15 NBA Players Who Outperformed Their Draft Slot
The NBA Draft is an inexact science, and finding a franchise player can be a crapshoot. There have been no brainers like Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James, but there are also guys like Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant who were overlooked and became legends. Here are 15 NBA players who outperformed their draft selection.
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Each year, the NBA Draft displays teams selecting from a group of young and promising prospects. Every now and then, we get “can’t miss” guys like Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James. Talents like that can turn cellar dwellers into contenders almost overnight.
Where a franchise can really clean up is in finding diamonds in the rough—guys who weren’t as heralded as other players in their draft class, but who end up outperforming their draft slot. Nobody could have foreseen Michael Jordan becoming the greatest player of all time, or that John Stockton, from Gonzaga, would end up becoming one of the greatest floor generals in NBA history. These are players who were maybe a little undervalued or overlooked when drafted, but left a lasting impact in the NBA, solidifying legacies that will live on forever. Even guys like Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler have become indispensable to their franchises, and have made multiple All-Star game appearances despite being late first round draft picks.
The NBA Draft is an inexact science, a crapshoot. No matter how much time you spend scouting a player, there’s a chance you could still miss them. In the same token, there are always guys who fly under the radar and wind up absolutely killing it once they’re in the league. These are the players that keep NBA general managers awake at night, the ones that got away and slipped through the cracks. Guys that were overlooked and then came back to bite every franchise that skipped over them. In honor of today's NBA Draft, here are 15 NBA players who outperformed their draft slot.
Michael Jordan
Draft slot: Third overall in the 1984 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 30.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 SPG
It’s hard for a guy drafted with the third overall pick to outperform their draft slot, unless that player happens to be Michael Jordan. Hakeem Olajuwon was drafted first in the 1984 NBA Draft and he went on to become one of the most dominant players in NBA history, but his career pales in comparison to MJ’s. Jordan left no stone unturned during his breathtaking 15-year NBA career, winning six NBA championships, five MVP awards, winning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, 10 scoring titles, appearing in 14 NBA All-Star games, and making All-NBA First Team 10 times.
Kobe Bryant
Draft slot: 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 25 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG
There may not be another player who provided a greater return for their draft selection than Kobe Bryant. Almost slipping out of the lottery, Kobe went on to win five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, along with an NBA MVP Award in 2007, all while proving to be one of the most prolific scorers the game has ever seen. His 81-point outburst against the Toronto Raptors in 2006 and his 60-point swan song remain two of the most memorable games in NBA history. The 1996 NBA Draft is one of the best in NBA history having already produced three Naismith Hall of Fame inductees (Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, and Steve Nash). Kobe stands as the best of the class.
Steph Curry
Draft slot: Seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 23.1 PPG, 6.8 APG, 4.4 RPG
When Stephen Curry declared for the NBA Draft in 2009, there were questions about his size, upside, and what position he would play in the NBA. It’s safe to say Curry has answered all of those questions and then some over the course of his nine-year career. The only player in NBA history to make 400 3-pointers in a single season, Curry is universally recognized as the greatest shooter of all time, owning four of the five most prolific three-point shooting seasons in league history. Curry has won two NBA titles so far in his career, along with two regular season MVP Awards, one of which was the first to ever be awarded unanimously. If there was a redraft of the 2009 Draft, Stephen Curry would be selected first overall, which is impressive considering it’s the same draft that produced NBA superstars Blake Griffin and James Harden.
Steve Nash
Draft slot: 15th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 14.3 PPG, 8.5 APG, 3 RPG
Nash wasn’t the quickest or most athletic player to play the game, but he was one of the best passers and shooters the league has ever seen. Drafted with the 15th overall pick in the 1996 Draft, Nash would go on to win two NBA MVP Awards and help revolutionize the modern NBA offense with Mike D’Antoni during his time with the Phoenix Suns. Nash is one of the best players to have never played in an NBA Finals.
Tracy McGrady
Draft slot: Ninth overall in the 1997 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 19.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.4 APG
It’s crazy to think guys like Tim Thomas, Antonio Daniels, and Adonal Foyle were selected before Tracy McGrady in the 1997 NBA Draft. One of the faces of the prep to pros generation, McGrady’s prime was cut short due to injuries. But at his peak, he was one of the most exciting and dominant players in the NBA. There was an eight-season period between 2000-2001 and 2007-2008 where he averaged no less than 21 points per game, topping out at 32 points per game during the 2002-2003 season. The biggest knock on McGrady was that he couldn’t get out of the first round of the playoffs during his prime, but that’s the only mark against the seven time NBA All-Star.
Draymond Green
Draft slot: 35th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 9.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 4.6 APG
In 2012 the Golden State Warriors selected Harrison Barnes with the seventh overall pick and Draymond Green with the 35th overall pick. Barnes proved to be a valuable contributor for the Warriors from 2012-2016, but Green has proven himself to be an indispensable piece of the Warriors core. While his traditional box score numbers might not scream star player, Green has become one of the most versatile players in the NBA and is the key to the Warriors vaunted “Hamptons Five” lineup. Since becoming a starter in the 2014-2015 season, Green has been named an NBA All-Star three times, in addition to being a three time First Team All-Defense selection, and winning NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. He has also helped the Warriors win two NBA championships.
Manu Ginobili
Draft slot: 57th overall in the 1999 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 13.3 PPG, 3.8 APG, 3.5 RPG
It’s not often that a second round pick ends up being the best player from their draft class but Manu Ginobili has a strong case as the best player from the 1999 NBA Draft. Guys like Elton Brand, Baron Davis, and Richard Hamilton, all of whom were picked before Ginobili, enjoyed long, fruitful NBA careers, but none match what Ginobili has accomplished. A key piece of the San Antonio Spurs dynasty, Ginobili is one of the best international players to play in the NBA. He introduced the NBA to the Euro step which has become a staple in today’s game, most notably for James Harden. Ginobili has been selected to two NBA All-Star games, won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award in 2008, and helped the Spurs win four NBA championships.
Karl Malone
Draft slot: 13th overall in the 1985 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 25 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.6 APG
Karl Malone was one of the easiest bucket getters in NBA history—his nickname was “The Mailman” because he consistently delivered. Unfortunately, Malone never won a championship, twice losing to Michael Jordan in the 1997 and 1998 Finals. A 14-time NBA All-Star and two time NBA MVP Award winner, though, Malone’s 36,928 career points are only second to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 in league history. To think there were four power forwards (Wayman Tisdale, Xavier McDaniel, Charles Oakley, Ed Pinckney) drafted ahead of Malone is mind-boggling.
John Stockton
Draft slot: 16th overall in the 1984 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG
One of the greatest point guards the NBA has ever seen, John Stockton was a pick and roll maestro, and had a hand in seemingly every basket Malone scored in Utah. Over the course of his 19-year career, Stockton racked up assists (15,806) and steals (3,265) like no other, retiring as the league leader in both categories by a considerable margin. While Stockton wasn’t the same caliber of player as his classmates Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Charles Barkley, he’s certainly better than guys like Tim McCormick, Jay Humphries, and Michael Cage, who were all selected before him.
Isaiah Thomas
Draft slot: 60th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 18.9 PPG, 5.1 APG, 2.6 RPG
When you’re selected with the last pick of the NBA Draft, the odds are already against you sticking in the league. Throw in a height of 5’9” and your staying power becomes even more doubtful. This was the hand that Isaiah Thomas was dealt, but he’s become a valuable scorer in the NBA. He’s been named an NBA All-Star twice, and during the 2016-2017 season he averaged 29 points per game en route to finishing in the top five of MVP voting, all while capturing the minds and hearts of NBA fans across the world and playing through tragedy during the 2017 NBA Playoffs.
Klay Thompson
Draft slot: 11th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.3 APG
Hailed an elite shooter coming out of Washington State University, Klay Thompson was seen as a specialist in the NBA. Still, nobody foresaw him becoming one of the best shooters in league history when the Warriors drafted him in 2011. He’s been named to four All-Star games, won two championships, and has helped form the most devastating shooting tandem ever, AKA the Splash Brothers, with Steph Curry.
Gilbert Arenas
Draft slot: 31st overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 20.7 PPG, 5.3 APG, 3.9 RPG
Gilbert Arenas was a second round pick in the much maligned 2001 NBA Draft, and it’s hard to understand how he fell so low in a draft devoid of high quality talent. Guys like Kwame Brown, Rodney White, Desegana Diop, and Kendrick Brown were lottery picks, but Arenas slipped into the second round. After spending his first two years with the Golden State Warriors, Arenas would move on to the Washington Wizards, where he would become one of the most feared scorers in the NBA, before injuries took their toll on his game. He appeared in three All-Star games and three All-NBA teams during his career.
Kawhi Leonard
Draft slot: 15th overall in the 2011 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 16.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.3 APG
There is a case to be made that Kawhi Leonard has developed into the best player from the 2011 NBA Draft. Widely regarded as one of the best two-way players in the NBA, he owns one of the most impressive resumes in the league. He’s been named to two All-Star games and All-NBA First Teams, is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, and an NBA Finals MVP winner.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Draft slot: 15th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 17.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.8 APG
The 2013 NBA Draft was viewed as one of the weakest at the time. Giannis “The Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo has emerged as the crown jewel of the 2013 class, but was drafted 15th overall behind major busts like Anthony Bennett, Alex Len, Shabazz Muhammad, and Ben McLemore. One of the more unique players to ever play in the NBA, Antetokounmpo has steadily gotten better each year and is now a bonafide superstar. At 6’11”, he can legitimately play all five positions for the Milwaukee Bucks, and play them effectively. This past season, he averaged 27 points and 10 rebounds per game en route to his second All-Star game appearance and second straight Second Team All-NBA selection, all at the tender age of 23. The sky's the limit for Antetokounmpo.
Marc Gasol
Draft slot: 48th overall in the 2007 NBA Draft
Career Stats: 15.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 3.3 APG
The 2007 NBA Draft is most remembered for Greg Oden being selected over Kevin Durant, but Marc Gasol being selected in the back end of the second round is still a head scratcher more than 10 years later. Gasol has a strong case as the third best player from the 2007 NBA Draft behind Durant and Al Horford, but he was selected behind Jeff Green, Yi Jianlian, Spencer Hawes, and Acie Law. The younger Gasol brother, Marc has been at the center of the Memphis Grizzlies’ “Grit and Grind” era, which saw the franchise appear in the playoffs for seven straight seasons from 2010-2017. A three-time All-Star, Gasol has also won an NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, and was named First Team All-NBA in 2015.