| | 2007 - Greg Oden - Portland - Ohio State |
| | 2006 - Andrea Bargnani - Toronto - Italy |
| | 2005 - Andrew Bogut - Milwaukee - Utah |
| | 2004 - Dwight Howard - Orlando - SW Atlanta Christian Academy (GA) |
| | 2003 - LeBron James - Cleveland - St. Vincent-St. Mary HS (OH) |
| | 2002 - Yao Ming - Houston - China |
| | 2001 - Kwame Brown - Washington - Glynn Academy |
| | 2000 - Kenyon Martin - New Jersey Nets - Cincinnati |
| | 1999 - Elton Brand - Chicago Bulls - Duke |
| | 1998 - Michael Olowokandi - Los Angeles Clippers - Pacific (Cal.) |
| | 1997 - Tim Duncan - San Antonio - Wake Forest |
| | 1996 - Allen Iverson - Philadelphia - Georgetown |
| | 1995 - Joe Smith - Golden State - Maryland |
| | 1994 - Glenn Robinson - Milwaukee - Purdue |
| | 1993 - Chris Webber - Orlando - Michigan |
| | 1992 - Shaquille O'Neal - Orlando - Louisiana State |
| | 1991 - Larry Johnson - Charlotte - Nevada-Las Vegas |
| | 1990 - Derrick Coleman - New Jersey - Syracuse |
| | 1989 - Pervis Ellison - Sacramento - Louisville |
| | 1988 - Danny Manning - L.A. Clippers - Kansas |
| | 1987 - David Robinson - San Antonio - Navy |
| | 1986 - Brad Daugherty - Cleveland - North Carolina |
| | 1985 - Patrick Ewing - New York - Georgetown |
| | 1984 - Hakeem Olajuwon - Houston - Houston |
| | 1983 - Ralph Sampson - Houston - Virginia |
| | 1982 - James Worthy - L.A. Lakers - North Carolina |
| | 1981 - Mark Aguirre - Dallas - DePaul |
| | 1980 - Joe Barry Carroll - Golden State - Purdue |
| | 1979 - Magic Johnson - L.A. Lakers - Michigan State |
| | 1978 - Mychal Thompson - Portland - Minnesota |
| | 1977 - Kent Benson - Milwaukee - Indiana |
| | 1976 - John Lucas - Houston - Maryland |
| | 1975 - David Thompson - Atlanta - North Carolina State |
| | 1974 - Bill Walton - Portland - UCLA |
| | 1973 - Doug Collins - Philadelphia - Illinois State |
| | 1972 - LaRue Martin - Portland - Loyola-Chicago |
| | 1971 - Austin Carr - Cleveland - Notre Dame |
| | 1970 - Bob Lanier - Detroit - St. Bonaventure |
| | 1969 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Milwaukee - UCLA |
| | 1968 - Elvin Hayes - Houston - Houston |
| | 1967 - Jimmy Walker - Detroit - Providence |
| | 1966 - Cazzie Russell - New York - Michigan |