Every NBA Draft No. 1 overall pick and where they went to college

With Cooper Flagg’s selection in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks at No. 1, Duke now boasts six top overall picks in draft history (since 1947) — the most of any NCAA school.

Flagg joins Paolo Banchero (2022), Zion Williamson (2019), Kyrie Irving (2011), Elton Brand (1999) and Art Heyman (1963) as Blue Devils to hear their names called to start off draft night.

After Duke, Kentucky has the next most top picks with three — Karl Anthony-Towns (2015), Anthony Davis (2012) and John Wall (2010).

📊 DRAFT DATA: College basketball schools with the most NBA 1st-round draft picks, all time

The Cleveland Cavaliers have selected first overall a league-high six times, most recently selecting Andrew Wiggins out of Kansas in 2014. The Cavs have also taken Anthony Bennett out of UNLV (2013), Irving (2011), LeBron James from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (2003), Brad Daugherty of UNC (1986) and Austin Carr of Notre Dame (1971).

See the full history of No. 1 overall picks in the NBA Draft since 1947 below:

DRAFT YEAR
NBA TEAM
PLAYER
SCHOOL

2025
Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg
Duke

2024
Atlanta Hawks
Zaccharie Risacher
N/A (France)

2023
San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama
N/A (France)

2022
Orlando Magic
Paolo Banchero
Duke

2021
Detroit Pistons
Cade Cunningham
Oklahoma State

2020
Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards
Georgia

2019
New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson
Duke

2018
Phoenix Suns
DeAndre Ayton
Arizona

2017
Philadelphia 76ers
Markelle Fultz
Washington

2016
Philadelphia 76ers
Ben Simmons
LSU

2015
Minnesota Timberwolves
Karl Anthony-Towns
Kentucky

2014
Cleveland Cavaliers
Andrew Wiggins
Kansas

2013
Cleveland Cavaliers
Anthony Bennett
UNLV

2012
New Orleans Pelicans
Anthony Davis
Kentucky

2011
Cleveland Cavaliers
Kyrie Irving
Duke

2010
Washington Wizards
John Wall
Kentucky

2009
Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin
Oklahoma

2008
Chicago Bulls
Derrick Rose
Memphis

2007
Portland Trail Blazers
Greg Oden
Ohio State

2006
Toronto Raptors
Andrea Bargnani
N/A (Italy)

2005
Milwaukee Bucks
Andrew Bogut
Utah

2004
Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard
N/A (High school)

2003
Cleveland Cavaliers
LeBron James
N/A (High school)

2002
Houston Rockets
Yao Ming
N/A (China)

2001
Washington Wizards
Kwame Brown
N/A (High school)

2000
New Jersey Nets
Kenyon Martin
Cincinnati

1999
Chicago Bulls
Elton Brand
Duke

1998
Los Angeles Clippers
Michael Olowokandi
Pacific

1997
San Antonio Spurs
Tim Duncan
Wake Forest

1996
Philadelphia 76ers
Allen Iverson
Georgetown

1995
Golden State Warriors
Joe Smith
Maryland

1994
Milwaukee Bucks
Glenn Robinson
Purdue

1993
Orlando Magic
Chris Webber
Michigan

1992
Orlando Magic
Shaquille O’Neal
LSU

1991
Charlotte Hornets
Larry Jackson
UNLV

1990
New Jersey Nets
Derrick Coleman
Syracuse

1989
Sacramento Kings
Pervis Ellison
Louisville

1988
Los Angeles Clippers
Danny Manning
Kansas

1987
San Antonio Spurs
David Robinson
Navy

1986
Cleveland Cavaliers
Brad Daugherty
North Carolina

1985
New York Knicks
Patrick Ewing
Georgetown

1984
Houston Rockets
Hakeem Olajuwon
Houston

1983
Houston Rockets
Ralph Sampson
Virginia

1982
Los Angeles Lakers
James Worthy
North Carolina

1981
Dallas Mavericks
Mark Aguirre
DePaul

1980
Golden State Warriors
Joe Barry Carroll
Purdue

1979
Los Angeles Lakers
Magic Johnson
Michigan State

1978
Portland Trail Blazers
Mychal Thompson
Minnesota

1977
Milwaukee Bucks
Kent Benson
Indiana

1976
Houston Rockets
John Lucas
Maryland

1975
Atlanta Hawks
David Thompson
NC State

1974
Portland Trail Blazers
Bill Walton
UCLA

1973
Philadelphia 76ers
Doug Collins
Illinois State

1972
Portland Trail Blazers
LaRue Martin
Loyola Chicago

1971
Cleveland Cavaliers
Austin Carr
Notre Dame

1970
Detroit Pistons
Bob Lanier
St. Bonaventure

1969
Milwaukee Bucks
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
UCLA

1968
San Diego Rockets
Elvin Hayes
Houston

1967
Detroit Pistons
Jimmy Walker
Providence

1966
New York Knicks
Cazzie Russell
Michigan

1965
San Francisco Warriors
Fred Hetzel
Davidson

1964
New York Knicks
Jim Barnes
UTEP

1963
New York Knicks
Art Heyman
Duke

1962
Chicago Zephyrs
Bill McGill
Utah

1961
Chicago Packers
Walt Bellamy
Indiana

1960
Cincinnati Royals
Oscar Robertson
Cincinnati

1959
Cincinnati Royals
Bob Boozer
Kansas State

1958
Minneapolis Lakers
Elgin Baylor
Seattle

1957
Cincinnati Royals
Hot Rod Hundley
West Virginia

1956
Rochester Royals
Si Green
Duquesne

1955
Saint Louis Hawks
Dick Ricketts
Duquesne

1954
Baltimore Bullets
Frank Selvy
Furman

1953
Philadelphia Warriors
Ernie Beck
Pennsylvania

1952
Milwaukee Hawks
Mark Workman
West Virginia

1951
Baltimore Bullets
Gene Melchiorre
Bradley

1950
Boston Celtics
Chuck Share
Bowling Green

1949
Providence Steamrollers
Howie Shannon
Kansas State

1948
Providence Steamrollers
Andy Tonkovich
Marshall

1947
Pittsburgh Ironmen
Clifton McNeeley
UTEP