The 2024 NBA Draft class has been dubbed a “bad draft” due to the lack of prototypical stars at the top of the list.
That’s not to say future stars aren’t on the horizon, but the draft candidates aren’t expected to be game-changing talents like Victor Wembanyama in 2023 or Anthony Edwards in 2020.
There’s still some question as to who will be the No. 1 overall pick heading into the big day, with the two projected top picks, Zachary Lisacher of France and Alex Sarr of Australia, both playing overseas and not attracting much attention in the United States.
The general public’s ignorance about projected top picks may lead to the question, “Who is the worst No. 1 pick in NBA draft history?”
This is not to suggest that Mr. Lisacher or Mr. Searle will join that list, but it does provide an opportunity to look back on some of the biggest blunders in draft history.
Read more: Ranking the top 60 players in the 2024 NBA Draft
The worst No. 1 picks in NBA draft history
Note: Only first-round picks from the two-round NBA Draft era that began in 1989 were considered.
1. Anthony Bennett, 2013
Team: Cavaliers
Career Stats: 4 seasons — 4.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.5 assists
Missing stars: Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 15), Rudy Gobert (No. 27)
Bennett may be the biggest bust of the No. 1 overall pick in NBA draft history, even beyond the second-round era.
The Cavaliers’ top pick played just four seasons and 151 games in his NBA career, being traded from Cleveland to Minnesota after his rookie season and then moving to Toronto and Brooklyn before leaving the league in 2017.
His 1,905 minutes and 658 points are the fewest of any No. 1 overall pick since 1989.
2. Kwame Brown, 2001
Team: Wizards
Career Stats: 12 seasons — 6.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.9 assists
Missing stars: Pau Gasol (No. 3), Tony Parker (No. 28)
Brown was drafted straight out of high school, but it quickly became clear he wasn’t ready for the NBA, averaging just 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game as a rookie while coming off the bench in all but three games.
After four seasons with the Wizards, Brown was traded to the Lakers and then moved between five other teams, staying in the league for 12 seasons but only averaging more than 10 points per game once and never averaging double figures in rebounds.
Stephen A. Smith’s historic rant will remain the most memorable moment of his career.
3. Michael Olowokandi, 1998
Team: Clippers
Stats: 9 seasons — 8.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
Missing stars: Vince Carter (No. 5), Dirk Nowitzki (No. 9), Paul Pierce (No. 10)
Olowokandi has had a good enough career as a starting center, but “good enough” isn’t what you’d expect from a No. 1 overall pick. He showed some promise in his freshman year, averaging 8.9 points and 7.9 rebounds and earning a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team, but that was about it.
Olowokandi played nine seasons in the NBA, his best years being two years from 2001-2003 when he averaged 11.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game.
With Hall of Famers like Carter, Nowitzki and Pierce following in his footsteps, it’s safe to say the Clippers are hoping to get a fresh start with this pick.
MORE: Check out the biggest rumors ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft
4. Greg Oden, 2007
Team: Trail Blazers
Stats: 3 seasons — 8.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Stars not included: Kevin Durant (2nd), Al Horford (3rd), Mike Conley (4th), Marc Gasol (5th), Joakim Noah (7th)
Oden dropped to No. 4 on this list because a lingering knee injury prevented him from reaching his full potential. He dominated college basketball at Ohio State, averaging 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game, but just couldn’t stay on the court and thrive at the next level.
Auden only played 105 games over three seasons in the NBA, missing four seasons due to knee injuries before retiring in 2014 at age 26.
He’s more of a “could have been” player than a “failure,” but his name is still in the conversation with future Hall of Famers like Durant, Horford and Gasol all chasing him.
5. Pervis Ellison, 1989
Team: Kings
Stats: 11 seasons — 9.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks
Missing stars: Tim Hardaway (No. 14), Shawn Kemp (No. 17), Vlade Divac (No. 26)
Ellison joins Auden in going even further into the “what might have been” point.
Purvis, the No. 1 draft pick in 1989, only played more than 70 games in a season once during his 11-year career. He constantly battled knee and ankle injuries, earning him the nickname “Out of Service Purvis.”
Ellison had one season in which he showed he could be a top draft pick, winning the 1991-92 Newcomer Player of the Year award with the Washington Bullets, averaging 20 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, but he struggled to stay healthy or produce consistently after that.
6. Markelle Fultz, 2017
Team: 76ers
Stats: 11.1 PTS, 4.6 AST, 3.4 REB, 1.2 STL in 7 seasons
Stars not included: Jayson Tatum (3), De’Aaron Fox (5), Lauri Markkanen (7), Donovan Mitchell (13), Bam Adebayo (14)
The 76ers swapped spots with the Celtics to move up in the 2017 NBA Draft and select Fultz with the No. 1 pick, while Boston dropped back to No. 3 to take Tatum. The rest is history.
Fultz was a prolific scorer at Washington, but that skill set never translated to the NBA, where shoulder injuries plagued him during his first two seasons in the league, hurting his jump shot and his confidence.
Fultz has attempted to reinvent himself as a more defensive-minded playmaker since being traded from Philadelphia to Orlando, but his health remains an issue.
7. Andrea Bargnani, 2006
Team: Raptors
Stats: 10 seasons — 14.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Stars not included: LaMarcus Aldridge (No. 2), Rajon Rondo (No. 21), Kyle Lowry (No. 24)
Bargnani’s name comes up in these discussions more often than necessary: Sure, he was never an All-Star or a franchise center, but he had a solid 10-year NBA career.
Of course, being selected first overall requires more than just solid production, but Bargnani averaged 21.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during his prime in 2010-11 and was a reliable rotation player before injuries plagued him late in his career.
MORE: Who is Alexandre Sarr, the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft?
8. Deandre Ayton, 2018
Team: Suns
Stats: 16.7 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.0 blocks in six seasons
Stars not included: Luka Doncic (3), Trae Young (5), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11), Jalen Brunson (33)
It’s a bit harsh to see Ayton on this list, but that has more to do with who was drafted after him than it does with his own career.
Ayton averaged a double-double every season and was the starting center for a team that reached the NBA Finals, so this isn’t in “failure” territory, but the Suns would love to do it again if given the chance.
Ayton was drafted ahead of Doncic, Young, Gilgeous-Alexander and Brunson. While Brunson and Gilgeous-Alexander were never considered first overall picks, Doncic was a sure bet.
9. Ben Simmons, 2016
Team: 76ers
Stats: 14.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.6 steals in six seasons
Missing stars: Brandon Ingram (No. 2), Jaylen Brown (No. 3), Jamal Murray (No. 7), Domantas Sabonis (No. 11)
The immediate thought is that Simmons should be ranked higher on this list, but despite his recent disappointments, he’s still a three-time All-Star, a one-time All-NBA selection, two-time All-Defensive Team selection and Rookie of the Year winner.
Injuries have derailed the career of a once-promising Simmons, who was once something of a proto-Magic Johnson but has recently reverted to his old self.
With Ingram, Brown, Murray and Sabonis all selected after him, Simmons has to be considered an NBA Draft bust despite his early career accomplishments.
