Ranking every first overall pick in NBA history

10. 2015: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

For as much as fans and analysts like to harp on how bad the 2013 NBA Draft was — and it was quite bad — the 2015 class isn’t looking too hot either. Sure, there are some useful role players in this crop, only Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis look like superstar players.

Aside from his lackluster defense, Towns has all the necessary skills to thrive in the modern NBA. In addition to possessing a silky post game, Towns can run a two-man pick-and-pop game and can stretch the defense with his 3-point set shot, which gives the guards and wing players plenty of room to drive to the basket without worrying about the opposing big man patrolling the paint.

As is the case with a lot of young players, Towns’ statistical brilliance initially did not lead to more wins for Minnesota. Some of that had to do with playing with Andrew Wiggins, who is a 90s throwback in all the counterproductive ways.

This changed when the team traded for Jimmy Butler prior to the 2017-18 season. Towns put up the same numbers more or less (21.3 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 64.6 TS%) but fans and analyst began questioning his aggressiveness or lack thereof, and the talk only intensified in the playoffs, where the Wolves were swept by the Houston Rockets.

With Butler now gone, Towns will once again be looked at as the centerpiece of this team, only with higher expectations now that Minnesota has made the playoffs.