Drafting in the NBA is far from perfect. Some players who are projected to be stars end up being average players or even worse, while players who are drafted in the 2nd round or even not drafted at all exceed expectations. Here are the best draft picks for each NBA team in the league:
Atlanta Hawks: Pete Maravich
“Pistol Pete” has an interesting career because he was one of the best scorers of his time. However, that time was when there was no three-point line, and the competition was objectively worse.
Regardless, he is still an NBA legend and a Basketball Hall-of-Famer.
Boston Celtics: Larry Bird
Bird was a menace during his time with the C’s. He was one of the biggest trash talkers and could back up every word he said.
He’s one of the best pure shot-makers ever and helped lead Boston to three NBA Championships.
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Brooklyn Nets: Brook Lopez
An extremely underrated player, Lopez is the Nets’ all-time Leading scorer despite only playing with the team for nine seasons. Not bad for the 10th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.
He was a one-time All-Star with the Nets before leaving for the Lakers and then Milwaukee, where he won a championship with the Bucks in 2021.
Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker
Walker is the Hornets’ All-Time leading scorer, second in assists, third in steals, and made the All-Star game in four out of eight seasons with Charlotte.
Unfortunately, they didn’t have much playoff success with Kemba because the Hornets couldn’t find pieces to build around him—a real shame.
Chicago Bulls: Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan. Six NBA titles. Three-peat twice. If he hadn’t taken a break after the 1993 season, there’s an argument that the Bulls should have won eight straight in the 1990s instead of six.
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
LeBron James. Arguably the best first-overall pick in any NBA draft class in the history of the league.
Still going strong after 22 seasons. GOAT, anyone?
Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk was technically drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks and then traded to Dallas on NBA draft night, but it feels wrong to list anyone other than him.
He’s by far the Mavs’ best player ever. In 2011, he led them to a championship against the prime LeBron-led Miami Heat. His one-legged fadeaway was such a legendary move that it’s now become a staple among NBA stars.
Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokic
It didn’t take long for “The Joker” to cement himself as the best Nugget ever. Selected 41st by Denver in the 2014 NBA Draft, he has since won three league MVPs and won a title in 2023.
Jokic is already a bonafide basketball Hall-of-Famer no matter what happens for the rest of his career.
Detroit Pistons: Isiah Thomas
Thomas was an integral part of the “Bad Boy Pistons” and helped lead them to consecutive championships in 1989 and 1990.
He was a 12x All-Star and 5x All-NBA and had his number retired by the Pistons.
Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry
Curry has completely changed the game of basketball since his rise to superstardom, and the 3-point shot is as important as it’s ever been.
Selected 7th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, it’s safe to say that Curry has revolutionized how the game of basketball is played today.
Houston Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon
Olajuwon led the Rockets to back-to-back championships in the 1994 and 1995 seasons and won DPOY and MVP in the 1994 season.
He is in the top 10 statistically in nearly every important counting stat. “The Dream” will always be remembered as one of the best players who ever played the game.
Indiana Pacers: Reggie Miller
Before Steph Curry and the NBA’s three-point revolution, Reggie Miller was regarded as the best three-point shooter of all time.
He was a five-time All-Star and will forever be a Pacers legend.
L.A. Clippers: Blake Griffin
Griffin and CP3 were a breath of fresh air for the Clips during the “Lob City” era.
Although the former first-overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft didn’t achieve much success in the playoffs during his time with the Clippers, Griffin gave the then-lowly franchise some nasty highlight reels that will be remembered forever.
L.A. Lakers: Magic Johnson
Johnson led the “Showtime Lakers” and turned them into must-see TV. He, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, led the Lakers to five NBA Titles and countless personal records and statistics.
He won Finals MVP in his rookie season, the only player to achieve that milestone.
Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley
The Grizzlies are such a young team compared to other NBA teams on this list, but Conley remains the best player they’ve ever drafted.
He spent 12 seasons with the team and is their all-time leading scorer. Along with Zach Randolph, he led the “Grit and Grind” era in Memphis.
Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade
Beloved in Miami, Wade was a big part of the famed ‘Heat Culture.’
The 5th overall pick in the famed 2003 NBA Draft, Wade won three titles with Miami and is arguably the best player ever to don a Heat jersey.
He was selected to 13 All-Star games and was a member of 8 All-NBA teams.
Milwaukee Bucks: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
This was a tough one, as I think it’ll be Giannis Antetokounmpo within a few years.
Kareem was excellent in his years in Milwaukee. He led the Bucks to a championship, was a three-time MVP, and was named an All-Star every season.
Most pundits regard him as a top-five player throughout the history of basketball.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett
“The Big Ticket” was a one-of-a-kind player. He was a 15x All-Star, 12x All-Defense, 9x All-NBA, and was named the league MVP in the 2003-2004 season.
He led the T-Wolves to their first conference finals appearance in 2004 and is one of only five players ever to win an MVP and a DPOY award.
New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis brought Pels fans hope for the future after he was selected first overall in the 2012 NBA Draft.
In his seven seasons in New Orleans, he averaged 27 PPG and 10 RPG and led the Pels in most statistical categories throughout its young history.
It’s a shame they couldn’t build a team around him; he ultimately requested a trade due to a lack of playoff success down in New Orleans.
New York Knicks: Patrick Ewing
Ewing was an immediate stud for the Knicks after the team selected him first overall in the controversial 1985 NBA Draft. He would go on to average 23 PPG and 10 RPG in his fifteen seasons in New York.
Ewing led the Knicks to 13 straight playoff appearances and two NBA Finals appearances but lost both times on the big stage. Despite failing to win a title, he’s regarded as one of the best centers of all time.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant
Durant, along with co-stars Russell Westbrook and James Harden, would put OKC on the map after moving away from Seattle.
KD was their leader, averaging 27 PPG over his nine seasons with the Thunder. OKC made the 2012 NBA Finals but lost to the dominant Miami Heat, led by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Unfortunately, his reputation in OKC is mixed due to his decision to chase his first ring with the Golden State Warriors, their then-rivals.
Orlando Magic: Shaquille O’Neal
Most may shrug off Shaq’s time in Orlando, but he was very good when he played there. The former first-round pick in the 1992 NBA Draft led the Magic to their only NBA Finals appearance in the 1994-95 season, but they lost to the Rockets in four games.
That season, he averaged 26 PPG and 12 RPG and cemented himself as a global superstar.
Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Iverson
Iverson wasn’t a physically intimidating player, but man, he could easily cross you out of your shoes. He brought life to the 76ers and led them to an improbable Finals run in 2000-2001, averaging 31 PPG in the process.
Iverson was not just flashy on the court but also off of it. He was a cultural icon and normalized the hip-hop drip in locker rooms that was prevalent during the early 2000s until the mid-2015s.
Phoenix Suns: Steve Nash
Nash has had an odd career after getting selected by Phoenix in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft. His first stint with the Suns was underwhelming.
Then he was traded to the Mavs and blossomed into an all-star there before ultimately returning to Phoenix and unexpectedly winning back-to-back league MVPs.
The Suns went to multiple Western Conference Finals but couldn’t get over the hump until the team dismantled due to Nash’s advancing age.
Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard
Good luck finding a Trail Blazers fan who isn’t a fan of Dame Dolla. He did everything he could for the city of Portland to try and bring them a championship but was unsuccessful.
He’s a seven-time All-Star and All-NBA selection and was part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. Lillard is one of the best shooters the league has ever seen.
Sacramento Kings: Oscar Robertson
“The Big O” was a star in the NBA in the 60s and was the only player to average a triple-double in NBA history until Russell Westbrook did it in the 2016-2017 season.
He put up crazy stats, won league MVP, and was an 11x All-NBA player. Say what you want about the competition back then, but Robertson was an excellent athlete.
San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan
“The Big Fundamental” might be the most boring superstar player ever in the NBA, and fans love him for that. He was the unselfish superstar of the legendary Spurs, who won 5 championships between 1999-2014.
Selected as the top overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft, Duncan was always a force on the Spurs’ roster, and they built one of the best cultures in the league.
Toronto Raptors: DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan is loved in Toronto. He gave everything he had to the city and is the franchise’s leader in points scored.
Unfortunately, he played during LeBron James’s dominance, so he didn’t have much playoff success. Regardless, he will always be regarded as a Raptors legend.
Utah Jazz: Karl Malone
Although I am not a fan of Karl Malone’s off-court issues, Malone’s on-court game was excellent. “The Mailman” couldn’t deliver a title for the Jazz, but he was named a 14x All-Star and a member of 14 All-NBA teams while also winning MVPs in 1997 and 1999.
Malone’s arrival in the 1984 NBA Draft made the Jazz relevant for nearly two decades, and he is widely regarded as a Top-15 player in NBA history.
Washington Wizards: Wes Unseld
Unseld is one of only two players in NBA history to win Rookie of the Year and MVP awards in the same season. He led Washington to their only NBA title in 1977.
Unseld was never a dominant scorer throughout his time in the league. He was a vicious rebounder, though. Arguably one of the best ever to crash the boards. No doubt that he’s had a Hall of Fame career.
