First overall pick in NBA draft misses nearly as often as it hits
LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis are among the hits. But do you recall Anthony Bennett?
Barring an unforeseen happening, the 76ers will make the initial pick in Thursday night's NBA draft and, also barring a huge surprise, they will select Markelle Fultz out of the University of Washington. It will be the second season in a row the organization has made the first selection on draft night, after last year's choice of Ben Simmons.
Though coveted, the first pick doesn't always prove to be the organizational changer the selector envisions. So here's a look at the top selections, going back to 2003, because that pick is the oldest one still in the league.
2003: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers. While he ended a 52-year championship drought in his home state in 2016, he soured many when he left for South Beach in 2010. Might he soon be out again?
2004: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic. His has been a very good career, if not a frustrating one in that he hasn't been able to put a team over the top as far as contending for a championship. Recently traded to the Charlotte Hornets, his fourth team in the past six years after eight seasons in Orlando.
2005: Andrew Bogut, Milwaukee Bucks. Has had a very nice career, culminating with a ring as a member of the Golden State Warriors two years ago. Didn't have much competition as the first pick, although Chris Paul did go fourth.
2006: Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors. One of the worst picks taken with the top overall spot and it was overseen, as you all know, by current Sixers GM Bryan Colangelo.
2007: Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers. OK, maybe he challenges Bargnani but there is no way anyone could have imagined he would be derailed by knee injuries his whole career. That someone named Kevin Durant was taken after doesn't help.
2008: Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls. Many only remember him from the many injuries he has accumulated. But watch tape of him early in his career and it is truly a shame he didn't stay healthy. He would have been a super superstar.
2009: Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers. His has been a career of, at times, individual stardom but now he seems to carry the label of a good player on a team that underachieves.
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2010: John Wall, Washington Wizards. He is really just starting to scratch the surface as a star in the league and most likely will be for years to come. Building around him is now the top priority in Washington.
2011: Kyrie Irving, Cleveland Cavaliers. Though he missed most of his lone season at Duke because of injury, Cleveland nailed this pick. Of course, taking him over Derrick Williams, Enes Kanter and Tristan Thompson is sort of a no-brainer.
2012: Anthony Davis, New Orleans. In five years, all he's done is average 22.4 points and 10.2 rebounds. Now he has to be able to carry a franchise to loftier heights. Whether he can is yet to be seen.
2013: Anthony Bennett, Cleveland Cavaliers. Rivals, maybe surpasses, Bargnani as the worst.
2014: Andrew Wiggins, Cleveland Cavaliers. One of the first faces of "The Process" as many pined for "Winless for Wiggins." Given the way the process has gone since, and the fact that Joel Embiid "fell" to the Sixers, all seems to be forgotten.
2015: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves. This kid is on the cusp of becoming one of the best and most versatile big men in the league. Shame he's not in the Eastern Conference; would love to see him and Embiid battle more than twice a year.
2016: Ben Simmons, Sixers. He'll be given the keys to the rebuild from Day 1, albeit a year after he was drafted, and could become one of the all-time elite passers at 6-10 in the history of the league.