On Monday, we looked at the 2010 NBA Draft, using it as an illustration of how players’ careers develop in so many different and equally unexpected ways. That, of course, was a five-year look into the past. What about a 10-year glance into the rearview mirror of professional basketball, and a set of careers that have had a chance to more fully develop?
The memories — and emergent realities — are fascinating to contemplate. They also reinforce the mysteriousness which lies at the heart of the NBA draft, which will take place this Thursday night and stir our emotions once again.
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Let’s revisit the 2005 draft:
FIRST ROUND
1. Andrew Bogut, Bucks
CC writer Joseph Nardone wrote thoughtfully about Bogut within the context of the draft in this piece.
2. Marvin Williams, Hawks
3. Deron Williams, Jazz
For perspective on the twists and turns of Deron’s career, consider this piece I wrote during the first-round playoff series between D-Will’s Brooklyn Nets and the Atlanta Hawks. The curves in a player’s career road over the course of 10 years make it hard to evaluate that career in full, especially if forced to reduce said career to those two simple but freighted words, “success” and “failure.”
4. Chris Paul, Hornets (now Pelicans)
Would you really say that Utah picking Deron ahead of CP3 was an illogical or truly deficient choice? In 2007, when the Jazz made the Western Conference finals — something CP3 still hasn’t done — no one was thinking along those lines. Life comes at you fast.
5. Raymond Felton, Bobcats (now Hornets)
Felton’s career seems like such a waste compared to fellow North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson, but when you look at Marvin Williams at the two spot in this draft, followed by the next pick in this draft at No. 6, you realize Felton’s career really wasn’t all that bad.
6. Martell Webster, Trail Blazers
7. Charlie Villanueva, Raptors
8. Channing Frye, Knicks
For the Knicks, this was Andrea Bargnani before Andrea Bargnani came along.
9. Ike Diogu, Warriors
“That Bogut guy eight spots up the draft board would be so much better.” — Golden State fans in 2005
10. Andrew Bynum, Lakers
Bynum’s career did not possess much longevity, and Bynum definitely disgraced himself in the 2011 playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks. Teams were dumb to take him on with all his injury problems. Yet, he was a central piece on multiple championship teams. You would not call his career a failure — not at all.
11. Fran Vasquez, Magic
Who?
12. Yaroslav Korolev, Clippers
Who?
13. Sean May, Bobcats (now Hornets)
Another prominent frontcourt member of the 2005 national champion North Carolina Tar Heels who became a bust.
14. Rashad McCants, Timberwolves
15. Antoine Wright, Nets
16. Joey Graham, Raptors
I am still surprised Graham did not become a high-level NBA player, with his lean athleticism and good shooting form.
17. Danny Granger, Pacers
A career that fell short of its potential, but because of injuries, not a failure to make himself into a better player.
18. Gerald Green, Celtics
19. Hakim Warrick, Grizzlies
You’ll always have 2003 in the left corner in the Superdome versus Michael Lee and Kansas.
20. Julius Hodge, Nuggets
21. Nate Robinson, Suns
Surviving this long in the NBA with that (lack of) size is a major accomplishment, regardless of what else you might think or feel about Nate.
22. Jarrett Jack, Nuggets
The guy’s not a basketball purist’s favorite, but he’s still collecting NBA paychecks. You have to be pretty darn good to still be doing that a decade after being drafted.
23. Francisco Garcia, Kings
24. Luther Head, Rockets
25. Johan Petro, Sonics (yes, Sonics)
26. Jason Maxiell, Pistons
27. Linas Kleiza, Trail Blazers
28. Ian Mahinmi, Spurs
Do not forget what Mahinmi did to help Dallas defeat Miami in the 2011 Finals. Small but timely contributions meant a great deal to the Mavericks.
29. Wayne Simien, Heat
30. David Lee, Knicks
Hey, that name sounds remotely familiar. He might have appeared on the same team with the No. 1 pick in this draft a week ago against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
SECOND ROUND
31. Salim Stoudemire, Hawks
His jump shot in college was almost as good as Kyle Korver’s jump shot this past regular season in Atlanta. He never panned out as a pro, though. Hashtag #SPORTS.
32. Daniel Ewing, Clippers
33. Brandon Bass, Hornets (now Pelicans)
34. C.J. Miles, Jazz
He’s only 28 years old. Can you believe that? I sure can’t. He’s still collecting NBA checks, too. That’s not a failure for him, one of many quiet survivors in the Association.
35. Ricky Sanchez, Trail Blazers
36. Ersan Ilyasova, Bucks
Wasn’t he involved in a trade with Detroit a short while ago?
37. Ronny Turiaf, Lakers
38. Travis Diener, Magic
39. Von Wafer, Lakers
40. Monta Ellis, Warriors
John Cannon, another one of our writers at Crossover Chronicles, mentioned Ellis in a piece on the Warriors’ 40-year journey through the wilderness to the NBA championship.
41. Roko Ukic, Raptors
42. Chris Taft, Warriors
43. Mile Ilic, Nets
44. Martynas Andriuskevicius, Magic
45. Lou Williams, Sixers
Lou wasn’t even the best value pick in the draft, as you’ll see in a little bit.
46. Erazem Lorbek, Pacers
47. Bracey Wright, Timberwolves
48. Mickael Gelabale, Sonics
49. Andray Blatche, Wizards
50. Ryan Gomes, Celtics
51. Robert Whaley, Jazz
52. Axel Hervelle, Nuggets
53. Orien Greene, Celtics
54. Dijon Thompson, Knicks
55. Lawrence Roberts, Sonics
56. Amir Johnson, Pistons
57. Marcin Gortat, Suns
THIS was the best value pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Fifty-seven.
58. Uros Skolar, Raptors
59. Cenk Akyol, Hawks
60. Alex Acker, Pistons
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A brief concluding remark:
When you compare the second round of the 2010 draft to the second round of the 2005 draft, you could conclude that a period of 10 years compared to five has allowed several players to fully develop. Yet, with all the dead-end careers in the second round of the 2010 draft, it seems clear (and accordingly, safe) to say that this draft blew 2005 out of the water.
Yet, while saying that the 2005 draft class easily eclipsed 2010’s class, it remains that the 2005 draft presents a number of career case studies which are anything but easy to summarize in just a few sentences. The notion of what is or isn’t a successful career is something that has to be thought about very carefully in connection with a number of names on this list of 60 players.
