20 No. 1 Draft Picks Who Actually Lived Up to the Hype

Being the first-overall pick often comes with almost unrealistic expectations, but these 20 players lived up to the hype and then some.

LeBron James faced an almost impossible amount of hype to begin his NBA career, but he somehow managed to exceed even the loftiest expectations. Mandatory Credit: CSPA via USA TODAY Sports / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Being the No. 1 overall pick is what every young athlete dreams of growing up, but it also comes with an enormous responsibility. As the top selection, a player is often tasked with becoming the face of a struggling franchise, turning the team into a championship contender, and eventually developing into a premier player. 

Although many players have gone on to have successful careers, there are also plenty who fizzled out. The high expectations and immense pressure can be overwhelming for an athlete between 18 and 22.

While some have gone on to become great players, only a select few have truly lived up to the hype or standard of being the first pick. With this in mind, here are 20 No. 1 draft picks across the four major professional sports who’ve met these expectations. 

Bryce Harper, 2010-present

Talk about ridiculous levels of hype; Bryce Harper was one of the most heavily touted baseball prospects ever. At just 16 years old, Harper was on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline “Baseball’s Chosen One” and was being compared to the likes of LeBron James before even being drafted. 

At just 17 years old, Harper was drafted by the Washington Nationals with the No. 1 overall pick in 2010. Immediately, Harper became an impactful player, winning the NL Rookie of the Year in 2012, becoming an All-Star at 19, and winning his first NL MVP Award at just 22 after hitting .330 with 42 home runs. 

Six years later, he won another MVP Award with the Philadelphia Phillies, making him one of just 30 players in MLB history to win multiple MVPs. So far in his 15-year career, Harper has 1,916 hits, 388 home runs, 1,123 RBIs, boasts a .279/.386/.517 slash line, has earned nine All-Star selections, and won four Silver Slugger Awards. 

Although he hasn’t won a ring yet, he led the Phillies to the World Series and won the NLCS MVP in 2022. Considering the high expectations placed on him at such a young age, it’s safe to say Harper has lived up to the billing. 

Ken Griffey Jr., 1989-2010

Ken Griffey Jr. was one of the more fascinating baseball prospects, hitting .487 with 17 home runs in his final two high school seasons. The Seattle Mariners picked him No. 1 overall in the 1987 draft, and after spending two seasons in the minor leagues, Griffey made his debut at just 19 years old. 

From there, Griffey would establish himself as one of the best hitters in the league. In his first 11 seasons, he earned 10 All-Star selections, 10 Gold Glove Awards, seven Silver Slugger Awards, and won the 1997 AL MVP Award. He would also lead the American League in home runs four times, hitting 56 in 1997 and 1998. 

Griffey finished his career with 630 home runs, 1,836 RBIs, 2,781 hits, and a .284/.370/.538 slash line. Although injuries derailed the second half of his career, he was one of the most feared hitters in his prime. Few players could ever reach Griffey’s level, making him one of the greatest players to pick up a bat. 

Chipper Jones, 1993-2012

Chipper Jones had an incredible high school career. In his senior season, Jones compiled a 7-3 record with a 1.00 ERA and 100 strikeouts as a pitcher, while having a .488 batting average. Despite being the runner-up National Player of the Year, Jones was selected No. 1 overall in the 1990 draft by the Atlanta Braves. 

After three years in the minor leagues, Jones was called up in 1993 at 21 years old, but only played in eight games. In 1995, Jones quickly became one of the best players on the Braves, hitting 23 home runs and 86 RBIs, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting, and helping them win the World Series. 

Jones would follow this up with three consecutive All-Star appearances and win the 1999 NL MVP Award. In his 19 seasons, Jones earned eight All-Star selections, two Silver Slugger Awards, and won a batting title in 2008. 

Jones surpassed all expectations and finished his career as one of the greatest switch-hitters. 

Alex Rodriguez, 1994-2016

Alex Rodriguez was an incredible baseball prospect—so incredible that he was the first high schooler to try out for the United States national baseball team. In his senior year, he was selected as the USA Baseball Junior Player of the Year and Gatorade’s national baseball student-athlete of the year. 

In 1993, the Mariners selected Rodriguez with the first overall pick. He would make his MLB debut the following year, at just 18 years old. Playing in a combined 65 games in his first two seasons, Rodriguez broke out in 1996, hitting .358 with 36 home runs and 123 RBIs, finishing second in AL MVP voting. 

Rodriguez would go on to become one of baseball’s most productive hitters. During his 22-year career, he earned 14 All-Star selections, won three MVP awards, two Gold Gloves, 10 Silver Slugger Awards, and won the World Series in 2009 as a member of the New York Yankees. He also led the league in home runs five times, RBIs twice, and batting average once. 

Although his career has garnered criticism with his performance-enhancing drug suspension and admissions, there is no denying he was one of the greatest hitters the sport has ever seen. 

Myles Garrett, 2017-present

Coming out of Texas A&M, Myles Garrett was viewed as one of the most dominant defensive prospects in years. Garrett quickly established himself not only as the best pass rusher but also as one of the best players at the collegiate level, recording 32.5 sacks and 48.5 tackles for loss in 36 games. 

His rare athletic traits for a player of his size and position stood out the most to scouts and analysts. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 272 pounds at the NFL Combine, Garrett posted a 4.64 40-yard dash and 41-inch vertical jump, which helped him become the top pick in the 2017 NFL Draft to the Cleveland Browns.

So far in his nine-year career, Garrett has lived up to the No. 1 pick expectations, earning seven Pro Bowl selections, five First-Team All-Pro honors, two Defensive Player of the Year Awards, and he holds the single-season sack record with 23. 

He also helped the Browns end their 17-year playoff drought and led them to their first playoff win in 26 years. Now with the Los Angeles Rams, Garrett hopes to add a Super Bowl to his already legendary career. 

Orlando Pace, 1997-2009

Offensive linemen tend not to get the recognition or spotlight they truly deserve, but that wasn’t the case for Orlando Pace. At Ohio State, Pace established himself as one of the most dominant offensive linemen ever, winning Big Ten Most Valuable Player, earning two unanimous All-American selections, and finishing fourth in the Heisman Trophy race in 1996, which is nearly unheard of at his position. 

In 1997, Pace became just the fourth offensive lineman to be drafted with the first pick, and he didn’t disappoint. With the St. Louis Rams, Pace played a pivotal role on one of the greatest offenses of all time, protecting the blindside of Kurt Warner and helping create running lanes for Marshall Faulk. 

There, he was named to seven Pro Bowls, earned three first-team All-Pro honors, and helped the Rams reach two Super Bowls, winning one in 1999. An integral component of the Rams’ Super Bowl runs, Pace lived up to the No. 1 standard. 

John Elway, 1983-1998

John Elway was one of the most captivating collegiate players of all time. Despite having a losing record at Stanford, Elway became one of the most highly touted prospects for his incredible arm strength and athleticism, leading the NCAA in passing touchdowns and earning Unanimous All-American honors in 1982. 

Elway would be selected first in the 1983 NFL Draft, a class that featured Jim Kelly and Dan Marino, but was traded to the Denver Broncos after refusing to play for Baltimore. With the Broncos, he cemented himself as one of the league’s premier quarterbacks. 

During his 16-year career, Elway earned nine Pro Bowl selections, three second-team All-Pro honors, led the league in passing yards in 1993, won the MVP Award in 1987, and led the Broncos to five Super Bowls, winning two. Considering the hype surrounding Elway entering the NFL, he definitely lived up to the hype and cemented himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history. 

Bruce Smith, 1985-2003

Bruce Smith was a dominant force at Virginia Tech, accumulating 46 sacks in his four years at the university. His stellar collegiate production led to the Buffalo Bills drafting him No. 1 in the 1985 draft. 

After a shaky rookie season, Smith quickly asserted himself as one of the best pass rushers, recording 70 sacks in the following five years. His play on the defensive end helped the Bills reach four consecutive Super Bowls; however, the team lost all four games. 

Despite this, Smith had a legendary career with Buffalo and Washington. In his 19-year career, Smith earned 11 Pro Bowl nods, was named a first-team All-Pro eight times, and won two Defensive Player of the Year awards. 

To this day, Smith holds several records, including the most career sacks (200), the most seasons with at least one sack (19), and the most seasons with at least 10 sacks (13). Smith certainly surpassed expectations, becoming one of the greatest defensive players in league history. 

Peyton Manning, 1998-2016

Like Elway, Peyton Manning was regarded as a once-in-a-generation quarterback coming out of college. In his four seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers, Manning threw for over 11,000 passing yards and 89 touchdowns, compiling a 39-6 record. 

Manning vs. Ryan Leaf was a legitimate debate with the first selection of the 1998 draft, but making the right choice helped transform the Indianapolis Colts from one of the league’s worst teams into a perennial contender. Over the course of his 13 seasons with the franchise, Manning led the Colts to two Super Bowl appearances, winning in 2006. 

Manning would go on to do the same with the Broncos, becoming the first quarterback to lead two franchises to a Super Bowl win. By the time he retired, he stamped himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, earning 14 Pro Bowl nods, five MVP awards, one Super Bowl MVP, and leading the league in passing yards three times and passing touchdowns four times. 

Allen Iverson, 1996-2010

Allen Iverson was one of the most electrifying prospects in basketball history. Despite standing at six feet, Iverson dominated both ends of the floor, winning two Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors and averaging 23 points per game. 

Iverson headlined one of the greatest NBA Draft classes, being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the first pick in the 1996 draft. With the 76ers, Iverson would establish himself as one of the league’s most unstoppable scorers, leading the NBA in scoring four times and steals three times. His best season came in 2001, when he averaged 31.1 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, winning an MVP award and leading Philadelphia to the NBA Finals. 

Although they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers, Iverson’s performance cemented his status as one of the game’s biggest stars. He would finish his 14-year career with 11 All-Star selections and three All-NBA first-team honors. 

Even though he never won a ring, Iverson’s scoring ability and cultural impact exceeded expectations. 

Shaquille O’Neal, 1992-2011

Shaquille O’Neal caught the attention of all basketball fans in the 1990s. Averaging 21.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks per game, O’Neal was almost impossible to defend, leading the Orlando Magic to take him first in the 1992 draft. 

O’Neal’s dominance in college translated quickly to the NBA. He earned an All-Star selection in his very first year along with the Rookie of the Year award, and led the Magic to their first NBA Finals appearance in his third season. 

In his years with the Lakers, O’Neal would go on to stamp himself as one of the greatest centers ever, winning three consecutive championships, three Finals MVPs, and the league MVP in 2000. 

Over his 19-year career, O’Neal earned 15 All-Star selections, four championships, and eight All-NBA first-team honors, finishing with 28,596 points, 13,099 rebounds, and 2,732 blocks. O’Neal would also join Wilt Chamberlain and Pete Maravich as the only players to have their jerseys retired by three different franchises. 

There was absolutely no way to defend Shaq at his peak, and for that alone, he surpassed the hype of his selection. 

Tim Duncan, 1997-2016

Tim Duncan had one of the most prolific collegiate basketball careers. At Wake Forest, Duncan earned one Naismith College Player of the Year award and was a two-time ACC Player of the Year, averaging 16.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks. For this, Duncan was the obvious first choice in the 1997 draft by the San Antonio Spurs. 

There, he would quickly become an impactful player, earning an All-Star selection in his first season and leading the Spurs to their first championship in his second season, winning Finals MVP after averaging 27.4 points and 14 rebounds in the series. 

Over his 19-year career, Duncan became the cornerstone for one of the league’s greatest dynasties. He won five championships, three Finals MVPs, two league MVPs, and earned 15 All-Star selections, 10 All-NBA first-team honors, and eight first-team All-Defensive selections. 

Duncan was consistently elite throughout his career and helped keep the Spurs in championship contention for nearly two decades. Regarded as the greatest power forward of all time, Duncan lived up to the No. 1 selection in every way possible. 

Hakeem Olajuwon, 1984-2002

Hakeem Olajuwon was arguably one of the best prospects in basketball history. After leading the University of Houston to back-to-back NCAA championship appearances, Olajuwon was selected No. 1 overall by the Houston Rockets in the star-studded 1984 draft class that featured Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton. 

With the Rockets, Olajuwon quickly became one of the best big men, earning an All-Star selection and leading the franchise to the NBA Finals in his second season. Over his 18-year career, he was one of the most feared players on both ends, winning two Defensive Player of the Year awards, the MVP award in 1994, and leading the league in blocks three times and rebounds twice. 

Olajuwon would finish his career with 12 All-Star selections, six All-NBA first-team honors, five first-team All-Defense nods, two rings, and two Finals MVPs. To this day, Olajuwon is regarded as one of the greatest centers of all time. 

Magic Johnson, 1979-1992, 1996

Magic Johnson entered the NBA after leading Michigan State to a national championship against Larry Bird and Indiana State University, earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors. The Lakers selected Johnson with the first pick in the 1979 draft, and he immediately showed why he was a generational talent. 

As a rookie, Johnson was named an All-Star and led the Lakers to a championship, becoming the first and only rookie to win Finals MVP. He would go on to be the centerpiece for the Lakers' “Showtime” dynasty, leading the franchise to nine Finals appearances and winning five of them. 

Over his 13-year career, Magic was selected to the All-Star Game 12 times, won three Finals MVPs, three league MVPs, earned nine All-NBA first-team honors, and led the league in assists four times. 

Although his career didn’t last as long as some of the NBA’s greatest players, Johnson redefined the point guard position and is still regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1969-1989

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was one of the most sought-after prospects. Abdul-Jabbar was so dominant that the NCAA banned dunking from 1967 to 1976 because of him. Despite this, Abdul-Jabbar would go on to win the National College Player of the Year award three times and lead the UCLA Bruins to three college championships. 

In 1969, Abdul-Jabbar was the obvious first pick and spent his first six years with the Milwaukee Bucks. With the Bucks, Abdul-Jabbar would win three league MVPs, a championship, and a Finals MVP. 

Joining the Lakers in 1975, Abdul-Jabbar would establish himself as one of the greatest players ever, winning five championships, a Finals MVP, and three league MVPs. At the end of his career, Abdul-Jabbar was the leader in points, blocks, defensive rebounds, games played, minutes, field goals made, and field goal attempts. 

It would be fair to say Abdul-Jabbar did just fine for himself. 

LeBron James, 2003-present

The hype surrounding LeBron James was astronomical. We’re talking about a guy who had his high school games broadcast nationally on ESPN, was on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a junior with the headline “The Chosen One”, and was selected by his hometown team. Talk about pressure. 

James not only met the hype, he surpassed it. Across 23 seasons, James racked up all the accolades. He was selected to the All-Star Game 22 times, earned 13 All-NBA First-Team honors, five First-Team All-Defensive nods, won a scoring title, an assist title, four league MVPs, four championships, and four Finals MVPs. 

James has the record for most seasons played, most games played, most minutes played, most field goals made, and is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. With all these career accomplishments, James is considered one of the greatest basketball players and athletes. 

Remember, the hype around James started back in the early 2000s, and we’re in 2026. The fact that he’s entering Year 24 and is still an elite player at 41 is astonishing.

Connor McDavid, 2015-present 

Connor McDavid entered the NHL with all sorts of hype. Widely regarded as a generational talent, McDavid was selected No. 1 overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2015. 

The Canadian native quickly became an impactful player, recording 16 goals and 48 points in his rookie season. In his second season, McDavid became the youngest captain in league history at 19 years old, and helped the Oilers reach the postseason. 

Since entering the league, McDavid has been nearly unstoppable, winning six Art Ross and three Hart Memorial Trophies, and playing a key role in leading the Oilers to Stanley Cup final appearances in 2024 and 2025. 

Despite having yet to win a Stanley Cup, McDavid has proven to be a clutch playoff performer, leading the league in points in three of the last five postseasons. Only 29, McDavid has established himself as one of the best hockey players of his generation. 

Mario Lemieux, 1984-1997, 2000-2006

Widely regarded as one of the best hockey prospects, Mario Lemieux was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins first overall in the 1984 draft. Despite playing for a struggling franchise, he immediately showed why he was considered a generational talent, scoring 40 goals or more in his first six seasons. 

Lemieux quickly developed into one of the most dominant players in the league, earning 13 All-Star selections, winning six Art Ross Trophies, three Hart Memorial Trophies, and two Stanley Cups, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy both times. 

Lemieux was a truly unstoppable player. Despite battling injuries and health problems, Lemieux continued to play at an elite level. In 915 regular-season games, Lemieux scored 690 goals and 1,723 points. 

If he stayed healthy, he could’ve made his case as the greatest hockey player. Despite this, he’s still regarded among the best to ever put on the skates. 

Alex Ovechkin, 2004-present

Alex Ovechkin was such a highly sought-after prospect that the Florida Panthers tried to draft him during the 2003 draft, despite him being two days too young to qualify. After another season dominating in Russia, Ovechkin was selected first overall by the Washington Capitals in 2004. 

After a lockout delayed his debut, Ovechkin immediately made his case for becoming the greatest goal scorer the sport has ever seen, scoring 52 goals and 106 points in his rookie season. 

From then on, the accolades kept piling up. Ovechkin has been selected to the All-Star Game 13 times, won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy nine times, the Hart Memorial Trophy three times, the Art Ross Trophy in 2008, and helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018. 

The greatest of Ovechkin’s accomplishments came in 2025, when he broke Wayne Gretzky’s career regular-season goals record. After more than two decades in the NHL, he’s cemented himself as one of the most consistently productive goal scorers ever.

Sidney Crosby, 2005-present

Following Ovechkin is Sidney Crosby, who was nicknamed “The Next One”. Drafted No. 1 overall by the Penguins in 2005, Crosby entered with sky-high expectations. Safe to say, he’s blown past them. 

In his rookie season, Crosby quickly emerged as one of the league’s brightest stars, posting 39 goals and 102 points. Two years later, he would become the youngest captain in history at the time and, in 2009, would lead the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup since 1992. At just 21 years old, he became the youngest captain to win the Stanley Cup.

Crosby would continue to pile up the accolades and establish himself as one of the greatest players the league has ever seen. During his 21-year career, he’s earned 10 All-Star selections, two Art Ross Trophies, two Hart Memorial Trophies, three Stanley Cups, and two Conn Smythe Trophies. 

Crosby has been one of the more consistent players and will go down as one of the greatest hockey players when it’s all said and done.