Who Wears Number 1 in the NBA?
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In the NBA, the player who wears number 1 is typically the starting point guard on the team. This position is responsible for leading the team’s offense and setting up plays.
Number 1 Overall Picks
The number one overall pick in the NBA draft is the player who is selected by the team who wins the NBA draft lottery. The draft lottery is a process that is used to determine the order of selection for the first 14 picks of the NBA draft. The lottery is held prior to the draft, and the team that wins the lottery is said to have “won” the right to pick first in the draft.
Ben Simmons
The number one overall pick is the player who is selected first during the annual NBA draft. The draft is an event in which the teams in the league select players who have just finished playing in college or elsewhere.
The player who is drafted first overall is usually considered to be the best player in that year’s class, and as such, they are often one of the league’s best players. In recent years, some of the league’s best players have been number one overall picks, including LeBron James, Tim Duncan, and Anthony Davis.
Andrew Wiggins
As the number one overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, Andrew Wiggins has a lot of expectations to live up to. The small forward was born in Toronto, Canada, and played his college basketball at Kansas. He’s considered one of the most talented young players in the game today, with a versatile skill set that allows him to score from anywhere on the court.
Wiggins is still early in his NBA career, but he’s already shown flashes of greatness. In his rookie season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team after averaging 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He followed that up with an even better sophomore campaign, averaging 20.7 points and 3.6 assists per game.
If Wiggins can continue to improve at such a rapid pace, there’s no telling how good he can become. For now, he’s already one of the best young players in the league and someone who is sure to be entertaining to watch for years to come.
Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving was the number 1 pick in the 2011 NBA draft. He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Kyrie has won one NBA Championship, one NBA Finals MVP, and is a six-time NBA All-Star.
Other Notable Number 1s
In the NBA, the number 1 is most commonly associated with the starting point guard. This is because the point guard is generally the smallest and quickest player on the court, and they need to be able to handle the ball well. Some of the most notable number 1s in the NBA are Magic Johnson, Steph Curry, and Russell Westbrook.
LeBron James
LeBron James is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history.
James began his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. He played there for seven seasons, before he joined the Miami Heat in 2010. He spent four seasons with the Heat, winning two NBA championships. In 2014, James returned to the Cavaliers. He won his third championship with them in 2016.
In 2018, James joined the Lakers. He has won two more NBA championships with them, in 2020 and 2021.
Kevin Durant
In the NBA, the number 1 is typically reserved for the team’s best player. The number 1 pick in the draft is also given to the team with the worst record from the previous season. Some of the greatest players in NBA history have worn the number 1, including Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.
One player who currently wears number 1 is Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets. Durant is a 10-time NBA All-Star and was named league MVP in 2014. He has won two NBA championships, both with the Golden State Warriors.
Kobe Bryant
Many NBA players have worn the number 1 over the years, but very few have been able to make it their own like Kobe Bryant. He wore the number during his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, winning five championships and becoming one of the greatest players in NBA history. Other notable players who have worn number 1 include Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Allen Iverson.
Why Number 1?
The number 1 is typically given to the best player or most valuable player on a team. In the NBA, there have been some great players who have worn the number 1, including Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why the number 1 is so special in the NBA.
The Pressure
Number 1 is not just a number, it is an expectation. The pressure to be number 1 is intense. Players who wear number 1 are expected to be the best of the best. They are expected to be leaders and role models. They are expected to win championships.
Number 1 is a pressure cooker. The players who can handle the pressure and expectations that come with the number are the ones who find success. Those who crumble under the weight of the expectation often find themselves out of the league quickly.
So, why do some players wear number 1? For some, it is because they were born to be great. They embrace the pressure and use it to their advantage. They know that they have what it takes to be the best and they want everyone to know it.
For others, it may be because they were given no other choice. They may have been drafted first overall or they may have been given the number by their team. Either way, they have no choice but to rise to the occasion and meet the expectations that come with being number 1.
No matter what the reason is, players who wear number 1 have a target on their back. They are always under scrutiny and always under pressure. But for those who can handle it, wearing number 1 can be a badge of honor that comes with immense satisfaction and success.
The Expectations
When you’re the first overall pick in the NBA draft, the expectations are sky-high. You’re expected to be a franchise-altering player, a superstar. The pressure to perform is immense, and often times, it’s simply too much for young players to handle. Just look at Anthony Bennett, the first overall pick in the 2013 draft. He was a complete bust, averaging just 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in his rookie season. He was out of the league just three years later.
But there have been some players who have lived up to the hype and then some. Hall of Famers like Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O’Neal all wore number 1 at some point in their careers. More recently, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving have emerged as two of the best players in the league, and they both currently don their number ones with pride.
So what does it take to be a great player with number 1 on your back? Let’s take a look at some of the most successful players in NBA history to find out.
The Legacy
Number 1 was first retired by the Celtics in 1963 in honor of guard Johnny McCarthy, who wore the number during his 12 seasons with the team. He was a five-time All-Star and helped lead the team to four NBA Championships.
In 1972, the Miami Heat retired the number in honor of Dennis Johnson, who chose to wear number 1 after being traded to theHeat in 1971. Johnson was a five-time NBA All-Star and won two championships with the team.
Johnson is one of only two players in NBA history to have their number retired by two different teams. The other player is Wilt Chamberlain, who had his number retired by both the Lakers and Sixers.