# List of first overall NBA G League draft picks

The NBA G League's first overall pick is the player who is selected first among all eligible draftees by a team during the annual NBA G League Draft (known as the NBA Development League Draft until 2017). For players to become eligible for the draft they must sign a general contract with the league. They must also be at least 18 years old, not attending college during the season which the draft precedes, and have either graduated from high school or, if the player did not finish high school, had what would have been his graduating class graduate.
No first overall picks have ever won the G League Most Valuable Player Award. Five players have been named to at least one NBA Development League All-Star Game: Andre Barrett, Eddie Gill, Chris Richard, Carlos Powell (twice) and Nick Fazekas. The first All-Star Game did not occur until the 2006–07 season, however, and so the possibility for players such as Mikki Moore to earn an All-Star selection was not possible. Moore was named the NBDL Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-NBDL First Team as a rookie in 2002–03. Fazekas, the first overall selection in 2010, and Powell, the first overall selection in 2009, each had previous NBA Development League experience prior to those respective drafts. In 2007–08, Fazekas had played for the Tulsa 66ers while Powell had played for the Dakota Wizards, and both were selected as NBA Development League All-Stars that season, making them back-to-back number one draft picks who had previously been NBADL All-Stars.
Note that from the 2001 through 2004 drafts, it was known as the NBDL Draft. From 2005 through 2016, it was known as the NBA Development League Draft in accordance with the league's slight name change. The 2017 draft was the first under the league's current identity as the NBA G League, following a sponsorship deal with Gatorade.

## Key

| ^ | Denotes player who has been selected to (an) NBA G League All-Star Game(s) |
| * | Denotes player who has been selected to (an) NBA G League All-Star Game(s) and was also selected in an NBA draft |
| † | Denotes player who was also selected in an NBA Draft |
| Player (in italic text) | Rookie of the Year |
| PPG | Points per game |
| RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game |

## List of first overall picks

| Draft | Selected by | Player | Nationality | College/former club | PPG | RPG | APG | Ref. |
| 2001 | Fayetteville Patriots | Chris Andersen | United States | Blinn CC | 4.7 | 3.7 | 0.3 | |
| 2002 | Roanoke Dazzle | Mikki Moore | United States | Detroit Pistons | 16.0 | 8.4 | 2.5 | |
| 2003 | Huntsville Flight | Ken Johnson$^†$ | United States | Miami Heat | 8.5 | 4.9 | 0.9 | |
| 2004 | Columbus Riverdragons | Ricky Minard$^†$ | United States | Morehead State | 16.6 | 4.3 | 3.1 | |
| 2005 | Florida Flame | Andre Barrett^ | United States | Orlando Magic | 17.0 | 3.5 | 6.6 | |
| 2006 | Anaheim Arsenal | Corsley Edwards$^†$ | United States | CB Granada (Spain) | 14.2 | 7.5 | 0.4 | |
| 2007 | Colorado 14ers | Eddie Gill^ | United States | BC Dynamo Moscow (Russia) | 18.0 | 5.1 | 8.5 | |
| 2008 | Tulsa 66ers | Chris Richard* | United States | Minnesota Timberwolves / Sioux Falls Skyforce | 12.0 | 8.2 | 1.7 | |
| 2009 | Albuquerque Thunderbirds | Carlos Powell^ | United States | Inchon ET Land Black Slamer (South Korea) | 22.1 | 5.0 | 5.0 | |
| 2010 | Reno Bighorns | Nick Fazekas* | United States | JDA Dijon (France) | 14.6 | 7.5 | 0.8 | |
| 2011 | Los Angeles D-Fenders | Jamaal Tinsley$^†$ | United States | Memphis Grizzlies | 9.9 | 3.1 | 7.6 | |
| 2012 | Fort Wayne Mad Ants | JaJuan Johnson$^†$ | United States | Boston Celtics | 11.6 | 11.2 | 0.8 | |
| 2013 | Tulsa 66ers | Grant Jerrett$^†$ | United States | Arizona | 15.1 | 6.1 | 0.7 | |
| 2014 | Grand Rapids Drive | Robert Covington | United States | Rio Grande Valley Vipers | — | — | — | |
| 2015 | Idaho Stampede | Jeff Ayres$^†$ | United States | San Antonio Spurs | 16.2 | 9.5 | 2.2 | |
| 2016 | Erie Bayhawks | Anthony Brown$^†$ | United States | Los Angeles D-Fenders | 20.3 | 5.4 | 3.1 | |
| 2017 | Northern Arizona Suns | Eric Stuteville | United States | Sacramento State | 5.1 | 2.4 | 0.5 | |
| 2018 | Salt Lake City Stars | Willie Reed^ | United States | Detroit Pistons | 20.0 | 11.2 | 1.5 | |
| 2019 | Northern Arizona Suns | Anthony Lawrence II | United States | Miami (Florida) | 8.9 | 3.9 | 2.2 | |
| 2020 | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021 | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021 | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021 | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021 | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021 | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021 | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021 | Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020–21 season draft was held on January 11, 2021 |
| Jan. 2021 | Greensboro Swarm | Admiral Schofield$^†$ | United States | Washington Wizards / Capital City Go-Go | 10.1 | 5.7 | 2.1 | |
| Oct. 2021 | Delaware Blue Coats | Shamorie Ponds | United States | OKK Spars (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | 13.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | |
| 2022 | Cleveland Charge | Sam Merrill$^†$ | United States | Memphis Grizzlies | 15.2 | 3.9 | 2.8 | |
| 2023 | Texas Legends | Jack White | Australia | Denver Nuggets | 9.1 | 6.1 | 1.8 | |
| 2024 | Westchester Knicks | Matt Ryan | United States | New Orleans Pelicans | | | | |