Are these the greatest first round NBA Draft picks of the 2000s?

There’s a lot of attention paid to which teams pick where in the NBA Draft, as organizations cross their fingers and toes to get advantageous positions. In reality, teams can find talent anywhere, as history shows. We’ll take a look back at the best players drafted in each first-round slot of the NBA Draft since 2000.

This one really isn’t up for any debate. LeBron James became the all-time leading scorer in NBA history this season, which is a cherry on top of the plethora of other accolades he has on his resume. James was a force from the minute he entered the league in 2003 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and has won four championships in his illustrious career.

He’s one of the most offensively gifted players the league has ever seen. It’s hard to compare the skill level Kevin Durant brings to a basketball court with infinite range and supreme coordination. He won two NBA championships as a member of the Golden State Warriors, and is hoping to add another ring before all is said and done.

There have been a treasure trove of amazing players picked third overall, making this a very difficult choice. It was hard to skip over Carmelo Anthony, but Pau Gasol’s body of work both in the NBA and in international competition is stellar. His arrival signaled the start of another mini dynasty for the Los Angeles Lakers in the late 2000’s.

The fourth overall slot has seen a couple of great “Chris’” selected over the years, including Bosh and Paul. The former had a wonderful career, but his longevity was compromised due to health issues. Paul is still playing, and has been the consummate point guard for his entire career. He’s been masterful at helping his teammates succeed.

Dwyane Wade came into the NBA with a fearless demeanor, and helped start another wave of contention with the Miami Heat. He used athleticism and an array of shots around the rim to put points on the board at an astounding clip. Wade wasn’t considered a prolific jump shooter, but defenders still couldn’t stop his forays into the paint.

The Portland Trail Blazers took a chance on a guard from little known Weber State, and it has proven to be one of the best selections in franchise history. Damian Lillard has been nothing short of electric in his NBA career. As talented of a player as he is, Lillard’s loyalty to the team in an age of player empowerment also deserves praise.

He’s made the most three pointers of anyone in the history of the game, and it’s not even close. Stephen Curry has literally revolutionized the game of basketball with his unmatched shooting ability from deep. He’s made it acceptable to launch shots from 25 feet away, which was a huge no-no as recently as 15 years ago.

Teams usually take a deep breath when their opponents go to their bench, but that wasn’t the case when Jamal Crawford came into the game. He won 6^th Man Of The Year three times, bringing a deluge of scoring that gave his teams a spark. Crawford was extremely difficult to guard one on one, as he had a full bag of tricks at his disposal.

There are a lot of good choices who went 9^th in the draft, but Andre Iguodala gets a slight edge. The first portion of his career was generally pretty impressive, but it was his second act with the Warriors that gives him additional recognition. He played notable defense on multiple championship teams, and was versatile enough to let Golden State play a smaller lineup.

The 10^th overall selection is another one that has been ripe with talent, but Paul George has been the best of the group. His two-way ability makes him unique. He’s been able to get difficult buckets in crunch time, while accepting the challenge of guarding the other team’s best player. George has also battled through injury adversity in his career.

Curry is undoubtedly the greatest shooter of all time, but the second best shooter of all time might be his longtime backcourt mate. Klay Thompson has put up some monster scoring nights from behind the three point arc, without needing to dribble the ball. In his heyday, Thompson was also an excellent perimeter defender who could move laterally.

There’s a bit of a drop off at 12, but we can still commend the serviceable career that center Steven Adams has had. He’s been a fixture on playoff teams his entire career, making him a very valuable player on the floor and in the locker room. Adams has brought his trademark toughness to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies.

13 is supposed to be an unlucky number, but franchises have found it to be quite fortuitous over the years. It’s a virtual coin flip between Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker here, but we’ll give the slight edge to Mitchell. The former Jazz and current Cavaliers star has shown that he can carry the scoring load all by himself.

Nothing was going to be handed to him straightaway, but Bam Adebayo proved that he was willing to earn every second of playing time for the Heat. He’s been a pillar of Miami’s success in the last few years, as the team has made a couple of NBA Finals appearances. He figures to be a cornerstone with the Heat for many years to come.

Kawhi Leonard has had a sensational NBA career, but has the misfortune of going up against Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 15^th overall pick battle. Given Leonard’s penchant to miss extended time, we’ll give the nod to the more durable Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak has one NBA title, and two regular season MVP awards to his name.

It’s hard to believe, but Nikola Vucevic has been in the NBA for 11 years. He’s made two All Star teams in that time, and has averaged a double-double for his career. Vucevic has acclimated well to the modern game, as he’s extended his range beyond the three point arc. He’s often overlooked in a discussion of best centers, but has been very good for a long time.

He doesn’t have the flashiest repertoire, but Jrue Holiday just gets the job done. Anyone who plays against him can tell you just how fierce of a defender he is, and takes pride in being able to shut down the opponent. After years of playing on mediocre teams, Holiday is one of the standout players on perennial title contenders in Milwaukee.

This one could have gone in a couple of different directions, as J.R. Smith was one of the premier reserves in the league for a long time. However, David West will get the spot here, as he was a two-time All Star. He was a handful in the low post, as he made defenders feel his presence. He also had a seemingly automatic mid-range jump shot, which has become something of a lost art. He won two titles late in his career with Golden State.

Zach Randolph had a very interesting career in the NBA. He was drafted by a veteran-laden Trail Blazers team that was looking to win right away, so he didn’t get a lot of playing time as a young player. However, it feels like that experience may have helped him in the long run, as Randolph shied away from no one on the glass.

He’s fallen out of favor with the Knicks after signing a large contract, but Evan Fournier is proven NBA scorer. He has a smooth release, and can score in bunches once he gets going. Fournier has also been a standout player during international competition for his native France, and will likely represent his country as long as he’s physically able.

He was a maestro with the ball in his hands, and didn’t care one bit about scoring points himself. Rajon Rondo was an orchestrator in every sense of the word, who probed the floor for opportunities to help his teammates shine. The offense was in excellent hands whenever Rondo brought the ball up the court.

Courtney Lee and Mason Plumlee are the likely headliners at the 22^nd spot, and both had/have had solid NBA careers. However, given the slimmer pickings here, it feels acceptable to catapult rookie Walker Kessler on to this list. The former Auburn star had a great rookie season with the Utah Jazz, and figures to be one of the best shot blockers in the league for a long time.

Tayshaun Prince’s rise to respectability is an underrated storyline in the success of the Pistons in the 2000’s. He joined a team with hard-nosed veteran, coached by a leader in Larry Brown who didn’t always want to play young players. Prince showed that he could fit in seamlessly right away, and helped Detroit become even more formidable defensively.

Considering they both their only NBA titles together, it would make sense to call this a tie between Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka, who were both picked 24^th overall. However, since Lowry continues to show that he can be a factor in the postseason with the Heat, he will get the slight edge. His veteran guile has continued to make him a valuable rotation piece in his late 30’s.

From a longevity perspective, it’s hard to argue with Nicolas Batum as the choice here. It seemed like his career was dead to rights when he was a member of the Charlotte Hornets, but has shown that he still has some gas in the tank with the Los Angeles Clippers. He has one more year left on his deal with Los Angeles.

Samuel Dalembert had an admirable NBA career as a deterrent in the paint, but Kevin Martin is the likely answer here at best player taken 26^th overall. Martin had an unorthodox shooting form, but simply put, the ball went in the basket. He averaged 17 points per game in his career, with his standout seasons coming in Sacramento with the Kings.

Pascal Siakam may have something to say about it when all is said and done, but Rudy Gobert has the 27^th overall slot locked up. He’s one of the best shot blockers in NBA history, and has managed to stay relevant even as the game has embraced pacing and spacing. The Minnesota Timberwolves traded an arm and a leg to acquire Gobert in the 2022 offseason.

Head coach Gregg Popovich purposely gave his teenage point guard a very hard time, and the player responded to the challenge. Tony Parker found himself on a team with Tim Duncan and David Robinson, and expected to play flawlessly from day one. This tough love meshed perfectly with his competitiveness, as Parker won four titles with the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs have made it something of a habit to strike gold at the end of the first round of the draft, as they did by picking Dejounte Murray years after the Parker pick. Many teams didn’t seem to understand just how talented Murray was, but he ascended to an All Star player pretty quickly. He’s hoping to take the next step in his career with the Atlanta Hawks.

He’s the player that just won’t be denied, as he’s proven time and time again throughout his career. Jimmy Butler has clawed his way to respectability, and eventually stardom with the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat. He’s one of the few players who could be having a terrible game, but still find a way to come through when it matters most.