5 Greatest No. 3 Picks in NBA Draft History: From Michael Jordan to Carmelo Anthony

Edwin Kiplagat

updated at June 23, 2023 at 4:06 AM

Michael Jordan is the best player in NBA history and he was the No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft
Several Hall of Famers were picked third in the draft and outshone No. 1 picks in the NBA
Scoot Henderson was selected third overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2023 Draft

The hype has been intense around Victor Wembanyama, who was selected first overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 NBA Draft.

No. 1 picks have the most pressure to become a star compared to a No. 2 or a No. 3 pick. Therefore, getting picked third in the NBA Draft may not be bad at all.

Michael Jordan, James Harden, Carmelo Anthony, Dominique Wilkins, Kevin McHale, 2023 NBA Draft — Michael Jordan is the best No. 3 pick in NBA history. Photos by Alexander Hassenstein and Jim McIsaac.
Source: Getty Images

There have been over 70 No. 3 picks in NBA Draft history. For instance, Michael Jordan went third overall and went on to become the greatest basketball player ever.

The NBA has seen other legendary No. 3 picks over the years.

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Sports Brief ranks the 5 greatest No. 3 picks in NBA history on the basis of impact on the franchise, accolades, and statistical production.

5 best NBA No. 3 picks

5. Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse, Denver Nuggets, 2003

Anthony recently retired after 19 NBA seasons, per ESPN. Although he did not win an NBA championship, he had a hugely successful career. He retired ninth on the NBA all-time scoring list with 28,289 career points. He had 10 All-Star appearances and 6x All-NBA selections.

LeBron James was picked ahead of him in the 2003 draft, while Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade were picked after. Anthony has been heavily criticized in his career for a lack of a ring, but no one can deny his talent. He is undoubtedly a Hall of Famer.

4. Dominique Wilkins, Georgia, Utah Jazz, 1982

Wilkins is another player who never won an NBA title in his career. He never made the conference finals in his career and was 8th in all-time scoring when he retired in 1999. He is currently 15th and remains one of the best scorers in league history, per Deadspin.

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Some of his accomplishments are 9x All-Star appearances (9x), 7x All-NBA selections, and he's a member of the Hall of Fame.

3. James Harden, Arizona State, Oklahoma City Thunder, 2009

Harden has always been criticized for his underwhelming performances in the postseason. He hasn't won a championship yet, and even if he doesn't, his legacy is solid. He is a 10x All-Star, 7x All-NBA, and 3x scoring champion. He also won the 2018 MVP.

He averaged 36.1 points per game, the most since Jordan in the 1986/87 season, narrowly losing the MVP award to Giannis Antetokounmpo. He is the most potent offensive player in basketball history, per ESPN.

2. Kevin McHale, University of Minnesota, Boston Celtics, 1980

McHale played for the Celtics for all 13 years of his illustrious career. McHale won three NBA Championships while earning a selection to seven different All-Star teams. He averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in his career.

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He had the best career of anyone from the 1980 NBA Draft Class. He appeared in 971 games for the Celtics but only started 400 of them. He won two Sixth Man of the Year awards as a result.

1. Michael Jordan, North Carolina, Chicago Bulls, 1984

There's nothing left to say about Jordan at this point. By acclamation, he is the best basketball player of all time. Here are his accomplishments, per the Athletic.

Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie, 14x All-Star, 3x All-Star MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, 9x 1st team All-Defense, 10x 1st team All-NBA, 6x NBA Finals MVP, 5x MVP, 6x NBA champion.

Honorable mentions: Grant Hill, Joel Embiid, Pau Gasol, Luka Doncic, Bob Cousy, Nate Thurmond, Chauncey Billups, Pete Maravich