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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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NBA Draft: 30 greatest No. 1 overall picks in league history: 18. Walt Bellamy

In 1960, a group of 12 college players won the gold medal in basketball at the Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. That group contained a number of future NBA stars, including Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas. Walt Bellamy not only belonged in the group, he proved he belonged with a Hall of Fame career.

Entering the NBA Draft out of Indiana, Bellamy was taken first overall in 1961 by the Chicago Packers, a team that would change its name to the Chicago “Zephyrs” before being relocated to Baltimore, MD and gaining the “Bullets” moniker. Bellamy did not waste any time making his mark, averaging a whopping 31.6 points and 19 rebounds as a rookie.

While that would be the high watermark of his box score stats, Bellamy did not let off the gas, averaging over 27 points per game each of the next two seasons even as the franchise around him was in flux. Playing in a league where the likes of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain blocked out the center position on the All-NBA squads, Bellamy still earned a spot on an All-Star team four different times and earned MVP votes in three different seasons.

Bellamy’s career longevity was impressive, especially in a smaller league with fewer roster spots available. He played in 1,043 games across 14 seasons in the league, and his 38,940 career minutes rank 44th all-time. He played in 46 career postseason games, but never on a team good enough to make it to the NBA Finals. His 130 career win shares rank 40th all-time, and 10th among first overall picks.