1. Lebron James, 2003, Cleveland Cavaliers
No surprise here right? This guy came into the league and immediately became a superstar, and he has the stats and accomplishment to prove it. With career averages of 28 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds, this guy does it all out there on the court. Not to mention that he is the reigning 2-time MVP and has led the Cavs to the NBA Finals and the best record in the league several times. Though he may have taken his talents to South Beach now, his game hasn't changed and he's still brought up in MVP discussions, and maybe he'll eventually win that NBA title with the help of D-Wade and Bosh.
2. Derrick Rose, 2008, Chicago Bulls
Currently in his 3rd season Rose has taken his game to new heights and is leading the Bulls to perhaps their best record since the days of MJ. Though there was this whole debate of whether he'll go first of if Michael Beasley would be the one selected first, the Bulls can't regret the decision they made as they currently have one of the top 5 PG's in the league. Averaging 20 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists over his career, he will only get better and be a superstar in this league for years to come.
3. Dwight Howard, 2004, Orlando Magic
The player formerly known as superman, or is he still called that? Either way this guy is a beast down low in the post. He can throw down with authority, send shots flying into the 20th row and even hit a jumper once in a while, his one drawback is his inability to consistently hit his FT's. Other than that one flaw this guy is almost a guaranteed 20-20 each night, and as he continues to grow (not that he can do much more growing) and improve he'll only get better.
4. Blake Griffin, 2009, Los Angeles Clippers
This kid has become the most interesting player to watch since Lebron came into the league some 8 years ago. After missing his original rookie season with an injury this guy has shown that he was worth the wait. With his athleticism and rebounding ability he's a guaranteed double-double on a nightly basis and will also make a poster or two per game. Now if he can just work on that facial expression he has when dunking.
5. Yao Ming, 2002, Housten Rockets
Though he has been hampered by injuries in the last few years, Yao still remains one of the best 1st pick selections. He's averaged 19 and 9 in his 8 year career, and is probably the only guy who can be voted into the All-Star game for many years if he hasn't even played much games. Now entering the final years of his career, he'll never be as dominate as he once was, but if you're that tall, you'll still be a threat in the post.
6. John Wall, 2010, Washington Wizards
There was a lot of hype surrounding this guy when he came into the league this season, but injuries and inconsistent play has seemed to slow all that momentum. Once healthy and with a year or two of experience, we will be able to see the full potential this guy has. Though he may not be leading the Wizards to an NBA championship anytime soon, he's going to be an All-Star caliber player and one of the leagues top PG's.
7. Andrew Bogut, 2005, Milwaukee Bucks
He has not had the most successful career offensively averaging only 13 points over his career, but the things he does on the boards and on defense make up for that. It's because of those abilities that has made him one of the top 10 centers in the league. Currently the top shot-blocker in the league, Bogut is a intimidating force for all players looking to attack the rim for easy buckets. Injuries have been an issue for him in the last few years, but once healthy he's a threat for all opposing teams.
8. Andrea Bargnani, 2006, Toronto Raptors
Love him or hate him, Bargnani has shown that he wasn't a bust when he was selected 1st overall ahead of Brandon Roy. He has the ability to score in many ways, though he seems to fear the paint, but that trait alone makes him one of the top scoring centers in the league. Now if only he can play defense and grab some rebounds.
9. Kenyon Martin, 2000, New Jersey Nets
The original K-Mart before Kevin Martin came into the league. He has had a pretty solid career over his 11 years in the league, though injuries have hampered him on almost a yearly basis. He still remains a very serviceable player today and still remains a good defender and rebounder.
10. Kwame Brown, 2001, Washington Wizards
Not sure what to write about this guy other than he is probably the biggest bust in NBA history. He has career averages of 6.7 points, 5.5 boards (at least he's a better rebounder than Bargnani) and 0.6 blocks. Somehow he's still earning a paycheck in the NBA, which for him is pretty good luck, considering how bad he turned out to be.
Not Enough Data:
Greg Oden, 2007, Portland Trailblazers
I felt it was best to not included Oden since he has only played 11 games in his NBA career and has been bitter by a huge injury bug. In those 11 games though he has averaged 13 points, 9 boards and 1 block. It's a shame we haven;t been able to witness him play more because it seem like he could have been a really solid player in this league. Hopefully he overcome these injuries and prove that he's one of the better player to be selected 1st overall.
If They Could Do It Again:
If the Wizards had a time machine or hired Miss Cleo to predict the future of Kwame Brown to see how he would have turned out, I'm pretty sure they would have selected one of the following guys instead.
Pau Gasol:
Gasol has grown to become of of the best power forwards in the league and is now a 2-time NBA champion. Doubt he would have led the Wizards to a title, but he surely would have been a better player than Kwame turned out to be.
Tyson Chandler:
Though he has been bitten by the injury bug over his career, Chandler is amongst the top centers in the league and can get you a double-double on a nightly basis.
So that concludes another edition of the DNB's Top Ten. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment of the DNB chat.
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