Cleveland Cavaliers: 10 best players all-time taken at No. 3 in NBA Draft

Best all-time players taken No. 3 overall: 6. Pau Gasol

One of the best international players of all time, Pau Gasol (playing in the Tokyo Olympics this summer at the age of 41) was the center on a pair of title teams with the Los Angeles Lakers, the secondary piece on offense and defense to elevate those teams past difficult opponents to win the crown.

Originally taken third overall by the Memphis Grizzlies, he was a powerful scoring threat at the 4 before being traded to the Lakers. It was there that he paired with Kobe Bryant to reignite the franchise and make three consecutive NBA Finals. In all Gasol made six All-Star teams and four All-NBA squads, and in 2002 he was the Rookie of the Year.

Best all-time players taken No. 3 overall: 5. Grant Hill

One of the greatest players in the history of Duke basketball, an impressive feat in and of itself, Hill could do it all. Needed someone to isolate on the wing and score a bucket? Hill was your guy. Need someone to defend the opposing team’s best player? Pick Hill. Need a demoralizing tomahawk dunk in transition? It was Grant Hill.

The vagaries of NBA injury prevented the world from seeing Hill fully actualized, and Hill missed entire seasons with a variety of injuries. Even so he battled through it all and played into his 40s, making seven All-Star teams and five All-NBA teams. In 1995 he was the Rookie of the Year. Despite all of it, Hill still showed he was one of the most unique and capable talents this league has ever seen.