NBA Draft: Ranking every first overall pick in NBA history

Ranking every first overall pick in NBA history

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15. 1958: Elgin Baylor, Minneapolis Lakers

Whenever Elgin Baylor gets brought up in conversations, it is often in relation to how underrated he was. Basketball Reference’s Similarity Score ranks his career in the same category as players like Elton Brand, Kevin McHale, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Amar’e Stoudemire. Those are great players, but even those comparisons underscore how great Baylor was.

The Lakers actually drafted Baylor twice. They selected him in the 14th round of the 1956 draft, but he opted to stay in school instead. The team would woo him out of college two years later by making him the number one overall pick for a fledging Minneapolis franchise.

From there, Baylor became one of the greatest scorers in league history while also innovating a style of play that is common among guards today. Players like Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, and Julius Erving owe a great deal to Baylor, as his acrobatic flair set the stage for those players to become superstars.

In 14 seasons — all with the Lakers — Baylor averaged 27.4 points per game and 13.5 rebounds, which is insane for a shooting guard, even during an era where NBA teams moved up and down the floor at a breakneck pace.

As of 2018, Baylor ranks third all-time in points per game — behind only Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain — and his 104.2 win shares rank fourth all-time among Lakers.