Looking Back at Former 3rd-Overall Picks from the NBA Draft

Source: A general view of the first round draft board during the 2022 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2022 in New York City. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

As of Wednesday afternoon the Houston Rockets still hold the third-overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, barring a rumored play to sway the Phoenix Suns into dealing Kevin Durant for their 2025, 2027 and 2029 first-round picks back. If things stay as they are, the Rockets have some intriguing potential options at three, despite what experts are calling an underwhelming draft class.

In the spirit of the third-overall pick, let’s rank the last 40 years of NBA players taken at three:

1. 40. Chris Washburn – Golden State Warriors – 1986

Widely considered one of the biggest busts in NBA history, Chris Washburn’s NBA career was hampered by injuries and drug addiction, the latter earning him a lifetime ban in 1989. His career lasted 72 games over two seasons.

2. 39. Adam Morrison – Charlotte Bobcats – 2006

Heralded as the “next Larry Bird” coming out Gonzaga, Adam Morrison failed to live up to expectations during the early years of the Charlotte Bobcats. Tearing his ACL in a preseason game in 2007 didn’t help matters. He was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers midway through the 2008-09 season, appearing in just 39 more games during his career. At least he walked away with two championship rings after one and a half seasons riding the Laker bench.

3. 38. Jahlil Okafor – Philadelphia 76ers – 2015

Jahlil Okafor was a very talented player; he was just born 20 years too late. A casualty of “The Process” years of the rebuilding Philadelphia 76ers, there wasn’t much room for Okafor once Embed entered the rotation for the Sixers. After falling out of the NBA in 2021, he may have a second chance in the NBA, being drafted by the Valley Suns in the NBA G-League 2024 expansion draft.

4. 37. Darius Miles – Los Angeles Clippers – 2000

From what’s widely-regarded as the worst draft class in NBA history, Darius Miles did little to fight against his class’ label. He bounced around the league for a few years in the mid 2000s after his LA stint ended, last playing for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2009. He  now runs a successful podcast, The Knuckleheads, with former Clippers teammate Quentin Richardson.

5. 36. Raef LaFrentz – Denver Nuggets – 1998

Raef LaFrentz’s rookie season was hampered by the 1998-99 NBA lockout and a torn ACL 12 games into the delayed season. He spent the rest of his career as a serviceable bigman that could hit 3-point shots while most at his position could not.

6. 35. Dennis Hopson – New Jersey Nets – 1987

Despite leading the Nets in scoring in 1989-90, Dennis Hopson failed to live up to expectations. The next season he joined the Chicago Bulls as a reserve en route to their first NBA Championship. He was out of the NBA by 1992.

7. 34. O.J. Mayo – Minnesota Timberwolves – 2008

Drafted just before Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, O.J. Mayo was traded as part of a package deal for the latter on draft night. He was compared to LeBron James ahead of his NBA career, but his placement this far down the list should tell you his career didn’t come close to the King’s. He was banned from the NBA in 2016 for violating the NBA’s drug policy.

8. 33. Scoot Henderson – Portland Trail Blazers – 2023

Henderson’s placement here on this list is tough: The potential is there despite a shaky and inefficient rookie season in a post-Damian Lillard world. The most recent third-overall pick will hopefully rise up this list as his career goes on.

9. 32. Billy Owens – Sacramento Kings – 1991

Owens held out after he was drafted, prompting the Kings and Warriors to orchestrate the trade that broke up “Run-TMC,” sending Mitch Richmond to Sacramento. A string of injuries limited Owens to 10 seasons.

10. 31. Otto Porter Jr. – Washington Wizards – 2013

Otto Porter Jr. was a solid wing defender, but after signing his first major extension with the Wizards, the development seemed to stop. Injuries played a factor in the decline of his career, bouncing around the league in his final few seasons. He announced his retirement from basketball before the end of the 2023-24 season.

11. 30. Benoit Benjamin- Los Angeles Clippers – 1985

While he didn’t live up to expectations, Benjamin spent several productive seasons with the Clippers and Seattle SuperSonics before his career wound down in the mid 1990s. Unfortunately for the Clippers, Xavier McDaniel, Chris Mullin, Detlef Schrempf, Charles Oakley and Karl Malone were still on the board at three.

12. 29. Enes Freedom – Utah Jazz – 2011

Formerly “Enes Kanter,” the center out of Turkey spent several productive years in league for teams like the Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks. Despite the lack of defensive prowess, his offense made him a solid contributor off the bench in the 2010s. His career ended in controversy, last playing in 2022.

13. 28. Charles Smith – Philadelphia 76ers – 1988

Smith was traded to the Clippers on draft night, and spent several productive seasons as a volume scorer for the struggling franchise. He was later traded to the Knicks, where they played him out of position, leading to a decline in his production. He was out of the league by 1997.

14. 27. Mike Dunleavy Jr. – Golden State Warriors – 2002

Dunleavy spent his decade and a half as solid role player for several teams, a starter more often than not. After leaving the league in 2017, he became the GM of the team that drafted him in 2023.

15. 26. RJ Barrett – New York Knicks – 2019

Barrett came into the NBA as highly-rated prospect, alongside Zion Williamson and Ja Morant who went first and second respectively. While the other two have had varying degrees of success in the league so far, Barrett has yet to find his place in the NBA. The Knicks dealt him to the Toronto Raptors in 2024 for OG Anunoby.

16. 25. Derrick Favors – New Jersey Nets – 2010

Favors made it just over halfway through his rookie season before being packaged and shipped off to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Deron Williams. He emerged as a really good center, before Steph Curry ushered in the small-ball era, leaving teams unsure how to employ Favors in lineups. Had he been born 10 years earlier, he may be higher on this list.

17. 24. Jabari Smith Jr. – Houston Rockets – 2022

The most recent third-overall Rockets pick, Smith Jr.’s placement this high is justified by the small sample size we’ve seen over the last two seasons. His role will likely increase as the young Rockets core reaches maturity.

18. 23. Ben Gordon – Chicago Bulls – 2004

Gordon was arguably the first Chicago Bull since 1998 to make Bulls basketball tolerable to watch. He walked away from his rookie campaign as the only rookie ever to win Sixth Man of the Year. Unfortunately for Gordon, he served the Bulls merely to bridge the gap between the “Baby Bulls” and “Derrick Rose Era.” He bounced around the league after his stay in Chicago, last playing in 2015.

19. 22. Evan Mobley – Cleveland Cavaliers – 2021

Mobley has already show he can be a very good player in this league as part of the best non-LeBron Cavs teams since the early 1990s. He could ascend up this list, but there are concerns his offensive game isn’t developing as it should. With Cleveland also having Jarrett Allen, Mobley may become a piece they’re willing to move to improve the roster.

20. 21. LaMelo Ball – Charlotte Hornets – 2020

LaMelo Ball had been a polarizing player long before he went pro, given the platform his older brother, Lonzo, brought to the family while at UCLA. While LaMelo has gone as far to make an All-Star team, his inability to stay healthy recently has limited the positive impact he could have on a Hornets roster trying to recover from its 2002 move and later reincarnation as the Bobcats. There’s still time, if he can stay healthy.

21. 20. Christian Laettner – Minnesota Timberwolves – 1992

Arguably college basketball’s greatest villain, Laettner’s decorated amateur career and inclusion on Team USA’s “Dream Team” in 1992 far outshine his NBA career. He did receive an All-Star selection in 1997 as a member of the Atlanta Hawks, despite little team success with the Timberwolves.

22. 19. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf – Denver Nuggets – 1990

Born “Chris Jackson,” Abdul-Rauf could be described as an early-Steph Curry prototype. Unfortunately for him and the NBA, Abdul-Rauf’s star was dimmed due to essentially being blackballed for his political stances during his prime, and was out of the NBA for good by 2001. He currently plays in the Big3 basketball league.

23. 18. Shareef Abdur-Rahim – Vancouver Grizzlies – 1996

The third player taken in what some call the greatest NBA Draft ever, Abdur-Rahim’s early career may have suffered from playing in Vancouver, as the team received little national attention at the time. He averaged over 16 ppg in nine of his first 10 seasons in the league. Abdur-Rahim made his lone postseason appearance with the Kings in 2006, before retiring in 2008 due to a nagging knee injury. He currently serves as president of the NBA G-League.

24. 17. Sean Elliott – San Antonio Spurs – 1989

Elliott was nearly a life-long Spur, minus a detour season with the Detroit Pistons in 1993-94. The two-time All-Star helped build up a young Spurs team waiting for the arrival of David Robinson, who was with the Navy. After his stint in Detroit he spent his remaining seasons with the Spurs, helping the franchise to its first NBA title in 1999.

25. 16. Jerry Stackhouse – Philadelphia 76ers – 1995

Stackhouse was once hyped as the “next Jordan,” only to go on later voice his displeasure for playing with the fellow UNC product in Washington during the early 2000s. He was one of the best scoring guards in the early 2000s, but lost his All-Star momentum after his time with the Wizards, partly due to injuries. 

26. 15. Baron Davis – Charlotte Hornets – 1999

Davis was a high-flying point guard from the turn of the century, often good for 20 points and eight assists at his peak. The two-time All-Star is best remembered as part of the 2006-07 “We Believe” Warriors, upsetting the defending Western Conference Champions, Dallas Mavericks, in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs.

27. 14. Bradley Beal – Washington Wizards – 2012

Beal paired with John Wall to give the Wizards one of the most potent backcourts in the NBA during the 2010s. Unfortunately injuries hampered the potential of the duo; Wall more so than Beal. Beal’s Wizards tenure ended in 2023 after he was traded to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Chris Paul. It remains to be seen what comes of his time with the Suns, which has been rocky.

28. 13. Deron Williams – Utah Jazz – 2005

His relationship with then-Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan was famously so toxic that Sloan, who had been with the franchise since 1985, quit coaching entirely. Despite issues “behind the scenes,” Williams was one of the NBA’s best floor generals in the 2000s, often drawing comparisons with Chris Paul. While Paul, who went a spot after Williams, has gone on to have a long career in the NBA to this day, Williams flamed out in the mid 2010s, last playing in 2017.

29. 12. Al Horford – Atlanta Hawks – 2007

A couple series away from the most playoff games without a title, Horford finally reached the NBA’s mountaintop after 17 seasons as his Celtics took home the 2023-24 NBA Championship. One of the main core pieces of several strong Hawks teams in the 2010s, the five-time All-Star was one of the centers from his era to adopt a 3-point shot, likely extending his NBA career as many at his position found themselves out of the league quickly. He is returning to the Celtics for 2024-25.

30. 11. Anfernee Hardaway – Golden State Warriors – 1993

Often regarded as one of the NBA’s biggest “what if” conversations, “Penny” Hardaway formed one of the most dynamic duos of the 1990s with Shaquille O’Neal. The pair put the Orlando Magic on the map. O’Neal insisted that the Magic draft him, which led to the team swapping Chris Webber with the Warriors on draft night. O’Neal left the Magic in 1996, and Hardaway’s health left as the 1990s went on. Despite the injuries, he was able to endure an early retirement and various role changes, last playing in 2008. He earned five All-Star nods and four All-NBA selections.

31. 10. Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics – 2016

The Celtics did something rare for modern NBA teams; keep a young core together long enough to develop chemistry and experience together. It culminated in Brown taking home the 2024 NBA Finals MVP. The Brown-Jayson Tatum pairing had been the subject of a split for a few seasons now, after Brown’s terrible performance against the Warriors in the 2022 Finals. Brown has since shaken a lot of the bad press, emerging as one of the NBA’s best two-way players over the last few seasons. He may rise up this list some day.

32. 9. Chauncey Billups – Boston Celtics – 1997

This Celtic guard didn’t receive as much patience as Brown has had in Boston, as controversial Celtics head coach Rick Pitino dealt Billups away during his rookie year. He bounced around the league for a few seasons before finding his Way to the Pistons in 2002. He’d lead the underdog Pistons against the last “Shaq-Kobe” Lakers squad, winning the 2003-04 NBA Championship and taking home Finals MVP honors. Billups spent several more successful seasons with the Pistons, with another Finals appearance in 2005, and a few more productive years with Nuggets after. He later returned to the Pistons, retiring with the franchise in 2014.

33. 8. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics – 2017

Just like Brown in 2016, the Celtics took the other half of their title-winning duo third the following year. The Celtics pulled off a master-class trade with the Sixers, moving down from first to third and essentially “stole” Tatum. While the forward’s persona can sometimes draw questions from those on social media, he’s developed into one of the game’s best players. He’s the Celtics’ best player, certainly earning his place amongst the franchise’s impressive resume of players.

34. 7. Pau Gasol – Atlanta Hawks – 2001

Traded by the Hawks for Abdur-Rahim, Gasol would go on to lead the recently-moved Memphis Grizzlies into a competitive NBA franchise. He spent several productive years with the Grizzlies, before being involved in one of the most-controversial NBA trades of all time, landing with the Lakers. He’d help Kobe Bryant lead the Lakers two three consecutive Finals appearances, winning titles in 2009 and 2010. He’d go on to have a pair of All-Star-level season with the Bulls in the mid 2010s before calling it a career in 2019. He received six All-Star selections and four All-NBA nods.

35. 6. Grant Hill – Detroit Pistons – 1994

Another one of the great “what ifs,” Hill certainly would’ve been higher on this list, but ankle injuries took their toll. He suffered the infamous ankle injury during the 2000 Playoffs, which would bother him for years to come. Despite the early beliefs that he could become one of the greatest players ever, Hill still churned out a long and successful career. He’d earn seven All-Star selections and five All-NBA nods before calling it a career in 2013.

36. 5. Luka Dončić – Atlanta Hawks – 2018

Traded to the Mavericks on draft night in what’s becoming one of the most lopsided trades of all time, Dončić has proven to be one of the most talented players we’ve ever seen. The oversized point guard was on the losing side of the 2024 Finals to three other members on this list, but it’s likely it won’t be his last Finals appearance. Luka has the potential to be one of the greatest NBA players ever, and at 25 hasn’t even reached his prime years yet. The Hawks will be kicking themselves for decades.

37. 4. Joel Embed – Philadelphia 76ers – 2014

The answer to “The Process,” Joel Embiid’s career got off to a concerning start. He missed the first two seasons of his career due to injuries, and played less than half of his rookie year as well. Injuries have been a constant factor in his career, but that hasn’t stopped the center from putting together some of the greatest statistical seasons in recent years, earning him the 2022-23 MVP award. Embiid could one day be regarded as one of the greatest centers ever, he just needs to get out of the East in the postseason.

38. 3. Carmelo Anthony – Denver Nuggets – 2003

Part of one of the greatest draft classes ever, Anthony was one of the greatest offensive players of his era. Deadly from nearly any spot on the court, he is regarded as one of the best and most popular players from his era. Unfortunately, he was never able to make it to the Finals, with his ability as a winning basketball player often called into question. Despite this, the 10-time All-Star will surely find himself in the hall of fame first ballot once he becomes eligible.

39. 2. James Harden – Oklahoma City Thunder – 2009

The former Rockets guard is one of the greatest combo guards of all time without question. He nearly led Houston back to the Finals a few times, but whether it was injuries on the team or shrinking in big moments, Harden hasn’t been able to get it done — at any of his stops. For all the talent in the world, Harden may be his own worst enemy, forcing his way out of Houston, Brooklyn and Philadelphia when the situation no longer pleased him, leaving buyer’s remorse in his wake. The 2017-18 MVP is still playing at an All-Star level, but time is running out for “The Beard” to be a major factor on a title-winning team. We all still wonder how good that OKC team could’ve been.

40. 1. Michael Jordan – Chicago Bulls – 1984

Who else? The greatest third-overall pick also happens to be the greatest player of all time (depending on who you ask). Jordan took the NBA and basketball as a whole to new levels internationally, changing the way we look at the NBA commercially today. He nearly prevented an entire generation of players from championship glory, aside from fellow 1984 draftee Hakeem Olajuwon, who led the Rockets to back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995. While Houston passed on Jordan at one, it’s safe to say it worked out. Six titles, 14 All-Star selections and 11 All-NBAs later, Jordan is the best player taken at this spot.