Let’s look at the second picks after analyzing the best first picks in NBA Draft history, ranking them based on titles won, personal trophies won, and the legacy left by the league's best players.
Tyson Chandler, LaMarcus Aldridge, Marcus Camby, and Wes Unseld, for example, do not appear in this top-10. This is to emphasize that only a select group of players have left an indelible mark on the NBA. So let's take a look at who they are.
10. Alonzo Mourning (Georgetown) at the Charlotte Hornets, 1992
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Awards: All-Rookie, All-Star (7x), All-Defense (1st Team 2x), Defensive Player of the Year (2x), All-NBA (1st Team, 2nd Team), Championship, Hall of Fame
First Choice Draft: Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Latrell Sprewell (24)
Alonzo Mourning's impact in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets jersey has been enormous from the start. Mourning averaged 21 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his rookie season. Mourning was chosen at number two (the good Shaq finished first in Orlando, ed) and has spent significant time with the Miami Heat, with whom he won an NBA title in 2006 while serving as a reserve for O'Neal.
Since 2014, he has been a part of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he also won a gold medal. He averaged more than 17 points and 7 rebounds per shoe during his NBA career.
9. Bob McAdoo (North Carolina) at the Buffalo Braves, 1972
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Awards: All-Rookie, Rookie of the Year, All-Star (5x), All-NBA (1st Team, 2nd Team), MVP, Championship (2x), Hall of Fame
First Choice Draft: LaRue Martin, Portland Trail Blazers
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Paul Westphal (10), Julius Erving (12)
Bob McAdoo has 852 games under his belt in the NBA, averaging 22.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. When the American player joined the league in 1972, he immediately won the award for best rookie of the year and went on to win both the scorers' and the percentage of shot awards in the following three seasons. McAdoo was named NBA MVP in 1975 and went on to win two rings before leaving the league for Italy, where he made history.
8. Rick Barry (University of Miami) at the San Francisco Warriors, 1965
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Awards: All-Rookie, Rookie of the Year, All-Star (8x), All-Star MVP, Finals MVP, All-NBA (1st Team 5x, 2nd Team), Championship, Hall of Fame
First Choice Draft: Fred Hetzel, San Francisco Warriors
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Billy Cunningham (5), Dick Van Arsdale (10), Tom Van Arsdale (11), Bob Love (33)
Known for his free-throwing style (two-handed from the bottom, ed), Rick Barry was one of the league's most crystalline talents. Barry finished his NBA career with an average of 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists after 1020 minutes on the court. His first year in the league had a huge impact: he finished his rookie season with 25.7 points and 10.6 rebounds while wearing the San Francisco Warriors uniform.
He successfully retouched the points average the following year, bringing it to 35.6. Also, do you recall the free-throw story? In his career, he made 90 percent of his free shots. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986 and was named one of the best fifty players of all time in 1997. Do you have any reservations about him?
7. Gary Payton (Oregon State) at the Seattle SuperSonics, 1990
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Awards: All-Rookie, All-Star (9x), All-Defense (1st Team 9x), All-NBA (1st Team 2x, 2nd Team 5x, 3rd Team 2x), Defensive Player of the Year, Championship, Hall of Fame
First Choice Draft: Derrick Coleman, New Jersey Nets
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Chris Jackson (3), Elden Campbell (27), Toni Kukoc (29), Antonio Davis (45)
The Glove does not require much of an introduction. For those who have yet to discover Gary Payton's brilliance, know that he was one of the best players of his generation and, without a doubt, a trash-talking radio on the parquet. His technical abilities made him an important member of the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1990s.
Payton earned his spot in the NBA after two years of adversity, eventually arriving in the mid-90s with a solid average of 20 + 8 rebounds per game. After spending his entire career chasing the NBA title, he finally got it in 2006 with Shaq and Wade's Miami Heat. Since 2013, he has been a part of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1335 games, he averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.
6. Jason Kidd (Cal-Berkeley) at the 1994 Dallas Mavericks
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Awards: All-Rookie, Rookie of the Year, All-Star (10x), All-Defense (1st Team 4x, 2nd Team 5x), All-NBA (1st Team 5x, 2nd Team), Championship, Hall of Fame
First Choice Draft: Glenn Robinson, Milwaukee Bucks
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Grant Hill (3), Juwan Howard (5), Eddie Jones (10), Jalen Rose (13)
Despite some objective physical limitations, Jason Kidd was able to overturn the league in his way, making him one of the smartest players in the modern NBA. Kidd made an immediate impact with the Dallas Mavericks jersey in 1995, putting up triple-doubles frequently and willingly. The Phoenix Suns and the New Jersey Nets also had their share of misadventures.
Kidd significantly improved the team's choral play with the latter, leading it to the NBA finals in 2002. (lost 4-0 to the Lakers, ed). Fortunately for him, the title appointment has only been postponed to 2011, and he will still be wearing the Mavericks shirt. In 1391 appearances, Kidd averaged 12.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game. He's been a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame since 2018.
5. Bob Pettit (LSU) at the Milwaukee Hawks, 1954
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Awards : Rookie of the Year, All-Star (11x), All-Star MVP (4x), All-NBA (1st Team 10x, 2nd Team), MVP (2x), Championship, Hall of Fame
First Choice Draft: Frank Selvy, Baltimore Bullets
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Gene Shue (3), Red Kerr (6), Richie Guerin (17)
Pettit, who retired in 1965, was the all-time leader in points scored and minutes played at the time. Second in both made baskets and rebounds. Sixth in terms of games played and fourteenth in terms of assists. Pettit has been named to every NBA All-Star Game and All-NBA Team during his career.
Despite the Boston Celtics' dominance at the time, he won two MVP awards and a championship. The numbers speak for themselves: he has never finished a season with fewer than 20 points and 12 rebounds per game.
4. Isiah Thomas (Indiana) at the Detroit Pistons, 1981
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Awards: All-Rookie, All-Star (12x), All-Star MVP (2x), Finals MVP, All-NBA (1st Team 3x, 2nd Team 2x), Championship (2x), Hall of Fame
First Choice Draft: Mark Aguirre, Dallas Mavericks
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Buck Williams (3), Tom Chambers (8), Rolando Blackman (9), Larry Nance (20), Eddie Johnson (29)
Isiah Thomas, who has been in the news recently due to the release of 'The Last Dance,' played a significant role in the NBA in the 1980s and 1990s. The play is one of the supporters of Detroit's 'Bad Boys,' who won back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. He has defeated Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in the playoffs several times and is the all-time leader in points, assists, steals, and games played for the Detroit Pistons.
These few words are insufficient to convey the greatness of the Chicago native. He played 979 games in his career, averaging 19.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game. In the year 2000, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
3. Jerry West (West Virginia) at the Minneapolis Lakers, 1960
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Awards: All-Star (14x), All-Star MVP, All-Defense (1st Team 4x, 2nd Team), All-NBA (1st Team 10x, 2nd Team 2x), Finals MVP, Championship, Hall of Fame
First Choice Draft: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Royals
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Lenny Wilkens (6)
Mr. Logo also requires no introduction. With his style of play, the Los Angeles Lakers icon of the 1960s and 1970s defined an era. West has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team four times (the NBA All-Defensive First Team did not exist until West's ninth season in the league), the All-NBA First Team ten times, and the NBA All-Star team thirteen times.
In 1972, he was named MVP of the All-Star Game. He is the only player in NBA history to win the MVP award while playing on a losing team. West appeared in nine NBA Finals, but only won one in 1971-72. His statistics show that he appeared in 932 games, averaging 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.
2. Kevin Durant (Texas) at the Seattle Supersonics, 2007
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Awards: Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie, All-Star (10x), All-Star MVP (2x), All-NBA (1st Team 6x, 2nd Team 3x), MVP, Finals MVP (2x), Championship (2x )
First Choice Draft: Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers
Notable Picks in Draft Same: Al Horford (3), Mike Conley (4), Marc Gasol (48)
In retrospect, the Portland Trail Blazers are still licking their chops for passing on Durantola in favor of Greg Oden. KD is unquestionably one of the most powerful players on a basketball court, thanks to his unique stature: a long player who stands over 2.10 meters tall and can move quickly and efficiently on the parquet.
This justifies his insane statistics: in 849 games, he has averaged 27 points + 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting around 50% from the field. He was titled NBA MVP in the 2013-2014 season and led the Golden State Warriors to NBA championships in the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons.
1. Bill Russell (University of San Francisco) to the St. Louis Hawks, 1956
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Awards: All-Star (12x), All-Star MVP, All-Defense (1st Team), All-NBA (1st Team 3x, 2nd Team 8x), MVP (5x), Championship (11x), Hall of Fame
First Choice Draft: Yes Green, Rochester Royals
Notable Picks in Draft Same: KC Jones (8), Elgin Baylor (26), Sam Jones (30)
Were you wondering who the second-best Draft pick ever might be? Bill Russell it is. Bill was the leader of the Boston Celtics during the "Age of Dynasty," winning eleven NBA championships in thirteen seasons and an undefeated record of eight titles in a row.
There have been 963 appearances on the league's parquet, with an average of 15.1 points + 22.5 (!) rebounds per game and a field goal percentage of 44 percent. His never-ending battles with Wilt Chamberlain's Los Angeles Lakers will also be remembered.
Russell still holds the record for most championships won in professional sports in the United States. Henri Richard, a Montreal Canadiens NHL ice hockey player, was the only one to even his numbers.
