No. 1 overall picks to win Rookie of Year honors

Victor Wembanyama was the unanimous winner of the 2023-24 Kia Rookie of the Year.

The NBA Draft is where hope is born for many teams, particularly for those teams fortunate enough to land the No. 1 overall pick in a given class. However, getting that top overall pick doesn’t guarantee success in the NBA or even a standout rookie campaign.

Since the NBA went to a version of its current Draft lottery format in 1986, there have been 37 players selected No. 1 overall. Below is a look at the 18 players who collected Rookie of the Year honors since 1986, with three players — David Robinson, Ben Simmons and Blake Griffin — earning the award in a season that did not begin with their Draft year.

No. 1 overall picks who were named NBA Rookie of the YearPlayer (Team)DraftedRookie seasonPPGRPGAPGBPGSPGFG%3pt %Patrick Ewing (Knicks)19851985-8620922.11.147.7%0%David Robinson (Spurs) #19871989-9024.31223.91.753.1%0%Derrick Coleman (Nets)19901990-9118.410.32.21.31.046.7%34.2%Larry Johnson (Hornets)19911991-9219.2113.60.61.049%22.7%Shaquille O’Neal (Magic)19921992-9323.413.91.93.50.756.2%0%Chris Webber (Warriors)1993 (picked by Magic, traded to Warriors)1993-9417.59.13.62.21.255.2%0%Allen Iverson (76ers)19961996-9723.54.17.52.10.341.6%34.1%Tim Duncan (Spurs)19971997-9821.111.92.72.50.754.9%0%Elton Brand (Bulls) *19991999-200020.1101.91.60.848.2%0%LeBron James (Cavs)20032003-0420.95.55.90.71.641.7%29%Derrick Rose (Bulls)20082008-0916.83.96.30.20.847.5%22.2%Blake Griffin (Clippers) ^20092010-1122.512.13.80.50.850.6%29.2%Kyrie Irving (Cavs)20112011-1218.53.75.40.41.146.9%39.9%Andrew Wiggins (Wolves)2014 (picked by Cavs, traded to Wolves)2014-1516.94.62.10.61.043.7%31%Karl-Anthony Towns (Wolves)20152015-1618.310.52.01.70.754.2%34.1%Ben Simmons (76ers) ^20162017-1815.88.18.20.91.754.5%0%Paolo Banchero20222022-23206.93.70.50.842.7%29.8%Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)20232023-2421.410.63.93.61.246.5%32.5%# = served in Navy for two years before joining Spurs* = shared ROY honors with Steve Francis (No. 3 overall pick) in 1999-2000^ = Won ROY after missing rookie season due to injury