NBA Draft: Ranking number one picks: 10-8
#10-Anthony Edwards, 2020
Anthony Edwards is another guy who came out in a year without a consensus number one pick, and though he had a very good rookie season, it is still questionable, as LaMelo Ball was better. Edwards’ hype train was mostly derailed by the Ball media machine but I do think he’ll ultimately be the better player.
#9- Deandre Ayton, 2018
Deandre Ayton has rounded into a very good player and is one of the big reasons the Suns are currently in the Finals, but at the time, this pick was questionable. Everyone thought Ayton would be good but there was a ceiling on him that didn’t exist on guys like Luka Doncic and Trae Young. People forget that Ayton had less hype than Bagley III coming out of college.
#8- Andrew Wiggins, 2014
Andrew Wiggins was one of many number one picks who was being compared to LeBron James in an era when we thought that he was a prototype and not a one-off GOAT. Wiggins had a huge amount of hype coming into the NBA, but there was still a big argument between him and Jabari Parker, who turned out to be a big bust. Embiid was the best player in this draft and probably the only correct choice the 76ers managed to make. This is Cleveland’s second entry on the list, and though Wiggins never turned into a superstar, he helped them land LeBron James.