For every NBA team, the draft has been hit-or-miss. Teams regret the superstars they passed up (remember Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan) and are thankful for the ones that turned out well. And as the saying goes, you win some you lose some. Here, we’ll just focus on the positive and rank the top-10 draft picks in Sonics history. The list includes players who were drafted by Seattle but had solid careers elsewhere.

10. Doug Christie - 1992 - 17th pick overall
Christie never played one minute for the Sonics. He and Benoit Benjamin were traded to the Lakers for Sam Perkins. Christie eventually joined Sacramento where he has blossomed as a player.

9. Derrick McKey - 1987 - 9th pick overall
McKey was a solid offensive player who never quite met the high expectations imposed on him. He played in Seattle for five seasons and was traded to Indiana in 1993 for Detlef Schrempf.

8. Xavier McDaniel - 1985 - 4th pick overall
The Sonics selected the X-Man out of Wichita State, hoping the gritty small forward could bring some toughness to Seattle. McDaniel's, trademark shaved dome and surly on-court demeanor, made him a Seattle favorite for five seasons.

7. Rashard Lewis - 1998 - 33rd pick overall
A young Lewis, alone in the NBA Draft's "Green Room" was distraught when he fell out of the first round and into the second. However, the Sonics were elated to pick the 6-10 forward out of Alief Elsik high school and have watched him develop into an NBA star.

6. Dennis Johnson - 1976 - 29th pick overall
DJ was an integral part of the Sonics championship run in 1979. That year he averaged 20.9 ppg in the playoffs, eventually earning NBA Finals series MVP against the Washington Bullets. The following year, Johnson would be traded to Phoenix for Paul Westphal.

5. Nate McMillan - 1986 - 2nd round, 30th pick overall
McMillan would eventually be known as Mr. Sonic, playing his heart (and back) out for 12 seasons. The guard would have his jersey retired in 1999 and named the head coach of the Sonics the next year.

4. Scottie Pippen - 1987 - 5th pick
The future Hall-of-Famer was a Sonic for a brief moment on draft day before he was traded to Chicago for Olden Polynice and several draft picks. Pippen would go on to win six titles with Jordan and is now playing for Portland.

3. Shawn Kemp - 1989 - 17th pick
Sure, fans booed when Kemp’s name was announced. But the young forward captured the heart of Seattle with his thunderous, high-flying theatrics. The Reignman represented the Sonics in the All-Star game five times.

2. Gary Payton - 1990 - 2nd pick overall
The loquacious Payton arrived in Seattle from Oregon State. By his second year he played in 81 games. The Glove would develop into one of the best players in the NBA. He has been named to the First Team All-NBA Defensive team nine consecutive times. He has also led the Sonics in scoring and assists the past six seasons.

1. Jack Sikma - 1977 - 8th pick overall
When Sikma was selected, everyone wondered, “who?” The 6-11 center from Illinois Wesleyan University was virtually unknown to anybody other than the Sonics scouts. But he would hold the middle for nine years, anchoring the team that would win the 1979 championship. His number, 43, was retired in 1992.

What do you think? Send your thoughts on drafts from Sonics past to fans@sonics-storm.com.