Grading the Performances of the Past 5 No. 1 Overall Picks in the NBA Draft

When reflecting back on NBA Draft classes of the past, there are always key players, sleepers, and stars who will emerge and make a name for themselves. Every player drafted enters the league with the pressure of trying to make the team and just prove they belong. Well, there is a different type of pressure the top overall picks have to deal with.

All of them enter the NBA with the unfair expectations that they will become superstars, that they will be able to single-handedly save a franchise, and are expected to bring titles to their respective franchises. While many have gone on to have successful, Hall of Fame-worthy careers, there have been ones who just didn’t have what it took.

The NBA has been fortunate over these past five drafts to have these men enter the league. They all have star potential and all of them have a real opportunity to leave an indelible mark on the league.

Can Zion Williamson Remain Healthy to Reach His True Potential?

When he plays, Williamson is a force to be reckoned with.

When the New Orleans Pelicans won the 2019 NBA Draft Lottery, the excitement reverberated throughout the organization as they knew that they would be drafting the would-be savior of their franchise.

At the time he was preparing to enter the league, Zion Williamson was the most hyped prospect since LeBron James, and the Pelicans were ecstatic about getting him, especially considering that they had just traded away franchise cornerstone Anthony Davis.

Williamson will be 24 years old once the new season begins, and every year he’s been in the league there have been concerns about his weight. Williamson’s game relies a lot on his athleticism, explosiveness and touch at the rim. Hopefully, weight won’t continue to be an issue, because he is one of the most electrifying players in the league whenever he is healthy and actually on the floor.

He’s a natural force inside the paint, and it is hard to slow him down once he gets rolling. Some have said that Williamson is a bust, but they have to understand that he hasn’t reached his hype or his potential, but he shows flashes of what he is capable of doing when he’s healthy.

Once he reaches a level of consistency, the rest of the league will have a difficult time trying to guard him. If the Pelicans can make it to the postseason with a healthy Williamson, he would most definitely be capable of making significant contributions, as his presence alone changes everything for the Pelicans.

Williamson’s ceiling was expected to be “all-time great”, and many critics have viewed his career as underachieving. He could definitely still be a top-10 player in the years to come, and also have some opportunities to win championships. A Hall of Fame career isn’t out of the question for Williamson, but he needs to be healthy and available in order to continue selling the foundation for what should be a legendary career.

Williamson’s 4-year grade: B+

Anthony Edwards Could Become the Face of the NBA

Edwards could win multiple MVP’s and other accolades.

Anthony Edwards is a highlight machine with his scoring prowess, dunks and stellar defensive plays. At 22 years old, the young phenom averaged 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game in his 4th season on a 50-win team, and has improved in almost every aspect of his game.

Edwards earned his second NBA All-Star selection last season, and was named All-NBA Second Team for the first time in his career.

What’s amazing about all the accolades he has earned so far is the fact that he is at least three to four years away from his prime. If he continues to get better, he should continually be in the MVP conversation for years, and should be good enough to take home the award some day.

The way he ascended in the Minnesota Timberwolves first round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns displayed the type of player Edwards can become, as he had an aura of confidence about himself, and was able to lead his team to a series sweep.

During that series, Edwards went head-to-head against his childhood idol in Kevin Durant, who he eventually got the best of. After the conclusion of the series, Durant had this to say about Edwards.

Throughout the course of the postseason, Edwards often drew comparisons to Michael Jordan, and whether he had the ability to take over the league in a similar fashion.

While Edwards displays a level of greatness, and may remind many of legends from the past, it’s unfair to compare him, especially so early in his career. Truth is, there probably won’t be another Jordan, but there can be a first Anthony Edwards.

The cool thing is that he does possess some of the same characteristics basketball wise as Jordan, but at the end of the day, Edwards could make a major impact of his own on the game.

Edwards 4-year grade: A-

Can Cade Cunningham Turn It Around in Motown?

Can the Pistons surround the talented guard with enough support?

When the Detroit Pistons drafted Cade Cunningham, they were sure that they had their point guard of the future, hoping that he would be the one to bring a once proud franchise back to prominence. Cunningham is a solid player who should develop into an all-star at some point in his career.

He hasn’t played as well as everyone expected from a number one overall selection, but injuries and a lack of a supporting cast has hindered his progression. Cunningham’s shooting numbers could be better, but he is the only player for the Pistons that the defense must account for.

​​​​As a result, Cunningham draws the opposing team’s best defender assigned to him every time he takes the floor. A huge problem the Pistons have had is being able to adequately space the floor due to opposing defenses crowding driving lanes and packing the paint whenever he attempts to get to the rim. The organization must prioritize acquiring some quality floor spacers so Cunningham won’t have to worry about being double-teamed often.

What doesn’t get mentioned a lot is the fact of how the Pistons, from an organizational standpoint, have complicated the development of Cunningham as they have attempted to force him into being the first option. The organization must take into account how that impacts his ability to not only grow into the NBA, but to be able to develop into his role as well.

Cunningham’s 3-year grade: C-

All it took was 2 seasons for Banchero to lead the Orlando Magic in the right direction.

Fresh off of his sophomore season as the first option and coming off his first of what should be many all-star appearances, Paolo Banchero led the Orlando Magic to a 13-win improvement last season as the team secured the fifth-seed in the East.

If Banchero doesn’t bring anything else to the Magic, he brings hope. He has pretty much given a dormant fanbase something to finally be proud of as he led the team to it’s first playoff appearance in five years.

People are more aware of how special Banchero is, and what he could become in the seasons ahead, as he showed that he can take his game to another level after a great playoff performance.

Despite losing the series, the Magic took a very good Cleveland Cavaliers team to seven games, and Banchero proved that he will be a player to keep an eye on in the seasons to come. He also proved that he is a legit first option, and is capable of carrying the load. The NBA Playoffs takes a different attitude and a heightened level of play in order to succeed, and Banchero displayed all of it in that playoff series.

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For a player his size, Banchero is extremely fluid, even with the ball in his hands. He uses his size to his advantage, as he can basically just shoot over a lot of defenders. If he starts bullying defenders, and elevates his finishing at the rim, his numbers would improve dramatically, as he doesn’t have many flaws in his game.

The Magic could use another playmaker besides Banchero, and it’s realistic to expect that his assists totals will either dip, or hold steady if the team can find a viable point guard. But it shouldn’t affect Banchero’s ability to make plays, and we could see an increase in his scoring production, as a good floor general would be able to create enough space for him to thrive, especially out of the pick-and-roll, which is a specialty of his.

The key for Banchero on the offensive end will be patience. He must be patient and not just settle for jump shots. He has to remain aggressive with his drives, and use his size combined with his handles to get into the lane.

Banchero has a pretty unique set of skills in his arsenal, as he is capable of scoring out of the post, has a good enough shot to the point that it has to be respected and is capable of playing point forward, and running an offense. Also, not to mention the elite rate at which he draws fouls. There are few players who can combine speed, skill, strength and size the way Banchero does, and the majority of those players are perennial all-stars.

If he continues on his current trajectory, he could literally be a do-it-all type of player. Banchero still has a long way to go until he is considered a complete player, but it’s rare that you will find a player who can defend one through five and play all positions on the offensive end as well.

Banchero’s 2-year grade: A-

Wemby is Unlike Anyone the NBA Has Seen

Already established as one of the NBA’s top defenders, Wembanyama has a chance to shatter NBA records.

He’s already the youngest player to record a triple-double without a turnover. He’s also the only NBA player in history with averages of 20-plus points, 10-plus rebounds, three-plus blocks and one three-pointer per game. He’s the only player in NBA history with 250-plus blocks, 250-plus assists and 100-plus three-pointers in a season and that’s only the beginning.

Victor Wembanyama started his NBA career, and has proved any doubters and naysayers wrong immediately. What a start it was as he was awarded the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Award. In just one season, he has already become one of the NBA’s top rim protectors, and a nightmare mismatch for opposing teams.

Whenever he’s had the opportunity to stay near the rim, he’s been a defensive rebounding machine. Wembanyama finished third in defensive rebounding percentage, and he should continue to improve in that category exponentially.

Once the San Antonio Spurs surround him with a competent group of perimeter defenders, they could have one of the top defenses in the league. Wembanyama’s physical advantages and special combination of size, speed and length are just too much to deal with for opponents, as he could overwhelm with his natural talent alone.

His passing skills are pretty good despite his high turnover rate, but that problem can be alleviated once the Spurs on-court chemistry improves. Even though his handle is exceptional for a 7-foot-4 player, it’s safe to believe that he will continue to struggle with turnovers.

Wembanyama’s length is going to ensure that he will have a high amount, but the trade-off for the other intangibles he brings to the table makes it an acceptable flaw until he can figure it out.

Wembanyama has accomplished so much as a rookie despite being surrounded by subpar shooters and playmakers. If he matures with added strength, skill development and better complimentary talent, he should be a perennial MVP candidate, and remain among the league leaders in scoring and blocks while maybe recording multiple quadruple-doubles, which has only been accomplished by four players.

Wembanyama could also challenge former Spurs great Tim Duncan’s all-time record for most All-Defensive team selections at 15 total. It’s going to be exciting watching this kid grow into the player he is destined to become, and if the Spurs organization gets this right, they could be hanging a lot more banners up next to the ones they already have.

Wembanyama’s 1-year grade: A+

All statistics provided courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.

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