Drafting and scouting are one of the most important things a franchise has to do in order to stay relevant, as a couple of bad seasons can completely turn around the future of the team after landing some top-notch talents during the offseason.
Some teams have built through the Draft and have developed incredibly complete and well round squads that are able to compete for a Championship, with the Golden State Warriors being the most recent and successful example of this.
Most people believe talent really falls off after the first 5 picks or so, but truth to be told, some scouts have found diamonds in a rough way below the top 5 up to the point where they wind up finding franchise players.
Today, we’re going to talk about this kind of players, letting you know about the top 10 players drafted outside the top 5 that are currently balling in the NBA.
Honorable Mention: Andre Drummond, Rudy Gobert, CJ McCollum
10. Draymond Green
Draymond Green is one of the most versatile players in the league, and arguably the most versatile defender as he’s able to guard 1 through 5 with great ease due to his length, strength, athleticism and top-notch awareness.
The trash talker is also a terrific ball handler and is able to grab the board and run the break with ease and find the open man, and it’s crazy to think he slipped all the way to the 2nd round, being drafted 35th overall in 2012 by the Warriors.
9. Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol was 48th pick (selected by Los Angeles Lakers) and he was the biggest steal in the 2007 NBA Draft. He spent last 10 years playing for the Memphis Grizzlies and maybe is time to play for the contender next season.
He won 2013 Defensive Player Of The Year Award, and he has a very solid career, averaging 15.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He is now 33 years old, but he is still one of the best big men in the league.
8. Damian Lillard
Lillard is one of the best point guards in the last 2-3 seasons, averaging 23.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists through a career. He won the 2013 Rookie of the Year Award and he is probably one of the biggest mistakes in Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings history.
He never played in the Western Conference Finals, but let be honest – he doesn’t have a top big man and he needs help this summer if he wants to have a bigger impact in the NBA Playoffs.
7. Paul George
Paul George has grown to become one of the league’s top-tier two-way players, a hustler on the defensive end of the floor with a great feel for steals and deflections that can also light you up for 25+ points a night.
George slowly took over Danny Granger’s spot in Indiana en route to becoming a perennial All-Star and prime free agent candidate this summer, being drafted 10th overall in 2010 by the Pacers.
6. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler is yet another late bloomer, but once he took charge of the Chicago Bulls, he didn’t slow down a single bit and has become one of the best wing stoppers in the Association and also a deadly scorer.
Butler is not much of a shooter but his athleticism makes up for it, and he was a major steal by Chicago considering they got him with the last pick of the 1st round in 2011, just to trade him for 3 huge assets in their rebuilding process several seasons later: LaVine, Dunn and Markkanen.
5. Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson is one of the best two-way players in the Association right now, and some arguably state that he’s the best pure shooter, even ahead of his fellow splash brother; Steph Curry.
His pesky backcourt defense and lateral quickness can only be matched by his consistent shooting and ability to pull up, and he’s already a 2 time NBA Champion taken 11th overall by the Dubs back in 2011.
4. DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan has grown to be one of the league’s most skilled scorers despite lacking a three-point shot, but he’s still yet to step up and prove that he can lift the Raptors come playoff time.
Nonetheless, stealing a lot of Kobe Bryant’s moves, he’s an unstoppable scorer when he’s locked in thanks to his quick feet and athleticism, a great pick by the Raptors, who took him 9th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo was a completely unknown player during the 2013 NBA Draft but wind up being the best talent on that class by a long shot, being drafted 15th overall by the Bucks on a move that looked like a huge reach.
Needless to say, Giannis has proven to be a one on a lifetime kind of talent that can take this franchise back to its old glory days, and it’s just a matter of time before he takes home the MVP award.
2. Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard is the lone player in the entire world that can be a yearly frontrunner in both the MVP and the DPOY conversations, improving on the offensive end on every single season as a driver, scorer and facilitator.
He’s the best defender in the league by a long shot and a huge gamble by the Spurs, who traded George Hill and spare parts to get him after the Pacers drafted him with the 15th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.
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1. Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry has to be considered the greatest draft mistake by the Minnesota Timberwolves, who took Ricky Rubio and Johnny Flynn with the 5th and 6th overall pick and let him slip to the Warriors’ lap at 7th.
Curry’s already a 2 time MVP and he’s considered to be the greatest shooter of all time, inking his name on history after breaking all kind of three-point shooting related records and leading the Dubs to 2 Championships in 3 seasons.
