Ranking the top 5 No.1 NBA Draft picks since 2010
Cade Cunningham will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the No.1 NBA Draft picks that have preceded him when he plays for the Detroit Pistons this season. Cunningham is one of the most complete players to come out of the draft and there is widespread expectation for him to do well and uplift a Pistons side that finished bottom of the Eastern Conference last year.
It is not unusual for an No.1 NBA Draft pick to help change their team's fortunes. However, it can be difficult to live up to the hype that precedes them joining the league. Over the last decade, there have been a number of stellar top picks and in this article we will count down the top 5 first choice selections who have lived up to their billing coming out of college.
Ranking the best No.1 NBA Draft picks since 2010
#5 Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns tipped John Wall into our top five No.1 NBA draft picks since 2010 due to his sheer dominance in games and because he could be the best big man in the league if he stays healthy. After two All-Star seasons, Towns has been hampered by injuries over the last two NBA campaigns, playing only 85 games in that time.
However, when he is on the floor for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Towns has the ability to take over games as an elite scorer and rim protector. After being drafted by the T-Wolves in 2015, Towns won the Rookie of the Year award for averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. Since then, he has averaged a 20+ point double-double in each NBA campaign and has shot at over 40% from deep in three seasons.
#4 Zion Williamson
Arguably one of the most-hyped draft picks since LeBron James, Zion Williamson has not disappointed since entering the NBA. Despite featuring just 24 times in his rookie season due to injuries, Williamson was third in the Rookie of the Year voting due to his 22.5 points per game.
This year, however, Williamson fully cemented himself as one of the most promising players in the NBA and a future great. Before he turned 21, the New Orleans Pelicans forward had averaged over 25 points per game in a season (27) and recorded the highest field-goal percentage for a player that averaged such a tally (61.1%).
In the paint, Williamson is one of the most dominant players in the league due to his size and finishing at the rim. Last year, he made 70% of of his shots within three feet of the basket. Williamson also finished the campaign having scored 30+ points in 21 games and posted a career-high 39 against the Denver Nuggets in March.