What pick were the NBA’s biggest stars selected in the draft? Jordan, Kobe, Lebron, Curry...
Who will be the next NBA Draft class star? You may be surprised to discover which players drafted in the history of the league turned out to be the best.
Chet Holmgren and Paolo Banchero are the top two talents in this year’s NBA Draft Class and could go one-two on Thursday’s Selection Show. While some of the NBA’s best players were taken Top 3, many were not.
Let’s remind you of when some of the league’s biggest superstars were drafted.
Steph Curry
Why not start with the most recent NBA Finals MVP, Steph Curry, who spent three years at Davidson College? His draft stock grew exponentially each year, and by his Junior year, he was a superstar in the NCAA. He was taken 7th overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2009 NBA Draft, and we know the rest. Four NBA titles, eight Finals appearances, was a two-time MVP and was the all-time leader in three-pointers made.
LeBron James
, everyone in America back in 2002 knew the name of the high schooler out of Akron, Ohio. LeBron James took the world by storm even before he got drafted in the 2003 Draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers took him with the first pick in the Draft, and he became an immediate sensation from his rookie year up to the end of this season. He will only add to his historical stats and look for his fifth NBA Title and fifth MVP in the final years of his career.
Michael Jordan
At 6′6″ from the University of North Carolina… Michael Jordan. Before getting drafted by the Chicago Bulls, the greatest of all time spent three years as a Tar Heel. He was taken with the third pick in the 1984 Draft behind Akeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie. Jordan would win 6 titles, 6 Finals MVPs, and 5 MVPs and end his career as the GOAT.
Kobe Bryant
Like LeBron, Kobe Bryant was another star out of high school. He came out of Philadelphia as a highly coveted draft pick but was nowhere near the top pick in the 1996 Draft. The Charlotte Hornets drafted him with the 13th pick in the draft and then traded him to the Lakers. Five titles, 2 Finals MVPs, and an MVP award later, he is in the discussion for the top five players ever.
Shaquille O’Neal
One of, if not the most dominant, players in NBA history was drafted out of Louisiana State University in 1992. The Orlando Magic took Shaq with the first overall pick in the Draft after two All-American seasons. O’Neal would win the MVP in 2000, the same year he won his first title with the Los Angeles Lakers. He went on to win three more Championships and didn’t just become one of the best big men ever but one of the most lovable NBA players ever.
Larry Bird
The kid from French Lick, Indiana, didn’t go far when he graduated high school. After a brief stint at Indian University, he returned closer to home and went to Indiana State for four years. By his senior year, he was a national sensation and went to the Boston Celtics with the 6th in the 1979 Draft. Bird won three titles with the Celtics while being named MVP three times in his legendary career.
Magic Johnson
Magic was taken in the same draft class as Larry Bird, and their college rivalry carried over into the NBA for over a decade. After dazzling the nation at Michigan State University, he was taken with the first pick in the 1979 Draft and would lead the Los Angeles Lakers to 5 NBA titles. He was MVP of three Finals and won three more NBA MVPs leading the Showtime Lakers of the 80s.
Kareem Abdul Jabar
It was no secret that Kareem would be the first pick in the 1969 NBA Draft after winning three national titles in three years at UCLA. He was taken by the Milwaukee Bucks and spent six years there, winning his first title and MVP in 1971. He would go west and join the Lakers in 1974, spending fourteen years there and winning five more titles, five more MVPs, and becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Bill Russell
The King of the Rings went to the University of San Francisco and won back-to-back titles in 1955 and 1956. He was taken second by the St. Louis Hawks in the 1956 NBA Draft behind Si Green, who the Rochester Royals took. The Hawks traded Russell to the Celtics for six-time All-Star Ed Macauley. Both the Haws and the Royals missed their chance on a man who would go on to win five NBA MVP awards and become the winningest player in NBA history with 11 NBA Championships.