NBA Draft: 5 Slam Dunks With The No. 1 Overall Pick
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- We are one week away from the NBA Draft. It's a night where the dreams of playing in the NBA for many college kids and some overseas players come true.
All the hard work, all the hours in the gym and all the extra shots make draft night worth it. There's also a nice paycheck that comes with it for lottery and first-round picks. Those taken in the second round will likely have to prove something to the teams that pick them to make the opening night roster.
Throughout the years, there have been a lot of busts with a pick of such a high caliber. Between injuries and lofty expectations, it's just hard for some to live up to the hype. For others, being taken with the No. 1 overall pick was a no-brainer and it's led to a Hall of Fame career, titles or MVP awards.
Here are five players who have been taken with the No. 1 overall pick who have been absolute slam dunks.
LeBron James
LeBron James was one of the recent No. 1 overall picks to go to the NBA directly from high school. He didn't blossom immediately, but he'll likely end his career as the second-best player of all time behind Michael Jordan. He took an average Cleveland team to the NBA Finals, won two championships with the Miami Heat and returned to the Cavaliers this year. He almost led them to the NBA title despite their team being riddled with injuries. Over six games in the NBA Finals, James averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game. He should've gotten the NBA Finals MVP award, which instead went to Golden State's Andre Iguodala. At age 30, James is still very much in the prime of his career with a chance to win more titles if the pieces around him can stay healthy.
Andrew Wiggins
It's still very early, but Andrew Wiggins is off to a promising start in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was taken by Cleveland with the top pick in the 2014 draft, then traded to Minnesota as part of the deal to acquire Kevin Love. Wiggins won the NBA's Rookie of the Year Award after starting all 82 games. He averaged 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and two assists per game. He shot 45 percent from the field and played more than 36 minutes per game. Not bad for a 19-year-old kid who played one year in college.
Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis was a star at Kentucky and selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. It's taken some time, but he's become a budding superstar at the game's highest level. He's gotten better every year and in his third season in the NBA, he led New Orleans to a playoff spot by averaging 24.4 points and 10.2 rebounds in 36 minutes per game. The Pelicans got to the playoffs this year and faced Golden State, which is now one win away from an NBA title.
Shaquille O'Neal
He's not in the Hall of Fame yet, but it's only a matter of time for Shaquille O'Neal. He was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft and is one of the biggest players in history at 7 feet, 1 inch tall and weighing 325 pounds. He won the Rookie of the Year has four NBA titles, three with the L.A. Lakers. He also earned one with the Miami Heat. In his 19-year NBA career that included six teams, he averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He'll go down as one of the best centers in NBA history.
Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan was part of the trend of staying in college four years instead of leaving school early for the NBA. He was taken by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 1 overall pick in 1997, and over his 18 seasons so far, he's been one of the most consistent and durable players in the NBA. He's won five NBA titles with the Spurs and for his career is averaging 19.5 points and 11 rebounds per game. He's the consummate pro athlete and is widely respected across the league.
This year, it's all about what the Minnesota Timberwolves as they have the No. 1 overall pick following a 16-66 season. They also have a budding superstar in Andrew Wiggins. It's been widely reported that the Timberwolves are choosing between centers Karl-Anthony Towns of Kentucky and Jahlil Okafor of Duke. Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russel could also be in the mix. Regardless, the Timberwolves have a great chance at drafting the NBA's next star to pair with another superstar in Wiggins.