The NBA G League's first overall pick is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the annual NBA G League Draft (known as the NBA Development League Draft until 2017). For players to become eligible for the draft they must sign a general contract with the league. They must also be at least 18 years old, not attending college during the season which the draft precedes, and have either graduated from high school or, if the player did not finish high school, had what would have been his graduating class graduate.
No first overall picks have ever won the G League Most Valuable Player Award. Five players have been named to at least one NBA Development League All-Star Game: Andre Barrett, Eddie Gill, Chris Richard, Carlos Powell (twice) and Nick Fazekas. The first All-Star Game did not occur until the 2006–07 season, however, and so the possibility for players such as Mikki Moore to earn an All-Star selection was not possible. Moore was named the NBDL Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-NBDL First Team as a rookie in 2002–03. Fazekas, the first overall selection in 2010, and Powell, the first overall selection in 2009, each had previous NBA Development League experience prior to those respective drafts. In 2007–08, Fazekas had played for the Tulsa 66ers while Powell had played for the Dakota Wizards, and both were selected as NBA Development League All-Stars that season, making them back-to-back number one draft picks who had previously been NBADL All-Stars.
Note that from the 2001 through 2004 drafts, it was known as the NBDL Draft. From 2005 through 2016, it was known as the NBA Development League Draft in accordance with the league's slight name change. The 2017 draft was the first under the league's current identity as the NBA G League, following a sponsorship deal with Gatorade.
Key ^ Denotes player who has been selected to (an) NBA G League All-Star Game(s)* Denotes player who has been selected to (an) NBA G League All-Star Game(s) and was also selected in an NBA draft† Denotes player who was also selected in an NBA DraftPlayer(in italic text)Rookie of the YearPPGPoints per gameRPGRebounds per gameAPGAssists per game
List of first overall picks DraftSelected byPlayerNationalityCollege/former clubPPGRPGAPGRef. 2001 Fayetteville Patriots Blinn CC 2002 Roanoke Dazzle Detroit Pistons 2003 Huntsville Flight† Miami Heat 2004 Columbus Riverdragons† Morehead State 2005 Florida Flame^ Orlando Magic 2006 Anaheim Arsenal† CB Granada (Spain) 2007 Colorado 14ers^ BC Dynamo Moscow (Russia) 2008 Tulsa 66ers* Minnesota Timberwolves /Sioux Falls Skyforce 2009 Albuquerque Thunderbirds^ Inchon ET Land Black Slamer (South Korea) 2010 Reno Bighorns* JDA Dijon (France) 14.6 7.5 0.8 2011 Los Angeles D-Fenders† Memphis Grizzlies 9.9 3.1 7.6 2012 Fort Wayne Mad Ants† Boston Celtics 11.6 11.2 0.8 2013 Tulsa 66ers† Arizona 15.1 6.1 0.7 2014 Grand Rapids Drive Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2015 Idaho Stampede† San Antonio Spurs 16.2 9.5 2.2 2016 Erie Bayhawks† Los Angeles D-Fenders 20.3 5.4 3.1 2017 Northern Arizona Suns Sacramento State 5.1 2.4 0.5 2018 Salt Lake City Stars^ Detroit Pistons 20.0 11.2 1.5 2019 Northern Arizona Suns Miami (Florida) 8.9 3.9 2.2 2020Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021 Greensboro Swarm† Washington Wizards /Capital City Go-Go 10.1 5.7 2.1 Delaware Blue Coats Shamorie Ponds OKK Spars (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 13.5 5.5 5.5 2022 Cleveland Charge† Memphis Grizzlies 15.2 3.9 2.8 2023 Texas Legends Denver Nuggets 9.1 6.1 1.8 2024 Westchester Knicks New Orleans Pelicans 15.5 4.5 1.5 2025 South Bay Lakers† Oklahoma City Thunder 15.7 6.6 6.3
See also List of first overall NBA draft picks List of first overall WNBA draft picks
Notes
All statistics are taken from the players' respective draft seasons. Indicates the college team, semi-professional and/or professional basketball team that the player most recently competed for heading into his respective draft. Robert Covington signed with the Philadelphia 76ers prior to playing in a D-League game in 2014–15. He spent the entire season with the 76ers and did not accumulate any D-League statistics.
References
External links Number One Picks In The NBA D-League Draft at NBA.com List of current NBA Development League players