20 Greatest No. 3 Overall Draft Picks In NBA History

The NBA Draft is an annual selection of all the top prospects from around the world by NBA teams looking to set their franchise up for success. Usually, landing in a position to have the choice of a top-three selection in the draft means you are acquiring one of the best players available from the NCAA or international ranks. Of course, there have been outliers in this process who were selected with the third pick or even higher who went on to become a bust in the NBA and failed to live up to the expectations that accompany a top-three pick. Today, we are not here to talk about the ones who failed.

Just as we have done previously with the number one and number two overall picks, this will be a countdown of the greatest number three overall picks in NBA history. This list features some of the NBA’s most legendary past players, along with some of the brightest stars in the game today. Atop the list sits the greatest basketball player in NBA history, and from there, the list is rounded out by some of the greatest talents in league history as well. 

These are the 20 greatest No. 3 overall picks in NBA history.

Honorable Mentions

Al Horford (2007 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 13.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.2 BPG

Career Achievements: 5x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection, 1x All-Defensive Team Selection

Al Horford is someone every team wishes they had on their team. Horford is the ultimate team player on both sides of the ball and is incredibly efficient as well. On defense, Horford gives little up to his opponent in the paint and is really good at limiting his fouls as well as causing turnovers. On offense, Horford takes highly efficient shots and plays a near-flawless team game. He has been a great veteran leader for Boston over the last few seasons and continues to prove his worth even in his older age.

Horford began his career with the Atlanta Hawks in 2007-08 after they selected him third overall in the 2007 NBA Draft. He would be an All-Star by his third season with Atlanta and an All-NBA player the following season in 2010-11, averaging over 15.0 PPG and 9.0 RPG. He would earn a total of four All-Star selections in nine seasons with the Hawks and another with Boston in 2018. For the past two seasons, Horford has done a fantastic job of anchoring the Celtics’ interior defense as he searches for his first NBA championship.

Buck Williams (1981 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 12.8 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Career Achievements: 1x Rookie Of The Year, 3x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection, 4x All-Defensive Team Selection 

Buck Williams was a beast, plain and simple. Even if NBA fans didn’t know that Williams was one of the players who made the 80s Nets tick, opposing players sure did. He was their anchor on the defensive side of the ball and was a rough and physical presence for them on the interior. Williams wasn’t too limited on the offensive end either but also wasn’t usually relied upon often for that part of his game.

Williams got his start in 1981-82 as a rookie with New Jersey. He won the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award over the likes of Mark Aguirre and Isiah Thomas, averaging 15.5 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 1.0 SPG, and 1.0 BPG. He earned an All-Star selection in each of his first two seasons with the Nets and another in 1986. In eight seasons with the team, he averaged 16.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, and 1.1 BPG. He would then spend seven seasons with Portland and two more with the Knicks before retiring in 1998.

20. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf (1990 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 14.6 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Career Achievements: 1x Most Improved Player

Formerly known as Chris Jackson at LSU, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was one of the game’s most exciting players at the point guard position in the 1990s. Rauf has often been referred to as the modern-day Stephen Curry due to his small stature and ability to light up any gym with his shooting displays. Of course, Rauf didn’t have nearly the career that Curry has had, and that had a ton to do with what the NBA did by vilifying him for his beliefs and essentially blackballing him from the NBA in 1998.

Over his first two years with the Nuggets, Rauf came off the bench and averaged 12.0 PPG on just 41.7% shooting overall. In 1993, he would get his chance to become the starter for Denver and became the NBA’s Most Improved Player. He averaged 19.2 PPG on 45.0% shooting and 35.5% shooting from three. Over the next three seasons with Denver, he averaged 17.6 PPG on 45.5% shooting. After being traded to the Kings, Rauf’s issues with the NBA began to take center stage, and by 1998, he was out of the league and playing in Turkey. Rauf would attempt a comeback with Vancouver in 2000-01 but played just 41 games and averaged 6.5 PPG.

19. Baron Davis (1999 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 16.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Career Achievements: 2x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection

Another electric point guard that came along a bit after Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was Baron Davis. What was so impressive about Davis was not just his pure point guard skills but his supreme athleticism and underrated strength. This allowed him to attack the basket fearlessly as few smaller guards had done before. More than once, Davis defied the odds on the basketball court and carried his team to victory.

Davis would spend the first five and a half seasons of his career with the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets. There, Davis would become a two-time All-Star and a 20.0 PPG scorer who dished out over 7.0 APG and won himself a steals title in 2004. Davis would then move on to the Warriors, where he won another steals title in 2007 and led them to one of the biggest upsets in playoff history over the one-seeded Mavericks in the playoffs that season. Davis would have multiple seasons of 20.0 PPG with Golden State before finishing his career with the Clippers, Cavaliers, and Knicks.

18. Jerry Stackhouse (1995 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 16.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Career Achievements: 2x All-Star

Jerry Stackhouse was meant to be a star in the NBA during the late 90s and 2000s, and for a time, it seemed he would be one of its biggest. Stackhouse was an extremely talented scorer who thrived on getting through the lane and to the rim. His athleticism allowed him to finish above the rim with authority and finish through any kind of contact he may have drawn. As a defender and rebounder, Stackhouse’s athleticism did not aid his game as much as it was thought it would.

Stackhouse was a star from a young age averaging just over 19.0 PPG as a rookie and slightly over 20.0 PPG the following season. After being traded to Detroit and battling injury in 1999, Stackhouse would have the best years of his career in 2000 and 2001. He became an All-Star and 20.0 PPG scorer in 2000 with the Pistons and, in 2001, took his game to new heights. He averaged 29.8 PPG in 80 games played and led the NBA in total points scored. He would move on to play with the Wizards and Mavericks following his time in Detroit but was never the All-Star he was with the Pistons again.

17. Deron Williams (2005 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 16.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 8.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Career Achievements: 3x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Team Selection

Deron Williams was not a standout point guard when he first came into the NBA, but he sure developed into one. Williams possessed one of the deadliest crossovers in basketball. He easily left defenders in the dust by using his wide frame to get around them and get to the rim. He had decent shooting ability from the perimeter as well and eventually was the perfect example of what a point guard was supposed to look like. For a time, there was serious debate about who was the best point guard in the game, and Williams’ name was at the top of the list.

After two years of adjustment, Williams began his ascent to becoming one of the game’s best guards in 2007-08. It was the first season he would average at least 18.0 PPG and 10.0 APG, something he would do for the next three seasons in a row. He earned three-straight All-Star appearances from 2010 thru 2012, averaging at least 18.0 PPG and 10.0 APG every season. Williams was never able to help his teams capture an NBA championship, but there is no doubt how much he meant to every franchise he was a part of.

16. Bradley Beal (2012 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 22.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Career Achievements: 3x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection

Bradley Beal is an interesting selection for our list due to a lack of individual accolades, but he has been one of the best shooting guards in basketball for quite some time now. Although a bit undersized for a shooting guard, Beal’s athleticism and scoring ability has made him a top player in the game when he was at his peak. He can create his own shot off the dribble and possesses the skills and strength to get by defenders to finish at the rim. He also developed a beautiful outside game topped off with an immaculate shooting stroke from three.

Beal had to adjust for a few seasons while sharing the backcourt with fellow star John Wall. In 2017, Beal would have the first of many future 20.0 PPG seasons of his career. He would earn three All-Star selections over the next four seasons, with Washington averaging 27.0 PPG on 46.9% shooting. He averaged over 30.0 PPG in 2020 and 2021. Even as the Wizards continuously play less than average, Beal continues to shine even in 2022-23 with over 23.0 PPG and shooting over 36.0% from deep.

15. Penny Hardaway (1993 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 15.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG

Career Achievements: 4x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection

In the early 1990s, Penny Hardaway was set to become one of the next big stars in the NBA. He had everything that any team would want in their starting point guard. He was bigger than most point guards at the time but handled the ball on a string while picking apart defenses easily with his crafty agility and athleticism. He also had a superstar running mate in Shaq, and together they would make the relatively new Orlando Magic franchise relevant and a borderline championship team.

Hardaway’s career got started off with a bang, as he averaged 16.0 PPG, 6.6 APG, and 2.3 SPG as a rookie. He became an All-Star in his second season and helped lead the Magic to the NBA Finals for the first time, where they came up short against the Rockets. In 1996, Hardaway was not only an All-Star again but an MVP candidate, this time helping lead the Magic to 60 wins despite Shaq missing 28 games due to injury. The 1996-97 season was when things began to go downhill for Hardaway as ankle injuries began to take their toll. He would miss the majority of 1997-98 and never return to his previous MVP-like form.

14. Marques Johnson (1977 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 20.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Career Achievements: 1x Comeback Player Of The Year, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection

Marques Johnson is one of the greatest Milwaukee Bucks to ever play in the NBA as well as one of the greatest NBA players not in the Hall of Fame. Johnson was an effortless scorer during his NBA career, as he averaged over 20.0 PPG in 11 seasons with the Bucks and Clippers. Johnson, along with Sidney Moncrief and Bob Dandridge, made the Bucks one of the best teams in the league at his peak and a formidable opponent even for the great Michael Jordan.

Johnson was fairly quickly an All-Star in the NBA, earning the honor in his second season by averaging over 25.0 PPG. He would be a 20.0 PPG scorer in six of his 11 NBA seasons and made three straight All-Star Games from 1979 thru 1981, averaging over 22.0 PPG. Along with his 20.0 PPG, Johnson almost always contributed around 7.0 RPG and 1.5 SPG in his prime as well, making the Bucks a force to be reckoned with in the East. Johnson would win the 1986 Comeback Player of the Year award with the Clippers averaging over 20.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.4 SPG.

13. Chauncey Billups (1997 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 15.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Career Achievements: 1x Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Team Selection, 2x All-Defensive Team Selection

Another top point guard of the 2000s whose play led directly to NBA championships was Chancey Billups. As a scorer from the point guard position, Billups was extremely talented and as clutch as any other player in the game. He earned the name “Mr. Big Shot” for his ability to deliver in big games regularly. He was also a tough and physical defender, which set the tone for a 2004 championship run with Detroit predicated on defense. His leadership skills were evident everywhere he went, and he led by example every time he stepped on the court.

During his first few seasons, Billups bounced around from the Celtics to the Raptors to the Nuggets. When he finally landed in Detroit in 2002-03 is when he would finally come out of his shell. Just one year after arriving with the Pistons, Billups would help lead the Pistons to their first championship since 1990 over the favored Los Angeles Lakers. Billups would earn Finals MVP honors for his performance during the series, and a star had been born. Billups would earn five straight All-Star appearances from 2006 thru 2010, with the Pistons and Nuggets averaging 17.2 PPG, 6.9 APG, and 1.1 SPG.

12. Grant Hill (1994 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 16.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Career Achievements: 1x Rookie Of The Year, 7x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Team Selection

As Grant Hill exited Duke University and entered the NBA in 1994, he was quickly tabbed as the heir-apparent to Michael Jordan as far as who was going to be the face of the league when Jordan retired. Hill was a guard/forward hybrid who did everything exceptionally well on the court. If you needed a bucket, Hill could get it himself or make a play for his teammates on command. He could get timely stops on defense and was as athletic as anyone the NBA had seen at his position.

In the first six seasons of his career, Hill was a five-time All-Star with the Pistons and was named Rookie of the Year in 1995. Hill would average 21.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 6.3 APG, and 1.6 SPG during this time and make his case for best player in the world. Then, in the 2000 playoffs, that all changed as Hill suffered an ankle injury that would derail the course of his career. He would remain an asset and an All-Star-caliber player, yet he was never the MVP candidate and superstar he was on his way to becoming again.

11. Nate Thurmond (1963 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.1 BPG

Career Achievements: 7x All-Star, 5x All-Defensive Team Selection

For the number 11 spot on our list, we had to go back a bit into the archives to talk about one of the best big men to ever play the game. Nate Thurmond was a tough and physical rebounder and defender during his days with the Warriors and Cavaliers. He took pride not in being a scorer or flashy player but in being the reason opposing teams feared coming into the paint any night that he was there to defend it. He took on the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell with eager force and usually had himself a successful night.

Thurmond would spend the first 11 seasons of his career with the Warriors, who occupied the names San Francisco and Golden State during his career. After sharing the frontcourt with Wilt Chamberlain for a few seasons, Thurmond would become an All-Star himself, averaging over 15.0 PPG and 15.0 RPG for his first decade in the NBA. In 1968, he would become one of the few players to ever average over 20.0 PPG and 20.0 RPG in a season while playing elite interior defense. After leaving the Warriors, Thurmond would spend his last three seasons with the Bulls and Cavaliers, where he would wrap up a legendary and Hall of Fame 14-year career.

10. Jayson Tatum (2017 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 22.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.7 BPG

Career Achievements: 4x All-Star, 1x All-Star Game MVP, 2x All-NBA Team Selection

Jayson Tatum is currently finishing his sixth season in the NBA and is already a top player in the league. On offense, Tatum is as dangerous as anyone on all three levels. He is a decent drive-and-kick playmaker, but he specializes in creating his own shot from the outside or mid-range. His patented side-step three has been virtually unguardable as well as his array of moves that get him free and to the rim. Tatum is also a sound defender who thrives in a team situation way more than in an individual environment.

As a rookie, Tatum helped lead the Celtics to an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals. Since then, it has been one season after another of improvement and excellence from Tatum. In 2022, Tatum would help lead Boston to an appearance in the NBA Finals but fall to six games to the Warriors. He spent most of 2022-23 as a top MVP candidate in the NBA as well, averaging over 30.0 PPG on the season while leading the Celtics to a 54-24 record through 78 games.

9. Pete Maravich (1970 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 24.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Career Achievements: 5x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team Selection

Whenever somebody mentions the great NBA players who were ahead of their time, Pete Maravich’s name is often one of the first brought up. Maravich earned the nickname Pistol for the speed with which he played the game and the way he shot up and down the court on both sides of the ball. The way he controlled the pace of the game to his liking with his incredible handles and court vision was a pure art form. I didn’t even mention the way in which he scored the ball, which saw him set the NCAA record for most career points scored and continue that play into the NBA.

It took a couple of seasons for Maravich to get going, but by 1973, he was an All-Star averaging 26.1 PPG. He would average at least 20.0 PPG over the next seven seasons as well. He won a scoring title in 1977 with the Jazz when he averaged 31.1 PPG on 43.3% shooting. Maravich could shoot, pass, and make plays with the best of them in the NBA, and we only wish we could have seen him play in today’s game where he would fit right in.

8. Dominique Wilkins (1982 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 24.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG

Career Achievements: 9x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team Selection

It is downright criminal how underrated Dominique has become since his career ended in 1999. Wilkins was known as one of the most athletic players in the NBA during the 1980s, with an innate ability to score the ball and embarrass defenders in the process. The only knock on Wilkins is that he could never get up to the levels of Magic, Jordan, and Bird with winning championships. It could have happened if Atlanta was competent enough to roster a good enough team around him.

By his third season in 1985, Wilkins had become a 27.4 PPG scorer with the Hawks and one of the best talents the league had to offer. He became a scoring champion the following season when he averaged 30.3 PPG, one of two 30.0 PPG seasons for him in his career. Wilkins would make nine straight All-Star appearances from 1986 thru 1994, averaging 28.1 PPG and 7.1 RPG on 46.5% shooting. Even as he suffered career-altering injuries late in his career, he still adapted to play well and score at will.

7. Joel Embiid (2014 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 27.2 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.7 BPG

Career Achievements: 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team Selection, 3x All-Defensive Team Selection

At first glance, Joel Embiid’s career did not get off to a good start. He was often injured with foot injuries and missed the entirety of his first two seasons in the league. Once healthy, he developed into one of the most skilled bigs in basketball and was a game-changer on both sides of the ball. Embiid can score from all three levels despite not being able to be stopped in the paint by any defender, elite or otherwise. He displays soft touch on his shooting and is an impactful interior defender as well.

After a season of averaging 20.2 PPG and 7.8 RPG in 2017, Embiid has made six straight All-Star appearances and has averaged 27.8 PPG, 11.5 RPG, and 1.6 BPG over that time. In 2022, he became the first center since Shaq in the 2000s to win the scoring title with 30.6 PPG. In 2023, he is once again winning that scoring title with 33.0 PPG through 77 games played for the Sixers. All that is missing from his resume is an MVP award that he has nearly won before and an NBA championship that he promised the City of Philadelphia.

6. Pau Gasol (2001 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 17.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG

Career Achievements: 1x Rookie Of The Year, 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team Selection

Pau Gasol’s numbers aren’t exactly as glaringly great as the players on this list before him. However, if you watched his career and saw the impact he had on winning NBA championships, then you would have to agree with his placement on this list. Gasol was one of the most skilled bigs of any era during his career. He was an elite rebounder and shot-blocker who ran the floor like a guard in his prime. He was also an above-average playmaker and passer from the post, which led to great success as his career went on.

Gasol was one of the greatest players in Grizzlies’ history during his younger days from 2002 thru 2008. He would earn an All-Star selection with them in 2006 before being dealt to the Lakers in 2007-08. He would help the Lakers reach three straight NBA Finals from 2008 thru 2010 and win back-to-back NBA championships alongside Kobe Bryant in 2009 and 2010. Gasol was named a member of the 2023 Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame class this past weekend, a well-deserved honor for the veteran champion.

5. Carmelo Anthony (2003 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 22.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Career Achievements: 10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA Team Selection

The way that Carmelo Anthony is still treated by NBA fans today is disgusting. As a young man, Carmelo Anthony was a true three-level scorer and an elite one at that. Anthony could always knock down his outside shots, but it was his shot creation that really saw him fully disclose his toolbox as a scorer. He was too strong for most forwards in the post and too crafty for bigger defenders. Anthony made his way onto the top 10 scorers in NBA history list but always fell just shy of competing for an NBA championship.

As a rookie, Carmelo battled LeBron James and probably should have been named Rookie of the Year. He went 14 straight seasons from 2004 thru 2017, averaging at least 20.0 PPG each year. Anthony would win a scoring title in 2013, with the Knicks averaging 28.7 PPG on 44.9% shooting. Anthony bounced around a lot toward the end of his career and could probably still be playing today. Even if we never see him on the court again, it is time to give him his proper respect.

4. Kevin McHale (1980 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 17.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.7 BPG

Career Achievements: 2x Sixth Man Of The Year, 7x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Team Selection, 6x All-Defensive Team Selection

Kevin McHale came over to the Boston Celtics through the NBA Draft in one of the most lopsided deals ever done in NBA history. McHale started his career off the bench and quickly developed into one of the best bench players in basketball. He was talented with the ball in his hands in the post, making defenders look silly with his elite footwork and finishing ability. He became one of the best defensive players in the NBA as well, earning six All-Defensive Team selections in his career. 

McHale was a big part of the Celtics’ three-headed monster that captured three NBA titles in the 1980s. He led the NBA multiple times in shooting percentage and shot 55.4% from the field for his career. He also led the NBA in games played twice and was a consistent 20.0 PPG scorer and 9.0 RPG player at his peak. McHale’s placement as a top power forward in NBA history is not up for debate as he proved over a stellar 13-year career.

3. Bob Cousy (1950 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG

Career Achievements: 1x MVP, 13x All-Star, 1x All-Star Game MVP, 12x All-NBA Team Selection

Another player who was far ahead of his time was at the point guard position for one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history. Bob Cousy was one of the most popular players in the world during the early days of the NBA and was certainly beloved in Boston, where he spent most of his career. Cousy was ahead of his time with the way he moved up and down the court, mixed with his ability to handle the ball and find teammates for easy opportunities to score.

Cousy would win six NBA championships with the Celtics during the 50s and 60s. In 1957, Cousy would be named MVP, averaging 20.6 PPG and a league-leading 7.5 APG. That season, Boston would win its first NBA championship, with Cousy and Bill Russell playing the main parts. Cousy would win eight straight assists titles from 1953 thru 1960, a record that stood until John Stockton broke it in the 90s. As one of the original ball-handling All-Star guards, Cousy may even be one spot too low on our list.

2. James Harden (2009 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 24.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG

Career Achievements: 1x MVP, 1x Sixth Man Of The Year, 10x All-Star, 7x All-NBA Team Selection

James Harden is one of the most offensively gifted players we have ever seen in the NBA. He began his career as one of the best bench players in basketball with the Thunder and eventually evolved into one of the best scorers and playmakers the league had ever seen at his peak. Harden is a master manipulator of defenses with the way he is able to slice through the paint and score or work his way to the foul line. His defense is average at best, but he made up for it with his superb display of scoring and passing with Houston during the 2010s.

After three seasons off the bench for Oklahoma City, Harden wanted more of a role. Immediately, he became an All-Star once he was traded to Houston, averaging over 25.0 PPG and 6.0 APG. By 2018, Harden had become the NBA’s best scorer as he would win three straight scoring titles from 2018 thru 2020 with the Rockets. He averaged a career-high 36.1 PPG and won an MVP in 2018, averaging 30.4 PPG. Harden is currently helping lead the 76ers to their most promising season in a long time, and with his leadership, they could make a ton of noise come playoff time.

1. Michael Jordan (1984 NBA Draft)

Career Stats: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Career Achievements: 6x Finals MVP, 5x MVP, 1x Rookie Of The Year, 1x Defensive Player Of The Year, 14x All-Star, 3x All-Star Game MVP, 11x All-NBA Team Selection, 9x All-Defensive Team Selection

We have mentioned and analyzed 19 great NBA players here today who were drafted third overall in their respective NBA Drafts. Not one of them comes close to the player that Michael Jordan was or the career that he had. Michael Jordan was the epitome of excellence on both sides of the ball. The beautiful thing about his career is that, just like every other star player, he had to experience the agony of defeat in order to achieve greatness later in his career.

Once he got going, Jordan was unstoppable. He won an NBA-record 10 scoring titles in his career as well as three steals titles and a Defensive Player of the Year award. In 1991, he led the Bulls to their first NBA championship and first Finals MVP award. He would lead the Bulls to the NBA’s first three-peat as NBA champions since the Celtics of the 1960s. After a two-year hiatus, Jordan would return and get right back to work as the game’s best player. He would lead Chicago to another three-peat as NBA champions giving him six NBA titles and a record six Finals MVP awards. As great as Hakeem Olajuwon ended up being, Houston might have more than two championships if Jordan was their selection instead. 

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