The New Orleans Pelicans have selected Zion Williamson with the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
While many expect Williamson to ultimately become a star, not all No.1 picks hit as there are a fair share of players who fail to live up to the hype.
Here are all of the No. 1 picks, a club that now includes Williamson.
| Year | Player | Position | School | Team |
| 2019 | Zion Williamson | F | Duke | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2018 | DeAndre Ayton | C | Arizona | Phoenix Suns |
| 2017 | Markelle Fultz | G | Washington | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2016 | Ben Simmons | G/F | LSU | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2015 | Karl-Anthony Towns | C | Kentucky | Minnesota Timberwovles |
| 2014 | Andrew Wiggins | F | Kansas | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2013 | Anthony Bennett | F | UNLV | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2012 | Anthony Davis | F/C | Kentucky | New Orleans Hornets |
| 2011 | Kyrie Irving | G | Duke | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2010 | John Wall | G | Kentucky | Washington Wizards |
| 2009 | Blake Griffin | F | Oklahoma | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2008 | Derrick Rose | G | Memphis | Chicago Bulls |
| 2007 | Greg Oden | C | Ohio State | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 2006 | Andrea Bargnani | F/C | International | Toronto Raptors |
| 2005 | Andrew Bogut | C | Utah | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2004 | Dwight Howard | C | SWACA (HS) | Orlando Magic |
| 2003 | LeBron James | F | SVSM (HS) | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2002 | Yao Ming | C | International | Houston Rockets |
| 2001 | Kwame Brown | C | Gwynn (HS) | Washington Wizards |
| 2000 | Kenyon Martin | F | Cincinnati | New Jersey Nets |
| 1999 | Elton Brand | F | Duke | Chicago Bulls |
| 1998 | Michael Olowokandi | C | Pacific | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 1997 | Tim Duncan | C/F | Wake Forest | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1996 | Allen Iverson | G | Georgetown | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1995 | Joe Smith | F | Maryland | Golden State Warriors |
| 1994 | Glenn Robinson | F | Purdue | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1993 | Chris Webber | F | Michigan | Orlando Magic |
| 1992 | Shaquille O'Neal | C | LSU | Orlando Magic |
| 1991 | Larry Johnson | F | UNLV | Charlotte Hornets |
| 1990 | Derrick Coleman | F | Syracuse | New Jersey Nets |
| 1989 | Pervis Ellison | F/C | Louisville | Sacramento Kings |
| 1988 | Danny Manning | F/C | Kansas | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 1987 | David Robinson | C | Navy | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1986 | Brad Daugherty | C | North Carolina | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1985 | Patrick Ewing | C | Georgetown | New York Knicks |
| 1984 | Hakeem Olajuwon | C | Houston | Houston Rockets |
| 1983 | Ralph Sampson | C/F | Virginia | Houston Rockets |
| 1982 | James Worthy | F | North Carolina | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1981 | Mark Aguirre | F/G | DePaul | Dallas Mavericks |
| 1980 | Joe Barry Carroll | C/F | Purdue | Golden State Warriors |
| 1979 | Magic Johnson | G/F | Michigan State | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1978 | Mychael Thompson | C/F | Minnesota | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1977 | Kent Benson | C | Indiana | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1976 | John Lucas | G | Maryland | Houston Rockets |
| 1975 | David Thompson | G/F | NC State | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1974 | Bill Walton | C/F | UCLA | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1973 | Doug Collins | G/F | Illinois State | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1972 | LaRue Martin | C | Loyola-Chicago | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 1971 | Austin Carr | G | Notre Dame | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 1970 | Bob Lanier | C | St. Bonaventure | Detroit Pistons |
| 1969 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | C | UCLA | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1968 | Elvin Hayes | F/C | Houston | San Diego Rockets |
| 1967 | Jimmy Walker | G | Providence | Detroit Pistons |
| 1966 | Cazzie Russell | F/G | Michigan | New York Knicks |
| 1965 | Fred Hetzel | F/C | Davidson | San Francisco Warriors |
| 1964 | Jim Barnes | C/F | UTEP | New York Knicks |
| 1963 | Art Haymen | F/G | Duke | New York Knicks |
| 1962 | Bill McGill | C/F | Utah | Chicago Zephyrs |
| 1961 | Walt Bellamy | C | Indiana | Chicago Packers |
| 1960 | Oscar Robertson | G | Cincinnati | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1959 | Bob Boozer | F | Kansas State | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1958 | Elgin Baylor | F | Seattle | Minneapolis Lakers |
| 1957 | Hot Rod Hundley | G | West Virginia | Cincinnati Royals |
| 1956 | Si Green | G/F | Duquesne | Rochester Royals |
| 1955 | Dick Ricketts | F/C | Duquesne | St. Louis Hawks |
| 1954 | Frank Selvy | G/F | Furman | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1953 | Ray Felix | C | Long Island | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1952 | Mark Workman | F/C | West Virginia | Milwaukee Hawks |
| 1951 | Gene Melchiorre | - | Bradley | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1950 | Chuck Share | C | Bowling Green | Boston Celtics |
| 1949 | Howie Shannon | G/F | Kansas State | Providence Steamrollers |
| 1948 | Andy Tonkovich | G | Marshall | Providence Steamrollers |
| 1947 | Clifton McNeeley | - | UTEP | Pittsburgh Ironmen |
