ONE OF the best days on the basketball calendar is the NBA Draft, where the next generation of talent are welcomed into the world’s premier competition, with some seriously impressive players joining over the past decade.

Players are much more developed in the modern game when joining the NBA, with several pathways to the top competition meaning many prospects are foregoing the college path to instead spend their draft year playing against other professionals in leagues around the world.

With technology as developed as ever, plenty of work goes into selecting the top pick for the team that is lucky enough to emerge with the first selection, but not all prove to be fruitful decisions, with some players struggling to convert their talents.

However, many end up being franchise players for their respective teams, and with plenty of star players taken with the first overall pick in the past decade, Rookie Me Central will be ranking the top five number one selections from the past decade.

Honorable Mention – Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans)

Williamson was one of the most hyped prospects when he came out of the Duke Blue Devils ahead of the 2019 NBA Draft. With a freakish leap and tendency to throw down thunderous slam dunks, he was shaping as the face of the competition. The forward was named an All-Star in two seasons, and looked like one of the most dynamic scorers in the competition. However, injuries have restricted Williamson to just 212 games over five seasons, and he has not been able to reach his potential with the Pelicans. Despite this, Williamson looks to be getting back to his best, putting up 30-point performances and triple doubles as he looks to finally enter his prime.

5. Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)

2024/25 stats – 25.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 45.9 per cent FG
Career stats – 21.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 44.1 per cent FG

Cunningham was a highly touted point guard when heading to Detroit, a roster begging for a star to lead the once-successful club into a new era. It took him a while to find his feet however, and the Pistons continued to head to the lottery in search of more young talent. However, Cunningham is now hitting his straps, leading his team to the sixth-seed as it stands, and looks the favourite for the Most Improved Player Award. A gifted scorer who has a knack for finishing at the rim as well as finding his teammates with terrific passes, Cunningham is responsible for the resurgence of the Pistons, and is now one of the best players in the NBA.

4. Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota Timberwolves)

2024/25 stats – 24.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 52.5 per cent FG
Career stats – 23.0 points. 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 52.4 per cent FG

Towns is unlucky not to be included in the top three of this list, having established himself as one of the premier big men of the competition. A prime example of how far the NBA has come in terms of centers, ‘KAT’ is one of the best shooters in the league and one of the best shooting big men of all time, maybe only behind Dirk Nowitzki. A consistent 40 per cent shooter from downtown, he enjoyed nine seasons with the Timberwolves, before being traded to the New York Knicks, where he is currently putting together some excellent form. If he and the Knicks continue to make noise in the East and can pull off a championship, it elevates his standing significantly.

3. Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic)

2024/25 stats – 25.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 44.4 per cent FG
Career stats – 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 44.3 per cent FG

Banchero has stormed onto the scene as one of the stars of the NBA, and his effort with the Orlando Magic has repaid their faith in a big way. Since his emergence as the number-one option and a massive scoring threat across all three levels, the team has consistently been around the mark when it comes to postseason action, and should do the same again in the coming months. In terms of pure scorers, there are not too many better in the NBA, and his ability to round out his game as a rebounder and passer make him a complete player. At just 22 years of age, there is still plenty of growth to come, which spells trouble for opposition teams.

2. Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)

2024/25 stats – 27.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 44.5 per cent FG
Career stats – 23.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 44.6 per cent FG

Edwards is undoubtedly one of the best scorers in the entire competition, and has been a star for the Timberwolves since his selection in the 2020 NBA Draft. Since emerging on the scene in his rookie season as a constant scoring threat, he has since become one of the most dangerous offensive players of the modern era, and has won a gold medal with the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He can score at will from just about every way possible, and has made highlight reel after highlight reel with his emphatic posterizing dunks. The Timberwolves made the conference finals on the back of his efforts last season, and after making the All-NBA Second Team in 2024, more accolades are surely on the way for ‘Ant-Man’.

1. Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)

2024/25 stats – 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 47.6 per cent shooting
Career stats – 22.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 46.9 per cent shooting

The true definition of a generational talent, Wembanyama was the most prized prospect seen over the past decade, and for good reason. The French big man is affectionally nicknamed ‘The Alien’ given his standing height of seven-foot-three and freakish ability to play with the skill of a guard, and is set to be the face of the league in the coming years. He was named to the All-Defensive Team in his first season in the competition, and is a once-in-a-lifetime talent, completely changing the fortunes of the Spurs. Although he is set to miss the rest of the season with a blood clot, the future could not be brighter for Wembanyama.