Every No. 1 overall pick in NBA history
80 players have gone 1st in the NBA draft since 1947, from Clifton McNeeley to AJ Dybantsa in 2026. The most decorated: LeBron James (2003; 4x NBA MVP, 13x All-NBA First Team, 22x All-Star), Tim Duncan (1997; 2x NBA MVP, 10x All-NBA First Team, 15x All-Star), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969; 5x NBA MVP, 9x All-NBA First Team, 19x All-Star). 16 of the 80 won nothing on the NBA honours list.
| Year | Player | Team | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | AJ Dybantsa | Washington Wizards | — |
| 2025 | Cooper Flagg | Dallas Mavericks | NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA Rookie of the Year |
| 2024 | Zaccharie Risacher | Atlanta Hawks | NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 2023 | Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | 2x NBA All-Defensive First Team, All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 2x All-Star |
| 2022 | Paolo Banchero | Orlando Magic | NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, All-Star |
| 2021 | Cade Cunningham | Detroit Pistons | All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Third Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 2x All-Star |
| 2020 | Anthony Edwards | Minnesota Timberwolves | 2x All-NBA Second Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA All-Star MVP, 4x All-Star |
| 2019 | Zion Williamson | New Orleans Pelicans | NBA All-Rookie First Team, 2x All-Star |
| 2018 | Deandre Ayton | Phoenix Suns | NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 2017 | Markelle Fultz | Philadelphia 76ers | — |
| 2016 | Ben Simmons | Philadelphia 76ers | 2x NBA All-Defensive First Team, All-NBA Third Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 3x All-Star |
| 2015 | Karl-Anthony Towns | Minnesota Timberwolves | 3x All-NBA Third Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, 6x All-Star |
| 2014 | Andrew Wiggins | Cleveland Cavaliers | NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, All-Star |
| 2013 | Anthony Bennett | Cleveland Cavaliers | — |
| 2012 | Anthony Davis | New Orleans Hornets | 4x All-NBA First Team, 3x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 10x All-Star |
| 2011 | Kyrie Irving | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2x All-NBA Third Team, All-NBA Second Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 9x All-Star |
| 2010 | John Wall | Washington Wizards | NBA All-Defensive Second Team, All-NBA Third Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 5x All-Star |
| 2009 | Blake Griffin | Los Angeles Clippers | 3x All-NBA Second Team, 2x All-NBA Third Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 6x All-Star |
| 2008 | Derrick Rose | Chicago Bulls | NBA MVP, All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 3x All-Star |
| 2007 | Greg Oden | Portland Trail Blazers | — |
| 2006 | Andrea Bargnani | Toronto Raptors | NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 2005 | Andrew Bogut | Milwaukee Bucks | NBA All-Defensive Second Team, All-NBA Third Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 2004 | Dwight Howard | Orlando Magic | 5x All-NBA First Team, 4x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 3x NBA Defensive Player of the Year, 8x All-Star |
| 2003 | LeBron James | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4x NBA MVP, 13x All-NBA First Team, 5x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 22x All-Star |
| 2002 | Yao Ming | Houston Rockets | 3x All-NBA Third Team, 2x All-NBA Second Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 8x All-Star |
| 2001 | Kwame Brown | Washington Wizards | — |
| 2000 | Kenyon Martin | New Jersey Nets | NBA All-Rookie First Team, All-Star |
| 1999 | Elton Brand | Chicago Bulls | All-NBA Second Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, 2x All-Star |
| 1998 | Michael Olowokandi | Los Angeles Clippers | NBA All-Rookie Second Team |
| 1997 | Tim Duncan | San Antonio Spurs | 2x NBA MVP, 10x All-NBA First Team, 8x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 15x All-Star |
| 1996 | Allen Iverson | Philadelphia 76ers | NBA MVP, 3x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-NBA Second Team, 11x All-Star |
| 1995 | Joe Smith | Golden State Warriors | NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 1994 | Glenn Robinson | Milwaukee Bucks | NBA All-Rookie First Team, 2x All-Star |
| 1993 | Chris Webber | Orlando Magic | 3x All-NBA Second Team, All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Third Team, 5x All-Star |
| 1992 | Shaquille O'Neal | Orlando Magic | NBA MVP, 8x All-NBA First Team, 4x All-NBA Third Team, 15x All-Star |
| 1991 | Larry Johnson | Charlotte Hornets | All-NBA Second Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, 2x All-Star |
| 1990 | Derrick Coleman | New Jersey Nets | 2x All-NBA Third Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA Rookie of the Year, All-Star |
| 1989 | Pervis Ellison | Sacramento Kings | NBA Most Improved Player |
| 1988 | Danny Manning | Los Angeles Clippers | NBA Sixth Man of the Year, 2x All-Star |
| 1987 | David Robinson | San Antonio Spurs | NBA MVP, 4x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 4x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 10x All-Star |
| 1986 | Brad Daugherty | Cleveland Cavaliers | All-NBA Third Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, 5x All-Star |
| 1985 | Patrick Ewing | New York Knicks | 6x All-NBA Second Team, 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, All-NBA First Team, 11x All-Star |
| 1984 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets | NBA MVP, 3x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 3x All-NBA First Team, 12x All-Star |
| 1983 | Ralph Sampson | Houston Rockets | All-NBA Second Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA All-Star MVP, 4x All-Star |
| 1982 | James Worthy | Los Angeles Lakers | 2x All-NBA Third Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, Finals MVP, 7x All-Star |
| 1981 | Mark Aguirre | Dallas Mavericks | 3x All-Star |
| 1980 | Joe Barry Carroll | Golden State Warriors | NBA All-Rookie First Team, All-Star |
| 1979 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | 3x NBA MVP, 9x All-NBA First Team, 3x Finals MVP, 12x All-Star |
| 1978 | Mychal Thompson | Portland Trail Blazers | NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 1977 | Kent Benson | Milwaukee Bucks | — |
| 1976 | John Lucas | Houston Rockets | NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 1975 | David Thompson | Atlanta Hawks | 2x All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Star MVP, 4x All-Star |
| 1974 | Bill Walton | Portland Trail Blazers | NBA MVP, 2x NBA All-Defensive First Team, All-NBA First Team, 2x All-Star |
| 1973 | Doug Collins | Philadelphia 76ers | 4x All-Star |
| 1972 | Larue Martin | Portland Trail Blazers | — |
| 1971 | Austin Carr | Cleveland Cavaliers | NBA All-Rookie First Team, All-Star |
| 1970 | Bob Lanier | Detroit Pistons | NBA All-Rookie First Team, NBA All-Star MVP, 8x All-Star |
| 1969 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Milwaukee Bucks | 5x NBA MVP, 9x All-NBA First Team, 5x NBA All-Defensive First Team, 19x All-Star |
| 1968 | Elvin Hayes | San Diego Rockets | 3x All-NBA First Team, 3x All-NBA Second Team, 2x NBA All-Defensive Second Team, 12x All-Star |
| 1967 | Jimmy Walker | Detroit Pistons | 2x All-Star |
| 1966 | Cazzie Russell | New York Knicks | NBA All-Rookie First Team, All-Star |
| 1965 | Fred Hetzel | San Francisco Warriors | NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 1964 | Jim Barnes | New York Knicks | NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 1963 | Art Heyman | New York Knicks | NBA All-Rookie First Team |
| 1962 | Bill McGill | Chicago Zephyrs | — |
| 1961 | Walt Bellamy | Chicago Packers | NBA Rookie of the Year, 4x All-Star |
| 1960 | Oscar Robertson | Cincinnati Royals | NBA MVP, 9x All-NBA First Team, 3x NBA All-Star MVP, 12x All-Star |
| 1959 | Bob Boozer | Cincinnati Royals | All-Star |
| 1958 | Elgin Baylor | Minneapolis Lakers | 10x All-NBA First Team, NBA All-Star MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, 11x All-Star |
| 1957 | Rod Hundley | Cincinnati Royals | 2x All-Star |
| 1956 | Si Green | Rochester Royals | — |
| 1955 | Dick Ricketts | St. Louis Hawks | — |
| 1954 | Frank Selvy | Baltimore Bullets | 2x All-Star |
| 1953 | Ray Felix | Baltimore Bullets | NBA Rookie of the Year, All-Star |
| 1952 | Mark Workman | Milwaukee Hawks | — |
| 1951 | Gene Melchiorre | Baltimore Bullets | — |
| 1950 | Charlie Share | Boston Celtics | — |
| 1949 | Howie Shannon | Providence Steamrollers | — |
| 1948 | Andy Tonkovich | Providence Steamrollers | — |
| 1947 | Clifton McNeeley | Pittsburgh Ironmen | — |
Honours from the NBA award history and the All-Star selections, matched to the pick by name. Picks from the NBA's own draft history.