Hoops Habit
Fansided

Ranking every first overall pick in NBA history

By Christopher Jeter

MIAMI, FL - NOVEMBER 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Miami Heat on November 18, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - NOVEMBER 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Miami Heat on November 18, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NBA Draft
Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images /

3. 1979: Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers

Unquestionably, Magic Johnson is the greatest point guard in NBA history. Like Oscar Robertson, Johnson helped pave the way for bigger guys like LeBron James; guys who weren’t built like the prototypical point guard but possessed an uncanny ability to create opportunities for their teammates to score.

Thanks to a trade with the then-New Orleans Jazz, the Lakers won the number one pick in a coin flip and thus the rights to Johnson in a 1979 draft that also included notable names like Sidney Moncrief and Bill Laimbeer.

He put up solid numbers in his first three seasons (18.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 8.5 APG), but he really kicked things into gear starting in the 1982-83 season, where he strung together nine consecutive seasons averaging at least 10 assists per game.

Armed with players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Byron Scott, and James Worthy, Johnson was the perfect conductor for the Showtime Lakers, as their fast-paced (even for the 80s) style made them one of the most successful and entertaining teams of the decade. Johnson, for his part, took home three MVP trophies during this run.

Off the floor, Johnson has been a trailblazer as well. He has become a leading advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention as well as contraception (his diagnosis in 1991 led to his retirement outside of a brief, 32-game comeback in 1995-96) and has become a successful businessman and entrepreneur.