The Top 5 No. 1 Draft Picks in the NBA Lottery Era (1985-prsent)

[daveakl]

Come GAC, you know Shaq is my man, but I can't put him over Duncan. If he played harder, it would be a no-brainer. Since he didn't, you gotta put Duncan over him. And Lebron is just a better player than him.

Does it matter if he played better though? Duncan may have put in the effort and the work, but that doesn't make him a better player then Shaq.

"O'Neal's individual accolades include the 1999–2000 MVP award, the 1992–93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections. He is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000); the other players are Willis Reed in 1970 and Michael Jordan in 1996 and 1998. He ranks 6th all-time in points scored, 5th in field goals, 13th in rebounds, and 7th in blocks."

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

And this is just absurd.

Just curious...why do you say that?

I love Shaq but I have a few issues with him.

1. He was visibly out of shape at the start of at least half his seasons. When he was young, he could play his way into shape by the playoffs. But that caught up to him.

2. He had a nice post game, but he never really bothered to develop more than his drop step and his little half hook. Granted, he didn't need much more, but by 2004, you could actually hope to defend him a little bit.

3. He got swept out of the playoffs a shocking number of times.

[The Evil Genius]

Looking back on all of those drafts, was the 2006 draft (from first pick to last pick) the worst of them all? The best pick might have been Rondo and he was taken at 21.

[CrypticVillain]

Does it matter if he played better though? Duncan may have put in the effort and the work, but that doesn't make him a better player then Shaq.

"O'Neal's individual accolades include the 1999–2000 MVP award, the 1992–93 NBA Rookie of the Year award, 15 All-Star game selections, three All-Star Game MVP awards, three Finals MVP awards, two scoring titles, 14 All-NBA team selections, and three NBA All-Defensive Team selections. He is one of only three players to win NBA MVP, All-Star game MVP and Finals MVP awards in the same year (2000); the other players are Willis Reed in 1970 and Michael Jordan in 1996 and 1998. He ranks 6th all-time in points scored, 5th in field goals, 13th in rebounds, and 7th in blocks."

Tim Duncan

4× NBA Champion (1999, 2003, 2005, 2007)

3× NBA Finals MVP (1999, 2003, 2005)

2× NBA Most Valuable Player (2002–2003)

NBA Rookie of the Year (1998)

13× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2011)

9× All-NBA First Team (1998–2005, 2007)

3× All-NBA Second Team (2006, 2008–2009)

All-NBA Third Team (2010)

8× All-Defensive First Team (1999–2003, 2005, 2007–2008)

5× All-Defensive Second Team (1998, 2004, 2006, 2009–2010)

NBA All-Rookie First Team (1998)

NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000)

Let's not act like Tim Duncan can't bring similar accolades.

Duncan has had the better career than Shaq imo. Yes Shaq dominated for that 5 year window, but Duncan always brought it.

[DCranon21]

Looking back on all of those drafts, was the 2006 draft (from first pick to last pick) the worst of them all? The best pick might have been Rondo and he was taken at 21.

I want to say the 1986 Draft Class or the 2001 Draft Class. 2006 is up there, but look @ the 1st 5 picks from those classes.

Maybe LKB can join this convo.

[Kosher Ham]

**** man, didn't realize Shaq made $300 mil in his career. I wonder if that's the record for career earnings (not counting endorsement deals).

http://blacksportsonline.com/home/2010/07/the-top-25-nba-career-salaries-of-all-time/

Note: Salary leaders are for the 1968 through 2010 NBA seasons.

1. Shaquille O’Neal — $290,846,146

2. Kevin Garnett — $251,315,354

3. Chris Webber — $178,230,697

4. Kobe Bryant — $171,384,365

5. Jason Kidd — $165,853,968

6. Tim Duncan — $164,844,536

7. Tracy McGrady — $160,273,916

8. Allen Iverson — $154,494,445

9. Jermaine O’Neal — $153,450,640

10. Stephon Marbury — $151,115,945

11. Rasheed Wallace — $150,436,080

12. Juwan Howard — $148,761,271

13. Alonzo Mourning — $143,906,333

14. Dikembe Mutombo — $143,666,581

15. Michael Finley — $138,576,839

16. Grant Hill — $131,055,650

17. Dirk Nowitzki — $124,063,985

18. Patrick Ewing — $123,843,120

19. Zydrunas Ilgauskas — $123,135,542

20. Anfernee Hardaway — $120,469,142

21. David Robinson — $118,135,623

22. Allan Houston — $117,556,500

23. Vince Carter — $116,793,315

24. Antawn Jamison — $111,358,288

25. Elton Brand — $110,159,451

Now, like myself, the first thing you may notice is that Michael Jordan is nowhere to be found on this list, and this is because 2/3 of Michael Jordan’s NBA money was made in the ’97 and ’98 seasons in which he made $30 and $33 million, respectively. Up until that point, MJ had only made $29 million in the previous 11 seasons, which I’m sure does not bother the GOAT one bit as he is now worth of $500 million.

[CrypticVillain]

1. Shaquille O’Neal — $290,846,146

2. Kevin Garnett — $251,315,354

3. Chris Webber — $178,230,697

4. Kobe Bryant — $171,384,365

5. Jason Kidd — $165,853,968

6. Tim Duncan — $164,844,536

7. Tracy McGrady — $160,273,916

8. Allen Iverson — $154,494,445

9. Jermaine O’Neal — $153,450,640

10. Stephon Marbury — $151,115,945

11. Rasheed Wallace — $150,436,080

12. Juwan Howard — $148,761,271

13. Alonzo Mourning — $143,906,333

14. Dikembe Mutombo — $143,666,581

15. Michael Finley — $138,576,839

16. Grant Hill — $131,055,650

17. Dirk Nowitzki — $124,063,985

18. Patrick Ewing — $123,843,120

19. Zydrunas Ilgauskas — $123,135,542

20. Anfernee Hardaway — $120,469,142

21. David Robinson — $118,135,623

22. Allan Houston — $117,556,500

23. Vince Carter — $116,793,315

24. Antawn Jamison — $111,358,288

25. Elton Brand — $110,159,451

Green = Deserved it

Red = Didn't deserve it

White = Meh

[Kosher Ham]

I would sign Antawn today to a team today...he is still a good player in this league. Granted not a superstar, but worth the money paid at the time.

[grhqofb5]

My list:

(1) Shaq

(2) Duncan

(3) Robinson

(4) LeBron

(5) Ewing

*******

(6) Howard

(7) Iverson

(8) Rose

(9) Webber

(10) Yao

[MattFancy]

I would sign Antawn today to a team today...he is still a good player in this league. Granted not a superstar, but worth the money paid at the time.

I'd agree with that. Antwan was never a flashy player, but he was always solid.

[pjfootballer]

Plus, MJ made 10 times in endorsements then he did in salary, so the salary was gravy.

[The Evil Genius]

Where do you think Jason Kidd would be on the list had he been correctly taken 1st in the 1994 draft (and not 2nd)?

[CrypticVillain]

I would probably put him sixth...

Adding the list so people will know who are the candidates....

No. 1 NBA Draft Picks

1985 Patrick Ewing

1986 Brad Daugherty

1987 David Robinson

1988 Danny Manning

1989 Pervis Ellison

1990 Derrick Coleman

1991 Larry Johnson

1992 Shaquille O'Neal

1993 Chris Webber

1994 Glenn Robinson

1995 Joe Smith

1996 Allen Iverson

1997 Tim Duncan

1998 Michael Olowokandi

1999 Elton Brand

2000 Kenyon Martin

2001 Kwame Brown

2002 Yao Ming

2003 LeBron James

2004 Dwight Howard

2005 Andrew Bogut

2006 Andrea Bargnani

2007 Greg Oden[x]

2008 Derrick Rose

2009 Blake Griffin

2010 John Wall

2011 Kyrie Irving

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Green = Deserved it

Red = Didn't deserve it

White = Meh

That list explains everything that went horribly wrong in the NBA in the late 90s and early 2000s. Someone thought that giving 20somethings like Rasheed Wallace and Stephon Marbury $150,000,000 was a good idea.

[CrypticVillain]

That list explains everything that went horribly wrong in the NBA in the late 90s and early 2000s. Someone thought that giving 20somethings like Rasheed Wallace and Stephon Marbury $150' date='000,000 was a good idea.[/quote']

I am kind of glad that pretty much all the leagues are starting to adapt a earn your mega contract style of thinking. It gives them something to work harder for while still rewarding their past accomplishments. I can't argue with that.

[EersSkins05]

And Shaq was more dominant than Duncan.

I don't care about staying with a team in this discussion.

You don't care about loyalty? What did Shaq give the team that ACTUALLY drafted him #1? 4 seasons, one NBA Finals appearance, and then he bolted so that he could work on his movie career. The Magic were then basically afterthoughts until they won another lottery.

The 1999 draft that yielded Duncan for the Spurs is STILL paying dividends for that team. And he's been every bit as offensively productive as Shaq while also being a far superior defender and teammate. Duncan has been one of the best teammates in the history of team sports, while Shaq played for 6 teams and burned bridges on the way out with just about all of them.

Give me 14 years of team-building, consistent excellence over 2 or 3 years of offensive dominance any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

[skinsfan07]

You don't care about loyalty? What did Shaq give the team that ACTUALLY drafted him #1? 4 seasons, one NBA Finals appearance, and then he bolted so that he could work on his movie career. The Magic were then basically afterthoughts until they won another lottery.

The 1999 draft that yielded Duncan for the Spurs is STILL paying dividends for that team. And he's been every bit as offensively productive as Shaq while also being a far superior defender and teammate. Duncan has been one of the best teammates in the history of team sports, while Shaq played for 6 teams and burned bridges on the way out with just about all of them.

Give me 14 years of team-building, consistent excellence over 2 or 3 years of offensive dominance any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

Exactly I'd take Duncan over Shaq any day. Great post.

[skinfan2k]

Duncan, Shaq, Lebron, Robinson, Ewing

[RiggosMohawk]

Duncan

Lebron

Shaq

AI

Ewing

[FSUSkins24]

Duncan has to be #1 right?

Correct. I'm of the mind that Lebron has the ability to mix up this list in time, but as it stands now I have no real problem with the list MLSkins has.

[Sticksboi05]

Give me 14 years of team-building, consistent excellence over 2 or 3 years of offensive dominance any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

I agree but Shaq's offensive dominance was for more than 2-3 seasons.

[Kosher Ham]

Interesting the EerSkins pointed this out but...Shaq was not hated at all for leaving Orlando.

[MattFancy]

Thought this would fit in here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/if-vintage-nba-draft-evaluations-had-actually-been

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Interesting the EerSkins pointed this out but...Shaq was not hated at all for leaving Orlando.

It always seemed to me that the moment he was drafted, the clock on when he would leave Orlando started counting down. They tried to swing something special with Penny to entice him to stay, but that failed.

I can't believe how hard people are sleeping on Shaq in this thread.

And maybe I'm just looking at this question differently than others. I'm not looking at it as to who did what for the team that drafted them. I'm looking at it as to who I would want take on my team. And Shaq is #1 for me.

[pjfootballer]

Shaq did the same thing as LeBron. Went to a bigger, better city and team. He took more money and Shaq told Orlando that they could match the money LA offered, they couldn't match him making movies and all the other extra things that came with LA. But Shaq didn't hold a prime time special to tell us about it.