Making a selection with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft comes with excitement, joy, and an immense amount of pressure. The fate of an entire franchise often hangs in the balance of making the right selection with the coveted pick atop the NBA Draft. If a team hits, they have found the superstar who will guide them into the future. If a team misses, it could be years before they recover from that mistake.
- 10. Elgin Baylor – 23,149 Points
- 9. Allen Iverson – 24,368 Points
- 8. Patrick Ewing – 24,815 Points
- 7. Tim Duncan – 26,496 Points
- 6. Oscar Robertson – 26,710 Points
- 5. Hakeem Olajuwon – 26,946 Points
- 4. Elvin Hayes – 27,313 Points
- 3. Shaquille O’Neal – 28,596 Points
- 2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 38,387 Points
- 1. LeBron James – 38,652 Points
As we have seen over the last 20 years, there have been far more misses than hits. The most recent selection, Victor Wembanyama by the Spurs, already has the weight of the world in terms of expectations upon his shoulders before he even stepped foot on an NBA court as a player. Enough about the anticipation, though. Today, our goal is to take an in-depth look at the 10 former number-one overall picks and how many career points they scored.
There have been an incredible number of number-one picks who went on to become NBA champions, Finals MVPs, and MVPs, along with many other individual accolades. Now, it is time to see what kind of players they were with the ball in their hands when their teams needed a bucket. These No. 1 picks were already in the history books due to their draft selection, whether it is for good or bad reasons. Now, it is time to see where they rank strictly as scorers.
These are the 10 No. 1 overall draft picks who scored the most career points.
10. Elgin Baylor – 23,149 Points
It’s a shame that the one thing Elgin Baylor is most remembered for is falling short in multiple NBA Finals in his career. The fact is, Baylor is one of the greatest scoring small forwards in NBA history and the numbers back me up on that statement.
Baylor was the first overall pick to the Minneapolis Lakers in 1958. It would take Baylor just two seasons to record his first one with at least 2,000 points scored, something he would do a total of five times in his 14-year career with the Lakers. From 1960 thru 1963, Baylor had three 2,000-point seasons and averaged over 34.0 PPG or better from 1961 thru 1963.
In 1963, Balor had his best season as far as total points go when he scored 2,719 total points, which ranks as the 13th highest-scoring season in NBA history. Aside from his five seasons with at least 2,000 points, Baylor also has five different seasons with at least 1,500 points as well. Although Baylor was never an NBA champion, he did earn 11 All-Star appearances and 10 All-NBA Team selections throughout his career, making him easily one of the greatest Lakers and small forwards to ever suit up and play.
9. Allen Iverson – 24,368 Points
Leading up to the 1996 NBA Draft, the entire world basically knew that the first pick was going to be Allen Iverson out of Georgetown. He was one of the most talented pure scorers the college level had seen in quite some time and navigated a really competitive Big East despite his smaller stature at just 6’0’’ stature. Iverson made his debut in 1996 for the Philadelphia 76ers, and immediately, a star was born.
His first three seasons came with some growing pains, such as leading the NBA in turnovers as a rookie and other issues within the organization. He would win his first scoring title in 1998-99 in a lockout-shortened season averaging 26.8 PPG and a total of 1,284 points. Iverson would have his first 2,000-point season in 2000-01, the year he became the MVP. Iverson scored a total of 2,207 points that season while averaging 31.1 PPG.
Iverson would have a total of five 2,000-point seasons in his career, four with the 76ers and one with the Nuggets in 2008. He would also win a total of four scoring titles, all of which came in Philadelphia. In 2005 and 2006, Iverson would have back-to-back seasons of 2,300 points or more, leading the NBA in total points in 2005 with 2,302 points scored. Iverson also ended his career without a championship but is widely regarded as one of the most talented offensive players of the last 50 years.
8. Patrick Ewing – 24,815 Points
The New York Knicks would make Patrick Ewing their number-one overall pick in 1985 and he would become one of the greatest players in franchise history. Ewing enjoyed a monstrous career at the University of Georgetown during the early 1980s and his complete skill set on both sides of the ball made him a lock for the first overall pick heading into the 1985 NBA Draft.
Ewing wasn’t a dominant scorer like so many other bigs were in their careers, but he was consistent and effective. He averaged 20.0 PPG or more over the first 13 seasons of his career with the Knicks and recorded a career-high of 28.6 PPG in 1989-90. As for his point totals, they are impressive as well.
Ewing recorded the only 2,000-point seasons of his career in back-to-back years in 1990 and 1991. His career-high would be 2,347 points in 1990 as the Knicks pursued an NBA championship for the first time since 1973. Ewing would also have 10 seasons in his career in which he reached the 1,500-point mark, five of them coming with more than 1,800 points. Although he was never an NBA champion, Ewing is arguably the greatest player in Knicks history with 11 All-Star selections, seven All-NBA Team selections, three All-Defensive Team selections, and the 1986 Rookie of the Year award.
7. Tim Duncan – 26,496 Points
Back in 1997, the Spurs were granted just their second first-overall pick in team history. With that pick, they made the greatest draft selection in franchise history when they selected Tim Duncan out of Wake Forest. Duncan got started with basketball later in life when he used it as a training regimen for his swimming routine. I think we are all glad he chose to stick with it.
Duncan was never seen as a true scorer due to his “boring” mechanics and fundamental skills. Despite that fact, Duncan was dominant when he needed to be on the offensive side of the ball, becoming unstoppable in the paint with his powerful post moves and soft touch on the ball around the rim. Plus, an absolutely beautiful bank shot to top it all off.
Duncan would have one 2,000-point season in his career, which came in 2001-02 when he poured in 2,089 points and averaged a career-high 25.5 PPG. I would say the way Duncan approached the game worked out extremely well for him and the San Antonio Spurs. Duncan would lead them to five NBA championships while capturing three Finals MVP awards, two MVP awards, 15 All-Star selections, 15 All-NBA Team selections, and 15 All-Defensive Team selections in 19 seasons.
6. Oscar Robertson – 26,710 Points
Oscar Robertson was a true do-it-all point guard drafted first overall by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1960 NBA Draft. Robertson was the first player in NBA history to make the triple-double a popular statistic among fans and players as he became the first player to average one for a season in 1962.
For the first seven seasons to begin his career, Robertson was a 2,000-point scorer in every single one. He averaged 30.0 PPG or better in six of those seven seasons but did not win a scoring title until 1968, when he averaged 29.2 PPG and recorded 1,896 points. Robertson registered less than 1,000 points just once in his career, which came in his final season in the NBA with Milwaukee in 1974.
In 1964, Robertson won his only MVP award when he averaged 31.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 11.0 APG. Along with his MVP, Robertson became an NBA champion in 1971 with the Bucks, which added to his already-loaded career resume. Robertson was also a 12-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year, 11-time All-NBA Team selection, and a six-time assists champ as well. Despite losing his all-time crown as far as triple-doubles are concerned to Russell Westbrook, Robertson is still recognized as the original triple-double king.
5. Hakeem Olajuwon – 26,946 Points
Hakeem Olajuwon is widely recognized as one of the greatest defenders in NBA history. He holds the NBA’s all-time record for blocked shots and demoralized some of the greatest centers in NBA history on the game’s biggest stages. However, he is also recognized as one of the most offensively gifted centers in NBA history as well with the best footwork you will ever see from a man his size combined with his patented Dream Shake that left many great NBA big men in his dust.
Olajuwon was selected first overall in 1984 with the Houston Rockets, where he would spend the majority of his NBA career. In each of his first four seasons, Olajuwon exceeded the 1,500-point mark every year. In 1989, he would record the first of four 2,000-point seasons he would have in his 18 seasons on the court.
Olajuwon’s most impressive stretch came from 1993 thru 1995 with the Rockets. For those three seasons, Olajuwon recorded 2,000 points in each of them while winning back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1993 and 1994, as well as an MVP in 1994. In 1994 and 1995, Olajuwon led Houston to their first two NBA championships in team history, dominating the likes of Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and Shaquille O’Neal in order to do so. He was named Finals MVP in both instances and those championship runs are still held in high regard to this day.
4. Elvin Hayes – 27,313 Points
To this day, Elvin Hayes remains one of the most underrated players in NBA history. Hayes was selected first overall by the San Diego Rockets in 1968 and was destined for big things based on his performance as a rookie that season.
Hayes would win the 1968-69 scoring title leading the NBA in total points with 2,327 and PPG with 28.4. In each of his four seasons with the Rockets to begin his career, Hayes remained a 2,000-point scorer, never recording less than 2,063 points in any of those four seasons. When he was traded to the Bullets in 1971, Hayes would never be a 2,000-point scorer again, but he would have eight seasons in a row as a 1,500-point scorer or better.
In 1978, Hayes and the Washington Bullets became NBA champions for the first and only time in franchise history. Hayes led all scorers in the playoffs with 457 points to capture the championship. Hayes finished his career as an NBA champion, 12-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA Team selection, two-time All-Defensive Team selection, a scoring champion, and a two-time rebounding champion.
3. Shaquille O’Neal – 28,596 Points
To this day, Shaquille O’Neal is still revered as the most dominant player in NBA history at his peak. Shaq was the number-one selection of the Orlando Magic in 1992 and immediately turned the franchise around for the better. He would help the Magic get put on the map during the 1990s with his freak athleticism, size, skill, and strength.
In his first four seasons with the Magic, O’Neal would record back-to-back 2,000-point seasons in 1994 and 1995, which included the 1995 season in which he won the scoring title with 29.3 PPG and 2,315 total points. He would be traded to the Lakers in 1996, where he really hit his peak as a dominant offensive force.
In 1999 and 2000, O’Neal would lead the NBA in total points scored, with 1,289 points in 1999 and 2,344 points in 2000. In 2000, O’Neal would win Finals MVP and MVP while taking home his second scoring title as the Lakers dominated the competition over the next three seasons. From 2000 thru 2002, O’Neal led the Lakers to three straight NBA championships and won three Finals MVP awards on the heels of back-to-back 2,000-point seasons in 2000 and 2001. In total, for 19 seasons, Shaq recorded four 2,000-point seasons and nine 1,500-point seasons or better. O’Neal is a four-time NBA champion, three-time Finals MVP, and won his only MVP award in 2000.
When it comes to dominance as a scorer at their peak, only a handful of players can say they enjoyed a better one than Shaquille O’Neal. Now you know why he is considered the most dominant player in NBA history.
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 38,387 Points
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is one of the few players in NBA history to still have a case to be considered the GOAT, not named Michael Jordan or LeBron James. Kareem was the first overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1969 and the rest, as they say, is history.
Kareem began his career as a 2,000-point scorer with the Bucks cruising to a Rookie of the Year award in 1969-70 while leading the NBA in total points with 2,361. In 1971, Kareem became MVP for the first time, taking home his first career scoring title and leading the Bucks to an NBA championship while playing every single game. He would win another scoring title in 1972, this time with over 2,800 points and averaging 34.8 PPG. As a matter of fact, Kareem recorded 2,000-point seasons in seven of his first eight years in the NBA with the Bucks and Lakers.
The dominance didn’t stop when he moved on to Los Angeles in the most lopsided trade in NBA history. Kareem recorded four more 2,000-point seasons giving him a total of nine for his career. He also recorded at least 1,500 points in 17 of his 20 seasons in the NBA, which led to one of the greatest resumes in NBA history. Along with the scoring record he held for 38 years, Kareem also won six NBA championships, two Finals MVP awards, and an NBA-record six MVP awards with the Bucks and Lakers, with five of his championships coming during the 1980s decade alongside Magic Johnson.
When we speak about greatness as an offensive and defensive player, Kareem’s name should never be forgotten in the conversation. His production, I just laid out for you, speaks for itself.
1. LeBron James – 38,652 Points
Every bucket that LeBron James records from here on out in his career is only distancing himself from the rest of the pack when it comes to the all-time scoring record. It took James 20 seasons to become the NBA’s scoring King and break an NBA record that nobody ever thought they would see fall again in their lifetime. Do they still say he isn’t a scorer still?
In his career, LeBron James has captured one scoring title on his way to becoming the NBA’s all-time leader in points. However, since his rookie season, James has never averaged less than 25.0 PPG and only once recorded less than 1,500 points in a season. From 2005 through 2011 with the Cavaliers and Heat, LeBron had seven straight years with at least 2,000 points and added three more in his career down the line for a total of 10, exactly half of his career so far. I find it a weird coincidence that only one of his 2,000-point seasons coincided with an NBA title, while five of them resulted in a Finals appearance.
Things began to slow down for LeBron as a scorer when he joined the Lakers for the 2018-19 season. He has yet to record 2,000 points in a season with the Lakers but has recorded four seasons of at least 1,500 points since his arrival. This includes the last two seasons in which he missed at least 26 games which is almost as impressive as having a 2,000-point season.
James’ scoring has always been an underrated part of his game, but as number one in NBA history, it cannot be any longer. It has resulted in four NBA championships, four Finals MVPs, and four MVPs, along with a list of other individual accolades a mile long. LeBron is easily the greatest scoring No. 1 overall pick of all-time but also the greatest No. 1 pick in NBA history, period.
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