The NBA has won at least 4 No. 1 picks, Hu Kai missed the first place, the Cavaliers Wizards

With the official end of the 2025 NBA lottery conference, the Mavericks have become the biggest winner this year. They only have a 1.8% chance of winning the No. 1 pick but they really have the last laugh. This is also the second time in the history of the Mavericks, the last time they had the No. 1 pick was in 1981, when they chose Mark Aguile, who played here for nearly 8 seasons, and he also had multiple seasons averaging 25+ games. Next, we have listed the teams that have drawn at least four No. 1 picks in NBA history, among which even the Lakers and Celtics, known as giants, were not on the list, while the Cavaliers and Wizards are tied for the teams that have drawn the most No. 1 picks in NBA history.

tied for the first place: Cavaliers and Wizards (6 times)

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cavaliers can be called the "lucky guy" in the modern draft. In 1971, they used the No. 1 pick to win Austin Carl from Notre Dame. Carl showed good scoring ability in his rookie season, averaged 21.2 points per game, and was selected for the All-Rookie Team after the rookie season. However, injuries became a hindrance to his career, which also affected his high level of achievement in the league. In 1986, the Cavaliers selected Brad Doherty from the University of North Carolina. Doherty is a well-skilled center. During his eight seasons with the Cavaliers, he averaged 19 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, was selected as the All-Star 5 times, and led the Cavaliers to the playoffs many times, becoming the core figure of the team at that time. 2003 was a historic year for the Cavaliers, who won the No. 1 pick and chose LeBron James without any suspense. James' arrival has made the Cavaliers leap from a bottom team to an Eastern Conference powerhouse. During his first period of playing for the Cavaliers (2003-2010), he led the team into the playoffs several times and reached the Finals in 2007. After James returned in 2014, he brought the team the first NBA championship in team history in 2016, and he also became one of the greatest players in NBA history. In 2011, the Cavaliers won the No. 1 pick again and selected Kyrie Irving from Duke University. Irving has extremely excellent ball-handling skills and scoring ability. He was selected as the best rookie in the rookie season and was selected as the best rookie team. His combination with James made the Cavaliers a strong contender for the championship again. In the seventh game of the 2016 Finals, Irving's key three-pointer became one of the important factors for the team to win the championship. In 2013, the Cavaliers won the No. 1 pick and selected Anthony Bennett from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. However, Bennett's NBA career was a disaster. He failed to adapt to the league's game intensity and performed far below people's expectations. He is considered one of the largest "parallel no. 1 picks" in NBA history. In 2014, the Cavaliers were once again lucky to win the No. 1 pick, picking Andrew Wiggins. Later, Wiggins was traded to the Timberwolves, and used as a bargaining chip to exchange for Kevin Love, forming a powerful "Big Three" lineup with James and Irving, adding important strength to the Cavaliers' championship journey.

Washington Wizards (including the predecessors Baltimore Bullets, Chicago Packers, and Chicago Westwind) In the history of the Wizards, the story of the No. 1 pick is also rich. In 1953, the Baltimore Bullets selected Ray Felix. Felix performed well in his rookie season, but his entire career statistics were relatively dull. In 1954, the team selected Frank Servi, who averaged 24.2 points per game in the rookie season, but failed to achieve more outstanding results in the league. In 1961, during the Chicago Packers, the team selected Walter Bellamy. Bellamy is a strong center. She can contribute 31.6 points and 19 rebounds per game in the rookie season, won the best rookie, and was selected into the All-Star 11 times and the Best Team 5 times. She is one of the legendary stars in team history. In 1962, the Chicago Westwinds selected Bill McGill, but McGill's performance in the NBA did not meet expectations. In 2001, the Wizards selected Kwame Brown, who became the first high school No. 1 pick in NBA history, but his career was full of ups and downs, and he never realized his talent and was widely regarded as the "parallel No. 1 pick." In 2010, the Wizards selected John Wall. Wall is a very athletic point guard. His speed and passing ability are excellent. He has been selected as the All-Star many times, bringing vitality and competitiveness to the Wizards and becoming one of the core figures in the team's reconstruction.

Second level: Rockets and Kings (5 times)

Houston Rockets The Rockets have a unique vision in the draft, especially when it comes to selecting inside players. In 1968, the team selected Elvin Hayes, who averaged 28.4 points and 17.1 rebounds per game in his rookie season, and was strong. After transferring to the Rockets in the 1978-1979 season, he teamed up with Moses Malone to help the team reach the Finals in 1981. Hayes was selected as an All-Star 12 times in his career, and was awarded the regular season scoring champion in 1978, and was elected as the rebounding champion in 1979, and was eventually inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1976, the Rockets selected John Lucas. Although Lucas did not have many outstanding performances in personal honors, he had outstanding organizational skills on the court and contributed to the team's offensive sorting. In 1983, Ralph Sampson became the No. 1 pick. He has excellent height and basketball skills. He averaged 21 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game in the rookie season, won the best rookie and was selected as an All-Star. His "Two Towers" combination with Olajuwon once made his opponents frightened. In 1984, the Rockets won Hakeim Olajuwon with the No. 1 pick, which was undoubtedly one of the most successful draft picks in the team's history. Olajuwon is a super center with excellent offense and defense, and his dreamy footsteps have become a classic. In his career, he led the Rockets to the championship twice, and he was elected as the MVP in the Finals twice, was selected as the All-Star 12 times, was selected as the Best Team 6 times, was selected as the Best First Defense 5 times, and was undoubtedly in the Basketball Hall of Fame. 2002 was a special year for Chinese fans, and the Rockets chose Yao Ming from China. With his outstanding height and solid inside skills, Yao Ming quickly gained a foothold in the NBA. He was selected into the All-Star 8 times and the Best Team 5 times, becoming one of the most dominant centers in the NBA, and also greatly promoted the development of the NBA in China.

Sacramento Kings (including predecessors Rochester Royals and Cincinnati Royals) The Kings' five first-time picks were drawn from ancient times. In 1956, the Rochester Royals selected Siy Green, and Green performed well in the league. In 1957, the Cincinnati Royals selected Rod Hendry, who also failed to achieve outstanding achievements in the NBA. In 1959, the team selected Bob Boozer, who performed well in his career but failed to become a superstar. In 1960, the Kings selected Oscar Robertson, which was definitely one of the most successful drafts in the team's history. "Big O" Robertson is an extremely comprehensive player, and he is the first player in NBA history to achieve a triple-double average in the season. During his career, he was selected into the All-Star 12 times, 9 times the All-Team All-Team, won the regular season MVP in 1964, and helped the Bucks win the championship in 1971, and was eventually inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1989, the Kings selected Pervis Ellison. Although Ellison performed well in his rookie season, his injury affected his subsequent development and failed to become the superstar the team expected.

Third level: Hawks, Bucks, Knicks, Magic, 76ers, Trail Blazers (4 times)

Atlanta Hawks The Hawks draw the No. 1 pick again in 2024, which is the fourth time they have a No. 1 pick in their team history. In 1952, the Milwaukee Hawks selected Mark Workman, who played for only two seasons in the league and performed poorly. In 1955, the St. Louis Hawks selected Dick Ricketts. Ricketts averaged averages in his career and had no particularly outstanding performance. In 1975, the Hawks selected David Thompson, but Thompson did not play for the Hawks, and he chose to join the Denver Nuggets in the ABA League. In the Nuggets, Thompson showed great strength. He is a player with outstanding scoring skills. He was selected for the ABA All-Star and Best Team, and later in the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2024, the Hawks won the No. 1 pick, and the players they selected will carry new hopes for the team and look forward to bringing changes to the team.

Milwaukee Bucks In 1969, the Bucks selected legendary center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was still named Lu Alsindo. Jabbar has a unique "Tian Gou" skill, and his career is extremely brilliant. With the Bucks, he helped the team win the championship in 1971 and was elected as the MVP of the Finals by himself. He won the championship six times throughout his career, won the regular season MVP six times, was selected as the All-Star 19 times, selected as the All-Star 15 times, and selected as the All-Defensive 11 times. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest players in NBA history. In 1977, the Bucks selected Kent Benson, and Benson's performance with the Bucks failed to meet expectations, and the data was relatively ordinary. In 1994, the team selected Glen Robinson. Robinson had excellent scoring skills and averaged 21.9 points per game in the rookie season. Later, he was selected as the All-Star many times, which was an important force on the team's offensive end. In 2005, the Bucks selected Andrew Bogut, who is a solid inside player who has made certain contributions in defense and rebounding, but due to injuries and other reasons, he did not reach the level that the No. 1 pick should have.

New York Knicks The Knicks won the No. 1 pick many times in the 1960s. In 1963, the team selected Art Heyman, who did not meet expectations in the NBA and his career data were relatively average. In 1964, Jim Barnes was selected, and Barnes also failed to perform well in the league. In 1966, Kaz Russell was selected, and Russell performed well during his time with the Knicks, but he did not become a superstar either. In 1985, the Knicks won the No. 1 pick and selected Patrick Ewing. Ewing is a strong center who has led the team to the playoffs many times during his 15 seasons with the Knicks and led the team to the Finals in 1994. Ewing was selected into the All-Star 11 times and the Best Team 7 times. He is one of the legendary stars in the Knicks history.

Orlando Magic The 4 No. 1 picks selected by the Magic have mostly become stars in the league. In 1992, the Magic selected Shaquille O'Neal, who possessed extremely strong physical talent and dominant in the inside. In his four seasons with the Magic, he averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game, leading the team to the Finals. Although he later left the Magic due to contract issues, his performance with the Magic was enough to prove his strength, and he also became one of the greatest centers in NBA history. In 1993, the Magic selected Chris Webber, but the relationship between Webber and the Magic was not harmonious and was soon traded. But Weber has shown great strength in other teams, a full-scale power forward, and has been selected for the All-Star and All-Squad many times. In 2004, the Magic selected Dwight Howard, a top inside defender and rebounder. During his time with the Magic, he was selected as the All-Star player many times, was elected as the best defensive player many times, leading the Magic to the playoffs many times, and reached the Finals in 2009. In 2022, the Magic selected Paul Bankairo. Bankairo performed well in the rookie season, averaging 20.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, showing the potential to be a star player..

Philadelphia 76ers In 1973, the 76ers selected Doug Collins, a defender with excellent scoring skills. He was selected as the All-Star for four consecutive seasons in his career, making an important contribution to the team. In 1996, the 76ers welcomed the legendary star Allen Iverson, who is loved by fans for his unique style of play and tenacious fighting spirit. He won the scoring title four times, was elected as a regular season MVP once, was selected as an All-Star 11 times, leading the 76ers to the Finals in 2001. Although he eventually lost, his performance was impressive and later was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2016, the Sixers selected Ben Simmons. Simmons had excellent physical conditions and passing skills, but his shooting shortcomings have always been criticized. His performance on the Sixers failed to meet the team's expectations and was later traded. In 2017, the team selected Markle Fultz, but Fultz suffered from serious injury problems and played few times during his time with the Sixers, far lower than expected to be the No. 1 pick.

Portland Trail Blazers The most outstanding pick among the Trail Blazers is Bill Walton. In his four seasons with the Trail Blazers, he was selected as the All-Star, won the MVP, block king and rebounding king. In his third season of his career, he led the team to win the championship and was elected as the MVP in the finals. In 1972, the Trail Blazers selected Laru Martin. Martin's career performance was disappointing, averaging only 5.3 points per game, and was considered one of the "parallel picks". In 1978, the team selected Michael Thompson, who was a strong player in the league, and his son Klay Thompson also achieved great success in the NBA. In 2007, the Trail Blazers selected Greg Oden. Oden had excellent physical talent and basketball skills, but injuries ruined his career. He played very limitedly in the NBA and did not show his due strength, becoming a regrettable No. 1 pick.