Top 10 Franchise Changing #1 Draft Picks

Top 10 Franchise Changing Number 1 Draft Picks

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Sometimes, finishing in last place can be a good thing if it means drafting a player that can rejuvenate your franchise. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Franchise Changing #1 Draft Picks. For this list, we’re looking at those players in any league that were chosen first overall in their draft year, who completely turned things around for the team that drafted them and helped the franchise reach championship glory. That means they had to win a championship with that team to qualify.

Selected first overall by the New York Mets in the 1980 draft, the 6’6” Strawberry made his debut with the club a few years later in 1983, when he won the National League’s rookie of the year – the first of many accomplishments in Strawberry’s impressive major league career. With him at the helm, the Mets found themselves at the top of their division most years, eventually winning the 1986 World Series in a seven-game series against the Boston Red Sox. While Strawberry had a troubled relationship with his coaches and teammates, including Mets team captain Keith Hernandez, the New York fan base adored him and his unique batting stance – and it’s not hard to see why.

Not all game changing first overall draft picks start off strong: Troy Aikman finished his rookie season with the Cowboys 0-11 in games he started, throwing twice as many picks as touchdowns. Not exactly the stats Dallas fans were hoping for from their young superstar quarterback coming out of the draft. But, as the Cowboys acquired more offensive weapons like Emmitt Smith to help Aikman, and players like Michael Irvin stepped up as well, the team gained momentum and the QB started to live up to expectations. The Cowboys won three Super Bowl championships during Aikman’s stint with the team, with the quarterback named MVP in Super Bowl 27.

#8: Patrick Kane Chicago Blackhawks (2007)

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For the 2006-07 NHL season, the Chicago Blackhawks were among the NHL’s worst teams, only managing 31 wins in the 82 games. The silver lining? They nabbed the first overall draft pick in that summer’s Draft, and with it they selected Patrick Kane. One of the most prolific scorers of the modern NHL, Kane has already been established as a premiere player in the league, winning the Conn Smythe, the Hart Memorial and the Art Ross Trophies. With the help of 2006’s third overall pick Jonathan Toews, Kane led his team to an astounding three Stanley Cup victories between 2010-15.

#7: Tim Duncan San Antonio Spurs (1997)

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After climbing up from the bottom of the league thanks to the dominance of their 1987 first overall pick David Robinson, the Spurs found themselves right back where they started when an injured Robinson missed most of a disastrous 1996-97 season, in which they finished with only 20 wins. On the bright side, they had another chance to pick first overall and selected Tim Duncan to round off an already stellar line-up. Duncan and Robinson were known as the “Twin Towers,” winning two titles together. Once Robinson retired, Duncan took over as leader of the Spurs, guiding them to another three NBA championships without him for a grand total of five.

In 1969, the Pittsburgh Steelers were a young team about to hit a turning point: after finishing with an abysmal 1-13 record, a coin toss awarded them the first overall pick in the 1970 draft. With it they chose a promising young quarterback from Louisiana Tech, who turned out to be their ticket to success. Bradshaw is a 4-time Super Bowl champion and 2-time Super Bowl MVP, with all of those titles coming within a six-year span. A born leader and playmaker, Bradshaw is one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Playing his entire 14-season career wearing the black and gold, Bradshaw not only changed the Steelers franchise forever; he changed the game forever.

The Rockets finished dead-last in the NBA for the second year in a row in the 1983-84 NBA season. Scoring another first overall pick, they had their choice of names like Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Stockton. They opted instead for a 7-foot Nigerian center, and the Hakeem Olajuwon era began. Although he didn’t win, Olajuwon was the only rookie other than Jordan to receive any votes for 1984’s Rookie of the Year, as he was a dominant presence from the moment he walked onto the scene. Olajuwon led the Rockets to their first NBA championship title in franchise history in 1994 and repeated for a second title in 1995. He was named NBA Finals MVP both years.

While many believed Ryan Leaf to be the best quarterback in the draft, the Indianapolis Colts chose Peyton Manning with the first selection in the 1998 draft – and in hindsight, the decision couldn’t have been easier: today, Manning’s a strong candidate for best QB ever, while Leaf’s NFL career was over by 2002. While Manning’s impact on the team’s record wasn’t immediate, the Colts slowly began to trend upwards. Soon, their young quarterback had transformed them from one of the league’s worst teams into a Super Bowl contender. Manning brought the Super Bowl title to Indianapolis for the first time with a win over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl 41, and will always be remembered for reinvigorating the franchise.

Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 draft, Ohio native LeBron James was only the second player in NBA history drafted first overall right out of high school. A dominant force from his first game, James made “The Decision” to leave Cleveland in 2010 and took his talents to South Beach where, with the help of super stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, he won back-to-back championships with the Miami Heat. Ultimately, James returned to the Cavs in 2014, and finally won a championship for the team that drafted him two years later after a dramatic seven-game series against the record shattering Golden State Warriors. Down 3 games to 1, LeBron put the team on his back to win three games in a row, cementing himself as playoff MVP and one of the greatest of all time.

#2: Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins (2005)

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With a nickname like “The Next One,” expectations were high for a young Sydney Crosby coming out of his astonishing junior hockey career. The Penguins had a rough time in the early 2000s, ultimately finishing last in the NHL leading up to the 2004-05 lockout. But that allowed the Pens to nab Crosby in 2005. Mentored by former Penguin Mario Lemieux, Sid the Kid then led Pittsburgh to the championship in 2008, where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. However, the very next year, they had a chance at redemption and took it, defeating Detroit in 7 games to win the Cup, with Crosby becoming the youngest captain in NHL history to lead his team to a Stanley Cup victory. He would take home another Cup for Pittsburgh in 2016. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - Lew Alcindor [aka Kareem Abdul-Jabbar] Milwaukee Bucks (1969) - Vincent Lecavalier Tampa Bay Lightning (1998) - Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson Los Angeles Lakers (1979) - Orlando Pace St. Louis Rams (1997)

Towards the end of the already horrible 1983-84 season, the Penguins were accused of throwing games to get the chance to draft Mario Lemieux first overall. And honestly, who could blame them? Before the Magnificent One joined the team, the Penguins organization had gone bankrupt and considered either folding or relocating. Fortunately for Pittsburgh hockey fans, Super Mario led Pittsburgh to their first Stanley Cup win in 1991, and their second the following season. Undoubtedly one of the greatest players to ever lace up his skates, Lemieux breathed new life into a franchise that was ready to call it quits, battling through health problems to play most of 17 season in the NHL – all of which he spent wearing a Pens jersey. Do you agree with our list? Who do you think are the most impactful #1 draft picks of all time? For more exciting Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.