We continue our eDraft exclusive look at the top NBA draft choices over the past 40 years. Our continued look back through history will determine who was the best draft selection through each slot in the draft. We don’t stop with the first overalls, we will go pick by pick, year by year to identify the very best selections of all-time.
We move onward in our march to the top as we crowned Dennis Johnson our best 29th overall pick. Next up is of course the 28th overall selection and this draft slot has a lot to live up to as the late DJ set the bar high with his Hall of Fame career.
The 28th overall pick in the entry draft is typically reserved for one of the league’s better teams and these teams are usually not too inviting for rookies as they are built to win not to rebuild. Sometimes teams who aren’t keen on taking a roster spot up with a drafted rookie will scout and draft a foreign player who they can stash overseas for a couple years. This lets teams save the salary, save the roster spot and maintain the rights to the drafted player.
In 2001 this is exactly what happened as a little known, foreign born and foreign playing guard caught the eye of the one of the league’s best teams, except this guy made such an impression he never went back to Europe and he became a mainstay in the Association. Here we go with eDraft’s greatest player ever drafted 28th overall.
The 28th draft slot has not been kind to teams over the years, in fact it has been one of the most underperforming draft slots throughout history. While one wouldn’t expect to find too many hidden gems so far down in the draft, the pickings are nonetheless pretty slim. Greivis Vasquez and Tiago Splitter are recent draftees out of the 28th spot and each is coming into their own as an NBA player. Vasquez had a solid season last year as he finished runner-up as the NBA’s Most Improved Player and Splitter was a big part of the San Antonio Spurs playoff success last year.
Going back a few more years, the association welcomed in yet another import player in Leandro Barbosa as he was drafted by the Spurs in 2003 as the 28th overall pick. In 1995 the Utah Jazz
went for a more local talent as they scooped Greg Ostertag with their 28th overall pick. Ostertag had a fairly productive if not maddening career and he ultimately retired after the 2005-06 season.
One team who has done remarkably well with drafting players out of the 28th spot has been the San Antonio Spurs. In addition to drafting Splitter in 2007 and Barbosa in 2003, the Spurs made one of the franchises most shrewd selection in 2001 as they nabbed a little know and lightly regarded point guard from France by the name of Tony Parker
Parker made an immediate impact for the Spurs as he started 72 games in his rookie season; he hasn’t looked back since as he has gone on to win three NBA Championships with the Spurs. Parker’s career is not yet over, but he already has the three rings, was named Finals MVP in 2007 and has five All-Star nominations.
Once Parker does decide to hang up his sneakers, he will ultimately get the call to join the ranks of greatness in the NBA Hall of Fame. There can be no doubt as to who is the greatest player selected 28th overall is; Tony Parker wins this matchup hands down.