Last Friday, the NBA inducted what could’ve been one of the most talented NBA draft class pools since 1984 and 1996. Of course, all incoming rookies for the 2015-16 season have yet to step foot on a professional court – including the fashion gala featuring Jahlil Okafor and D’Angelo Russell.
While the NBA celebrated its first draft year in 1947, it wouldn’t be nearly three decades later that the NFL hosted its own at the Belmont Plaza Hotel in New York City.
In 2005, only the University of Utah assembled two number one overall picks in both the NFL (Alex Smith) and NBA (Andrew Bogut). Also integrated into this post are the draft picks that succeeded the first overall selections.
Without further delay, below are schools that cast number one overall picks in the respected draft histories of the NFL and NBA.
Kentucky
NFL (1st overall): Tim Couch (’99 Browns)
Other first rounders: Randy Burke (’77 Colts, 76th overall), Art Still (’75 Chiefs, 2nd overall), Alvin Dupree (’15 Steelers, 22nd overall)
NBA (1st overall): Karl Anthony-Towns (’15 Timberwolves), Anthony Davis (’12 NOLA), John Wall (’10 Wizards)
Other first rounders: Pat Riley (’67 Rockets, 7th overall), Rajon Rondo (’06 Suns, 21st overall), DeMarcus Cousins (’10 Kings, 5th overall)
LSU
NFL (1st overall): JaMarcus Russell (’07 Raiders)
Other NFL first rounders: Marcus Spears (’05 Cowboys, 20th overall), Patrick Peterson (’11 Cardinals, 5th overall), Odell Beckham, Jr. (’14 Giants, 12th overall)
NBA (1st overall): Shaquille O’Neal (’92 Magic)
Other NBA first rounders: Bob Pettit (’54 Hawks), Pete Maravich (’70 Hawks, 3rd overall), Anthony Randolph (’08 Warriors, 4th overall), Jarell Martin (’15 Grizzlies, 25th overall)
Michigan
NFL (1st overall): Jake Long (’08 Dolphins)
Other NFL first rounders: Jim Harbaugh (’87 Bears, 26th overall), Desmond Howard (’92 Redskins, 4th overall), Charles Woodson (’92 Raiders, 4th overall)
NBA (1st overall): Chris Webber (’93 Magic), Cazzie Russell (’66 Knicks)
Other NBA first rounders: Rudy Tomjanovich (’70 San Diego Rockets), Jalen Rose (’94 Denver, 13th overall), Jamal Crawford (’00 Cavaliers, 8th overall), Tim Hardaway (’13 Knicks, 24th overall)
Michigan State
NFL (1st overall): Bubba Smith (’67 Colts)
Other NFL first rounders: Larry Bethea (’78 Cowboys, 28th overall), Lorenzo White (’88 Houston, 22nd overall), Plaxico Burress (’00 Steelers, 8th overall)
NBA (1st overall): Magic Johnson (’79 Lakers)
Other NBA first rounders: Steve Smith (’91 Miami, 5th overall), Jason Richardson (’01 Warriors, 5th overall), Adreian Payne (’14 Hawks, 15th overall)
N.C. State
NFL (1st overall): Mario Williams (’06 Texans)
Other NFL first rounders: Torry Holt (’99 Rams, 6th overall), Phillip Rivers (’04 Chargers, 4th overall), Manny Lawson (’06 49ers, 22nd overall)
NBA (1st overall): David Thompson (’75 Hawks)
Other NBA first rounders: Sam Ranzino (’51 Rochester, 8th overall), Hawkeye Whitney (’80 K.C. Kings, 16th overall), T.J. Warren (’14 Suns, 14th overall)
Notre Dame
NFL (1st overall): Walt Patulski (’72 Bills)
Other NFL first rounders: Tim Brown (’88 Philadelphia, 6th overall), Jerome Bettis (’99 L.A. Rams, 10th overall), Tyler Eifert (’13 Bengals, 21st overall)
NBA (1st overall): Austin Carr (’71 Cavaliers)
Other NBA first rounders: Bill Hanzlik (’80 Seattle, 20th overall), Monty Williams (’94 Knicks, 24th overall), Jerian Grant (’15 Wizards, 19t overall)
Ohio State
NFL (1st overall): Tom Cousineau (’79 Bills), Dan Wilkinson (’94 Bengals), Orlando Pace (’97 Rams)
Other NFL first rounders: Archie Griffin (’76 Bengals, 24th overall), Eddie George (’96 Houston, 14th overall), A.J. Hawk (’06 Packers 5th overall)
NBA (1st overall): Greg Oden (’07 Trail Blazers)
Other NBA first rounders: John Havlicek (’62 Celtics, 7th overall), Clark Kellogg (’82 Indiana, 8th overall), D’Angelo Russell (’15 Lakers)
Oklahoma
NFL (1st overall): Lee Roy Selmon (’76 Bucs), Billy Sims (’80 Lions), Sam Bradford (’10 Rams)
Other NFL first rounders: George Cumby (’80 Packers, 26th overall), Steve Sewell (’85 Denver, 26th overall), Adrian Peterson (’07 Vikings, 7th overall)
NBA (1st overall): Blake Griffin (’09 Clippers)
Other NBA first rounders: Alvan Adams (’75 Phoenix, 4th overall), Wayne Tisdale (’85 Indiana, 2nd overall), Mookie Blaylock (’89 Nets, 12th overall)
UCLA
NFL (1st overall): Troy Aikman (’89 Cowboys)
Other NFL first rounders: Kenny Easeley (’87 Seattle, 4th overall), Jonathan Ogden (’96 Ravens, 4th overall), Marcedes Lewis (’06 Jaguars, 28th overall)
NBA (1st overall): Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (’69 Bucks), Bill Walton (’74 Trail Blazers)
Other NBA first rounders: Reggie Miller (’87 Indiana, 11th overall), Russell Westbrook (’08 Seattle, 4th overall), Kevin Looney (’15 Warriors, 30th overall)
Utah
NFL (1st overall): Alex Smith (’05 49ers)
Other NFL first rounders: Norm Thompson (’71 St. Louis, 17th overall), Kevin Dyson (’98 Tennessee, 17th overall), Star Lotulelei (’13 Panthers, 14th overall)
NBA (1st overall): Andrew Bogut (’05 Bucks)
Other NBA first rounders: Danny Vranes (’81 Seattle, 5th overall), Keith Van Horn (’97 Philadelphia, 2nd overall), Delon Wright (’15 Raptors, 20th overall)
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
