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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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Chris Webber
Chris Webber. Photo by: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images /

NBA Draft: 30 greatest No. 1 overall picks in league history: 20. Chris Webber

Chris Webber made his way to the NBA by way of the University of Michigan, where he was a part of a talent-packed freshmen class known as the “Fab Five” who set a new standard for how basketball players could act and talk. Fans across the country imitated their look and style. Webber was far from just pizzazz, either, as he led the Wolverines to the title game both his freshman and sophomore years before declaring for the NBA Draft.

The Golden State Warriors traded into the first overall pick and took Webber, who was an immediate force and won Rookie of the Year. Chemistry issues flared up and led to Webber being traded to the Washington Bullets after just one season, and he played four years in the nation’s capital. In 1998 he was traded to the Sacramento Kings, where he would make his biggest impact as a player.

Webber averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds for five straight seasons with the Kings, making four All-Star games and five All-NBA squads. Although he played in a league (and Western Conference) flush with elite power forwards, Webber still made a name for himself and finished as high as fourth in the MVP voting in 2000-01.

Far from merely an empty calories player, Webber’s combination of passing and ball-handling for a big were exceptional, and they helped to drive the Kings’ success. The Kings became a perennial postseason team during Webber’s tenure, including the 2002 playoffs where the Kings nearly knocked off the Los Angeles Lakers.

Webber finished his career in a gentle decline, injuries and aging finally catching up to him. In total, he played in 831 games and accumulated 84.7 win shares. He played in 80 career postseason games, twice making the Conference Finals. His candidacy for the Hall of Fame is a close thing; his inclusion on this list is not.