Starting Five
Point Guard – Malcolm Brogdon, drafted 36th by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2016
Points guards drafted before Brogdon: Ben Simmons (1st), Kris Dunn (5th), Jamal Murray (7th), Wade Baldwin (17th), Dejounte Murray (29th), Tyler Ulis (34th)
NBA Draft – The Pick
The 2016 NBA draft class features a handful of late bloomers. First overall pick Ben Simmons sat out the year due to a right foot injury. Both Brandon Ingram (2nd overall) and Domantas Sabonis (11th overall) recently became all-stars, but not for the teams that drafted them.
The steal of the draft, Pascal Siakam (27th overall), averaged single-digit points per game in his first two seasons. However, the following year his scoring ballooned to 16.9 points per game, and he developed into the second scorer on the Raptors championship team.
Similarly, Jaylen Brown (3rd overall) did not become a starter for the Celtics until his sophomore campaign. He is now likely to make his first all-star team. Buddy Hield (6th overall) and Jamal Murray (7th overall) did not put up great numbers during their rookie campaigns.
All these factors led to Malcolm Brogdon becoming the lowest pick to ever win Rookie of the Year. Two 76ers drafted the season prior, Dario Saric and Joel Embiid, posed the biggest threat. Saric put up better averages but was less efficient, while Embiid had some eye-popping stat lines but did not have the sample size (31 games) to win the award. Brogdon also played for a playoff team, while the Sixers landed second to last in the East.
The Player
Brogdon is not the flashiest point guard (second-round picks are rarely flashy), but efficiency is the name of his game. In his last season with the Bucks, he became one of eight players to shoot 50-40-90. The Indiana Pacers rewarded him for his efforts with a four-year, eighty-five million dollar contract in a sign and trade with Milwaukee.
This season, the Pacers are getting even more bang for the former buck. With injuries to T.J. Warren and newly acquired Caris LeVert, Brogdon finds himself as Indiana’s second scoring option. His points per game have jumped from 16.5 to 21.2. Additionally, Brogdon is shooting 37.8% from three, up from 32.6% last year. He is also protecting the ball better (0.4 fewer turnovers per game) and averaging a career-high 1.3 steals per game.
Brogdon has no blaring weakness. He shoots at a solid percentage, creates shots for his teammates, limits turnovers, and defends at a high level. For those reasons, he is my starting point guard.
Shooting Guard – Fred VanVleet, undrafted in 2016, signed by the Toronto Raptors
Shooting guards drafted before VanVleet: Jaylen Brown (3rd), Buddy Hield (6th), Denzel Valentine (14th), Malik Beasley (19th), Caris LeVert (20th), Malachi Richardson (22nd), Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot (24th), Furkan Korkmaz (26th), Rade Zagorac (35th), Patrick McCaw (38th), Isaia Cordinier (44th), Paul Zipser (48th), Daniel Hamilton (56th)
NBA Draft – The Pick
While this was a relatively strong group of shooting guards, few GMs can say they made a better selection than Fred VanVleet in 2016. The scrappy Wichita State product went undrafted, with most front offices (understandably) concerned about his size. I imagine any of the teams who took a guard after the 20th pick would much rather have VanVleet than their selection. Toronto may not have known it then (no one did), but they scooped up a guy who would help them win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The Player
VanVleet has improved every year he has been in the Association. He grew from a 2.9 points per game scorer in his rookie season, to a major contributor on the Raptors’ title team to the second scoring option on a playoff squad. What did he have in store for the 2020-21 season? Well, on February 2, VanVleet broke the record for most points scored by an undrafted player when he dropped 54 against the Magic. He is averaging a career-high 20.4 points per game while matching his career-high in assists per game at 6.6.
VanVleet may be a bit undersized, but I trust his backcourt mate Malcolm Brogdon to make up for it on the defensive end. Plus, VanVleet’s shooting ability and grit are too valuable not to have him start for my squad.
Small Forward – Khris Middleton, drafted 39th in 2012 by the Detroit Pistons
Small Forwards picked before Middleton: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2nd), Harrison Barnes (7th), Maurice Harkless (15th), Perry Jones III (28th), Jeffery Taylor (31st), Jae Crowder (34th), Quincy Miller (38th)
NBA Draft – The Pick
The Detroit Pistons may have gotten the steal of the draft with Middleton at 39th (along with Draymond Green at 35th – more on him later). Unfortunately, they did not realize it at the time. In 2013, they sent Middleton, Brandon Knight, and Viacheslav Kravtsov to Milwaukee in exchange for Brandon Jennings. While Jennings’ numbers fell off a cliff upon arriving in Detroit, Middleton is now a two-time all-star and the second option on a team built to have multiple shots at winning a title.
The franchises that selected small forwards before Middleton would probably, nay definitely, like a do-over. Truthfully, any team with a pick between the 10th and 34th would gladly have Middleton instead of the players they chose. There are currently no all-star appearances for any of those players.
The Player
Like Brogdon, Middleton hovers around 50-40-90, and just missed joining his former teammate in that club last season. Middleton has also been quite durable the past three years, starting 211 of the possible 224 games. With him and VanVleet on the wings, I feel good about my team’s ability to knock down shots. While VanVleet isn’t exactly an elite defender, Middleton and Brogdon can pick up the slack on that end.
Power Forward, Draymond Green, drafted 35th in 2012 by the Golden State Warriors
Power Forwards drafted before Green: Thomas Robinson (5th), John Henson (14th), Royce White (16th), Terrence Jones (18th), Andrew Nicholson (19th), Jared Sullinger (21st), Arnett Moultrie (27th)
NBA Draft – The Pick
If the teams that drafted between 10th and 34th in 2012 would like a mulligan on Middleton, the same is true for skipping on Draymond Green. None of these players have had anywhere close to the individual or team success that Green has had.
Enough said.
The Player
Like him or hate him, you cannot deny the value Draymond Green has to a franchise. This was very much the perfect marriage between a player’s skillset and the personnel of the team that drafted him.
His haters have the right to question his scoring ability, given he averages around 8 PPG for his career. However, Green’s biggest contributions come on the defense. He has been named to five All-Defensive teams and won the 2016-2017 Defensive Player of the Year award. That season he led the league in steals. It is also no secret Green has a full trophy case with three championships and three all-star appearances.
While he may not be a prolific scorer, on this squad, he would be perfect for dishing the ball to Fred VanVleet and Khris Middleton, as well as spreading the floor so Jokic can work his magic. I must admit this team might be a downgrade compared to some of the Warriors squads Green has played on. Nevertheless, he would be an excellent fit. You could argue Green was given the perfect circumstances to succeed, and you’d probably be right. But you can’t say he didn’t capitalize on it.
Center, Nikola Jokic, drafted 41th in 2014 by the Denver Nuggets
Centers selected before Jokic: Joel Embiid (3rd), Jusuf Nurkic (16th), Clint Capela (25th),
NBA Draft – The Pick
The 2014 draft class actually had a solid crop of centers. Both Jokic and Embiid shot into stardom, despite being drafted 38 picks apart. Meanwhile, Jusuf Nurkic and Clint Capela found themselves playing key roles on playoff teams. Depending on where you land with Embiid, there is still no doubt Jokic would be an upgrade to Nurkic and Capela.
The Player
Nikola Jokic has put himself in the conversation for the best big man in the NBA. While he isn’t exactly a rim protector (never averaged more than 0.8 BPG), the Joker offers so much with the ball in his hands.
He has registered three straight years with a double-digit amount of triple-doubles (already 6 in 2020-21). His win shares through four years are comparable to Hakeem Olajuwon and Dwight Howard. He has also been incredibly durable, playing in over 70 games in each of his first five years.
We knew Jokic was great, but this season, he has been ridiculous. His scoring has skyrocketed from 19.9 to 27.1 points per game. His rebounding is up and his field goal, three-point, and free throw percentages are all up. Right now, Basketball Reference has Jokic as the front runner for MVP. Whether he can sustain these numbers remains to be seen, but I imagine he will stay in the discussion for this year and for seasons to come.
THE BENCH
Point Guard, Spencer Dinwiddie, drafted 38th in 2014 by the Detroit Pistons
Point guards drafted before Dinwiddie: Dante Exum (5th), Marcus Smart (6th), Elfrid Payton (10th), Tyler Ennis (18th), Shabazz Napier (24th)
Point Guard, Goran Dragic, drafted 45th in 2008 by the San Antonio Spurs (traded to the Phoenix Suns)
Point guards drafted before Dragic: Derrick Rose (1st), Russell Westbrook (3rd), D.J. Augustin (9th), Jerryd Bayless (11th), George Hill (26th), Mario Chalmers (34th), Sean Singletary (42nd)
Shooting Guard, Jordan Clarkson, drafted 46th in 2014 by the Washington Wizards (traded to the Los Angeles Lakers)
Shooting guards drafted before Clarkson: Nik Stauskas (8th), Zach LaVine (13th), James Young (17th), Gary Harris (19th), Jordan Adams (22nd), Rodney Hood (23rd), P.J. Hairston (26th), Bogdan Bogdanović (27th), C.J. Wilcox (28th), Joe Harris (33rd), Markel Brown (44th).
Small Forward, Jerami Grant, drafted 39th in 2014 by the Philadelphia 76ers
Small forwards drafted before Grant: Andrew Wiggins (1st), Jabari Parker (2nd), Doug McDermott (11th), T.J. Warren (14th), Bruno Caboclo (20th), Josh Huestis (29th), Kyle Anderson (30th), Damien Inglis (31st), K.J. McDaniels (32nd), Cleanthony Early (34th), DeAndre Daniels (37th)
Power Forward, Christian Wood, undrafted in 2015, signed by the Philadelphia 76ers
Power forwards drafted before Wood: Kristaps Porzingis (4th), Willie Cauley-Stein (6th), Frank Kaminsky (9th), Trey Lyles (12th), Bobby Portis (22nd), Jarell Martin (25th), Larry Nance Jr. (27th), Chris McCullough (29th), Kevon Looney (30th), Montrezl Harrell (32nd), Jordan Mickey (33rd), Rakeem Christmas (36th), Richaun Holmes (37th), Aaron White (49th), Cady Lalanne (55th), Dimitrios Agravanis (59th), Luka Mitrovic (60th)
Power Forward, Montrezl Harrell, drafted 32nd in 2014 by the Houston Rockets
Power forwards drafted before Harrell: Kristaps Porzingis (4th), Willie Cauley-Stein (6th), Frank Kaminsky (9th), Trey Lyles (12th), Bobby Portis (22nd), Jarell Martin (25th), Larry Nance Jr. (27th), Chris McCullough (29th), Kevon Looney (30th)
Center, Mitchell Robinson, drafted 36th in 2018 by the New York Knicks
Centers drafted before Robinson: DeAndre Ayton (1st), Mo Bamba (6th), Wendell Carter Jr. (7)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Point Guards – Monté Morris, Devonte´ Graham
Shooting Guards – Joe Harris, Norman Powell, Lou Williams, Kendrick Nunn
Small Forwards – Robert Covington, Bojan Bogdanović, Dillon Brooks, Duncan Robinson
Power Forwards – JaMychal Green, Jae Crowder, Xavier Tillman, Naz Reid
Centers – Hassan Whiteside, Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan
[Editors Note: All stats are accurate as of February 17, 2021]
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