Most first-round picks in NBA Draft history: How the Nets broke record set by Kings, Timberwolves in 2025

The NBA Draft is one of the most compelling events in the sports calendar, replete with all the spills, thrills, and dramatics present in a Roman tragicomedy.

There are tears. There are jeers. And there is carnage, all contained within two captivating rounds. It’s easy to see why it’s become a favorite for those still fixated for NBA action after the conclusion of the Finals.

More often than not, the first round takes on a frenetic pace, teeming with speculation, confusion, and the steady drum of a ticking clock.

But sometimes, teams hold more than one pick in the first. In fact, the prospect of collecting multiple selections to dispense of in a single draft has become all the more likely in recent seasons. And with the recent CBA placing certain limits on teams’ abilities to spend money, the idea of retaining multiple team-controlled deals in a single draft is all the more alluring.

📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp

So, what’s the record for most first-round selections in a single draft? Here’s what you need to know.

MORE 2025 NBA DRAFT NEWS

What is the record for most first-round picks in an NBA Draft?

The record for most first-round picks belongs to the 2025 Nets, who picked up a fifth first-round selection in the three-team trade involving Kristaps Porzingis. The 1990 Kings and 2009 Timberwolves had four selections in the opening 30 picks. Neither Sacramento nor Minnesota was able to build a championship-caliber roster with their selection. Brooklyn is hoping to avoid the same fate.

Brooklyn Nets, 2025 

• Round 1, Pick No. 8: Egor Demin, F, BYU
• Round 1, Pick No. 19: Nolan Traore, PG, France
• Round 1, Pick No. 22: Drake Powell, G, UNC
• Round 1, Pick No. 26: Ben Saraf, G, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
• Round 1, Pick No. 27: Danny Wolf, F/C, Michigan

The Nets collected a treasure trove of draft picks ahead of the 2025 draft. Brooklyn was active in the trade market in the years leading up to 2025, racking up selections like gemstones after sending Mikal Bridges to the Knicks ahead of the 2024-25 season and being a part of the Porzingis trade. 

Brooklyn is expected to entertain potential trade offers and could attempt to package a few of its selections in the hopes of climbing up the draft board. The Nets certainly need all the help they can get; after all, they won just 26 games in 2024-25.

Sacramento Kings, 1990

• Round 1, Pick No. 7: F Lionel Simmons, La Salle
• Round 1, Pick No. 14: G Travis Mays, Texas
• Round 1, Pick No. 18: C Duane Causwell, Temple
• Round 1, Pick No. 23: F Anthony Bonner, St. Louis

The Kings thought they came away with quite a haul after the 1990 NBA Draft. Fresh off of a 23-59 campaign in the 1989-90 season, Sacramento was in dire need of new talent to pair with 25-year-old standout Wayman Tisdale.

The Kings got relief in the form of Simmons, a lanky forward from La Salle. The “L-Train” was quite productive during his seven-year stint in Sacramento, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 18.0 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He cited chronic injuries as the reason he retired from the sport after the 1997 season. After averaging 75 games a season during his first four years, Simmons was limited to just eight starts from 1994-1997.

Mays earned All-Rookie second team honors before being sent to Atlanta in exchange for Spud Webb. He, too, was felled by a litany of injuries, playing just 51 games across the next two seasons before embarking on a lengthy career in Europe.

Causwell collected 55 starts as a rookie, establishing himself as a bruising option in the Kings’ frontcourt. He went on to play 11 years in the league, seven of which came in Sacramento. Causwell was never the most prolific talent. But his interior presence was certainly appreciated, even if the Kings missed the postseason in six of his seven seasons.

Bonner played spot minutes as a role player across six years in the league.  He enjoyed his most effective campaign in 1991-92, when he averaged 9.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 44.7 percent shooting.

Minnesota Timberwolves, 2009

• Round 1, Pick No. 5: G Ricky Rubio, Spain
• Round 1, Pick No. 6: G Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
• Round 1, Pick No. 18: G Ty Lawson, North Carolina
• Round 1, Pick No. 28: G Wayne Ellington, North Carolina

A lot of good came from the Timberwolves’ selections in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. A lot of bad came from them, too.

After claiming just 24 wins in the previous season, Minnesota appeared well-equipped to improve its standing. The Timberwolves were desperate for guard help. And after acquiring the No. 5 pick in a trade with the Wizards, Minnesota found it, selecting Spanish teenager Ricky Rubio.

Rubio was a sorcerer with the ball: spindly and unselfish as ever, the Spaniard whipped passes all across the hardwood at his pomp. Rubio spent seven years with the Wolves, placing second in Rookie of the Year voting after signing with the side ahead of the 2011-12 season.

Rubio’s shooting never came around. But he was a splendid passer and had a knack for forcing the ball loose on defense. Rubio had his flaws. But he was an eminently entertaining player to watch on his day. Minnesota fans remember him fondly.

The same can’t be said for Jonny Flynn. The logic behind the decision to draft Flynn, an undersized guard with a shaky jumper, was laid bare one pick later when the Warriors landed Stephen Curry. Yikes.

Flynn did pick up down-ballot Rookie of the Year votes and a spot on the All-Rookie second team. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough for him to hang in The Association. After three seasons, Flynn was out of the league.

Minnesota had better luck with its third guard selection of the night, taking North Carolina star Ty Lawson No. 18 overall. Much like Flynn, Lawson was undersized. What the Clinton, Mary. native lacked in height, though, he made up for in skill — Lawson’s handle and play-making chops were among the best in the league at his pinnacle. With Rubio and Flynn already in-house, the Timberwolves sent his rights to Denver in exchange for a future first rounder.

The Nuggets’ move was an inspired one; Lawson placed 12th in MVP voting in 2013 and nearly averaged a double-double in 2015.

Lawson’s height eventually caught up with him. He hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2018 playoffs. Still, he was one of the league’s better playmakers at his peak.

Lawson’s Tar Heels teammate, Wayne Ellington, rounded out Minnesota’s list of selections. Ellington was a breath of fresh air compared to his draft counterparts, a slick-shooting wingman who was at his best playing off-ball. Ellington wasn’t the most prolific scorer. But he had a trebuchet of a shot. And that jumper helped him play 13 seasons in the league.

MORE NBA DRAFT NEWS:

NBA teams to have three first-round picks

Although trades have long been a part of draft day, they’ve grown increasingly common over the past few decades.

Here’s a look at all the teams with have selected three or more players in the first round since 2010.

MORE NBA DRAFT NEWS: