Ranking every first overall pick in NBA history
36. 1991: Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets
Coming into the league, Larry Johnson appeared destined for superstardom. The former UNLV Rebel possessed tremendous athleticism and that combined with his ball-handling and playmaking ability seemingly made him a perfect fit alongside Alonzo Mourning in Charlotte (also, those “Grandmama” Converse ads made him a household name).
As we know, the pairing failed to work, as Mourning and Johnson’s inability to co-exist forced the Hornets to trade both of them within a two-year span.
Of course, Johnson’s injuries, particularly his back, also kept him from becoming a perennial All-Star, as he had to alter his game to compensate for his loss of athleticism. Still, Johnson was a good, borderline All-Star player, as he averaged 16.2 points with a 16.3 PER.
35. 1973: Doug Collins, Philadelphia 76ers
Most NBA fans best know Collins from his time with ESPN, NBC, and TNT as an analyst or from his time as a head coach, but the former Illinois State standout made his name as an All-Star player first.
The Sixers, clearly mesmerized by the 29.1 points per game he put up in college, took Collins with the first overall pick in 1973. Given the other choices in that draft — Caldwell Jones was the only player from that class that had more career win shares — the Sixers made the right choice.
Though they eased him into the lineup during his rookie campaign, only averaging 17.4 minutes, Collins eventually blossomed into solid secondary star behind Julius Erving. He spent all eight years of his playing career in Philly, averaging 17.9 points with four All-Star appearances.
Also, he kinda, sorta responsible for “The Process” eventually taking hold thanks to some bonehead moves that forced the team to wipe the slate clean with Sam Hinkie.
34. 1994: Glenn Robinson, Milwaukee Bucks
The 1994 draft was a decent one, as it produced solid players like Jalen Rose, all-stars like Eddie Jones, and Hall of Famers like Jason Kidd and Grant Hill. Milwaukee Bucks first-round pick Glenn Robinson sits firmly in the “All-Stars who could have been more if they stayed healthy” category.
Nicknamed “The Big Dog” for his tough, hustling style of play, Robinson also owned a diverse offensive skillset; he could break defenders down in the post, score out in the perimeter, and could finish at the rim.
Naturally, Robinson became one of the premier scorers on some good Milwaukee Bucks teams, particularly when he was paired with a young Ray Allen. While he came into the league as a perennial 20 points per game scorer, he found his greatest success between 1999-2001, when he made the All-Star team twice and helped the Bucks reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
You could argue that Robinson was merely a one-dimensional, high-volume scorer, but he was an effective one.