Being a top-five pick usually means a franchise is betting heavily on you becoming one of the best players from your class, but the NBA is brutal enough that even that kind of draft status doesn’t guarantee a long career. Some of these players turned into All-Stars, champions, and franchise cornerstones, while others were out of the league much earlier than anyone would’ve expected.
And that’s what makes looking back at these Draft classes pretty interesting. Over the last 15 years, we’ve had No. 1 picks who are still leading contenders, former top-three selections playing in Europe, lottery picks trying to work their way back into the NBA, and others who have already retired completely. A few careers were derailed by injuries, some players simply never developed the way teams hoped, while others had solid NBA runs before eventually moving overseas.
For this list, we’re going year by year from the 2011 NBA Draft through 2025 and checking the current status of every top-five selection along with a quick update on where they’re playing now or what they’ve been doing since leaving the league.
The more recent Drafts are obviously going to have almost everybody still around, but once we get back into the early 2010s, things change pretty fast. And some of the names that are already completely out of the NBA might honestly surprise you.
2011 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Kyrie Irving (No. 1 Pick) – Dallas Mavericks – Irving missed the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from ACL surgery, but he’s been playing pickup games this offseason and is preparing to return for the Mavericks in 2026-27.
No Longer In The NBA
Derrick Williams (No. 2 Pick) – AEK Athens – Williams hasn’t played in the NBA since 2018 and has spent most of the years since overseas. He averaged 17.8 points and 5.2 rebounds internationally in 2025-26.
Enes Kanter Freedom (No. 3 Pick) – Retired From The NBA – Enes Kanter hasn’t played in the NBA since 2022. He announced plans to try to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft this summer, although league sources later said he wasn’t eligible.
Tristan Thompson (No. 4 Pick) – Retired – Thompson officially confirmed his retirement in May 2026 after 14 NBA seasons and 819 regular-season games, finishing his career as a 2016 NBA champion.
Jonas Valanciunas (No. 5 Pick) – Zalgiris Kaunas – Valanciunas left the NBA this summer after 14 seasons and 1,002 regular-season games, signing with Zalgiris to return home to Lithuania and play in the EuroLeague.
2012 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Anthony Davis (No. 1 Pick) – Washington Wizards – Davis is still with the Wizards after arriving from the Mavericks during the 2025-26 season, but he’s yet to make his Washington debut. He averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last year in just 20 games.
Bradley Beal (No. 3 Pick) – Los Angeles Clippers – Beal re-signed with the Clippers on a two-year, $13.2 million deal this summer after a hip fracture limited him to only six games last season.
No Longer In The NBA
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (No. 2 Pick) – Retired – Kidd-Gilchrist played his final NBA season in 2019-20 after eight years in the league. He has since focused heavily on advocacy for people dealing with speech-language disorders.
Dion Waiters (No. 4 Pick) – Retired – Waiters hasn’t played professionally since winning the 2020 championship with the Lakers. He finished his NBA career at 13.1 points per game across 419 regular-season appearances.
Thomas Robinson (No. 5 Pick) – Leones de Ponce – Robinson’s NBA career lasted only five seasons, but he’s still playing professionally at 35. He joined Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico during the 2026 season after bouncing around several international leagues.
2013 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
None of the top five picks from the 2013 NBA Draft currently have an NBA contract.
No Longer In The NBA
Anthony Bennett (No. 1 Pick) – Free Agent – Bennett remains an unrestricted free agent and hasn’t played an NBA game since 2017. The former No. 1 pick averaged only 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds across 151 NBA games.
Victor Oladipo (No. 2 Pick) – Free Agent – Oladipo still isn’t officially done. The two-time All-Star held a private workout for NBA executives this summer and publicly asked teams for another opportunity after years of major injuries.
Otto Porter Jr. (No. 3 Pick) – Retired – Porter retired in March 2024 after 11 NBA seasons, finishing with career averages of 10.3 points and 4.9 rebounds while also winning the 2022 championship with the Warriors.
Cody Zeller (No. 4 Pick) – Retired – Zeller last played in the NBA in 2023-24 and hasn’t returned since. He finished his career with 552 regular-season games and averages of 7.9 points and 5.7 rebounds.
Alex Len (No. 5 Pick) – Free Agent – Len left the NBA for Real Madrid last season and signed with Baskonia this September, but his contract was mutually terminated on September 23 after foot discomfort resurfaced. He’s currently without a team.
2014 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Andrew Wiggins (No. 1 Pick) – Miami Heat – Wiggins averaged 15.4 points and 4.8 rebounds last season before opting into his 2026-27 deal and signing a two-year extension that keeps him with the Heat through 2028-29.
Joel Embiid (No. 3 Pick) – Philadelphia 76ers – Embiid remains the 76ers‘ starting center after averaging 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists last season. The former MVP is entering his 10th NBA season.
Aaron Gordon (No. 4 Pick) – Denver Nuggets – Gordon is still a major part of the Nuggets and averaged 16.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists last season. He’s expected to be fully healthy for 2026-27 after dealing with a calf injury in the playoffs.
No Longer In The NBA
Jabari Parker (No. 2 Pick) – Partizan – Parker hasn’t played in the NBA since 2021-22 and remains under contract with Partizan for 2026-27 after spending part of last season on loan with Joventut.
Dante Exum (No. 5 Pick) – Free Agent – Exum was traded from the Mavericks to the Wizards in February and waived three days later. He’s currently without a team after missing the 2025-26 season because of knee surgery.
2015 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Karl-Anthony Towns (No. 1 Pick) – New York Knicks – Towns remains with the defending champion Knicks after averaging 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists last season and winning the first championship of his career.
D’Angelo Russell (No. 2 Pick) – Memphis Grizzlies – Russell was traded to the Grizzlies this summer after picking up his $6.0 million option. He averaged 10.2 points and 4.0 assists last season.
Kristaps Porzingis (No. 4 Pick) – Golden State Warriors – Porzingis re-signed with the Warriors on a two-year, $40 million deal after averaging 16.1 points following his midseason arrival last year.
Mario Hezonja (No. 5 Pick) – Cleveland Cavaliers – Hezonja is actually back in the NBA after six years in Europe, signing a one-year deal with the Cavaliers this summer after winning Liga ACB MVP in 2025-26.
No Longer In The NBA
Jahlil Okafor (No. 3 Pick) – Indiana Mad Ants – Okafor briefly returned to the NBA on a 10-day deal with the Pacers in 2025, but he’s back outside the league. His latest G League numbers were 17.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.
2016 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Ben Simmons (No. 1 Pick) – Sacramento Kings – Simmons is back in the NBA after sitting out the entire 2025-26 season, signing a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Kings this September.
Brandon Ingram (No. 2 Pick) – Los Angeles Clippers – Ingram landed with the Clippers this month as the main player coming back in the Kawhi Leonard trade after averaging 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists last season.
Jaylen Brown (No. 3 Pick) – Philadelphia 76ers – Brown was traded to the 76ers this summer for Paul George and draft capital after putting up career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.
Kris Dunn (No. 5 Pick) – Los Angeles Clippers – Dunn remains with the Clippers heading into his 10th NBA season after averaging 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists last year.
No Longer In The NBA
Dragan Bender (No. 4 Pick) – Free Agent – Bender hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019-20 and is currently without a team after injuries derailed his return to Europe. His NBA career lasted only four seasons and 187 games.
2017 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Jayson Tatum (No. 3 Pick) – Boston Celtics – Tatum remains the face of the Celtics and is now entering his first full season without Jaylen Brown after averaging 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists last year.
De’Aaron Fox (No. 5 Pick) – San Antonio Spurs – Fox remains with the Spurs after helping them reach the 2026 NBA Finals, finishing last season at 18.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game.
No Longer In The NBA
Markelle Fultz (No. 1 Pick) – Free Agent – Fultz briefly returned on a 10-day contract with the Raptors last March but became a free agent again after the deal expired and still hasn’t landed another NBA contract.
Lonzo Ball (No. 2 Pick) – Free Agent – Ball was waived by the Jazz in February and remains unsigned. He shut down retirement rumors this week, saying he’s still waiting for another NBA team to call.
Josh Jackson (No. 4 Pick) – Free Agent – Jackson hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2021-22 season and most recently continued his career in the G League with the Stockton Kings, where he averaged 19.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists.
2018 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Deandre Ayton (No. 1 Pick) – Washington Wizards – Ayton was traded by the Lakers to the Wizards this summer in the deal that sent Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks back to Los Angeles. He averaged 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds last season.
Marvin Bagley III (No. 2 Pick) – Denver Nuggets – Bagley signed with the Nuggets this offseason after averaging 10.5 points and 6.1 rebounds between the Wizards and Mavericks in 2025-26.
Luka Doncic (No. 3 Pick) – Los Angeles Lakers – Doncic is now clearly the centerpiece of the Lakers and is coming off another huge season at 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game.
Jaren Jackson Jr. (No. 4 Pick) – Utah Jazz – Jackson remains with the Jazz after arriving from the Grizzlies last season, averaging 19.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 2025-26.
Trae Young (No. 5 Pick) – Washington Wizards – Young stayed with the Wizards on a new four-year, $212 million deal after being traded there during last season. He averaged 17.9 points and 8.0 assists in 15 games last season.
No Longer In The NBA
None of the top-five picks from the 2018 NBA Draft are currently out of the NBA.
2019 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Zion Williamson (No. 1 Pick) – New Orleans Pelicans – Williamson remains with the Pelicans entering his eighth NBA season after averaging 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists last year.
Ja Morant (No. 2 Pick) – Portland Trail Blazers – Morant was traded to the Trail Blazers this summer after seven years with the Grizzlies. He averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists in only 20 games last season.
RJ Barrett (No. 3 Pick) – Toronto Raptors – Barrett remains one of the Raptors’ main scorers after averaging 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists during their 46-win season.
De’Andre Hunter (No. 4 Pick) – Sacramento Kings – Hunter is now with the Kings after averaging 13.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists last season between the Cavaliers and Sacramento.
Darius Garland (No. 5 Pick) – Los Angeles Clippers – Garland is now one of the main pieces of the Clippers’ new era, entering 2026-27 after averaging 18.8 points and 6.7 assists last season between Cleveland and Los Angeles.
No Longer In The NBA
None of the top-five picks from the 2019 NBA Draft are currently out of the NBA.
2020 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Anthony Edwards (No. 1 Pick) – Minnesota Timberwolves – Edwards is still the face of the Timberwolves after averaging 28.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists last season, and he’ll now share the backcourt with LaMelo Ball.
LaMelo Ball (No. 3 Pick) – Minnesota Timberwolves – Ball was traded to the Timberwolves this summer and will now form one of the league’s most explosive backcourts alongside Anthony Edwards after 20.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.8 rebounds last year.
Patrick Williams (No. 4 Pick) – Chicago Bulls – Williams remains with the Bulls heading into his seventh NBA season after averaging 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds last year, and will now be a likely trade piece.
Isaac Okoro (No. 5 Pick) – Chicago Bulls – Okoro is also still with the Bulls after his midseason move, averaging 9.3 points and 2.7 rebounds last season, continuing to make most of his impact as a defensive wing.
No Longer In The NBA
James Wiseman (No. 2 Pick) – New York Knicks – Wiseman is fighting to keep his NBA career going after signing an Exhibit 9 training-camp deal with the defending champion Knicks this month, so he’s still not on the roster for 2026-27.
2021 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Cade Cunningham (No. 1 Pick) – Detroit Pistons – Cunningham is now a two-time All-NBA guard and remains the clear face of the Pistons after averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 9.9 assists last season.
Jalen Green (No. 2 Pick) – Phoenix Suns – Green remains with the Suns after an injury-heavy first season in Phoenix, where he averaged 17.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
Evan Mobley (No. 3 Pick) – Cleveland Cavaliers – Mobley is still one of the Cavaliers’ franchise pieces and averaged 18.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists last season while making another All-Defensive Team.
Scottie Barnes (No. 4 Pick) – Toronto Raptors – Barnes remains with the Raptors and is coming off 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while making his second All-Star appearance.
Jalen Suggs (No. 5 Pick) – Orlando Magic – Suggs is still part of the Magic’s core after averaging 13.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists last season.
No Longer In The NBA
None of the top-five picks from the 2021 NBA Draft are currently out of the NBA.
2022 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Paolo Banchero (No. 1 Pick) – Orlando Magic – Banchero remains the centerpiece of the Magic and averaged 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists last season.
Chet Holmgren (No. 2 Pick) – Oklahoma City Thunder – Holmgren is still with the Thunder and is already an NBA champion, All-Star, and All-NBA player after averaging 17.1 points and 8.9 rebounds last year.
Jabari Smith Jr. (No. 3 Pick) – Houston Rockets – Smith remains an important part of the Rockets’ frontcourt and continues to give them size, defense, and shooting heading into his fifth season.
Keegan Murray (No. 4 Pick) – Sacramento Kings – Murray is still with the Kings after averaging 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds last season, remaining one of the few younger pieces on Sacramento’s roster.
No Longer In The NBA
Jaden Ivey (No. 5 Pick) – Free Agent – Ivey was traded from the Pistons to the Bulls in February 2026 and then waived by Chicago, as he remains unsigned for the 2026-27 season so far.
2023 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Victor Wembanyama (No. 1 Pick) – San Antonio Spurs – Wembanyama is already one of the league’s biggest stars after averaging 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists and leading the Spurs all the way to the NBA Finals.
Brandon Miller (No. 2 Pick) – Charlotte Hornets – Miller remains one of the Hornets’ main offensive pieces after averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last season.
Scoot Henderson (No. 3 Pick) – Portland Trail Blazers – Henderson is still with the Trail Blazers after averaging 14.2 points and 3.7 assists last season, although the arrival of Ja Morant could push him back toward a bench role another season.
Amen Thompson (No. 4 Pick) – Houston Rockets – Thompson has turned into one of the Rockets’ best two-way players and signed a five-year, $208 million extension this summer after averaging 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists.
Ausar Thompson (No. 5 Pick) – Detroit Pistons – Thompson remains a huge part of the Pistons’ defense and signed a five-year, $155 million extension after making the All-Defensive First Team last season.
No Longer In The NBA
None of the top-five picks from the 2023 NBA Draft are currently out of the NBA.
2024 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Zaccharie Risacher (No. 1 Pick) – Dallas Mavericks – Risacher was traded from the Hawks to the Mavericks this summer after averaging 9.6 points and 3.8 rebounds in his second NBA season.
Alex Sarr (No. 2 Pick) – Washington Wizards – Sarr remains one of the Wizards’ main young pieces after averaging 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, although he’s recovering from right foot surgery.
Reed Sheppard (No. 3 Pick) – Houston Rockets – Sheppard took a major step forward in Year 2, averaging 13.5 points and 3.4 assists while shooting 39.4% from three.
Stephon Castle (No. 4 Pick) – San Antonio Spurs – Castle remains part of the Spurs’ young core after averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 7.4 assists and helping San Antonio reach the Finals.
Ron Holland II (No. 5 Pick) – Detroit Pistons – Holland remains with the Pistons after averaging 8.2 points and 4.0 rebounds last season and could see a bigger role in 2026-27.
No Longer In The NBA
None of the top-five picks from the 2024 NBA Draft are currently out of the NBA.
2025 NBA Draft
Still In The NBA
Cooper Flagg (No. 1 Pick) – Dallas Mavericks – Flagg immediately lived up to the hype, winning Rookie of the Year after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in his first NBA season.
Dylan Harper (No. 2 Pick) – San Antonio Spurs – Harper made the All-Rookie First Team after averaging 11.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while already getting valuable playoff and Finals minutes.
VJ Edgecombe (No. 3 Pick) – Philadelphia 76ers – Edgecombe was one of the best rookies in the class, averaging 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.4 steals before making the All-Rookie First Team.
Kon Knueppel (No. 4 Pick) – Charlotte Hornets – Knueppel finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 18.5 points while shooting 42.5% from three and setting the rookie record with 273 made triples.
Ace Bailey (No. 5 Pick) – Utah Jazz – Bailey remains with the Jazz after averaging 13.8 points and 4.2 rebounds as a rookie and earning All-Rookie Second Team honors.
No Longer In The NBA
None of the top-five picks from the 2025 NBA Draft are currently out of the NBA.