Looking ahead to the 2022 NBA Draft, Auburn’s Jabari Smith has the potential to be SEC Basketball‘s second No. 1 overall pick across the last three years, as well as only the seventh ever. An exclusive group that includes a few of the NBA’s current greats, as well as a Hall of Famer, which former SEC Basketball players could Smith join by potentially going No. 1 overall?
Which SEC Basketball players have been selected No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft?
2020 – Anthony Edwards, Georgia
The most-recent SEC Basketball No. 1 overall pick came back in the 2020 NBA Draft when Georgia’s Anthony Edwards was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves, becoming the highest-drafted player in Bulldogs program history.
The highest-rated recruit in Georgia program history as well, the former five-star shined during his lone season in Athens, averaging 19.1 PPG to earn SEC Freshman of the Year honors, as well as Second Team All-SEC.
Since being selected No. 1 overall in 2020, Edwards has averaged a combined 20.3 PPG during his first two seasons in Minnesota, a span that includes First Team All-Rookie honors during the 2020-21 season.
2016 – Ben Simmons, LSU
The only time that SEC Basketball has ever had back-to-back No. 1 overall picks in NBA Draft history came in 2015-16 when Ben Simmons went first overall to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016, also making LSU only the second SEC team to ever have multiple No. 1 overall picks.
Coming to Baton Rouge as the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, Simmons 2015 freshman season at LSU is no secret, one in which he averaged 19.2 PPG, 11.8 RPG, and 4.8 APG to earn numerous honors that included First Team All-American, First Team All-SEC, and SEC Freshman of the Year.
Since being drafted by Philadelphia in 2015, Simmons has averaged a combined 15.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 7.7 APG for his NBA career, one that also includes three All-Star appearances, the 2017-18 Rookie of the Year, and a two-time First Team All-Defensive selection.