June in the NBA means two things; NBA finals and draft day. Now the NBA draft has a considerable ways to go before it reaches the status of the NFL draft day, but it still has significant meaning for the teams.
I like to argue that the NBA draft offers the most significant opportunity for teams to upgrade their rosters. Take the top 13 picks in each of the four-major sports and year-to-year the NBA newbies bring the biggest value to their new clubs. The NFL certainly does hype their event better and even hypes their incoming players more but I argue that the NBA newbies are more significant additions than their NFL counterparts.
As the NBA draft approaches we will provide a team by team analysis for each of the lottery teams, but before we delve into what the future might bring we would be remiss if we didn’t pause and take a look at draft days past.
As each team prepares to make their draft selection they do so in hopes of finding that perfect fit and unpolished gem that could turn into their franchise diamond in the rough. As we take a look back, here is a list of teams that definitely found their draft day gems. While other’s may have missed, these teams struck it rich.
1984 NBA Draft
#16 - Utah Jazz - John Stockton
#46 - Portland Trailblazers - Jerome Kersey
#87 - Detroit Pistons - Spud Webb
1986 NBA Draft
#24 - Portland Trailblazers - Arvydas Sabonis
#27 - Detroit Pistons - Dennis Rodman
#46 - Phoenix Suns - Jeff Hornacek
#60 - Portland Trailblazers - Drazen Petrovic
1987 NBA Draft
#22 - Boston Celtics - Reggie Lewis
#127 - Golden State Warriors - Sarunas Marciulionis
1988 NBA Draft
#19 - New York Knicks - Rod Strickland
#50 - Phoenix Suns - Steve Kerr
#53 - Portland Trailblazers - Anthony Mason
1989 NBA Draft
#14 - Golden State - Tim Hardaway
#17 - Seattle Supersonics - Shawn Kemp
#26 - Los Angeles Lakers - Vlade Divac
#36 - Portland Trailblazers - Clifford Robinson
1990 NBA Draft
#29 - Chicago Bulls - Toni Kukoc
#45 - Indiana Pacers - Antonio Davis
1991 NBA Draft
#24 - Boston Celtics - Rick Fox
1993 NBA Draft
#24 - Houston Rockets - Sam Cassell
#37 - Los Angeles Lakers - Nick Van Exel
1995 NBA Draft
#21 - Phoenix Suns - Michael Finley
1996 NBA Draft
#24 - Los Angeles Lakers - Derek Fisher
1997 NBA Draft
#43 - Phoenix - Stephen Jackson
1998 NBA Draft
#25 - Indiana Pacers - Al Harrington
#32 - Seattle - Rashard Lewis
#41 - Houston Rockets - Cuttino Mobley
1999 NBA Draft
#57 - San Antonio - Manu Ginobili
2001 NBA Draft
#19 - Portland Trailblazers- Zach Randolph
#25 - Sacramento Kings - Gerald Wallace
#28 - San Antonio Spurs - Tony Parker
#30 - Golden State Warriors - Gilbert Arenas
#37 - Detroit Pistons - Mehmet Okur
2002 NBA Draft
#23 - Detroit Pistons - Tayshaun Prince
#34 - Cleveland Cavaliers - Carlos Boozer
2003 NBA Draft
#18 - New Orleans Hornets - David West
#47 - Utah Jazz - Mo Williams
2004 NBA Draft
#17 - Atlanta Hawks - Josh Smith
#30 - Orlando Magic - Anderson Varejao
2005 NBA Draft
#30 - New York Knicks - David Lee
#40 - Golden State Warriors - Monta Ellis
2006 NBA Draft
#21 - Phoenix Suns - Rajon Rondo
#47 - Utah Jazz - Paul Millsap
2007 NBA Draft
#48 - Los Angeles Lakers - Marc Gasol
By looking back we are reminded of a few things. Firstly, the NBA draft wasn’t always limited to just two rounds, it used to go five or six rounds deep. The guys drafted in the later rounds seldomly cracked the rosters and the draft was eventually capped at the two rounds that we now know.
Secondly, there have been some amazing talents discovered through in-depth scouting and the teams who have put in the effort certainly have reaped the rewards. Lastly the proof is in the draft and that is there is significant value and talent even after the lottery teams have chosen.
Will there be a second-round sleeper who emerges out of this year’s draft? The odds are that there will be. Could we see another Ginobili like talent or perhaps a power forward like Boozer will emerge as a budding superstar.
The NBA draft has long been proven to be a fundamental building block for franchises and history books alike. How different would the landscape of the NBA be if Portland had passed on Saw Bowie and instead decided on a skinny kid out of North Carolina named Michael Jordan? How would history have been altered if the draft day trade of Vlade Divac to New Orleans for their fifteenth overall draft pick who was an unproven kid named Kobe Bryant out of Lower Merion High School.
The NBA draft is the single most impactful draft among professional sports. The depth of talent is undeniable and every year franchises make significant roster upgrades through the draft. Who will rise to the top of the class this season? One thing's for certain, for all the detractors who claim the draft is weak in talent, it will be deep and you just never know when that next gem will discovered.