With the 2025 NBA Draft simply across the nook, NBA groups choosing within the lottery are penciled to pick out one of the best expertise out there to improve their respective rosters. Though the NBA Draft lottery has been an annual occasion since 1985, consider it or not, there are nonetheless a handful of franchises who’ve but to benefit from the privilege of choosing with the highest general decide. Here’s a take a look at 6 NBA groups who by no means drafted with the primary general decide and the way shut they’ve come.
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Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are one of many unluckiest groups in relation to the draft lottery. Whereas they by no means drafted with the primary general decide, they’ve additionally by no means drafted with the second general decide on any given draft evening. The best choice they ever loved was choosing third general, which has occurred 3 times.
The Nuggets used the third general decide on the 1990 NBA Draft to pick out Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, who was a succesful scorer. Eight years later, they drafted with the third general decide as soon as extra, choosing Raef LaFrentz. LaFrentz was an enormous man who was approach forward of his time, a 6-foot-11 physique able to spacing the ground.
The final time Denver drafted throughout the high three was in 2003, once they chosen Carmelo Anthony. Melo was an authorized famous person however was typically criticized for prioritizing his particular person accolades over crew wins.
Though Denver has been fairly unfortunate within the draft lottery, nobody can deny that they had been able to pulling off arguably the largest draft heist in historical past. Let’s not neglect, the Nuggets someway stored Serbian massive man Nikola Jokic a secret earlier than unleashing him to turn into a three-time NBA MVP who would carry the Nuggets to an NBA championship.
Indiana Pacers
It is fairly mind-blowing that the Indiana Pacers solely managed to pick out throughout the high three for under 4 occasions all through NBA historical past. To make issues extra attention-grabbing, all of it occurred approach again within the Nineteen Eighties, three of which had been second general picks. Consequently, the Pacers franchise actually deserves a number of credit score for staying aggressive regardless of not having a lot luck at getting their palms on one of the best younger expertise out there.
These lottery picks got here within the type of Steve Stipanovich, Wayman Tisdale, and Rik Smits in 1983, 1985, and 1988, respectively. All three turned strong contributors. Nonetheless, none had been actually needle movers. Moreover, the lone third general decide Rick Robey was comparatively a bust.
Whereas Indiana has been constant all through the years, having not a lot luck on the lottery in all probability performed a task on how the franchise continues to nonetheless seek for their first championship banner. That is actually an eyebrow-raising reality, provided that the Pacers had been some of the adorned groups within the ABA earlier than the merger.
Memphis/Vancouver Grizzlies
Talking of groups with no championship, one other one on this listing is the Memphis Grizzlies. However not like the Pacers, the Grizzlies have been fortunate sufficient to pick out throughout the high three for a complete of six occasions. 5 had been second general picks. Sadly, most turned out to be disappointing.
The primary time Memphis drafted with the second general decide was in 1998, choosing Mike Bibby out of Arizona. Bibby turned out to be a dependable beginning guard. Nonetheless, the franchise was relocating to Memphis from Vancouver, sending away Bibby to clear cap area. A yr later, the crew picked up Steve Francis. Whereas Francis was a proficient scorer, he did not need to play for the Grizzlies, forcing his strategy to the Houston Rockets and by no means performed for the crew.
To make issues worse, the following two second general picks by Memphis had been busts at finest. On the 2000 NBA Draft, the Grizzlies went with Stromile Swift, who was merely a dunking massive man. Memphis needed to wait 9 extra years to pick out with the second general decide as soon as extra. Sadly, they wasted it on one other disappointing massive man within the type of Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet was a bust, who turned the best draft decide to ever be despatched to the NBA D-League, which is now referred to as the NBA G-League.
Whereas the historical past of second general picks for the franchise was plagued by fumbles, they did do an honest job in 2019, once they picked up Ja Morant. At present, Morant is the undisputed chief of the crew, having earned NBA Rookie of the Yr honors in 2020 to go together with an NBA Most Improved Participant Award two years later. Nonetheless, his gun scandals and availability have gotten a problem.
Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder/Seattle SuperSonics
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From the Seattle Supersonics to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, the franchise has loved loads of premiere gamers from the draft. Nonetheless, it is fairly a head scratcher that none of their blue-chip skills had been ever first general picks. Nonetheless, the Thunder is one other franchise that has by no means chosen with the primary general decide.
However they’ve chosen throughout the high three seven occasions. Three had been second general picks within the type of Gary Payton, Kevin Durant, and Chet Holmgren in 1990, 2007, and 2022, respectively. Payton was the face of the Supersonics again within the day, incomes the moniker of The Glove for his defensive experience. Whereas he did lead Seattle to the NBA Finals, the crew in the end fell brief to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
One other lottery decide that turned out to be the face of the franchise was Kevin Durant. He remodeled into a singular scorer with dimension, as he typically exploited mismatches and scored in a number of methods. The onetime NBA MVP was the face of the Thunder for a number of seasons, main them to a Finals berth in 2012, however did not clinch a championship, resulting in his notorious signing with the Golden State Warriors.
The final time Oklahoma Metropolis chosen with the second general decide was simply in 2022, once they chosen versatile 7-foot-1 heart Chet Holmgren. Holmgren could have suffered a season-ending harm to overlook out what would’ve been his rookie yr. Nonetheless, since returning to motion, he has been pretty much as good as marketed. Quick-forward to as we speak, he has been instrumental within the Thunder’s rise as they inch nearer to a championship on the 2025 NBA Finals.
Utah Jazz
One other franchise that by no means chosen with the primary general decide was the Utah Jazz. Salt Lake Metropolis followers hoped that might change this yr because the Jazz tied with a number of groups with one of the best odds for successful the lottery. Nonetheless, they had been solely met with disappointment, because the Jazz might be choosing fifth on the 2025 NBA Draft. All through historical past, Utah has solely chosen with the second general decide as soon as and the third general decide 3 times.
The best draft decide in Jazz historical past was in 1980, once they chosen Darrell Griffith with the second general decide. Griffith was pretty much as good as marketed individually, even taking the NBA Rookie of the Yr honors in 1981. Nonetheless, his particular person success by no means translated to crew wins, because the Jazz by no means bought previous the second spherical of the NBA Playoffs with him on the helm.
However whereas the Jazz by no means loved a high general decide, the franchise has a wealthy historical past in drafting the precise gamers. The lengthy listing consists of Deron Williams, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Gordon Hayward. Consequently, it is a protected wager that Utah will maximize their fifth general decide on the upcoming NBA Draft.
Miami Warmth
Whereas the Miami Warmth have discovered a strategy to keep aggressive all through the years, it fairly baffling that they did so with out ever choosing with a high general decide on the NBA Draft. Though the franchise has drafted loads of blue-chip skills like Dwyane Wade, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, and Glen Rice. The best decide that the Warmth ever bought was the second general decide, and it has solely occurred as soon as again in 2008.
On the 2008 NBA Draft, Miami chosen Michael Beasley, making him the best draft decide in franchise historical past. The Kansas State standout had expertise, and the Warmth anticipated him to bolster their offensive firepower. Nonetheless, off-court points in the end marred his profession. It solely wanted two seasons for the Warmth entrance workplace to half methods with the 6-foot-9 ahead.
However whereas the Warmth have been unfortunate within the draft lottery, that hasn’t stopped the franchise from successful championships, due to their skill to lure the brightest stars. Whereas Wade has been part of all the franchise’s title runs, Miami’s entrance workplace has accomplished an amazing job in bringing within the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Jimmy Butler to maintain the Warmth as an Jap Convention heavyweight.