List of first overall NBA G League draft picks

Last updated

Chris Andersen was the first ever NBADL Draft selection as the number one pick in 2001. Chris "Birdman" Andersen 2009.jpg
Chris Andersen was the first ever NBADL Draft selection as the number one pick in 2001.

The NBA G League's first overall pick is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the annual NBA G League Draft (known as the NBA Development League Draft until 2017). For players to become eligible for the draft they must sign a general contract with the league. [2] They must also be at least 18 years old, not attending college during the season which the draft precedes, and have either graduated from high school or, if the player did not finish high school, had what would have been his graduating class graduate. [3]

Contents

No first overall picks have ever won the G League Most Valuable Player Award. [4] [5] Five players have been named to at least one NBA Development League All-Star Game: Andre Barrett, [6] Eddie Gill, [6] Chris Richard, [7] Carlos Powell (twice) [6] [8] and Nick Fazekas. [6] The first All-Star Game did not occur until the 2006–07 season, however, and so the possibility for players such as Mikki Moore to earn an All-Star selection was not possible. [9] Moore was named the NBDL Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-NBDL First Team as a rookie in 2002–03. [10] Fazekas, the first overall selection in 2010, and Powell, the first overall selection in 2009, each had previous NBA Development League experience prior to those respective drafts. In 2007–08, Fazekas had played for the Tulsa 66ers while Powell had played for the Dakota Wizards, and both were selected as NBA Development League All-Stars that season, [6] making them back-to-back number one draft picks who had previously been NBADL All-Stars. [6] [11]

Note that from the 2001 through 2004 drafts, it was known as the NBDL Draft. From 2005 through 2016, it was known as the NBA Development League Draft in accordance with the league's slight name change. [12] The 2017 draft was the first under the league's current identity as the NBA G League, following a sponsorship deal with Gatorade. [13] [14]

Key

^Denotes player who has been selected to (an) NBA G League All-Star Game(s)
*Denotes player who has been selected to (an) NBA G League All-Star Game(s)
and was also selected in an NBA draft
Denotes player who was also selected in an NBA Draft
Player
(in italic text)
Rookie of the Year
PPGPoints per game [a]
RPGRebounds per game [a]
APGAssists per game [a]

List of first overall picks

DraftSelected byPlayerNationalityCollege/former club [b] PPG [a] RPG [a] APG [a] Ref.
2001 Fayetteville Patriots Chris Andersen Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Blinn CC 4.73.70.3 [1] [15]
2002 Roanoke Dazzle Mikki Moore Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Detroit Pistons 16.08.42.5 [10] [16]
2003 Huntsville Flight Ken Johnson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Miami Heat 8.54.90.9 [17] [18]
2004 Columbus Riverdragons Ricky Minard Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Morehead State 16.64.33.1 [19] [20]
2005 Florida Flame Andre Barrett ^Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Orlando Magic 17.03.56.6 [21] [22]
2006 Anaheim Arsenal Corsley Edwards Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States CB Granada (Spain)14.27.50.4 [23] [24]
2007 Colorado 14ers Eddie Gill ^Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States BC Dynamo Moscow (Russia)18.05.18.5 [25] [26]
2008 Tulsa 66ers Chris Richard *Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Timberwolves /
Sioux Falls Skyforce
12.08.21.7 [27] [28]
2009 Albuquerque Thunderbirds Carlos Powell ^Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Inchon ET Land Black Slamer (South Korea)22.15.05.0 [29] [30]
2010 Reno Bighorns Nick Fazekas *Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States JDA Dijon (France)14.67.50.8 [31]
2011 Los Angeles D-Fenders Jamaal Tinsley Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Memphis Grizzlies 9.93.17.6 [32]
2012 Fort Wayne Mad Ants JaJuan Johnson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Boston Celtics 11.611.20.8 [33]
2013 Tulsa 66ers Grant Jerrett Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Arizona 15.16.10.7 [34]
2014 Grand Rapids Drive Robert Covington Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Rio Grande Valley Vipers [c] [c] [c] [35]
2015 Idaho Stampede Jeff Ayres Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States San Antonio Spurs 16.29.52.2 [36]
2016 Erie Bayhawks Anthony Brown Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles D-Fenders 20.35.43.1 [37]
2017 Northern Arizona Suns Eric Stuteville Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Sacramento State 5.12.40.5 [38]
2018 Salt Lake City Stars Willie Reed ^Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Detroit Pistons 20.011.21.5 [39]
2019 Northern Arizona Suns Anthony Lawrence II Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Miami (Florida) 8.93.92.2 [40]
2020Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021
Jan. 2021 Greensboro Swarm Admiral Schofield Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Wizards /
Capital City Go-Go
10.15.72.1 [41]
Oct. 2021 Delaware Blue Coats Shamorie Ponds Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States OKK Spars (Bosnia and Herzegovina)13.55.55.5 [42]
2022 Cleveland Charge Sam Merrill Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Memphis Grizzlies 15.23.92.8 [43]
2023 Texas Legends Jack White Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Denver Nuggets 9.16.11.8 [44]
2024 Westchester Knicks Matt Ryan Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New Orleans Pelicans [45]

See also

Notes

Related Research Articles

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