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NBA Draft: 30 greatest No. 1 overall picks in league history

By Josh Cornelissen

25 Jun 1997: Center Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs speaks with a reporter during the NBA Draft at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones /Allsport
25 Jun 1997: Center Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs speaks with a reporter during the NBA Draft at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Mandatory Credit: Craig Jones /Allsport /
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Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving, Photo by Rocky Widner/Getty Images /

NBA Draft: 30 greatest No. 1 overall picks in league history: 22. Kyrie Irving

Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski once declared that he would never recruit a player who said he was coming for just one year. That was a fine statement back in 2005 when he made it, but even “Coach K” and the Duke Blue Devils had to change with the times and begin dipping into the one-and-done talent pool. Thus, Kyrie Irving became the first player in Duke’s prestigious history to only stop by Durham, NC for one season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were still reeling from the departure of LeBron James when they took Irving first overall in the 2011 NBA Draft, a spot they would choose from three of the next five seasons. Irving dazzled fans, media and fellow players from the jump, becoming the talk of All-Star Weekend even though he didn’t play in the main event, instead, balling out in the Rising Stars Challenge. He would go on to win Rookie of the Year in a landslide over Ricky Rubio.

Irving’s early career as the offensive engine for the Cavaliers changed abruptly in 2014 when LeBron James returned home, and Irving became the Robin to LeBron’s Batman. While being second fiddle chafed enough that Irving eventually demanded a trade, but for the first few seasons, it worked beautifully. Irving and James made the NBA Finals three consecutive years, including in 2016 when in Game 7, Irving hit the game-winning shot over unanimous MVP Stephen Curry to bring home the championship.

The story for Irving is still being written, as after two seasons in Boston he joined the Brooklyn Nets and is back in contention for a title. Interestingly that means again being the wingman, with Kevin Durant the team’s centerpiece and another former MVP in James Harden running the point. Irving’s ability to get to the rim and score from any angle is unrivaled, and he has the tightest handle in the league outside of Curry. If he can prove himself excellent in his role on another title team, it would show his worth as more than just a guy who rode LeBron James’ coattails.