the NBA players that has been mentioned are primarily centers or big men. There has also been smaller no.1 picks that flopped. Centers who are no.1 picks usually has more pressure on them to achieve because much is expected from them.

Kwame Brown failed because he lacked the maturity. jumping from high school to the NBA is not for everyone. Garnett, Kobe, Lebron are exceptions-not the rule.

Portland missed out on Michael Jordan (no.3) because they felt Sam Bowie (6′11″) as No.2 pick overall in 1984 was a better pick for them. on that same year, Hakeem Olajuaon was No.1 while Barkley and Malone were picked much later. the NBA 1984 draft is considered by many as the greatest drafting year ever.

Ralph Sampson (Houston 1983) was considered to be the new standard of NBA center when he was picked No.1. After his initial contract, the Lakers wanted to get him as a successor to Jabbar. Houston already had Olajuan (the twin towers) and Sampson wanted to be the focus of the team. Rockets management however asked for the moon and the stars for Sampson (they wanted Worthy, Scott and several draft picks), thus a deal was never made. Unfortunately for Sampson, a knee injury forced him out of the game.

Glen Robinson (Miluakee 1994) was the first 50 million dollar rookie. though he became an all-star, it was due to his scoring and not because of his team’s success on court. Grant Hill and Jason Kidd were co-winners of the rookie of the year on that batch.

No.1 picks aren’t surefire ways to success. That’s why teams right now are looking at free-agents who are franchise and PROVEN players and they now look at the draft to complement them. the NBA policy of 3 year-first year contracts does not assure a team that they will hold on to their prized rookies.

The New York Knicks are a classic example. they are clearing their salary cap so that they can buy Lebron on 2010 when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. NY can offer an amount beyond any that the Cavs can offer. NY wants a proven player, not a project. But I don’t think Lebron will move, not unless NY gets decent players to complement him. Lebron already has that in Cleveland.

1.Mychal Thompson (not sure of the name) was taken no.1 by Portland after trading franchise player (but oft injured) Bill Walton. He was best known for backing up the Showtime Lakers.

2.Bill Cartwright of the Knicks was considered a jumpshooting center, but was an integral part of the first triple championship Bulls squad.

3.Joe Smith of Golden State never became a star but was pursued by teams who wanted versatile big men.

Of course, some of the big number one busts were the following.

1. Larue Martin, picked no.1 by Portland in 1972, was considered the first “lemon”.
2. Kent Benson, picked by the Bucks in 1977 became forgotten on the bench. fortunately, that season gave Miluakee several first round draft picks that they received for trading Kareem-Abdul Jabaar to the Lakers. They also picked perenial all-star Marques Johnson to off-set the bust that was Benson.
3. Joe Barry Carrol, picked by Golden State. He was big, slow and soft.