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Small forward AJ Dybantsa’s selection at the top of the 2026 NBA draft gave BYU its first-ever No. 1 overall pick. In total, 47 different schools have had a player selected No. 1 overall in the NBA draft.
Of the schools with first-round picks, Duke has the most No. 1 overall selections at six. The six Blue Devils drafted atop the draft are: Art Heyman (1963, New York Knicks), Elton Brand (1999, Chicago Bulls), Kyrie Irving (2011, Cleveland Cavaliers), Zion Williamson (2019, New Orleans Pelicans), Paolo Banchero (2022, Orlando Magic) and Cooper Flagg (2025, Dallas Mavericks).
Here’s how the top schools rank:
College basketball teams with the most No. 1 overall NBA draft picks
Total No. 1 Picks
School
6
Duke
3
Kentucky
2
Cincinnati, Duquesne, Georgetown, Houston, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Maryland, Michigan,
North Carolina, Purdue, UCLA, UNLV, Utah, UTEP, West Virginia
1
Arizona, Bowling Green, Bradley, BYU, Davidson, DePaul, Furman, Georgia, Illinois State, Louisville,
Loyola Chicago, Marshall, Memphis, Michigan State, Minnesota, Navy, NC State, Notre Dame, Ohio State,
Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Pacific, Penn, Providence, Seattle, St. Bonaventure, Syracuse, Virginia,
Wake Forest, Washington
The Wizards’ 2026 No. 1 overall selection gives them three top picks in NBA history. The Cleveland Cavaliers lead all NBA teams after selecting first overall a league-high six times. The Cavs have selected the following atop the draft: Andrew Wiggins (Kansas, 2014), Anthony Bennett (UNLV, 2013), Kyrie Irving (Duke, 2011), LeBron James (St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, 2003), Brad Daugherty (North Carolina, 1986) and Austin Carr (Notre Dame, 1971).
Total No. 1 Picks
NBA TEAM
6
Cleveland Cavaliers
4
Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic,
Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers
3
Cincinnati Royals, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards
2
Atlanta Hawks, Baltimore Bullets, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors,
Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Pelicans,
Providence Steamrollers
1
Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Packers, Chicago Zephyrs, Milwaukee Hawks,
Minneapolis Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Pittsburgh Ironmen, Rochester Royals, Sacramento Kings,
Saint Louis Hawks, San Diego Rockets, San Francisco Warriors, Toronto Raptors
See the full history of No. 1 overall picks in the NBA Draft since 1947 below:
Every No. 1 overall NBA draft pick
DRAFT YEAR
NBA TEAM
PLAYER
SCHOOL
2026
Washington Wizards
AJ Dybantsa
BYU
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
Stan Becton joined NCAA.com in 2021 and has since served as a college football, FCS football, track and field, cross country and HBCU beat reporter. He has covered numerous NCAA championship events, including the FCS Championship, DI Track & Field Championships and Men’s Frozen Four. Additionally, he has covered the College Football Playoff and HBCU sporting events like the Celebration Bowl, MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Legacy Classic. Stan graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, earning a degree in Professional Writing and playing football as a five-year letterman. You can follow him on Twitter @stan_becton.
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