NBA Draft History

21st Century Drafts: The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:44:43 -0400

With the 2008 NBA Draft rapidly approaching, fans throughout the world are trying to figure out what their favorite teams will do and where their favorite players will end up. But getting drafted is just half the battle; you’ve got to be successful once you get there. And in the history of the NBA Draft Lottery, it’s proven to be just that with no guarantee coming with each pick. So, if you go from one to fourteen in each year from 2000 to 2006, who’s been the best and worst at each selection? Here’s one attempt to make some sense of it all. (2007 wasn’t included since it’s tough to judge players on one season.)

First Pick

Good: LeBron James (2003; Cleveland)

2007-08 averages: 30.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.2 apg

King James has been as good as advertised heading into the 2003 Draft, maybe even exceeding what was expected of him. A standout in more ways than one on draft night (the white suit), LeBron was able to drag a slumping franchise to the NBA Finals in 2007. But the race is on in Cleveland: can the Cavs get him enough help to keep him around once his contract is up in 2010?

Bad: Kwame Brown (2001; Washington)

2007-08 averages: 4.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg

Yeah, this one was also easy as Brown had done practically nothing throughout his six seasons in the NBA. How the Lakers were able to pawn him off on the Grizzlies for Pau Gasol may be one of the greatest heists in NBA history, even if his contract may be expiring this season. The work ethic hasn’t been there, yet someone with the willingness to pay him millions has.

Second Pick

Good: LaMarcus Aldridge (2006; Portland)

2007-08 averages: 17.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg

The first of two excellent picks by the Blazers in this draft, Aldridge actually had his draft rights swapped for those of Tyrus Thomas, sending Thomas to Chicago. As well as LaMarcus played in his second season in the league, wait until a healthy Greg Oden joins up next season. Aldridge has the potential to be one of the NBA’s best power forwards in the next few years.

Bad: Darko Milicic (2003; Detroit)

2007-08 averages: 7.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg

Well, the project who was plastered to the Pistons bench for most of his time in the Motor City has gotten better, but that’s still no excuse for his being selected ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. He went from Detroit to Orlando, who eventually gave up on the project themselves and sending Darko to Memphis. He did start sixty-four games this season however; and at least he isn’t Sam Bowie (taken ahead of you-know-who in 1984).

Third Pick

Good: Carmelo Anthony (2003; Denver)

2007-08 averages: 25.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.4 apg

Anthony, the cornerstone of the Nuggets franchise since he was selected back in 2003, has done well numbers-wise but hasn’t had the success translate into a prolonged playoff run. And some of the off-court issues have left tarnish on his accomplishments of late. Now he’s got to deal with trade rumors; but take heart in the fact that the same talk swirled around Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce heading into this season and all they did was get to the NBA Finals.

Bad: Darius Miles (2000; LA Clippers)

2007-08 averages: did not play

Miles’ career may be over, with a serious knee injury robbing him of the past two seasons. But he wasn’t very consistent during his time in the league, alternating moments of brilliance with puzzling (and sometimes infuriating) displays of basketball. However, he does have a movie credit to his name, acting in the movie “Perfect Score”. For the third pick in the draft, you’d better hope to have an on-court claim to fame.

Fourth Pick

Good: Chris Paul (2005; New Orleans)

2007-08 averages: 21.1 ppg, 11.6 apg, 2.7 spg

Paul has been one of the most electrifying players in the NBA since his arrival, rejuvenating a once-moribund franchise while giving the Crescent City something to smile about. Within three years Paul went from the point guard of the future to almost winning the league’s MVP award. As he gains even more experience and the Hornets add more pieces around him, look for Paul to eventually win an NBA title.

Bad: Marcus Fizer (2000; Chicago)

2007-08 averages: 11.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg (Euroleague stats with Maccabi Tel Aviv)

This pick may have been one of the signs that the end was near for then-Bulls GM Jerry Krause. While Fizer was an outstanding player at Iowa State, some felt that he was too small to make an impact in the NBA. And history did prove them to be correct as he found his way out of the NBA by 2006, venturing to Puerto Rico then Europe to continue his career. And his claim to fame may be his body art, with the count stopping at 31…and he may have more in the two years since.

Fifth Pick

Good: Dwyane Wade (2003; Miami)

2007-08 averages: 24.6 ppg, 6.9 apg, 4.2 rpg

Of the “big three” to come out of the 2003 draft class, Wade was the overlooked member of that group. But while LeBron and Carmelo got the hype, D-Wade was the first to get the ring, winning the NBA title in 2006. But he has had a tendency to get banged up, missing time (missed thirty-one games this season) due to the various injuries picked up primarily on drives to the basket. His “get knocked down seven times and get up eight” commercials for Converse were quite popular, but the Heat may be hoping that he isn’t so injury-prone in the future.

Bad: Nikoloz Tskitishvili (2002; Denver)

2007-08 averages: 10.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg (Siviglia Wear Teramo, Italy)

“Skita” may have been one of the biggest busts in the NBA Draft this decade. A player thought to have upside when selected by Denver back in 2002, Tskitishvili was out of the NBA by 2006. The worst part of this may have been a rant by Dick Vitale about how teams select unproven Europeans over three- and four-year collegians…and pronouncing his last name “Schizovili”. Not a good way to make a lasting impression on the league.

Sixth Pick

Good: Brandon Roy (2006; Portland)

2007-08 averages: 19.1 ppg, 5.8 apg, 4.7 rpg

Good things come to those who wait, and Roy is a prime example of that adage. Had he actually entered the draft out of high school, he could have either developed into the player his is today…or ended up out of the NBA. But thanks to four years of seasoning at Washington, Roy was able to make an impact to the tune of league Rookie of the Year. Not to mention being the Blazers’ good luck charm the next year at the draft lottery, where they won the right to select Greg Oden.

Bad: DerMarr Johnson (2000; Atlanta)

2007-08 averages: 3.2 ppg, 0.2 rpg

Johnson looked to be headed in the right direction early in his career, only to have a serious car accident that nearly took his life sent it all spiraling downward. The good news is that he survived to tell the tale, and he played in five games with the Spurs this season. While he’ll never reach the levels that many would expect from a number six pick, the mere fact that he’s still here after such a horrific event is an achievement upon itself.

Seventh Pick

Good: Luol Deng (2004; Chicago)

2007-08 averages: 17.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg

In the midst of all the “Kobe to Chicago” trade talks, there was one man the Bulls were unwilling to give up: Deng. That just goes to show you how much they think of him in the Chicago front office, as his versatility has made him one of the league’s bright up and coming stars. And he’s only going to get better, assuming the Bulls get some more help for Deng.

Bad: Eddie Griffin (2001; New Jersey)

Deceased, August 17, 2007

Griffin unfortunately became a cautionary tale on what can happen when a person in desperate need of help doesn’t receive such treatment. His career began with a moment that could place enormous pressure on any youngster, with Houston trading its entire draft to New Jersey to acquire his services. Moments of excellence were lost amidst bizarre behavior off the court and an aloof nature on it. Griffin’s life ended in Houston, when he ignored a railroad warning and was subsequently hit by a train. He was twenty-five years old.

Eighth Pick

Good: Rudy Gay (2006; Houston)

2007-08 averages: 20.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg

After just two years in the NBA, Gay is showing why the Grizzlies sent Shane Battier to Houston in order to acquire his draft rights in 2006. The swingman who played two years at Connecticut is one of the game’s best leapers and as he further develops expect his skill set to expand even more. The only bad thing is that he’s stuck with a dreadful franchise, meaning that his name isn’t mentioned as much as some of the other elite young players in the league.

Bad: Rafael Araujo (2004; Toronto)

2007-08 averages: unknown (played for Spartak St. Petersburg in the Russian Basketball Super League)

This selection clearly didn’t work out for the Raptors or Araujo, who found himself out of the NBA by the end of his first contract. While he was a solid big man in college at BYU, he had serious issues adjusting to the speed of the NBA game at both ends of the floor. And moving from a rebuilding situation in Toronto to Utah for his third season didn’t help matters either, eventually leading him to Russia this past season.

Ninth Pick

Good: Amare Stoudemire (2002; Phoenix)

2007-08 averages: 23.2 ppg, 9.0 rpg

As he’s gotten older Amare’s gotten better on the offensive end of the floor. Once limited to dunking the basketball, “STAT” can now step out to as far as fifteen feet and consistently knock down shots. While he’s still a work in progress on the defensive end, at least Shaquille O’Neal is in town to take away the pressure of being an undersized center. Now he can play the four, as he should, and be the Suns’ primary offensive option when the ball goes inside.

Bad: Rodney White (2001; Detroit)

2007-08 averages: 19.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg for the Arecibo Capitanes of the BSN in Puerto Rico

Not sure who was in charge of the Pistons back in 2001, but I’m willing to bet that whoever made this selection knows that it was a mistake. White was certainly talented coming out of Charlotte, where he played one year of college basketball, but there’s no way a player as raw as he was should have been taken this high. But that’s the legacy of the lottery, as it really is a toss-up as to what kind of player you’ll get once he steps on the floor.

Tenth Pick

Good: Joe Johnson (2001; Boston)

2007-08 averages: 21.7 ppg, 5.7 apg, 4.5 rpg

Joe was widely panned for his request to leave Phoenix in search of a starring role a few seasons ago, especially when he landed in Atlanta. “You’d really leave a winning team in order to start on a losing outfit?” was the question being asked. But Johnson has been a star in Atlanta since his arrival, and his faith was rewarded with a trip to the playoffs this season. Of course, they only won thirty-seven games and fell to Boston in the first round. But this is a young franchise seemingly on its way to good things with Johnson running the show.

Bad: Luke Jackson (2004; Cleveland)

2007-08 averages: 5.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg

Like many, I was excited about what he could add to the Cavaliers when drafted in 2004. LeBron needed a sidekick who could knock down outside shots and many thought that Luke was that man. But due to injury, and once he got onto the floor inept play, he was the wrong answer to that question. In his third season in the league he played in fourteen games for the Heat, so it will be interesting to see just where he lands next season.

Eleventh Pick

Good: Jared Jeffries (2002; Washington)

2007-08 averages: 3.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg

This selection should tell you just how slim the pickings were at pick eleven. Originally thought to have the ability and size to be a defensive stopper, Jared actually acquitted himself quite well in Washington. But a funny thing happens when Isiah Thomas overpays free agents to play for the Knicks (just take a look at Jerome James for a prime example of this). His crowning achievement in New York may have been his crazed run after Carmelo Anthony during that wild melee a couple of years ago in The Garden. But at least he still in the NBA, unlike…

Bad: Jerome Moiso (2000; Boston)

2007-08 averages: 11.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg for DKV Joventut in Spain

Another UCLA player from the early 2000’s who clearly overestimated his value…but it’s not his fault the Celtics took the bait. Moiso did last four years in the NBA, and has been plying his trade in Europe since leaving Cleveland in 2005. But despite his height (6-11), Moiso had a tough time inside due to his slender (some might even say weak) frame. He was also once of the league’s top shot blockers of DKV Joventut this year, something the Celtics were hoping to benefit from when they selected him.

Twelfth Pick

Good: Nick Collison (2003; Seattle)

2007-08 averages: 9.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg

Even though he missed his first season due to surgery on both shoulders, Collison has been one of the few bright spots for the Sonics the last few seasons. A solid post player who understands his role and is willing to do the dirty work, Collison will be right there with Kevin Durant as the franchise continues to rebuild, almost like a personal protector in some respects. Will he ever be an all-star? Probably not, but players like him you need on successful teams.

Bad: Yaroslav Korolev (2005; LA Clippers)

2007-08 averages: unknown (plays for Dynamo Moscow in the Russian Super League)

This selection clearly didn’t work out for Elgin Baylor and the rest of the Clippers brass, for Korolev was out of the league and back in Russia by the end of the 2006-07 season. Yes, he made appearances in three of their preseason games, but anyone with a decent pair of eyes could tell that Yaroslav was in way over his head. He should be fine in Russia, but he wasn’t drafted to be a good player in Russia.

Thirteenth Pick

Good: Richard Jefferson (2001; Houston)

2007-08 averages: 22.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.1 apg

Just one part of an entire draft the Rockets shipped to New Jersey in exchange for the late Eddie Griffin, Jefferson has expanded his game from simply being a high-flyer to being one of the best small forwards in the NBA. With Jason Kidd now gone, the time may be here for RJ to become the face of that franchise, whether they stay in New Jersey or the much-discussed arena in Brooklyn is ever finished. Expect to see him at a couple of All-Star games before his career ends as well.

Bad: Marcus Haislip (2002; Milwaukee)

2007-08 averages: 12.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 0.97 bpg for Unicaja in Spain

The Bucks drafted Haislip hoping that the raw big man from Tennessee would provide some shot blocking and man the middle for years to come. To say the least that didn’t happen. And after just three years in the NBA, Haislip made his way over to Europe where he has played ever since. The Bucks didn’t get the return on their investment that they were hoping for, but as many teams have learned, drafting a guy based on upside can get you burned.

Fourteenth Pick (became a lottery selection when Charlotte joined in 2004)

Good: Troy Murphy (2001; Golden State)

2007-08 averages: 12.2 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.0 apg

Murphy hasn’t been asked by either Golden State or Indiana to be the primary offensive option like he was during his time at Notre Dame. But he’s a heady basketball player with a jumpshot that can draw interior defenders away from the basket, opening things up for his teammates. I think he’s destined to be a solid role player who averages 10-12 points per game for the remainder of his career.

Bad: Mateen Cleaves (2000; Detroit)

2007-08 averages: 19.0 ppg, 10.3 apg, 5.3 rpg for the Bakersfield Jam of the NBDL

Although he was an All-American and national champion at Michigan State, Cleaves is the perfect example of the disparity between the college and pro game. While he’s stuck around for this long in the NBA and now the D-League, Mateen hasn’t been able to snag a consistent spot in any rotation since entering with the Pistons in 2000. Whenever someone needs a backup point guard, his name usually comes up, so it’s good to see him doing so well in Bakersfield. Expect to see him on someone’s summer league roster in July.

Drafts From the Past: 2003-2007 Review

Jason Brubaker — Thu, 01 May 2008 12:22:48 -0400

How does the 2008 Draft stack up against the last 10 drafts? The answer of course is that there’s no way to tell yet. As always, it usually takes a couple years to fully analyze a draft class, especially in the NBA, where so many young players enter their names. But here’s a look at the drafts from 1998 – 2007, including biggest surprises, biggest busts, and deepest class. How will 2008 stack up? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Previously: Drafts From the Past Part One: 1998 to 2002

2003

All-Stars: 6

Best player: LeBron James (#1 – Cleveland)

Biggest lottery bust: Darko Milicic (#2 – Detroit)

Best 2^nd round pick: Mo Williams (#47 – Utah)

Easily one of the best draft classes in recent memory, thanks to the star power of James, Carmelo Anthony (3), Chris Bosh (4), and Dwyane Wade (5). All four are undeniable superstars who will be the face of the NBA for the next 10 seasons. In addition to them, the first round also produced Chris Kaman, Kirk Hinrich, TJ Ford, Nick Collison, David West, Sasha Pavlovic, Boris Diaw, Travis Outlaw, Kendrick Perkins, Leandro Barbosa and Josh Howard, while the second round produced Jason Kapono, Luke Walton, Steve Blake, Willie Green, Mo Williams and Kyle Korver. Even undrafted players Matt Carroll, Marquis Daniels, and Quinton Ross have carved out nice roles for themselves. The draft included very few busts after Darko, as even players like Jarvis Hayes, Mickeal Pietrus and Luke Ridnour have all shown flashes during their career. But there’s no doubt that this class is being judged primarily on four players, two of whom already have been to the NBA Finals, with Wade owning a ring from 2006. The sky is the limit for this class, as one day it may be mentioned in the same breath as the legendary 1984 class that featured Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton.

2004

All-Stars: 1

Best player: Dwight Howard (#1 – Orlando)

Biggest lottery bust: Rafeal Araujo (#8 – Toronto)

Best 2^nd round pick: Anderson Varejao (#30 – Orlando)

While this class has produced only one certified superstar to this point in Howard, the depth of the first round was very good, and there are some likely future All-Stars in there. In addition to Howard, the lottery included Emeka Okafor (2), Ben Gordon (3), Devin Harris (5), Josh Childress (6), Luol Deng (7), Andre Iguodala (9) and Andris Biedrins (11). The rest of the first round gave us Al Jefferson, JR Smith, Josh Smith, Jameer Nelson, Delonte West, Tony Allen and Kevin Martin. Jefferson, Iguodala, and Martin are on the verge on being All-Stars, while the Smiths have as much potential as any young players in the league if they harness it. The second round wasn’t great, but did produce Varejao, Chris Duhon, Royal Ivey and Trevor Ariza, all solid players in the league. Plus, this doesn’t even take into account Shaun Livingston (4), who has a chance to be really special if he proves he can come back from a horrific knee injury. Overall, the class looks pretty good, and will only get better. Howard has become an absolute beast down low, and you can pencil him in for 25-10 for the next 10 season, while the other lottery picks have shown flashes of greatness. They’re not at the level of the 2003 class, but the 2004 draftees are definitely going to be heard from for a long time.

2005

All-Stars: 1

Best player: Chris Paul (#4 – New Orleans)

Biggest lottery bust: Fran Vasquez (#11 – Orlando)

Best 2^nd round pick: Monta Ellis (#40 – Golden State)

Now is when it starts getting a little tougher to judge classes, because these guys are wrapping up only their third years in the league. However, it’s easy to see the potential of the class, led by two superstar point guards in Deron Williams (3) and Paul. Paul has shown he’ll be an MVP candidate for the next 10-12 seasons, while Williams is right on his heels as the best young point guard in the league. The lottery also included Andrew Bogut (1), Marvin Williams (2), Charlie Villanueva (7), and Andrew Bynum (10), players who have teased us so far with their potential, and may be on the verge of big things. The rest of the first round has proved to be good as well, led by Danny Granger, Hakim Warrick, Jarrett Jack, Luther Head, Jason Maxiell, Linas Kleiza, and David Lee. The second round has also proved surprisingly fruitful, led by Ellis, who is an All-Star in the making. In addition to Ellis, the second round included Salim Stoudamire, Brandon Bass, CJ Miles. Ronny Turiaf, Louis Williams, Andray Blatche, Ryan Gomes, and Amir Johnson. The undrafted players list in also fairly impressive, led by Kelenna Azubuike, Chuck Hayes and Shavlik Randolph. There’s no question that this class has the chance to be special, but guys like Marvin Williams, Villanueva, and Bynum need to reach their full potential for that to happen.

2006

All-Stars: 1

Best player: Brandon Roy (#6 – Minnesota)

Biggest lottery bust: Patrick O’Bryant (#9 – Golden State)

Best 2^nd round pick: Daniel Gibson (#42 – Cleveland)

The best way to grade this class right now is “incomplete”. With only two years under their belts, it’s hard to really judge who will be a bust, who will stick around for a while, and who will become a star. Roy became the leader of the Portland locker room immediately following a draft day trade, and he has the makings of a superstar with his versatility. Fellow lottery picks LaMarcus Aldridge (2) and Rudy Gay (8) broke out this year, and they’ll only get better, while Andrea Bargnani (1), Tyrus Thomas (4), Randy Foye (7) and Thabo Sefolosha (13) have the potential to be great players for many years. The rest of the first round produced Renaldo Balkman, Rajon Rondo, Kyle Lowery, and Jordan Farmar, young players who are coming into their own (especially Rondo, now that’s he surrounded by three All-Stars). Even just two years, out, the second round is littered with players no longer in the league. However, Gibson, Paul Millsap, and Leon Powe are here to stay, as all three are playing big roles for teams with their sights set in championships. It’ll take a few more years before we’re able to really judge this class, but the potential is there, led by Roy, Aldridge and Gay.

2007

All-Stars: 0

Best player: Kevin Durant (#2 – Seattle)

Biggest lottery bust: Corey Brewer (#7 – Minnesota)

Best 2^nd round pick: Carl Landry (#31 – Seattle)

Before we start, I realize it’s unfair to call anyone a bust after one year in the league, especially someone playing on a team as bad as Minnesota. But I figured, as probably did many people, that someone with Brewer’s length and skill set could put up more than 5.8 points per game, even on a bad team. But like with 2006, the potential of this class is still unrealized, yet the future looks bright. Durant was up and down at times, but there’s no doubt he’ll be among the league’s leading scorers sooner rather than later. Al Horford (3), also showed he’s going to be a force in the middle for a long time, while Joakim Noah (9), Thaddeus Young (12), Julian Wright (13) and Al Thornton (14) all came on stronger as the year progressed. Of course, top pick Greg Oden sat out the year due to injury, but he should be able to step in an anchor the Portland front line for the next 12 seasons if he’s healthy. The rest of the first round gave us Rodney Stuckey, Nick Young, Sean Williams and Jared Dudley…players who saw ups and downs in their rookie year but could be solid rotation guys next season. The second round also produced some gems, with Landry, Glen Davis and Ramon Sessions (who dropped 24 assists in a game late in the season). Obviously, it’s way to soon to judge this class, since their rookie season just wrapped up. But if Oden comes back healthy, and Durant and Horford continue to develop, this class could be special.

So how will 2008 stack up? Beasley and Rose have All-Star potential, as do Mayo, Gordon, Bayless, Darrell Arthur and Brook Lopez. However, the bust potential is also high for these young players, who have the skills but who are also still developing. How will they adjust to the physical nature of the NBA? Can they handle not being The Man and getting shots whenever they want? Many of them will probably spend more time on the bench in their first season than they have in their high school and college careers combined – how do they handle that?

Only time will tell. With so many freshmen expected to stay in the draft, it will likely take a few years for many of these guys to fully develop, so we should expect a steep learning curve. But there’s no doubt that the 2008 class could be great, led by those same freshmen who made college basketball so special this season.

Return to Drafts From the Past Part One: 1998 to 2002

Drafts From the Past: 1998-2002 Review

Jason Brubaker — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:30:02 -0400

The big focus this past weekend was obviously on the NFL Draft, but it also marked the deadline for underclassmen to declare for the NBA Draft. With more and more players tossing their names into the ring, this draft has the potential, at least on paper, to be very deep. There are near-sure things like Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose, who should be All-Stars sooner rather than later. There are plenty of high-risk, high-reward players, like Donte Green and DeAndre Jordan. There are a few upperclassmen who should make a nice living in the league, like Roy Hibbert, DJ White, Jason Thompson and Courtney Lee. And finally, there are plenty of other freshmen who should make early impacts, like Kevin Love, OJ Mayo, Eric Gordon and Jerryd Bayless,

All in all – the draft looks to be solid. But how does it stack up against the last 10 drafts? The answer of course is that there’s no way to tell yet. As always, it usually takes a couple years to fully analyze a draft class, especially in the NBA, where so many young players enter their names. But here’s a look at the drafts from 1998 – 2007, including biggest surprises, biggest busts, and deepest class. How will 2008 stack up? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.

1998

All-Stars: 5

Best player: Dirk Nowitzki (#9 – Milwaukee)

Biggest bust: Michael Olowokandi (#1-LA Clippers)

Best 2^nd round pick: Rashard Lewis (#32- Seattle)

The first post-MJ Draft produced a solid number of legitimate players, as well as five legitimate superstars in Mike Bibby (2), Antawn Jamison (4), Vince Carter (5), Dirk Nowitzki (9), and Paul Pierce (10). However, the lottery that year also included busts like Michael Olowokandi (1), Robert Traylor (8), and Michael Dickerson (13), none of whom lived up to expectations. But the depth of the class was solid, with the first round producing Larry Hughes, Bonzi Wells, Jason Williams, Matt Harpring, Raef LaFrentz, Ricky Davis, Al Harrington, Rasho Nesterovic and Nazr Mohammed. The second round proved to be solid also, as Rashard Lewis, Rafer Alston, Cuttino Mobley and Greg Buckner were all selected. Among undrafted players, Brad Miller is a two-time All-Star, while Mike James, Anthony Carter and Earl Boykins also found their niche in the league. Overall, the 1998 draft was solid, although some would point out that none of the superstars have produced a championship yet. But while not all of the lottery picks turned into stars, there were few flat-out busts, and the class had solid depth. Better yet, the NBA found some marketing stars in the post-Jordan era, with Vince’s hops and Dirk’s ridiculous combination of size and ball skills ushering in a new era.

1999

All-Stars: 9

Best player: Elton Brand (#1 – Chicago)

Biggest bust: Jonathan Bender (#5-Toronto)

Best 2^nd round pick: Manu Ginobili (#57- San Antonio)

Like the 1998 class, the 1999 draft produced a number of superstar-quality players, like Elton Brand (1), Steve Francis (2), Baron Davis (4), Rip Hamilton (7), Andre Miller (8), Shawn Marion (9), Ron Artest (16), Andrei Kirilenko (24) and Manu Ginolbil (57). As usually, there were a few busts, like Jonathan Bender, William Avery, Trajan Langdon and someone named Aleksander Radojevic. But the depth of the class proved solid again, as Lamar Odom, Wally Szczerbiak, Corey Maggette, Jason Terry, James Posey and Devean George were first-round picks. However, the second-round of the draft produced almost nothing of substance outside of Ginobili, with Francisco Elson, Todd MacCulloch, and Gordan Giricek the only names worth recognizing. The draft does score points however with a couple of undrafted players who have made a name for themselves in one way or another, with Raja Bell and Chris “Birdman”Andersen. Overall, this draft probably trumps the 1998 draft because of more depth in the first round, plus championship rings for Hamilton, Ginobili, George and Posey don’t hurt either. Besides, any class that gives us the Artest and the Birdman is going to be tough to beat…

2000

All-Stars: 3

Best player: Kenyon Martin (#1 – New Jersey)

Biggest lottery bust: Stromile Swift (#2 – Vancouver)

Best 2^nd round pick: Michael Redd (#43-Milwaukee)

Yikes. Not much to work with here. I guess it’s never a good sign when you have multiple options for the “Biggest bust” award. I went with Swift, who has shown he can do little else but dunk for losing teams in his career, but I just as easily could have gone with Darius Miles, Marcus Fizer, Dermarr Johnson, Jerome Moiso, Mateen Cleaves or Courtney Alexander. Number one overall Kenyon Martin has had a solid career, slowed a little by injuries and being a knucklehead, while lottery picks Mike Miller (5), Chris Mihm (7), Jamal Crawford (8), Joel Przybilla (9) and Keyon Dooling (10) have been solid, but not spectacular. The rest of the first round produced some quality players, like Hedo Turkoglu, Desmond Mason, Quentin Richardson, Jamaal Magloire, Morris Peterson and DeShawn Stevenson, but out of them, only Magloire has been an All-Star. The second round proved to be dreadful again, with Redd, Eduardo Najera and Eddie House the only names who stand out. Even the undrafted players list is unimpressive, with Ime Udoka and Malik Allen leading the way. On the plus side, this class did give us the head-tapping move from Richardson and Miles, the “I can’t feel my face” move from Stevenson, and dancing from Mark Madsen, so I guess it wasn’t a total waste. But I was always told that if I have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all…so we’ll just leave it at that.

2001

All-Stars: 5

Best player: Gilbert Arenas (#31 – Golden State)

Biggest lottery bust: Kwame Brown (#1 – Washington)

Best 2^nd round pick: Gilbert Arenas (#31- Golden State)

This is more like it. The 2001 class has four legit stars in Pau Gasol (4), Joe Johnson (10), Tony Parker (28) and Arenas. The class also had very solid depth, with Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry, Jason Richardson, Shane Battier, Vladamir Radmanovich, Richard Jefferson, Zach Randolph, Gerald Wallace, Samuel Dalmbert and Brendan Haywood all going in the first round. Outside of Arenas and Mehmet Okur, the second-round didn’t produce much, but Trenton Hassell, Earl Watson and Bobby Simmons have all made a solid living in the league. Amongst undrafted players, Carlos Arroy, Charlie Bell and Jamario Moon have had the most success. But overall, this class has proved to be very good. Chandler is on the verge-of becoming an All-Star, while Jefferson, Richardson, Curry and Randolph all have the potential to be if the chips fall right. Gasol is looking to start a new dynasty with Kobe in LA, while Parker is coming off a season in which he was the NBA Finals MVP. Johnson and Arenas are tow of the most talented players in the league, and leaders of young squads with plenty of playoff runs left in them. Kwame, Rodney White and Kedrick Brown drag the class down a little, but overall, 2001 was a good year for the NBA.

2002

All-Stars: 4

Best player: Amare Stoudemire (#9 – Phoenix)

Biggest lottery bust: Nikoloz Tskitishvili (#5 – Denver)

Best 2^nd round pick: Carlos Boozer (#34 – Cleveland)

This class takes the prize for the most “what-ifs”. What if Jay Williams, a lightning quick scoring point guard, hadn’t injured himself in a motorcycle wreck? What if scoring machine Dajuan Wagner hadn’t had to undergo colon surgery? What if top pick Yao Ming could stay healthy for an entire season? Regardless, the class still looks pretty good, led by Yao, Stoudemire, Caron Butler (10) and Boozer. The first round produced some standout players who will be contributing for years to come, such as Mike Dunleavy (3), Drew Gooden (4), Chris Wilcox (8), Jared Jeffries (11) and Tayshaun Prince (23). In addition to Boozer, the second round produced Roger Mason, Flip Murray, Darius Songalia, Matt Barnes and Luis Scola, while the undrafted players list includes Udonis Haslem, Reggie Evans, Devin Brown and Jannero Pargo. Yao, Stoudemire, Butler and Boozer are all legitimate stars with plenty of good years left, while Prince, Haslem and Brown all have championship rings. However, you can’t help but wonder how good Williams and Wagner might have been under different circumstances, as well as what Yao could do if he were able to remain fully healthy. It’s still a very very good class, but not quite what it could have been.

Check back tomorrow for the 2003-2007 Drafts!

Do Lottery Players Equal NBA Success?

Jeff Fox — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 15:40:49 -0400

The title of the article pretty much sums it up – do the number of lottery drafted players on a NBA team’s roster affect the team’s outcome on the court? At first blush the obvious answer would be yes – more often than not talent wins out on the court, so more talent on a roster should equal more wins. On the other side of the coin, normally the worst teams in the league are the ones drafting in the lottery, so therefore crummy teams should have their rosters saturated with lottery picks.

Your trusty writer went about trying to answer this question by perusing all 30 NBA team’s rosters from the 2006/07 season. Any player who appeared in at least one game for a team qualified to be counted towards that team’s lottery player total, so lottery players who were traded during the season counted on multiple team’s totals. After all the number crunching, NBA teams had on an average about five players on their roster who were selected in the lottery. Here are the teams that disobeyed the average and were at the far ends of the spectrum:

Top of the heap:

Golden State – 9 players (Davis, Richardson, Biedrins, Dunleavy, Diogu, Foyle, O’Bryant, Pietrus, Wagner)

Denver – 8 players (Anthony, Iverson, Camby, Hilario, Miller, Smith, Martin, Johnson)

Miami – 8 players (Wade, O’Neal, Williams, Mourning, Walker, Payton, Jones, Doleac)

All three teams made the playoffs, so talent does get you that far. Miami’s stockpiling of veteran lottery picks (and some kid named Wade) got them the title in 2006. It’s hard to say if the Nuggets’ motley crew of lottery picks will ever be able to play together as a team and really make some noise in the playoffs. Golden State’s big mid-season trade took away some of the lottery talent, but they had enough left over to shock Dallas in the first round of the playoffs.

Bottom feeders:

Indiana – 2 players (Dunleavy, Diogu)

Milwaukee – 2 players (Bogut, Villanueva)

San Antonio – 3 players (Duncan, Horry, Ely)

Utah – 3 players (Williams, Harpring, Brewer)

Until their mid-season trade with Golden State, Indiana didn’t have any lottery picks on their team – and they suffered through a horrible season. Milwaukee also had a horrible year but at least their lottery talent is young still. The real interesting two are the Spurs and the Jazz, who battled in the Western Conference Finals this past season. These two teams proved it doesn’t matter what spot you draft a player at, rather it is more important to draft and/or trade smart. While having lottery picks Tim Duncan and Deron Williams on their rosters definitely help, it is the later picks that really make the difference for both teams – Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur.

While it is hard to draw a definitive conclusion from all of this, the main point that these numbers illustrates is that a pick in the lottery isn’t a guaranteed ticket to a championship. Unless that pick is named Duncan or O’Neal or probably Oden and/or Durant. So draft wisely NBA GMs, even those of you who aren’t in the lottery this year.

All-Time Best Draft Picks by Actual Round: Part 2

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:31:00 -0400

With just two rounds, the current NBA Draft isn’t like it used to be. At times in the past, the Draft lasted into the 20th round. Even more surprising is that some guys drafted that late made NBA rosters. In fact, 1958 15th round pick Adrian Smith actually made an all-star game..

This is part two of Jon Teitel's All-Time Draft Pick Recap. Part One Features the First Round.

ALL-TIME BEST NBA DRAFT PICKS BY ACTUAL ROUND/PICK IN DRAFT
(MINIMUM 10 GAMES, WITH NBA STATISTICS)

ROUND 2
1. Willis Reed (1964): 18.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG (#13 all-time), 1.8 APG, 1.1 BPG, Hall-of-Fame
2. Nate Archibald (1970): 18.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.4 APG (#17 all-time), 1.1 SPG, 81 FT%, Hall-of-Fame
3. Dennis Rodman (1986): 7.3 PPG, 13.1 RPG (#12 all-time), 1.8 APG, 52.1 FG%, 2-time All-Star
4. George McGinnis (1973): 17.2 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 3-time All-Star
5. Chet Walker (1962): 18.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 7-time All-Star
6. Hal Greer (1958): 19.2 PPG, 5 RPG, 4 APG, 80.1 FT%, Hall-of-Fame
7. John Drew (1974): 20.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 2-time All-Star
8. Richie Guerin (1954): 17.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 5 APG, 6-time All-Star
9. Clifford Robinson (1989): 14.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG, 1-time All-Star
10. Dan Roundfield (1975): 15.2 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.5 BPG, 3-time All-Star
11. Phil Smith (1974): 15.1 PPG, 3 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 2-time All-Star
12. Dennis Johnson (1976): 14.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5 APG, 1.3 SPG, 5-time All-Star
13. Spencer Haywood (1971): 19.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 BPG, 80 FT%, 4-time All-Star
14. Maurice Cheeks (1978): 11.1 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 6.7 APG, 2.1 SPG (#14 all-time), 52.3 FG%, 4-time All-Star
15. Howard Porter (1971): 9.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 80.2 FT%
16. Sasha Danilovic (1992): 12.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2 APG
17. Otis Smith (1986): 10.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1 SPG
18. Antonio Davis (1990): 10 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1 BPG, 1-time All-Star
19. Voshon Lenard (1994): 11.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.1 APG
20. Ryan Gomes (2005): 10 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.3 APG
21. Cedric Ceballos (1990): 14.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.2 APG, 50 FG%, 1-time All-Star
22. Jeff Hornacek (1986): 14.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.4 SPG, 87.7 FT% (#13 all-time), 1-time All-Star
23. Micheal Williams (1988): 11 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 5.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, 86.8 FT% (#20 all-time)
24. Lawrence Funderburke (1994): 6.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 50.6 FG%
25. Steve Kerr (1988): 6 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 86.4 FT%, 45.4 3-PT FG% (#1 all-time)
26. Mark Blount (1997): 8.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 51.3 FG%
27. Zeljko Rebraca (1994): 5.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 52.7 FG%
28. Manu Ginobili (1999): 13.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 80.3 FT%, 1-time All-Star
29. Don Reid (1995): 3.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 53 FG%
30. Will Blalock (2006): 1.8 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 1.2 APG

ROUND 3 (Stopped after 1988)
1. Lloyd Neal (1972): 11.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.5 APG
2. James Edwards (1977): 12.7 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.3 APG
3. Anthony Mason (1988): 10.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.4 APG, 50.9 FG%, 1-time All-Star
4. George Gervin (1974): 26.2 PPG (#8 all-time), 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 51.1 FG%, 84.4 FT%, Hall-of-Fame
5. Eddie Johnson (1977): 15.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 5.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 2-time All-Star
6. Gar Heard (1970): 8.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.3 BPG
7. Wayne Embry (1958): 12.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 5-time All-Star
8. Kenny Gattison(1986): 7.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 52 FG%
9. Bill Bridges (1961): 11.9 PPG, 11.9 RPG (#20 all-time), 2.8 APG, 3-time All-Star
10. Leonard Gray (1973): 10.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.2 APG
11. Frank Brickowski (1981): 10 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 51.9 FG%
12. Kurt Rambis (1980): 5.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.1 APG, 53.4 FG%
13. Drazen Petrovic (1986): 15.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 50.6 FG%, 84.1 FT%, Hall-of-Fame
14. Fred Carter (1969): 15.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG
15. Larry Kenon (1973): 17 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.3 SPG, 2-time All-Star
16. Michael Cooper (1978): 8.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 83.3 FT%
17. Kevin Gamble (1987): 9.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2 APG, 50.2 FG%, 81 FT%
18. Dave Hoppen (1986): 5 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 51.8 FG%
19. Michael Adams (1985): 14.7 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 6.4 APG, 1.7 SPG, 84.9 FT%, 1-time All-Star
20. Gerald Henderson (1978): 8.9 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.1 SPG
21. Bill Laimbeer (1979): 12.9 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2 APG, 83.7 FT%, 4-time All-Star
22. Mike Bratz (1977): 7 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 83 FT%
23. Jim Les (1986): 3.8 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 81.8 FT%
24. Gerald Paddio (1988): 5.5 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1 APG

ROUND 4 (Stopped after 1987)
1. Darwin Cook (1980): 9.5 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.7 SPG
2. Bob Dandridge (1969): 18.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 4-time All-Star
3. Mark Eaton (1979): 6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1 APG, 3.5 BPG (#1 all-time), 1-time All-Star
4. Scott Meents (1986): 1.8 PPG, 1 RPG
5. Paul Neumann (1959): 11 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.2 APG
6. Rory Sparrow (1980): 9 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 5 APG, 1 SPG
7. Bob Love (1965): 17.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 80.5 FT%, 3-time All-Star
8. Happy Hairston (1964): 14.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.6 APG
9. Steve Kuberski (1969): 5.5 PPG, 3.8 RPG
10. Steve Hayes (1977): 2.6 PPG, 2.5 RPG
11. Henry Bibby (1972): 8.6 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.3 APG
12. Larry Spriggs (1981): 5.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 51.7 FG%
13. Delaney Rudd (1985): 3.4 PPG, 2.2 APG
14. Greg Smith (1968): 7.8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.8 APG
15. Lawrence Boston (1978): 4.3 PPG, 3 RPG
16. Jerry Sichting (1979): 6.9 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 3.3 APG, 50.7 FG%, 85.7 FT%
17. Spud Webb (1985): 9.9 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 84.8 FT%
18. Walter Jordan (1978): 2.3 PPG, 1.4 RPG
19. Kevin McKenna (1981): 5.4 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, 81.9 FT%
20. Derrick Gervin (1985): 8.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG
21. Carlos Clark (1983): 2.4 PPG, 80.3 FT%
22. Tony Robertson (1977): 5.5 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.1 SPG

ROUND 5 (Stopped after 1987)
1. Tony Fuller (1980): 4 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.9 APG
2. Ron Davis (1976): 5.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG
3. Wilbur Holland (1975): 13.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.7 SPG
4. Steve Mix (1969): 10.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 80.3 FT%, 1-time All-Star
5. Don Ohl (1958): 15.9 PPG, 3 RPG, 3.1 APG, 5-time All-Star
6. Paul Griffin (1976): 5.1 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 50.5 FG%
7. M.L. Carr (1973): 9.7 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.3 SPG
8. Ron Grandison (1987): 2.4 PPG, 1.6 RPG
9. George Thompson (1969): 10.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.1 APG
10. Hank McDowell (1981): 2.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG
11. George Johnson (1970): 4.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1 APG, 2.5 BPG
12. Wil Jones (1969): 9.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG
13. Charles Dudley (1972): 5.3 PPG, 3 RPG, 3.4 APG
14. Dennis Bell (1973): 2.8 PPG, 1.9 RPG
15. Rowland Garrett (1972): 5.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG
16. Allen Leavell (1979): 9.5 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 83.4 FT%
ROUND 6 (Stopped after 1987)
1. Cleveland Buckner (1961): 6 PPG, 3.5 RPG
2. Don Ford (1975): 6.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.4 APG
3. Andre McCarter (1976): 3.8 PPG, 1.7 APG
4. Reggie Harding (1963): 9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.7 APG
5. Billy McKinney (1977): 8 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 82 FT%
7. Tom Scheffler (1977): 1.3 PPG, 1.9 RPG
8. Charles Johnson (1971): 8.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.2 SPG
9. Henry Ward (1975): 3.1 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 88.2 FT%
10. John Williamson (1973): 20.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 83.3 FT%
12. Johnny Neumann (1973): 5.6 PPG, 1 RPG, 2 APG
13. Sarunas Marciulionis (1987): 12.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 50.5 FG%
17. Anthony Frederick (1986): 4.9 PPG, 1.9 RPG
18. Alexander Volkov (1986): 6.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.2 APG
23. Sedale Threatt (1983): 9.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 81.5 FT%

ROUND 7 (Stopped after 1987)
1. Billy Paultz (1970): 8.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 BPG
2. Randy Smith (1971): 16.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 2-time All-Star
3. Lorenzo Romar (1980): 5.9 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 3.5 APG
4. Charlie Scott (1970): 17.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.3 SPG, 3-time All-Star
5. Alvin Scott (1977): 4.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.4 APG
6. Bob Sims (1960): 7.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.4 APG
7. Howie Montgomery (1962): 7.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.1 APG
8. Claude English (1970): 1.5 PPG, 1.1 RPG
9. Georgi Glouchkov (1985): 4.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG
12. Bernie Fryer (1972): 6.2 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 3 APG, 1 SPG
13. Dane Suttle (1983): 5.9 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 1 APG, 50.7 FG%, 85.7 FT%
15. Artis Gilmore (1971): 17.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 2 APG, 1.9 BPG, 59.9 FG% (#1 all-time), 6-time All-Star
16. Mickey Davis (1972): 5.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1 APG, 84.2 FT%
17. Ken Bannister (1984): 5.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG
18. Steve Malovic (1978): 2.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG
20. Lars Hansen (1977): 5.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 50.9 FG%
21. Mario Elie (1985): 8.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 85.4 FT%

ROUND 8 (Stopped after 1984)
1. Don Adams (1970): 8.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPG
3. Dan Issel (1970): 20.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1 SPG, 50.6 FG%, Hall-of-Fame
4. Bobby Cattage (1981): 3.1 PPG, 1.4 RPG
5. Woody Sauldsberry (1957): 10.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1-time All-Star
6. Jim Fox (1965): 9.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.6 APG
7. John Wetzel (1966): 3.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 1.4 APG, 81 FT%
8. Jim Owens (1973): 3.1 PPG, 1.1 APG
9. Ben Kelso (1973): 11.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.6 SPG
10. Andre McCarter (1975): 3.8 PPG, 1.7 APG
12. Barry Yates (1971): 2.9 PPG, 1.7 RPG
14. Herb White (1970): 2.4 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 1.2 APG
17. Greg Fillmore (1970): 2.4 PPG, 2.2 RPG
18. Charles Jones (1979): 2.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.6 BPG
20. John Olive (1977): 1.3 PPG

ROUND 9 (Stopped after 1984)
2. Harry Staverman (1958): 4.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG
3. Goo Kennedy (1971): 2 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 53.4 FG%
4. George Reynolds (1969): 2.1 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.2 APG
7. Terry Thomas (1975): 2.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG
9. Ron Filipek (1967): 2.3 PPG, 1.3 RPG
14. Jackie Dinkins (1971): 2.5 PPG, 1.1 RPG
16. Al Skinner (1974): 9.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1 SPG, 80.8 FT%

ROUND 10 (Stopped after 1984)
1. Paul Dawkins (1979): 5.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 1.4 APG
2. Coby Dietrick (1970): 6.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.1 APG
4. Freddie Lewis (1966): 5.8 PPG, 1.4 RPG, 1.5 APG
8. Rod Derline (1974): 4.8 PPG
11. Dwight Waller (1968): 0.6 PPG
15. Bill Ligon (1974): 3.3 PPG
16. Dale Wilkinson (1982): 1.2 PPG, 85.7 FT%

ROUND 11 (Stopped after 1973)
1. Rod Freeman (1973): 3 PPG, 1.5 RPG
2. Jim Marsh (1968): 3.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG
3. Stan McKenzie (1966): 9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.5 APG, 80.2 FT%
6. John Barnhill (1959): 8.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 2.8 APG
13. Ron Boone (1968): 13.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 83.7 FT%

ROUND 12 (Stopped after 1973)
1. Mel Nowell (1962): 5.9 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 2.2 APG
2. George Patterson (1961): 2 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 84.2 FT%
4. Joe Buckhalter (1958): 5.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG
5. Mike Riordan (1967): 9.9 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.4 APG

ROUND 13 (Stopped after 1973)
6. Mike Barr (1972): 3.9 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 2.4 APG

ROUND 14 (Stopped after 1973)
8. Mack Calvin (1969): 7 PPG, 1.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 84.8 FT%

ROUND 15 (Stopped after 1973)
1. Adrian Smith (1958): 11.8 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.4 APG, 83.6 FT%, 1-time All-Star

ROUND 16 (Stopped after 1973)
NONE

ROUND 17 (Stopped after 1973)
2. Bob Peterson (1970): 4.7 Ppg, 3.8 RPG
5. Milt Williams (1968): 3.5 PPG, 1.8 APG

ROUND 18 (Stopped after 1973)
NONE

ROUND 19 (Stopped after 1973)
3. Grady O’Malley (1969): 2.1 PPG, 1.1 RPG
4. Brian Heaney (1969): 2 PPG

ROUND 20 (Stopped after 1973)
1. Roland West (1967): 1 PPG, 1.3 RPG

Return to the First Round.

All-Time Best Draft Picks by Actual Round/Pick

Jon Teitel — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 13:39:01 -0400

The flip side of there being more rounds, was that each round was shorter due to the existence of substantially less NBA teams. What’s compiled below is the all-time best pick at each draft position. Willis Reed for example was the 10th overall pick in the 1964 NBA Draft.. but with only 9 teams in the league that year, the 10th pick was actually the 1st of the 2nd Round. For purposes of this list then, Reed goes down as the best ever pick to start of the 2nd Round.

ALL-TIME BEST NBA DRAFT PICKS BY ACTUAL ROUND/PICK IN DRAFT
(MINIMUM 10 GAMES, WITH NBA STATISTICS)

ROUND 1
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969): 24.6 PPG (#13 all-time), 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.6 BPG (#9 all-time), 55.9 FG% (#8 all-time), 38,387 points (#1 all-time), Hall-of-Fame
2. Bill Russell (1956): 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG (#2 all-time), 4.3 APG, Hall-of-Fame
3. Michael Jordan (1984): 30.1 PPG (#1 all-time), 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG (#5 all-time), 83.5 FT%, 13-time All-Star
4. Rick Barry (1965): 23.2 PPG (#19 all-time), 6.5 RPG, 5.1 APG, 2 SPG, 90 FT% (#2 all-time), Hall-of-Fame
5. Charles Barkley (1984): 22.1 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.5 SPG, 54.1 FG% (#15 all-time), Hall-of-Fame
6. Larry Bird (1978): 24.3 PPG (#14 all-time), 10 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 88.6 FT% (#9 all-time), Hall-of-Fame
7. Billy Cunningham (1965): 20.8 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 4 APG, 1.2 SPG, Hall-of-Fame
8. Robert Parish (1976): 14.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.5 BPG, 53.7 FG% (#19 all-time), 1611 games (#1 all-time), Hall-of-Fame
9. John Havlicek (1962): 20.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 81.5 FT%, Hall-of-Fame
10. Gail Goodrich (1965): 18.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 80.7 FT%, Hall-of-Fame
11. Reggie Miller (1987): 18.2 PPG, 3 RPG, 3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 88.8 FT% (#7 all-time), 2560 3-PT FG made (#1 all-time), 5-time All-Star
12. Julius Erving (1972): 22 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 50.7 FG%, Hall-of-Fame
13. Karl Malone (1985): 25 PPG (#10 all-time), 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 51.6 FG%, 9787 FT made (#1 all-time), 11,406 defensive rebounds (#1 all-time), 13-time All-Star
14. Clyde Drexler (1983): 20.4 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 5.6 APG, 2 SPG (#18 all-time), Hall-of-Fame
15. Steve Nash (1996): 14 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 7.6 APG (#14 all-time), 89.6 FT% (#2 all-time), 5-time All-Star
16. John Stockton (1984): 13.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 10.5 APG (#2 all-time), 2.2 SPG (#10 all-time), 51.5 FG%, 82.6 FT%, 15,806 assists (#1 all-time), 3265 steals (#1 all-time), 10-time All-Star
17. Shawn Kemp (1989): 14.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 6-time All-Star
18. Joe Dumars (1985): 16.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 4.5 APG, 84.3 FT%, Hall-of-Fame
19. Rod Strickland (1988): 13.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.5 SPG
20. Larry Nance (1981): 17.1 PPG, 8 RPG, 2.6 APG, 2.2 BPG (#19 all-time), 54.6 FG% (#12 all-time), 3-time All-Star
21. Michael Finley (1995): 17.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1 SPG, 81.3 FT%, 2-time All-Star
22. Norm Nixon (1977): 15.7 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 8.3 APG (#7 all-time), 1.5 SPG, 2-time All-Star
23. A.C. Green (1985): 9.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1-time All-Star
24. Latrell Sprewell (1992): 18.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 80.4 FT%, 4-time All-Star
25. Al Harrington (1998): 13 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.9 APG
26. Vlade Divac (1989): 11.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 1-time All-Star
27. Jamaal Tinsley (2001): 10.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.7 SPG
28. Tony Parker (2001): 15.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1 SPG, 2-time All-Star
29. Josh Howard (2003): 13.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1-time All-Star
30. David Lee (2005): 7.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 59.8 FG%

Continue to the Second Round and Beyond.

Book Review - Tip Off: How the 1984 Draft Changed Basketball

Jeff Fox — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 10:58:51 -0400

Tip Off – How The 1984 NBA Draft Changed Basketball Forever
Filip Bondy
Da Capo Press
$25.00 ($30.00 Canada)

New York Daily News columnist Filip Bondy’s Tip Off is out just in time to put this year’s NBA draft in perspective. While Greg Oden and Kevin Durant appear destined for greatness, there isn’t any other “superstar” apparent in the mix. On the other hand, four of the greatest players of all-time were picked in the 1984 draft – Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and John Stockton.

To think that heading into the draft Olajuwon was the only prospect of the “big four” considered a sure-fire superstar is mind-boggling. The league’s mindset on drafting players at the time (bigger is better) is analyzed and many basketball bigwigs come clean and admit that they messed up. Why Portland picked Sam Bowie over Jordan is dissected, along with the concerns over Barkley’s attitude and Stockton’s strength and skill set. While it is very interesting reading the in depth material on the four superstars listed above, it is also fascinating hearing Bowie’s and Sam Perkins’ back stories and thoughts on what went down draft day.

Where the book really excels is the behind the scenes glimpses it gives its reader. Bondy tells how Barkley tried to eat himself out of the Sixers’ draft plans in a desperate attempt to not be picked by them, how Bobby Knight reduced Jordan to tears at the 1984 Olympic team practices and Bowie’s feelings on being selected ahead of arguably the greatest player to ever lace them up.

Overall, Tip Off is a must read. While there are a couple of errors this eagle eye reviewer found (mention of Jordan’s phantom senior season in college, referring to the Virginia Cavaliers as Cleveland), this book is meticulously researched and a breeze to read. It is a must read for all CHN readers.

4.5 out of 5 stars