The NBA 2025 draft will be here in less than 24 hours and everybody expects Cooper Flagg to be drafted no. 1 overall by the Dallas Mavericks. Flagg will be the first white American to be drafted no. 1 overall since the time Milwaukee Bucks drafted someone who most have probably forgotten about.
Cooper Flagg, NBA 2025 Draft
Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) walks off the court after losing to the Houston Cougars in the semifinals of the men’s Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
It’s not Andrew Bogut who was picked first in the 2005 draft. He is obviously white but he is from Australia.
The Bucks have selected no. 1 overall four times in their history. The other one is Glen Robinson who was picked no. 1 in 1994 and managed to carve out a memorable NBA career with his two All-Star appearances as member of the Bucks.
Robinson is memorable but not Kent Benson unless people discuss his very first game in the league.
Benson was selected first overall by the Bucks in 1977 after his stellar fourth year in college. He led the Indiana Hoosiers to the NCAA title in 1976 and went on to be named as NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player and Helms Foundation Player of the Year in the same year.
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1977 first-round pick: Kent Benson from Indiana University. Milwaukee Buck Center Kent Benson was unstoppable during third quarter action at the Arena as the Seattle Supersonics’ Marvin Webster found out during a game from 1978.
1978 Press Photo Milwaukee Buck Center Kent Benson Has Shot Nobody Can Stop
He had the caliber and college pedigree to be selected no. 1 overall and most thought it was the right choice at the time.
Kent Benson’ got knocked out by future Milwaukee Bucks great
Benson’s NBA career was not as great as his college stint. In simpler words, he was a bust for standards used for a no. 1 overall pick.
His history as a no. 1 overall pick was easily forgotten because of this.
There’s one thing people remember from him though. That is history with Bucks’ other no. 1 overall pick that was not mentioned above. The one and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Kareem was selected no. 1 overall by the Bucks in 1969 and he lived up to his selection by leading the team to their first ever title in 1971. He also won three season MVPs while with the team, the most by a Bucks player. However, he left the team by 1975 for the Los Angeles Lakers where he won five more titles.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
June 24, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo poses with former player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar arrives on the red carpet for the 2019 NBA Awards show at Barker Hanger. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Benson made his debut against the Lakers and the team’s former savior. The match up was highly anticipated because of the history and personalities involved.
How did it go for Benson? Well, he was knocked out two minutes into the game.
He inadvertently hit Kareem on the groin who was visibly hurt by it. It took the Lakers star around five seconds to gather himself and made his revenge by sucker punching the young, unsuspecting Benson who went down from a right hand punch.
Abdul-Jabbar appeared apologetic about the punch after a couple of years and admitted that it was a wrong move.
Cooper Flagg is set to become the first white American drafted #1 overall since Kent Benson in 1977. If you’re a NBA fan who thinks you don’t know who Kent Benson is…..you do. He’s this guy. pic.twitter.com/JiTa0xB4fF
— ✨🦫America Is Musty🦫✨ (@DragonflyJonez) June 25, 2025
“I decided if I could get my breath back, he was going to pay. It was a frightening experience for me because that’s when I realized I better control my temper at all times, no matter what the provocation,” Kareem said.
“I could’ve killed him. Thinking about that really bothered me.”
The Lakers center was suspended 21 games for the altercation.
As for Benson, he had a swollen right eye from the punch. He then spent the time Abdul-Jabbar was suspended to think about forgiveness.
“He hit me so hard he broke his hand. He was out 21 games and had the largest fine in NBA history at the time. That gave me an opportunity to learn about forgiveness. I had forgiven him. It was hard to do, no doubt,” he said in a vlog published 11 years ago.
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