, but the seven-footer was one of the game's better centers in his prime. 

After retiring, he walked away from basketball and today is a NASCAR analyst for ESPN.  Outside of Cleveland, not many people remember this man.  Considering his career accomplishments, it is time for Brad Daugherty to get his due notice here.

No. 6: Mark Aguirre

Mark Aguirre was drafted out of DePaul University by the Dallas Mavericks in 1981 and made an immediate impact as a rookie despite playing in just 51 games.  In his first NBA season, Aguirre averaged 18.7 points.  He became a starter for the next six-and-a-half years and averaged 23 points per game before being traded to the Detroit Pistons in 1989.  With Dallas, he made three All-Star teams.

After joining Detroit, Aguirre was relegated to a bench role.  Despite winning two championships with the Pistons, he just did not look like the same player.  He joined the Los Angeles Clippers in 1993 and retired following his one and only season there.

He may have been a small fish in a big pond during the prime of his career, but it cannot be denied that Aguirre was easily one of the best shooters of his generation.

No. 5: Glenn Robinson

Nicknamed "Big Dog," Glenn Robinson was a star at Purdue before being taken No. 1 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1994.  He made an immediate impact, averaging 21.9 points and 6.4 rebounds his rookie season.  Naturally, he made the NBA All-Rookie Team.  Yet, regarding No. 1 picks, Robinson tends to fall under the radar.

While he was an extremely effective player, averaging 20 points or better for eight of his 11 seasons, Robinson was slowed down by injuries for most of his career and thus never really stood out.  He only appeared in two All-Star Games and won a championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005, his final season.

It is another classic case of injuries prematurely derailing a player's career, but that doesn't mean that Robinson should go unnoticed.  He was an integral member of the Milwaukee Bucks squads of the 1990s and despite his rapid decline, Robinson still deserves the due respect any No. 1 pick should receive.

No. 4: Chris Webber

If someone were to make a list of greatest players never to win an NBA championship, Chris Webber would be pretty damn close to the top.  In a career that lasted 15 seasons, the former Michigan Wolverine averaged 20.7 points and and 9.8 rebounds per game.  He made it to the Western Conference Finals once, but his teams just never seemed to have enough to make that final push.

Still, Webber's name is one that gets lost among the No. 1 picks like Allen Iverson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (drafted as Lew Alcindor).  This was a man who not only was a great post player, but also a superb passer for someone who stood 6'10".  I remember him being a triple-double machine in his time with the Kings.

Knee problems eventually forced Webber to have microfracture surgery in 2003 and he was never the same for the remainder of his career despite putting up similar numbers.

He may not be one of the best to ever play the game, but Chris Webber was the rare type of No. 1 pick who immediately lived up to expectations.

No. 3: Walt Bellamy

One of the first dominant big men of the game, Walt Bellamy was taken by the Chicago Packers with the first pick in the 1961 draft.  He immediately made an impact, averaging 31.6 points and 19 rebounds per game on his way to winning Rookie of the Year.  Bellamy would go on to spend time with five more teams over the course of his 14-year career and upon retirement, he had career averages of 20.1 points and 13.7 rebounds.

While he was one of the greatest centers to ever play the game and was recognized for his efforts by being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Bellamy's name seems to get lost in the shuffle today.  People forget that the man played in four All-Star games and was a frighteningly good rebounder in his prime.

He may have never won a championship, but Bellamy deserves his due credit among the No. 1 draft picks.

No. 2: Bob Lanier

Although most probably remember him for his size 22 feet, Bob Lanier was easily one of the best centers of his time.  Selected first overall by the Detroit Pistons in 1970, Lanier played in eight All-Star games and was easily one of the most dominant centers of his generation.

Simply put, this man was just a beast.  Of his 14 seasons, he averaged over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game in seven of them.  Keep in mind, Lanier was in his prime before the three-point shot was adopted by the NBA.  That means that for a good stretch of his career, he was the go-to guy on offense.  In today's game, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds on a season is extremely rare.

For his career, Lanier averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds.  As successful as he was, the only fan bases that seem to remember him proudly are those of the Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks, the latter with whom he finished his career.  He may have never won an NBA championship, but Lanier's efforts on the floor certainly mirrored those expected of a No. 1 pick.

No. 1: Elvin Hayes

Sometime last year, my dad and I were discussing basketball, as we do frequently.  The topic of conversation came to the game's greatest centers and I of course started talking about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.  My dad then said, "Forget him.  Elvin Hayes was the greatest."

I'm not going to get into the debate that followed but in looking at Hayes's career numbers, naming him the best center of all time is an argument that certainly holds a lot of water.  The San Diego (now Houston) Rockets drafted him first overall in 1968 and he immediately put up electrifying numbers.  In his rookie season, the 6'9", 235 pound center averaged an astounding 28.4 points per game along with 17.1 rebounds.

He spent four seasons with the Rockets before being traded to the Baltimore Bullets, with whom he won a championship in 1978.  Hayes also appeared in 12 All-Star games and made three All-NBA First Teams.

Even more amazing, Hayes was a top contributor in both scoring and defense throughout his 16-year career.  In 10 of those seasons, he averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.  He retired in 1984 with career averages of 21 points, 12.5 rebounds and two blocks per game. 

Given how this man was a No. 1 pick, he doesn't get nearly enough recognition as he should.  Sure, he's been enshrined in the Hall of Fame, but how many people today will have a debate about the greatest basketball players of all time and mention Hayes' name?  Anyone who can play as effectively and as hard as he did throughout his career deserves to be counted among the greats.