A look at the No. 1 overall picks since the NBA's lottery system began in 1985. Players who were active in 2008-09 are noted with an asterisk:
2008: *Derrick Rose 1 year, 16.8 career points
2007: *Greg Oden 2, 8.9
2006: *Andrea Bargnani 3, 12.4
2005: *Andrew Bogut 4, 11.9
2004: *Dwight Howard 5, 17.3
2003: *LeBron James 6, 27.5
2002: *Yao Ming 7, 19.1
2001: *Kwame Brown 8, 7.0
2000: *Kenyon Martin 9, 14.1
1999: *Elton Brand 10, 20.0
1998: Michael Olowokandi 9, 8.3
1997: *Tim Duncan 12, 21.4
1996: *Allen Iverson 13, 27.1
1995: *Joe Smith 14, 11.6
1994: Glenn Robinson 11, 20.7
1993: Chris Webber 15, 20.7
1992: *Shaquille O'Neal 17, 24.7
1991: Larry Johnson 10, 16.2
1990: Derrick Coleman 15, 16.5
1989: Pervis Ellison 11, 9.5
1988: Danny Manning 15, 14.0
1987: David Robinson 14, 21.1
1986: Brad Daugherty 8, 19.0
1985: Patrick Ewing 17, 21.0
BEST VALUES (player, team, year, picked)
1. Kobe Bryant, Charlotte, 1996, 13th
2. Dwyane Wade, Miami, 2003, 5th
3. Scottie Pippen, Seattle, 1987, 5th
4. Brandon Roy, Minnesota, 2006, 6th
5. Chris Paul, New Orleans, 2005, 4th
6. Dirk Nowitzki, Milwaukee, 1998, 9th
7. Paul Pierce, Boston, 1998, 10th
8. Kevin Garnett, Minnesota, 1995, 5th
9. Chris Mullin, Golden State, 1985, 7th
10. Tracy McGrady, Toronto, 1997, 9th
11. Carmelo Anthony, Denver, 2003, 3rd
12. Vince Carter, Golden State, 1998, 5th
13. O.J. Mayo, Minnesota, 2008, 3rd
14. Amare Stoudamire, Phoeix, 2002, 9th
15. Andre Miller, Cleveland, 1998, 8th
BIGGEST BUSTS (player, team, year, picked)
1. Len Bias, Boston, 1986, 2nd
2. Kwame Brown, Washington, 2001, 1st
3. Chris Washburn, Golden State, 1986, 3rd
4. Darko Milicic, Detroit, 2003, 2nd
5. Michael Olowakandi, L.A. Clippers, 1998, 1st
6. Jay Williams, Chicago, 2002, 2nd
7. Nikoloz Tskitishvili, Denver, 2002, 5th
8. Ed O'Bannon, New Jersey, 1995, 9th
9. Jon Koncak, Atlanta, 1985, 5th
10 Rafael Araujo, Toronto, 2004, 8th
11. Dajuan Wagner, Cleveland, 2002, 6th
12. William Bedford, Phoenix, 1986, 6th
13. Danny Ferry, L.A. Clippers, 1989, 2nd
14. Joe Kleine, Sacramento, 1985, 6th
15. Pervis Ellison, Sacramento, 1989, 1st
With this being the 25th anniversary of the NBA lottery, here's a look at how the Sixers have fared, including where they finished and where they picked. They are picking 17th tonight, out of the lotto:
1988: Finished 6th - 36-46; selected 3rd: Charles Smith, Pittsburgh
1992: Finished 9th - 35-47; selected 9th: Clarence Weatherspoon, Southern Miss.
1993: Finished 5th - 26-56; selected 2nd: Shawn Bradley, BYU
1994: Finished 6th - 25-57; selected 6th: Sharone Wright, Clemson
1995: Finished 4th - 24-58; selected 3rd: Jerry Stackhouse, North Carolina
1996: Finished 2nd - 18-64; selected 1st: Allen Iverson, Georgetown
1997: Finished 5th - 22-60; selected 2nd: Keith Van Horn, Utah
1998: Finished 8th - 31-51; selected 8th: Larry Hughes, Saint Louis
2004: Finished 8th - 33-49; selected 9th: Andre Iguodala, Arizona
2006: Finished 13th - 38-44; selected 13th: Thabo Sefolosha, Switzerland
2007: Finished 12th - 35-47; selected 12th: Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech
*Finish is from the bottom of the NBA standings.
Notes: acquired the 1986 No. 1 overall pick from the Clippers for Joe Bryant in 1979. Traded the rights to the pick to Cleveland for Roy Hinson before the 1986 draft.
Immediately traded Smith in 1988 to L.A. Clippers in Hersey Hawkins deal.
Traded Van Horn's rights to Nets for rights to Villanova's Tim Thomas.
