None of the first-round picks from 2018 have survived unchanged after today.

When discussing the 2018 draft, we refer to it as a generational class. Luka Dončić flashed superstar promise as a rookie, yet the highest achievement now belongs to the 11th pick, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. As of today, all 2018 first-round picks have a new commonality: none remain with their original drafting team.

In today's trade, the Hornets sent Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick to the Suns; in return, they received Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, and a 2033 first-round pick. The Hornets selected Bridges with the 12th pick in 2018. Eight years later, Bridges has been traded, meaning no player chosen in the first round of 2018 still plays for the team that drafted him.

Actually, this trade also involved another 2018 draftee: Allen, the 21st pick, has now been traded four times in his career. If we include second-rounders, only one member of the 2018 class remains with his original team: Mitchell Robinson, selected 36th by the Knicks. After winning a championship, Robinson is reportedly set to sign a big contract elsewhere.

So how are all these traded 2018 first-round picks doing now? Some have interesting stories.

Number one pick Deandre Ayton has clearly not lived up to his elite center potential. He was chosen over Luka Dončić, who was already dominating in Europe, for good reason. But Ayton's playing style has always been criticized as soft, fundamentally because he lacks full commitment on the court—or perhaps he doesn't love basketball enough and just treats it as a job.

Ayton will likely exercise his $8.1 million player option for next season. Partly because the Lakers treat him well, and partly because he probably can't get a better offer on the free agent market, so he'll secure his job for next year first.

The second pick, Marvin Bagley III, is another casualty of the Kings' draft missteps. His talent is unquestionable, but the Kings' development of him was poor. After being traded to the Pistons in 2022, Bagley began a journey of wandering. Still, his fate is better than James Wiseman's. Last season with the Mavericks, he averaged 11.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Now a free agent, he might land a contract worth even more than Ayton's salary.

Luka Dončić was once considered the least likely player from the 2018 class to be traded, but the Mavericks, under new ownership, surprisingly made him the first to go. All the negative reports about Dončić from Dallas were just excuses; the real reason was internal conflict within the Mavericks organization.

The Lakers are certainly one of the best possible destinations for Dončić. In Los Angeles, he gets several times the exposure he had before. But can Dončić really win MVP or a championship with the Lakers? Given the current roster configuration, they are still a long way from being a true title contender.

Jaren Jackson Jr. was traded to the Jazz last season, bringing back substantial assets. That Grizzlies team has faded into history, with only Ja Morant's future still uncertain. Trae Young was also traded last season and signed a $200 million contract this offseason, which makes for a decent storyline in his career.

The sixth pick, Mo Bamba, also possesses elite center traits, especially his terrifying wingspan. But Bamba's biggest problem is that he simply doesn't know how to play basketball—literally, not just lacking basketball IQ. The seventh pick, Wendell Carter Jr., has always been a solid center. His playoff matchup against Jalen Duren this year boosted his reputation even further.

The tenth pick, Mikal Bridges, is undoubtedly the league's strongest ironman and a top-tier 3-and-D player. He has reached the Finals twice, finally making up for the regret five years ago. The 26th pick, Landry Shamet, has played in the playoffs almost every year. Among 2018 draftees, Jalen Brunson leads in playoff wins, Bridges is third, and Shamet is second.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander needs no introduction—he is the undisputed best player from the 2018 class so far. After being traded by the Clippers, he began the second phase of his career, quietly developing with the Thunder before bursting onto the scene and winning back-to-back MVPs. Although he was eventually eliminated by the Spurs, his grace in defeat actually improved his reputation.

If we're being strict, Jalen Brunson has arguably surpassed Luka Dončić to become the second-best player in this draft class. Leading his team to a championship as a second-round pick carries tremendous weight.

If you look closely at the 2018 draft list, eight years later, many players are still key rotation pieces on their teams—for example, Michael Porter Jr., Donte DiVincenzo, Kevin Huerter, Josh Okogie, Grayson Allen, Anfernee Simons, Moritz Wagner, Landry Shamet, Robert Williams III, and others.

Among second-rounders, aside from Brunson, players like Jevon Carter, Mitchell Robinson, Gary Trent Jr., Jarred Vanderbilt, Bruce Brown, and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk remain active in the league. Eight years have passed, and so many from this draft class are still playing, proving its incredible depth.

Incidentally, Luka Dončić had long been considered the top player of this draft class, especially after leading his team to the Finals in 2024. Unexpectedly, he was surpassed by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in 2025, and then his former teammate Jalen Brunson won a championship in 2026. Dončić still holds the most All-NBA First Team selections in this class, but in the NBA, championships ultimately speak louder.