The top overall pick in the NBA draft gives a franchise the first opportunity to add a potentially franchise-changing player, a distinction that has been awarded since the draft began in 1947. Teams’ histories with the No. 1 selection vary widely, with some franchises accumulating multiple top picks and others never landing one.
According to ESPN, the Washington Wizards lead all franchises with seven No. 1 picks, while the Cleveland Cavaliers have had six. Houston and Sacramento have each held the top pick five times. Several clubs have claimed the No. 1 selection four times, including the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers and Atlanta Hawks.
The list includes a number of high-profile selections. Cleveland used top picks on LeBron James (2003) and Kyrie Irving (2011); the pair helped deliver the franchise’s lone NBA title in 2016, according to ESPN. Other notable No. 1 choices named in the record include Hakeem Olajuwon (1984) and Yao Ming (2002) for Houston, Shaquille O’Neal (1992), Chris Webber (1993), Dwight Howard (2004) and Paolo Banchero (2022) for Orlando, and Victor Wembanyama with the San Antonio Spurs in 2023.
Some franchises have never held the top pick. ESPN’s listing identifies the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Miami Heat, the New Orleans Jazz/Utah Jazz, the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder and the Vancouver Grizzlies/Memphis Grizzlies as clubs that have not had a No. 1 overall selection.
The full breakdown in ESPN’s compilation provides each franchise’s No. 1 selections by year and player. For more context and the latest coverage, consult the ESPN NBA hub page, which is cited alongside the list.
