Ranking all active No. 1 picks in the NBA, from worst to best

The number one overall draft pick is as coveted as a commodity as there is in the NBA. The player selected has the ability to completely alter the perception of the franchise that drafts them for the duration of their career.

While drafting first overall is an enviable position, history shows that there are very few Slam Dunks. For every all-time great like LeBron James, there are those who never gain their footing in the league at all. Below is an in-depth ranking of every active number-one overall selection playing in the NBA today.

14) Derrick Rose

The second-oldest active number 1 pick after Lebron, D. Rose has overcome a number of injuries to put together an incredibly long and productive NBA career. Everyone knows of his glory days in Chicago, where he starred for his hometown team, giving the city the most exciting basketball they had seen since Michael Jordan retired.

At the peak of his powers, Rose won a league MVP and had the Bulls looking ready to compete for years to come before a devastating knee injury in the 2012 playoffs. He bounced around for a number of years and also played a key role in turning the Knicks around during the 2020–21 season.

At 35 years old, Rose is now a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, having returned to the city where he played in his college days. He is now more of a veteran presence than anything, but can still string together some strong games when he is healthy.

Rose has done everything there is to do in the NBA on an individual level. With a ROY, MVP, and several All-Stars to his name, Rose is as beloved by NBA fans as anybody. The only question now is if he will make the Hall of Fame. Every MVP winner in NBA history has been inducted, and I would guess that someday, Rose will be as well.