Ranking Every No. 1 Draft Pick in D.C. Sports History

With the Washington Wizards on the clock as owners of the No. 1 pick in next week’s NBA draft, fans are buzzing over the potential for A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer to elevate the franchise.

But D.C.’s pro sports teams haven’t always been so lucky when presented with the top choice. For every superstar like Bryce Harper, there has been a bust like Kwame Brown — plus a handful of athletes largely lost to history, including a defenseman labeled “the next Bobby Orr” who lasted just two seasons in Washington.

To capture it all, we ranked every first overall pick in D.C. sports history — including top picks made by D.C.’s MLB, NBA, WNBA, NFL, NHL, MLS and NWSL teams.

(Note: We left off Nationals shortstop Eli Willits (drafted in 2025) and D.C. United defender Nikola Markovic (2026) because they are still in the early stages of their careers, as well as running back Ernie Davis, who was traded immediately after Washington selected him No. 1 in the 1962 NFL draft.)

15. Kwame Brown (2001 NBA draft)

“We don’t know what this kid is capable of doing, that’s the beauty of why we drafted him,” Michael Jordan, the Wizards’ president of basketball operations, said after he made the 6-foot-11 Brown the first high school player taken first overall in the NBA draft. “We don’t know. In a couple of years he may be a star.”

Brown, who didn’t become a star, was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in August 2005 and played for six teams over his final eight seasons in the league. Pau Gasol and Tony Parker, who were selected third and 28th in the same draft, became Hall of Famers.

14. Jason Moore (1999 MLS draft)

The former Virginia midfielder appeared in 16 games and started 12 as a rookie for D.C. United during the 1999 season, which culminated in the franchise’s third MLS Cup in four years. Moore was traded to Colorado the following February and was out of the league by 2004.

13. Greg Joly (1974 NHL draft)

Washington General Manager Milt Schmidt hailed Joly as “the next Bobby Orr” after the expansion Capitals made the Canadian defenseman the first pick in franchise history two days shy of his 20th birthday. After two injury-marred seasons in Washington, Joly was traded to the Detroit Red Wings.

Freddy Adu became the youngest-ever pro athlete in U.S. team sports when he made his debut for D.C. United as a 14-year-old in April 2004. Bruce Parker/Associated Press

12. Freddy Adu (2004 MLS draft)

The most hyped American soccer prospect in history became the youngest-ever pro athlete in U.S. team sports when he made his debut for D.C. United as a 14-year-old in April 2004. Adu, an attacking midfielder who grew up in the D.C. area after his parents relocated from Ghana, scored 11 goals in 87 appearances for United before he was traded to Real Salt Lake in December 2006. He never lived up to the outsized expectations for him while playing for more than a dozen teams across three continents over the next 15 years.

11. Rick Green (1976 NHL draft)

The Canadian defenseman played six seasons in Washington before being included in a franchise-altering trade that sent him to the Montreal Canadiens for Brian Engblom, Doug Jarvis, Rod Langway and Craig Laughlin.

10. Harry Gilmer (1948 NFL draft)

A leg injury limited Gilmer to one game as a rookie after Washington made the former Alabama quarterback the No. 1 overall pick in a draft that saw future Hall of Fame QBs Bobby Layne and Y.A. Tittle selected third and sixth, respectively.

9. Jeff Burroughs (1969 MLB draft)

The high school slugger out of Long Beach, California, made his debut with the Senators in 1970 but became a star after the team relocated to Arlington, Texas, and was rebranded as the Rangers in 1972. Burroughs was named American League MVP in 1974 after hitting .301 with 25 homers and a league-leading 118 RBI.Also,

8. Alecko Eskandarian (2003 MLS draft)

The former Virginia standout scored two goals to earn MVP honors in United’s most recent MLS Cup victory in 2004. An all-star in two of his four seasons in D.C., Eskandarian was traded to Toronto FC in 2006. Concussions led the forward to retire after the 2009 season.

7. Crystal Dunn (2014 NWSL draft)

After finishing third in rookie of the year voting in 2014, the versatile forward scored a league-leading 15 goals across 20 regular-season games and was named MVP in 2015. Dunn helped Washington reach its first NWSL final in 2016.

Chamique Holdsclaw spent five seasons in Washington after the Mystics made her the No. 1 pick in the 1999 WNBA draft. Greg Gibson/Associated Press

6. Chamique Holdsclaw (1999 WNBA draft)

The Mystics used the only No. 1 pick in franchise history on the two-time Naismith Player of the Year from Tennessee. Holdsclaw was named rookie of the year in 1999 and was an all-star in each of her first five seasons with Washington.

5. Andi Sullivan (2018 NWSL draft)

A local product who graduated from South County High School in Lorton, Virginia, Sullivan has spent her entire career with the Spirit. The midfielder and longtime captain led the franchise to its first NWSL title in 2021.

4. John Wall (2010 NBA draft)

With Irene Pollin, the wife of the franchise’s late owner, Abe Pollin, representing the Wizards on stage at the 2010 NBA draft lottery, Washington overcame long odds to secure the No. 1 overall pick.

After a dazzling freshman season at Kentucky, Wall earned five all-star nods and led the Wizards back to relevance before injuries derailed his career. The point guard’s buzzer-beater against the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the 2017 Eastern Conference semifinals is one of the franchise’s few highlights since winning the NBA title in 1978.

One year after Harper appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old, the Nationals drafted him first overall. Larry Goren/AP

3. Bryce Harper (2010 MLB draft)

One year after Harper appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old, the Nationals drafted him out of the College of Southern Nevada. He was named NL rookie of the year in 2012, NL MVP in 2015 and made six all-star teams with Washington. Harper became a free agent after the 2018 season and signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with the division rival Philadelphia Phillies, with whom he’s still chasing his first ring.

2. Stephen Strasburg (2009 MLB draft)

Harper has had the better career, but Strasburg gets the nod here for his role in delivering the Nationals their first World Series title.

After a dominating career at San Diego State, the right-handed pitcher made his MLB debut at Nationals Park on June 8, 2010, striking out 14 over seven electric innings. Strasburg signed a seven-year, $245 million contract extension with Washington after being named World Series MVP in 2019, but injuries and surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome limited the three-time all-star to eight more big league appearances before he retired in 2024.

1. Alex Ovechkin (2004 NHL draft)

“If you are second, you are second,” Ovechkin said after the Capitals, following their worst season in 26 years, won the 2004 NHL draft lottery and made the 18-year-old Russian forward the top pick. “If you are first, you are first. I always want to be first.”

Twenty-one years later, Ovechkin broke a record that was considered untouchable, moving past Wayne Gretzky and into first place on the NHL’s all-time goals list with his 895th career tally.

A three-time MVP who helped lead the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup title in 2018, the remarkably durable Ovechkin, who turns 41 in September, is undecided about whether he will return for a 22nd season.