Warnel Lamb 1976 Underclassmen

Name: Warnel "Butch" Lamb Position: Power Forward Height: 6-8 (2.03m) Weight: 185 (84kg) College Team: Lehigh County C.C. Cougars Nationality: American Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York Birthdate: 7/26/1952 - 1/15/2003 Drafted: Declared hardship for the 1976 NBA Hardship Draft was not drafted by an NBA franchise.

Biography:
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Statistics
SEASONS	GP	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1971-72 Tennessee State	Did Not Play Left School
1972-73 No College	Did Not Play
1973-74 No College	Did Not Play
1974-75 Lehigh County C.C.	Stats Not Available
1975-76 Lehigh County C.C.	24	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	14.5
NJCAA Totals	Totals Not Available

Details

Written by Matthew Maurer

Published: 02 April 2018

Created: 02 April 2018

Last Updated: 27 June 2021

Fantasy Draft Board: The All Time Best in One Draft

TDR is counting down history's best in our Fantasy Draft Countdown. We examined the picks at each draft slot (1st pick overall, 2nd pick overall, etc) from 1950 to 2007.

Here's our selections for the best in NBA draft history.

Honorable Mention The Pick Comments 1 LeBron James Shaquille O'Neal Elgin Baylor Allen Iverson Tim Duncan Hakeem Olajuwon Magic Johnson Point Guard 6-9/220 Michigan St. He’s the greatest point guard to ever play the game thanks to his unrivaled court vision. Magic performed no look passes with ease, unlike the variety we see today where players look and turn their head after the ball is passed. Johnson never looked. He always knew where everyone was on the court. Standing at 6-9, he’s so ahead of the game that today’s scouts have yet to find his equal. Johnson’s height and talent gave him the versatility to play all 5 positions equally well, but his career ended abruptly after he contracted the HIV virus. Magic returned briefly during the 1995-96 basketball season, but his condition made some players on the court uncomfortable. Johnson is a legacy who goes down as one of the league’s greatest attractions and most engaging personalities with his trademark smile and energetic play. 2 Jerry West Maurice Stokes Bob Pettit Isiah Thomas Dave Bing Bill Russell Center 6-9/220 San Francisco Russell may be the ultimate winner to ever play a sport. He was a part of 11 Boston Celtics championship teams, 8 of them back to back. Russell was slightly above average offensively, but his real calling card was dominant post defense and rebounding. The NBA didn’t calculate shot blocking numbers during Russell’s time, but many agree that he would have had unreal stats in that area. Russell impressively achieved these accomplishments while playing his rival and friend, Wilt Chamberlain. Despite Chamberlain’s talent and reputation as the most dominant center of his era, Russell won 5 league MVP awards. The Celtics traded star Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks for the talented Russell. This thinking was considered intelligent on St. Louis’s part for two reasons. Macauley was a local college star and the Hawks front office didn’t feel their fans would accept an African American on the team. St. Louis’s ignorance became bliss for Boston Celtics fans. 3 Carmelo Anthony Pete Maravich Nate Thurmond Dominique Wilkins Michael Jordan Shooting Guard 6-6/205 North Carolina This is obviously a no brainer. It’s virtually impossible to deny Jordan as the greatest player in basketball history. The younger generation may not remember how Air Jordan came into the NBA with an aerial assault that rivaled any high flyer before him. Even more impressive were his fundamentals and competitive drive to destroy anyone in his way. Jordan’s long list of accomplishments are too many to name, but he’s highlighted as a six time MVP with six championship rings. He was drafted third due to the NBA’s center driven philosophy that you need a big man to win a championship. Jordan revolutionized his position by proving that a dominant big man wasn’t necessary. There was joke around the NBA that the only person to hold Jordan under 20 was his college coach, Dean Smith. 4 Russell Westbrook Rick Barry Dave Cowens Lou Hudson Bob Cousy Guard 6-1/175 Holy Cross Cousy’s game was reared on the playgrounds of New York, but his flashy style with daring passing and ball handling wasn’t a great selling point to orthodox purist Red Auerbach, head coach of the Boston Celtics. Auerbach drafted Charlie Share while the Tri-Cities Blackhawks picked up Cousy, but he was immediately traded to the Chicago Stags. Cousy became a free agent when the Stags franchise folded. After that NBA teams absorbed the left over Stags players which left Auerbach with the wild card Cousy. The rest is history as the Houdini of the Hardwood became a pioneer and innovator of the fast break offense in the NBA. 5 Walt Frazier Kevin Garnett Sidney Moncrief Scottie Pippen Dwyane Wade Charles Barkley Power Forward 6-6/260 Auburn Has there ever been a funnier, more outspoken athlete in the history of sport? In his prime, The Round Mound of Rebound was every bit the player, if not more, than his contemporary, Karl Malone. Barkley backed up everything he said like few others throughout history. His swagger and talent to make good on his boasts made him hard to dislike. Barkley was a tremendous rebounder and shot a high percentage from the floor despite having the stature of a shooting guard. Unfortunately, Barkley joined Karl Malone and John Stockton as superstar victims of Michael Jordan, who denied them the ability to win a championship ring before retiring. 6 Lenny Wilkens Jerry Sloan Adrian Dantley Larry Foust Larry Bird Small Forward 6-9/220 Indiana St. The Magic Johnson, Larry Bird duo gave the NBA profitability. Until this time, college basketball was more financially successful. Out of high school, Bird signed on to play for Indiana University, but strangely returned home after a few weeks and spent several months as a garbage man. Bird then moved on to Indiana State and became the school’s most dominant player. His talent went mostly unnoticed, but the shrewd Red Auerbach picked up on Bird and drafted him in 1978 as junior eligible. The Boston Celtic faithful couldn’t understand Auerbach’s logic until Bird returned for his senior season to lead the Sycamores to their only NCAA championship appearance. In Which they lost to Michigan State, who had Magic Johnson on their team. Bird continued his brilliance in the NBA leading the Celtics to a championship in only his second year. Bird slowly began to breakdown physically due to his all out style of play before a 1992 back injury sent him into retirement. 7 Billy Cunningham Bernard King Chris Mullin Stephen Curry Point Guard 6-2/180 Davidson Few doubted Curry's elite shooting but many questioned if he had the skills or mindset necessary to play the point guard position. It took a couple of season but Curry has quickly established himself as the league greatest shooter ever. To top that Curry became the NBA's first unanimous MVP award winner 2016. Along with teammates Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and later Kevin Durant Curry has led the Warriors to 2 championship titles. Curry's biggest contribution to the game may be the way he transformed the regularity of three point shooting. Over the last 5 years (2012-13 to 2016-17) Curry averages 707 3-point attempts a season. 8 Robert Parish George Yardley Jack Sikma Sam Jones Guard 6-4/198 North Carolina Central Jones was originally drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers, but returned to college after completing his military service. He had the ability to make difficult shots from anywhere on the floor, played fierce defense, and possessed clutch shooting that earned him tremendous respect among teammates and opponents. Jones was a fundamentally sound player who learned from one of the game’s most underrated coaches, John McLendon (who was taught by basketball inventor Dr. James Naismith at the University of Kansas). This gave Jones a great advantage that pioneering African American Charles Cooper (the first black player in Celtics team History) never had. Jones' abilities are echoed by nicknames his teammates gave him, Mr. Clutch and The Shooter. 9 Mel Daniels Tracy McGrady Dirk Nowitzki John Havlicek Forward 6-5/205 Ohio St. “Hustle” is the term often yelled by coaches across America to motivate players to work harder on the court, but in his 15 year career no coach had to ever speak these words to Havlicek. He was a top notch perimeter defender and clutch player who did much more than what showed up in the box score. Havlicek was a dedicated player who many deemed as one of the Celtics’ most important players. His career in basketball would not have materialized if his tryout with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns panned out. Havlicek was a consummate team player with the leadership to guide a team and the humbleness to take on a secondary role if the team was better for it. 10 Paul Westphal Paul Pierce Jack Twyman Willis Reed Center 6-10/240 Grambling St. Few athletes are memorialized in sports moments history more than Reed. During the 1970 NBA finals few thought he’d be able to play due to a bad tear in his leg that would most likely sideline him for the rest of the playoffs. During warm-ups, Knicks players and fans had no idea if their team’s captian would come out. But suddenly, hobbling down the tunnel, Reed entered to the roar of a Madison Garden ovation. He took off his warm-ups and proceeded to make the first two jumpers while dragging his leg. Inspired by his determination, the Knicks beat the Lakers for the championship. Sadly, Reed continued to sustain injuries, including a horrible knee injury that he fought through to win another title with the 1973 Knicks, before walking away from the game the following season after playing just 19 games. 11 Reggie Miller Terrell Brandon Klay Thompson Gus Johnson Forward 6-6/230 Idaho Johnson is one of the most amazing NBA talents that many have forgotten, but what's even worse is that he's still not in the Hall of Fame. How good was Johnson? Most of the power forwards in the Hall of Fame couldn't even come close to him when he was in prime. At just 6-6 and 235 pounds Johnson was one of the first to play above the rim with the strength and grace that we take for granted today. Contrary to what many believe, Darryl Dawkins was not the first to break a backboard in the NBA. It was Gus Johnson, and he did it three times. Some may feel that Reggie Miller is the more logical choice at #11, and if the Fantasy Draft was simply about longevity, then yes, we're no doubt talking Reggie. But this is more about talent and impact on the game, so Johnson gets the nod. Do you realize that he entered NBA at age 28! Gus Johnson at his best, compared to Reggie Miller in his prime isn't even close. Gus is the man. 12 Paul Silas Larry Costello Mookie Blaylock Cedric Maxwell Rudy LaRusso Julius Erving Small Forward 6-6/200 UMASS What can be said about Doctor J other than, "unbelievable". Erving took the reins from Connie Hawkins to become the next high flyer for a generation. Even though he wowed everyone from day one with his in the air antics, the NBA never really got to see Erving in all his aerial glory. This is because he spent the first 5 years of his career in the ABA. Erving was one of the NBA's greatest ambassadors along with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Together they ushered the league's product into the mainstream world to contend with baseball and football for television revenue. 13 Karl Malone Kevin Loughery Dick Van Arsdale Dale Davis Kobe Bryant Shooting Guard 6-6/220 Lower Merion H.S. Back in 1996 many wondered if a high school guard could successfully make the transition to the NBA. Although Kobe was named the top high school player in the nation, his selection was immediately traded by the Charlotte Hornets for Vlade Divac. In retrospect many considered the trade fair, but in hindsight, the LA Lakers and free agent Shaquille O'Neal were setting the franchise for a dynasty run. Karl Malone was difficult to pass on at #13, but Bryant's talent and accomplishments put a dent into any other selection. Make no mistake, Malone was a tremendous player, but Bryant will more than likely go down as the second best shooting guard ever behind Michael Jordan. Not to mention that some feel Bob Pettit and Charles Barkley were better than Malone in their prime. 14 Hal Greer Maurice Lucas Tim Hardaway Peja Stojakovic K.C. Jones Clyde Drexler Shooting Guard 6-7/210 Houston Coming out of the University of Houston, Drexler was part of one of the nation's most breathtaking teams. Nicknamed Phi Slama Jama, the team consisting of Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, Larry Micheaux and Michael Young were known for their above the rim play. Drexler was a nine time all-star who didn't slow down in the pros. His smooth acrobatic moves to the basket even caused the opposing fans to take notice. The talented guard finally earned a championship ring in 1995 when he teamed up with former college teammate Olajuwon after being traded from Portland. 15 Kawhi Leonard Mike Mitchell Giannis Antetokounmpo Steve Nash Point Guard 6-3/195 Santa Clara In his first few years nothing alluded to a two-time MVP, but Nash has made the Phoenix Suns a contender for the NBA Championship since joining the club 3 years ago. He joined the Suns after leaving the Mavericks through free agency. What frustrated Maverick fans is that Nash could have remained with their team if owner Mark Cuban had matched the offer sheet. Nash is a tremendous point guard, but after his career is over the big question will be where he stands among legends like Magic Johnson and Isaiah Thomas at his position. Many argue that Nash's progression from a solid all-star to league MVP after the age of 30 has more to do with the system he plays in and the fact that his media exposure has been overrated. This philosophy is understandable. Ask yourself, how does Nash win two MVP awards while Isiah Thomas and John Stockton, who were better players in their prime, never won? 16 Swen Nater Ron Artest Rickey Green Ricky Sobers John Stockton Point Guard 6-1/175 Gonzaga Few outside the state of Washington were aware of John Stockton during the 1984 NBA Draft, but the little known guard soon let fans know why he was selected in the first round. Stockton is arguably one of the best point guards in NBA history. He owned a tremendous basket IQ and played defense with scrappiness and thievery to become the NBA's all-time leader in steals. Stockton led the NBA in assists for nine straight years; a feat that was previously held by Celtic great and ball handling pioneer Bob Cousy. 17 Shawn Kemp Jermaine O'Neal Richie Guerin Bill Sharman Guard 6-1/175 USC Sharman was one of the finest shooters from his era, but his best ability was his competitive nature. Sharman was a two-sport standout for USC in baseball and basketball. He went on to play for the Boston Celtics while also a part of the Dodgers' minor league system. Sharman was called up to baseball's major league in 1951, but sat the bench and never played. He called it quits for baseball in 1955. During his time with the Celtics he and Bob Cousy were known as the NBA's best backcourt duo. Sharman made the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and coach. He joined John Wooden and Lenny Wilkens as the only others individuals to hold this distinction. 18 Calvin Murphy Ricky Pierce Joe Dumars Shooting Guard 6-3/190 McNeese St. Dumars was drafted by the Detroit Pistons with little more than a few words about his career at McNeese State. The fundamentally sound Dumars improved each year before becoming an offensive force in his 4th season. Despite his low numbers Dumars is statistically one of the NBA's greatest defenders. He also displayed great leadership and was one of the main devices on the Detroit Pistons championship teams of 1989 and 1990. Dumars is now the General Manager for the Pistons where his key signings and draftings have earned him the same respect around the league that he had as a player. 19 Rod Strickland Bob Rule Zach Randolph Nate Archibald Point Guard 6-1/150 UTEP Tiny, as he was known growing up, had a big game that he learned on the playgrounds of New York City. Archibald's speed and ability to convert difficult shots in the lane made him a force in the NBA. He's the only player in NBA history to lead the league in scoring and assists in the same season. As Archibald aged he lost some quickness, but continued to develop as a point guard by making smarter decisions with the ball. This maturity helped him, along with Larry Bird, win the NBA championship in 1981. When Archibald was inducted to the Hall of Fame he rented three buses to take former coaches and street ball legend friends whom he learned from to the ceremony. 20 Larry Nance Zydrunas Ilgauskas Paul Pressey Gus Williams Point Guard 6-2/175 USC There was a battle between Gus and Larry Nance at the #20 spot. Nance had 3 all-star appearances while Williams only had 2. Nance also aged gracefully, lasting 13 seasons and scoring double figures each and every year. But in 1979 Williams was the leader of the Sonics, who no one believed would win the NBA championship. Not only did they win, but beat the Washington Bullets 4-1 in the best of 7. Williams was crucial to the championship, scoring of 26.9 points per game. This New Yorker's style of play, speed, and daring acrobatic lay-ups earned him the nickname, The Wizard. Williams has been described as a fast break waiting to happen. He was an intimidating point guard who frustrated defensives. Opposing coaches were always trying to slow down his game. 21 Jayson Williams Billy Knight Rajon Rondo Michael Finley Point Guard 6-7/215 Wisconsin When Finley was a high school senior he won a television prize to play Michael Jordan 1 on 1. Jordan gave the young man high praise saying that one day they may meet up in the NBA. Jordan’s eye for talent was apparent as Finley took a sleepy Wisconsin program (whose best years were behind them) and began to turn them into a national force. He was pegged by many to be one of the best players in the nation, but his senior year was spent with frustration as he failed to live up to expectations. NBA teams suddenly felt Finley wasn’t the player they believed could score consistently at the pro level. But things quickly things changed, as Finley exploded with an exceptional rookie year. He’s respected by many around the league for his professionalism and provides great lock room presence. 22 Reggie Lewis Norm Nixon Leonard Robinson George McGinnis Forward 6-8/235 Indiana Some may call McGinnis overrated, but TDR calls him the best player to ever be drafted at the 22nd pick. As a college sophomore McGinnis’ talent was evident from day one. Leading the Big Ten Conference in scoring and rebounding his first year on varsity. McGinnis promptly left college to play professionally in the ABA where he spent 4 years on with Indiana Pacers averaging 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. McGinnis was a dominant scorer from the inside and had the soft touch to shoot from the perimeter. 23 A.C. Green Alex English Lloyd Free Brian Taylor Tayshaun Prince Wayne Embry Forward 6-8/240 Miami (OH) Embry was great rebounder for his size and played the game with a no-nonsense attitude. He was a team player who did all the dirty work to make others look good, like setting picks, diving for loose balls and bringing defensive toughness. This 4 time all-star was often overshadowed by NBA legends Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas. After the retiring from the game, Embry became the first African American to become an NBA General Manager for the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971. 24 Arvydas Sabonis Latrell Sprewell Sam Cassell Terry Porter Point Guard 6-3/195 Wis.-Stevens Point Porter snuck up on the draft charts after an All-American career at NAIA school Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Amazingly, the Trailblazers almost lost Porter two picks earlier. The Milwaukee Bucks were poised to take the hometown product, but ultimately choose Louisiana State’s Jerry Reynolds, who they initially thought would be unavailable at draft time. The Bucks were so certain that they were going to draft Porter that he spent the evening of the draft at the club’s draft headquarters as their guest. Porter shook off the disappointment and rewarded the Trailblazers with savvy defense and steady play at the point guard position. He became a key member of Portland’s two NBA finals appearances and also earned 2 All-Star trips. Jerry Reynolds never came close to making an All-Star team. 25 John Drew Gerald Wallace Mark Price Point Guard 6-0/170 Georgia Tech Price was one of the hardest workers to ever play basketball and a true gym rat in every sense of the word. His career almost ended in 1990 after he tore his ACL. In today’s world, ACL injuries aren’t as serious as back in the 90s, which at the time meant the death of an athlete’s career. But Price dedicated himself to rehab, made his way back to the NBA, and regained his role as one of the game’s most dangerous three point shooters. After several years as one of the NBA’s top point guard injuries began to take a toll. It severely hindered Prices’ durability to play an 82 game schedule. 26 Kevin Martin Jerome Williams Samuel Dalembert Vlade Divac Center 7-1/245 (Serbia) Back in 1989 when Divac was drafted, the NBA philosophy regarding international players was damaged to say the least. With the frustration of not getting Arvidas Sabonis through the Russian red tape, and the failure of Georgi Glouchkov to live up to the immense hype, the stock on international players wasn’t very high. When the LA Lakers selected Divac not many people took it serious until he started to play. Fundamentally, Divac was ahead of many college centers in the United States, but what really set Divac apart was his high basketball IQ and passing ability. He may be the most beloved athlete of Serbia, and some have said that if he ever ran for president he would probably win by a landside. 27 Rudy Gobert Elden Campbell Dennis Rodman Power Forward 6-8/210 SE Oklahoma St. Rodman may be the game’s most controversial and entertaining player ever. He turned simple dirty work skills, such as rebounding and defense, and made them look beautiful. Rodman is also one of the greatest winners and was easily one of the most important pieces on 5 championships with Chicago and Detroit. Without him it would be highly doubtful that Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen would have doubled the three-peat. 28 Sherman Douglas Dan Roundfield Tony Parker Point Guard 6-2/180 (France) Parker exploded in the 2000 Nike Hoop Summit with up 20 points, 7 assists and 2 steals. NBA teams immediately jotted his name down but figured it would still be a couple of years before Parker made an impact overseas. He returned home to enjoy a highly successful campaign in his second season with Paris Racing Club, but many were surprised when he declared for the draft. Parker had a number of workouts, but there was little draft buzz and few teams appeared to be seriously interested. As the last pick in the 1st round of the 2001 NBA draft, the Spurs stole one of the best point guards in the league with nothing more than a raised eyebrow from draft commentators and minimal fanfare. 29 Eddie Johnson Josh Howard P.J. Brown Dennis Johnson Point Guard 6-4/185 Pepperdine The late Dennis Johnson was a tremendous perimeter defender whose extremely long arms and aggressiveness made him a terror to opposing guards. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish get much respect, but the Celtics struggled to win the Championship again until Johnson joined them in 1984. 30 Jimmy Butler Spencer Haywood David Lee Gilbert Arenas Point Guard 6-4/215 Arizona Arenas is one of the biggest steals in recent history. He left Arizona after his sophomore year with many questions regarding his game. Pro teams wondered if Arenas was a tweener, as he played shooting guard in college and didn’t really show the play making ability to lead a team. Those questions now seem foolish, but at the time it was the main reason why Arenas didn’t get drafted in the first round. The talented Spencer Haywood would have been by TDR at the #30 spot if it weren’t for the weird circumstances surrounding his drafting. In 1971, Haywood was already playing for the Seattle Supersonics after spending a year in the ABA. The Buffalo Braves’ newly formed franchise selected him anyhow; claiming that Seattle’s signing of Haywood undermined the NBA draft process. For those that don’t remember Haywood, he is the first in basketball history to become an underclassman to pursue a professional career. 31 Ruben Patterson Danny Ainge Glenn Rivers Point Guard 6-4/185 Marquette Rivers spent most of his career setting up Dominique Wilkins and was a quality defender for his position. If there was anything that Rivers wasn't efficient at, it was his average perimeter shooting. Sadly, various injuries prevented him from being able to play a full season towards the end of his career. At the height of his career Rivers was a dependable and efficient point guard who coaches loved to have on their team. Rivers is now an NBA coach. 32 Rashard Lewis Bill Bridges Power Forward 6-6/230 Kansas Bridges was an undersized power forward even for his time, but was a dominant force in the low post. He made his living rebounding and cleaning up around the basket on put-backs and lay-ups. Bridges wasn't much of an offensive force, but did possess a decent hook shot he used shoot over bigger opponents. This rugged forward had some of the best hands in basketball history. Rashard Lewis could end up taking his spot on the board depending on how his career finishes. Lewis has made great strides since being drafted out of high school and is now in his prime. 33 Eric Money Grant Long Kevin Duckworth Hassan Whiteside Center 7-0/235 Marshall Whiteside left school much to the dismay of many who felt that his promising freshmen season needs to built upon so that he can be a lottery pick. Whiteside felt compelled to go and was drafted by the Sacramento Kings. Because of the raw and still emerging skill level Whiteside was sent down to the NBDL. After that stop in foreign basketball leagues of Lebanon and China Whiteside was a basketball gypsy. After signing with the Miami Heat Whiteside started to show some of the athleticism and shot blocking ability that many hoped when he was selected out of college. Since his emergence Whiteside has become a constant league leader in blocked shots and rebounding. 34 Norm Van Lier Carlos Boozer Power Forward 6-9/260 Duke No one can deny Norm Van Lier's defensive ability and playmaking, but Carlos Boozer has clearly made every NBA team look foolish for passing him by in the first round of the 2002 NBA Draft. Although Van Lier has played more seasons, Boozer's play in Utah has solidified his place among the NBA's top power forwards. It was hard to pass on Van Lier, but something tells me that Boozer will continue to etch his name as the best 34th pick in NBA draft history. 35 DeAndre Jordan Happy Hairston Derek Smith Rick Mahorn Draymond Green Power Forward 6-6/230 Michigan State Few picks in NBA history have been picked with less perceived potential or expectation. Unlike rival 35th pick DeAndre Jordan who was viewed with potential. Green upside was viewed limited and his expected impact was that of a bench player. By his second year Green has transformed himself as a totally different player than what he showed during his 4 years at Michigan State. A versatile defender capable of legitimately guarding every position. Player like Green show that no matter all the tools scouting is an inexact science. 36 Cliff Robinson Bob Love Maurice Cheeks Point Guard 6-1/180 West Texas St. Cheeks was a great point guard, but fans and media sometimes fail to bring up his name when discussing the best point guards. Few at his position would have been able to keep everyone happy on that great scoring, 1983 championship 76ers team. Defensively, Cheeks was a terror who could pick and disrupt most guards. He was also a quiet leader who preferred to let his game do the talking for him. Nonetheless, Cheeks always seemed to rise to another level when the play-offs began. 37 Archie Clark Nick Van Exel Don Ohl Guard 6-3/190 Illinois Forgotten as he might be over the past few decades, Ohl was a tremendous player. He was a very skilled offensively and made 5 straight all-star appearances from 1963-1967. After being drafted by the NBA, Ohl played for the NIBL's Peoria Cats. Later, the Detroit Pistons spotted him and were able to offer him a contract on the spot. Many that played during his time have called Ohl one of the best perimeter shooters of their era. Had Ohl not been a factor at #37, Archie Clark and Nick Van Exel are notables who would have battled for this selection. 38 Chandler Parsons Doug West Louie Dampier Guard 6-0/175 Kentucky I know that this selection may lead some NBA purists to call for my head on a plate, but considering the other candidates (and mainly my own opinion), Louie Dampier wins the spot. One of the challenges in this Fantasy Draft is contrasting eras, especially ABA careers vs. NBA accomplishments. Dampier's 12 year career only consisted of 2 years in the NBA, so in order to get a true feel for who is worthy of this pick, I had to compared playing styles in today's NBA with the three candidates. Despite playing almost 32 years ago, the ABA's style of play lives on in today's NBA with the fast break offense and three-point shooting. Comparing Dampier to Steve Kerr is uncanny on many levels. Until someone else comes along, I am satisfied with Dampier here at #38. Doug West and Steve Blake provided little competition in my mind. 39 Khris Middleton Al Attles Kevin Porter Guard 6-0/170 St. Francis (PA) Porter is the former record holder of the most assists in one game with 29. Unfortunately, he is one of the most forgotten guards in the history of the game. Despite his positives in passing and quick hands on defensive to get easy steals, Porter was disruptive with many of his former coaches as he was a very independent, and to some degree, uncoachable player. At times he would make unsound basketball decisions and look for the pass too much. I'm not going say he was a number watcher, but Porter was often known as a selfish assist man looking only to pad his totals even at the team's expense. Al Attles was also a steal at this pick as not many were aware of this talented guard. Vince Miller, a close friend of Wilt Chamberlain who played on the Philadelphia Warriors, talked to the team's General Manager, Eddie Gottlieb, in order to get Attles drafted. 40 Wayne Cooper Monta Ellis Robert Reid Clifford Ray George Gervin Guard 6-7/180 Eastern Michigan Gervin may be one of the most electrifying scorers in NBA history. His height and patented Finger Roll move made Gervin virtually unguardable on most nights. Although some have foolishly argued that he was one dimensional, those pundits should remind themselves that few did any one thing better than Gervin. His role was to score, and after a career that spanned 4 seasons in the ABA and 10 in the NBA, Gervin finished with a total of 26,595 career points (20,708 of those points were in NBA competition). 41 Nikola Jokic Otis Smith Bobby Simmons T.R. Dunn Ronald Murray Cuttino Mobley Shooting Guard 6-4/210 Rhode Island Mobley was one of the toughest picks to decide thus far because Bobby Simmons, T.R. Dunn, and Otis Smith were all great competition. Dunn was a tremendous perimeter defender with quick hands, while Simmons and Smith had great all around skills. In the end I selected Mobley as the deserving player despite his negatives. He was surprise draftee and few thought he was anything more than a mid-level overseas player, but 9 seasons later Mobley is still providing steady scoring for the LA Clippers. 42 Daniel Gibson Matt Geiger Stephen Jackson Shooting Guard 6-8/220 Butler County C.C. Jackson was a top ranked national recruit in 1996 and played in the McDonald's All-American game with future pros Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O'Neal and Mike Bibby. Jackson was signed and sealed to Arizona, but his ACT score prevented him from entering college. Butler County Community College was the alternative but he didn't play, so in a sense, Jackson was drafted off his high school merits. After bouncing around a few minor leagues he became a solid player capable of proving big scoring when his shot is dropping. In a few years Daniel Gibson may take Jackson's spot as all time best at #42. 43 Johnny Moore Phil Jordon Predrag Danilovic Eric Snow Michael Redd Shooting Guard 6-6/210 Ohio State Redd was a dominant scorer in college that many pegged as a first rounder. Then questions quickly arose regarding his defensive ability, and more importantly, his streaky perimeter shooting. Through hard work Redd has surprisingly become a big time scorer from the perimeter. I consider Redd the best player to come out of the 2000 NBA Draft. 44 Clemon Johnson Malik Rose Dave Robisch Power Forward 6-10/235 Kansas Many Kansas Jayhawks fans consider Robisch one of the school's finest players. He began his pro career in the ABA prior to the NBA merger. Robisch never became the standout player that he was in college, but was a dependable power forward. Clemon Johnson deserves honorable mention here. Had he played in today's NBA there's no doubt Johnson would have been a full-time starter. 45 Antonio Davis John Williams Bobby Phills Bobby Dandridge Forward 6-6/195 Norfolk St. Danridge is easily one of the most underrated forwards to ever play the game. The 4-time all-star was often overshadowed by superstar teammates like as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson in Milwaukee, and again with the Washington Bullets frontcourt duo Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld. Danridge was a great team player whose accomplishments on the court were so significant that he beat out Antonio Davis for this #45 spot (but Davis comes in a very close second). 46 Jerome Kersey James Edwards Voshon Lenard Jeff Hornacek Shooting Guard 6-4/210 Iowa St. Hornacek was a self made player, another example of the motto that practice makes the player. He was a walk on at Iowa State and eventually earned a scholarship. He didn't have many physical gifts but was still an achiever on the court. Despite his lack of athleticism and average height for a shooting guard, Hornacek's craftiness and ability to adjust to every game situation made his weaknesses a non-issue most of the time. The other serious candidate at #46 was Jerome Kersey. Despite his jaw dropping athleticism, Kersey was extremely raw coming out of Longwood, which at the time was a NAIA institution. 47 Gerald Wilkins Craig Ehlo Vernon Maxwell Paul Millsap Power Forward 6-7/250 Louisiana Tech Millsap along with Draymond Green has become the blueprint for every power forward in the NBA. The four time all-star has everything you need in today's NBA with defensive versatility, three point shooting range and tough rebounding. A far cry coming out of college where despite leading the national in rebounding 3 straight years Millsap was viewed as too small and limited offensively to make a true impact at the NBA level. 48 Cedric Ceballos Isaac Austin Mike Gale Marc Gasol Center 7-1/270 Akasvayu Girona (Spain) Gasol has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt is one of the best big men in the NBA. With three all-star appearances during his six seasons Gasol is one of the best picks ever at this spot. Originally I had Ceballos but towards the end of his career his accomplishments began to diminish and many labeled him a prima donna. 49 Andray Blatche Kyle O'Quinn Forfeited If it were not for the off court behavior of Auburn's "Fast" Eddie Johnson (from the 1977 NBA Draft), he would have been selected at #49. TDR forfeits this pick as Johnson's accomplishments as a basketball player are null and void, seriously overshadowed by charges of child molestation, rape, and burglary. There was initially some confusion in the media, as there is another Eddie Johnson that came out of Illinois in the 1981 NBA Draft. 50 Steve Kerr Ryan Gomes Larry Kenon Forward 6-9/205 Memphis St. Kenon was a tremendous athlete known much of career as a vicious dunker and flashy one handed rebounder. The 2-time NBA all-star made the transition from the ABA with teammate and NBA Top 50 player George Gervin. Many say that Kenon is the most successful professional player from Memphis State. Steve Kerr and Ryan Gomes are more recent 50th picks to make an impact in the NBA. 51 Lawrence Funderburke Tony Smith Kyle Korver Small Forward 6-8/210 Creighton Korver is well regarded by many to be one of the NBA’s most talented perimeter shooters. In college, some felt he could wind up in the early to mid second round portion of the draft, which is why many were surprised when he was selected at #51. Since then Korver has impressed with his court awareness and passing ability. His biggest flaws appear to be defense and creating off the dribble. Despite all this, one thing remains certain, shooters like Korver will always have a place in the NBA. 52 Fred Hoiberg Donald Royal Small Forward 6-8/213 Notre Dame Royal wasn’t always a great team player but possessed one of the best first steps in the NBA during his prime. This offensive ability enabled him to earn a living driving to the basket. What truly limited Royal’s impact was his below average ball handling and poor perimeter shooting. Some may point to Hoiberg as the best pick at this selection, but his biggest contributions were during the Bulls' mediocre years. Secondly, other parts of Hoiberg’s game left quite a bit to be desired. Royal is credited with great contributions to the Magic during Shaquille O’Neal’s and Anfernee Hardaway’s reign. 53 Greg Buckner Anthony Mason Power Forward 6-7/250 Tennessee State After Mason spent a year in Turkey he bounced around a few times between NBA teams and minor leagues before landing in New York in 1991. It was with the Knicks that Mason really began to bloom. Physically, he had a unique body that was not only strong but very mobile. The Knicks would often put him at power forward and basically allow him to run the offense. Despite playing at 250 pounds, Mason dribbled and passed better than a good portion of guards. But regardless of his talent, Mason's biggest detriment was with off court issues that led to several suspensions. 54 Shandon Anderson Zelko Rebraca Sam Mitchell Small Forward 6-6/210 Mercer Mitchell is living proof that success happens through hard work and persistence. He was drafted in 1985, but had to fight and scratch though various minor leagues to prove his worth. It wasn’t until the 1989 NBA season that Mitchell finally got into the league. The short on talent, newly formed Timberwolves gave Mitchell the one thing few thought he would ever have - an opportunity. After finally getting his big break, he never let it go and played in the league for 13 seasons. Mitchell possessed a great basketball IQ and was known as a great locker room guy. 55 Mark Blount Patrick Mills Kenny Gattison Power Forward 6-7/220 Old Dominion Old Dominion’s Gattison was one of the most respected players in the league. Physically, there is little he wouldn’t do, whether it was setting tough screens, diving on the floor, or rebounding over bigger opponents. Although Gattison’s reckless style didn't shorten his career, he was unable to play a full season of games towards the end. Some may argue that Mark Blount should have been chosen as the best pick at #55, but a glue guy like Gattison who loved competition will always get the nod over a player like Blount who plays for the check. 56 Amir Johnson Luis Scola Mickey Johnson Power Forward 6-10/190 Aurora Coming out of little known Aurora College, Mickey Johnson became one of the NBA's most versatile players. Basketball was just a hobby to Johnson, so attending Aurora (home to 600 students where half of them lived off campus) was no big deal. But once teams started to look at the stat sheet, Johnson’s name kept popping up. After the draft he continued to impress, as his versatile playing ability quickly endeared him with NBA teams. Johnson's ability to play multi-positions was so impressive that his teammates gave him the nickname “Mr. Utility”. 57 Frank Brickowski Marcin Gortat Manu Ginobili Shooting Guard 6-8/210 (Italy) The San Antonio Spurs once again proved to the basketball community that luck plays a part in draft day steals. In 1999 Ginobili was taken as the second to last pick with very little fanfare. As a matter of fact, after his name was announced, no one on the NBA Draft telecast had any information on him. Three years later information was plentiful. Ginobili continued to raise his ability and went on to develop his talent as one of Europe’s best players. Since joining the Spurs in 2002 Manu has made an immediate impact with his clutch shooting and savvy play. His success has served as a model for other NBA teams in picking up international players late in the draft and working to develop them overseas. 58 Henry Bibby Don Reid Kurt Rambis Power Forward 6-8/213 Santa Clara Rambis was drafted by New York, but the LA Lakers were the ones to benefit. After Rambis was cut from the Knicks, the rookie free agent showed up for the 1981 Lakers, but not many took notice. Rambis wasn’t a gifted scorer but fit well into the fast break oriented offense. More importantly, he gave the Lakers something they didn’t have a lot of - defensive toughness. Rambis quickly became an integral part of the team and contributed for years. He became a fan favorite because of his hustle and quirky style with his big black glasses and thick mustache. His playing style and appearance led many in the media to dub him Superman’s alter ego, “Clark Kent". Rambis had a 14 year NBA career surviving off hustle and determination...impressive. 59 Red Robbins George Carter Pat Cummings Power Forward 6-9/230 Cincinnati Noted for his great shooting touch, Cummings had a very productive pro career, 12 seasons in the NBA before retiring in 1991. Cummings was drafted in 1978 by the Milwaukee Bucks as a junior eligible draftee (this was due to the fact that the talented power forward broke his leg in his junior season and had to sit out a year), but Cummings immediately returned to college for his final season. As a pro, nagging leg injuries quickly reduced Cummings effectiveness on the court, but for a span of 5 years he was one of the league’s most dependable starters. 60 Drazen Petrovic Woody Sauldsberry Michael Cooper Isaiah Thomas Point Guard 5-9/185 Washington At pick #60 the candidates were impressive. Interestingly, Cooper and Sauldsberry were complete opposites to Petrovic. Both were noted for their defense and toughness, while Petrovic was an offensive genius capable of capturing great admiration for how he scored. In the end Petrovic’s career was short, which is why Thomas should be over him. As a player he might have been better but longevity matters and Thomas has been a consistent force in not just Boston but the moment he entered the league. Despite his size he remains a very hard player to keep from creating offensively. Make no mistake the Celtics rise starts with Thomas. Without him they would be anywhere near the team they are now.

 

 

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Written by The Draft Review

Published: 06 July 2017

Created: 06 July 2017

Last Updated: 16 October 2017

2017 NBA DRAFT

Sponsor your favorite page    First Round     Second Round     Team School Selection   Team School Selection 1 Philadelphia Washington Markelle Fultz Shooting Guard 6-4/195 Freshman 31 Charlotte Duke Frank Jackson Point Guard 6-3/205 Freshman 2 LA Lakers UCLA Lonzo Ball Point Guard 6-6/190 Freshman 32 Phoenix Miami (FL.) Davon Reed Shooting Guard 6-6/206 Senior 3 Boston Duke Jayson Tatum Small Forward 6-8/205 Freshman 33 Orlando Kansas State Wesley Iwundu Small Forward 6-7/205 Senior 4 Phoenix Kansas Josh Jackson Small Forward 6-8/207 Freshman 34 Sacramento Kansas Frank Mason III Point Guard 6-0/190 Senior 5 Sacramento kentucky De'Aaron Fox Point Guard 6-3/187 Freshman 35 Orlando California Ivan Rabb Power Forward 6-10/220 Sophomore 6 Orlando Florida State Jonathan Isaac Small Forward 6-10/210 Freshman 36 Philadelphia FMP Beograd (Serbia) Jonah Bolden Power Forward 6-10/220 1996 Draftee 7 Minnesota Arizona Lauri Markkanen Power Forward 7-0/230 Freshman 37 Boston Southern Methodist Semi Ojeleye Power Forward 6-7/240 Junior 8 New York SIG Strasbourg (France) Frank Ntilikina Point Guard 6-5/190 1998 International 38 Chicago Oregon Jordan Bell Power Forward 6-8/225 Junior 9 Dallas North Carolina State Dennis Smith Jr. Point Guard 6-3/195 Freshman 39 Philadelphia Oklahoma State Jawun Evans Point Guard 6-1/185 Sophomore 10 Sacramento Gonzaga Zach Collins Center 7-0/230 Freshman 40 New Orleans Florida State Dwayne Bacon Shooting Guard 6-7/221 Sophomore 11 Charlotte Kentucky Malik Monk Shooting Guard 6-3/200 Freshman 41 Atlanta Oregon Tyler Dorsey Shooting Guard 6-4/185 Sophomore 12 Detroit Duke Luke Kennard Shooting Guard 6-5/200 Sophomore 42 Utah Indiana Thomas Bryant Power Forward 6-10/245 Sophomore 13 Denver Louisville Donovan Mitchell Shooting Guard 6-3/200 Sophomore 43 Houston Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania) Isaiah Hartenstein Power Forward 6-11/250 1998 International 14 Miami Kentucky Bam Adebayo Center 6-10/250 Freshman 44 New York Houston Damyean Dotson Shooting Guard 6-5/205 Senior 15 Portland North Carolina Justin Jackson Small Forward 6-8/210 Junior 45 Houston Oregon Dillon Brooks Small Forward 6-6/220 Junior 16 Chicago Creighton Justin Patton Center 7-0/230 Freshman 46 Philadelphia Southern Methodist Sterling Brown Shooting Guard 6-5/225 Senior 17 Milwaukee Michigan D.J. Wilson Power Forward 6-10/240 Junior 47 Indiana UCLA Ike Anigbogu Center 6-10/250 Freshman 18 Indiana UCLA T.J. Leaf Power Forward 6-10/225 Freshman 48 Milwaukee South Carolina Sindarius Thornwell Shooting Guard 6-5/206 Senior 19 Atlanta Wake Forest John Collins Power Forward 6-10/235 Sophomore 49 Denver Mega Leks (Serbia) Vlatko Cancar Small Forward 6-8/210 1997 International 20 Portland Duke Harry Giles Power Forward 6-11/222 Freshman 50 Philadelphia Nanterre (France) Mathias Lessort Power Forward 6-9/235 1995 International 21 OK. City Adelaide (Australia) Terrance Ferguson Shooting Guard 6-7/185 1998 Draftee 51 Denver Iowa State Monte Morris Point Guard 6-3/170 Senior 22 Brooklyn Texas Jarrett Allen Center 6-11/235 Freshman 52 New Orleans Xavier Edmond Sumner Point Guard 6-5/185 Sophomore 23 Toronto Indiana OG Anunoby Small Forward 6-8/235 Sophomore 53 Boston Arizona Kadeem Allen Shooting Guard 6-3/205 Senior 24 Utah Syracuse Tyler Lydon Power Forward 6-9/223 Sophomore 54 Phoenix Valparaiso Alec Peters Small Forward 6-9/235 Senior 25 Orlando CB Gran Canaria (Spain) Anzejs Pasecniks Power Forward 7-1/220 1995 International 55 Utah Gonzaga Nigel Williams-Goss Point Guard 6-3/195 Junior 26 Portland Purdue Caleb Swanigan Power Forward 6-9/250 Sophomore 56 Boston California Jabari Bird Shooting Guard 6-6/190 Senior 27 LA Lakers Utah Kyle Kuzma Power Forward 6-9/225 Junior 57 Brooklyn FC Barcelona (Spain) Aleksandar Vezenkov Power Forward 6-9/225 1995 International 28 LA Lakers North Carolina Tony Bradley Power Forward 6-11/240 Freshman 58 New York Mega Leks (Serbia) Ognjen Jaramaz Point Guard 6-3/195 95 International 29 San Antonio Colorado Derrick White Shooting Guard 6-4/190 Senior 59 San Antonio Clemson Jaron Blossomgame Small Forward 6-7/220 Senior 30 Utah Villanova Jason Hart Shooting Guard 6-5/215 Senior 60 Atlanta Mega Leks (Serbia) Alpha Kaba Power Forward 6-9/230 1996 International

 

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Written by The Draft Review

Published: 23 June 2017

Created: 23 June 2017

Last Updated: 08 December 2020

2017 Draft Day Trades

2017 Draft Day Trades Trades between teams sent and received Chicago From Minnesota: Zach LaVine Kris Dunn Lauri Markkanen Minnesota From Chicago: Jimmy Butler Justin Patton Sacramento From Portland: Justin Jackson Harry Giles Portland From Sacramento: Zach Collins Denver From Utah: Trey Lyles Tyler Lydon Utah From Denver: Donovan Mitchell Orlando From Philadelphia: 1st Round Draft Pick (2020) 2nd Round Draft Pick (2020) Philadelphia From Orlando: Anzejs Pasecniks LA Lakers From Brooklyn: Brook Lopez Jarrett Allen Brooklyn From LA Lakers: Timofey Mozgov D'Angelo Russell LA Lakers From Utah: Jason Hart Thomas Bryant Utah From LA Lakers: Tony Bradley Charlotte From New Orleans: Dwayne Bacon Cash Considerations ($1.8MM) New Orleans From Charlotte: Frank Jackson Orlando From Memphis: 2nd Round Draft Pick (2019) Memphis From Orlando: Ivann Rabb Chicago From Golden State: Cash Considerations ($3.5MM) Golden State From Chicago: Jordan Bell Philadelphia From LA Clippers: Cash Considerations ($3.2MM) LA Clippers From Philadelphia: Jawun Evans Memphis From Houston: Dillon Brooks Houston From Memphis: 2nd Round Draft Pick (2018) Philadelphia From Milwaukee: Cash Considerations ($1.9MM) Milwaukee From Philadelphia: Sterling Brown Milwaukee From LA Clippers: Cash Considerations ($2MM) LA Clippers From Milwaukee: Sindarius Thornwell New Orleans From Pacers: Cash Considerations ($1MM) Indiana From New Orleans: Edmond Sumner

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Written by The Draft Review

Published: 07 July 2017

Created: 19 June 2017

Last Updated: 23 September 2021

2017 Rankings by Position

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Written by The Draft Review

Published: 17 June 2017

Created: 17 June 2017

Last Updated: 21 February 2022

2017 Underclassmen

2017 Underclassmen Class School/Team Player Status SO. Southern California Shaqquan Aaaron Withdrew JR. St. Bonaventure Jaylen Adams Withdrew FR. Kentucky Edrice Adebayo Miami 1st/14th SO. Louisville Deng Adel Withdrew FR. Long Island Jashaun Agosto Withdrew JR. St. John's Bashir Ahmed Withdrew FR. Arizona Rawle Alkins Withdrew FR. Texas Jarrett Allen Brooklyn 1st/22nd JR. Wright State Mark Alstork Withdrew 1996 INT. Paulistano (Brazil) Wesley Alves da Silva Undrafted FR. UCLA Ike Anigbogu Indiana 2nd/47th SO. Indiana OG Anunoby Toronto 1st/23rd 1996 INT.  Galatasaray (Turkey) Ege Arar Withdrew SO. Florida State Dwayne Bacon New Orleans 2nd/40th FR. UCLA Lonzo Ball LA Lakers 1st/2nd JR. Arkansas Jaylen Barford Withdrew 1997 INT. Neptunas (Lithuania) Laurynas Beliauskas Withdrew JR. Oregon Jordan Bell Chicago 2nd/35th JR. Vermont Trae Bell-Haynes Withdrew JR. North Carolina Joel Berry II Withdrew 1997 INT. Joventut (Spain) Terrence Bieshaar Withdrew 1997 INT. Clavijo (Spain) Simon Birgander Undrafted 1997 INT. Vytautas (Lithiania) Laurynas Birutis Withdrew JR. Indiana James Blackmon Jr. Undrafted SO. Louisiana State Antonio Blakeney Undrafted JR. Xavier Trevon Bluiett Withdrew SO. Southern California Bennie Boatwright Withdrew JR. Louisiana Tech Jacobi Boykins Withdrew 1996 INT. Zagreb (Croatia) Luka Bozic Undrafted FR. North Carolina Tony Bradley LA Lakers 1st/28th SO. Kentucky Isaiah Briscoe Undrafted JR. Oregon Dillon Brooks Houston 2nd/45th SO. Indiana Thomas Bryant Utah 2nd/42nd JR. Providence Rodney Bullock Withdrew 1997 INT. Mega Leks (Serbia) Vlatko Cancar Denver 2nd/49th JR. West Virginia Jevon Carter Withdrew JR. Thiel College (PA) Clandell Cetoute Undrafted SO. Fordham Joseph Chartouny Withdrew 1998 INT. Sevilla (Spain) Leo Cizmic Withdrew JR. Massachusetts Donte' Clark Withdrew SO. Campbell Chris Clemons Withdrew JR. Utah David Collette Withdrew SO. Wake Forest John Collins Atlanta 1st/19th FR. Gonzaga Zach Collins Sacramento 1st/10th SO. Arizona Chance Comanche Undrafted 1996 INT. Paulistano (Brazil) George de Paula Undrafted JR. Seton Hall Angel Delgado Withdrew FR. Kentucky Hamidou Diallo Withdrew SO. Oregon Tyler Dorsey Atlanta 2nd/41st SO. South Carolina P.J. Dozier Undrafted 1997 INT. Tofas (Turkey) Berkan Durmaz Withdrew 1997 INT. Sialiai (Lithuania) Martynas Echodas Withdrew JR. Purdue Vince Edwards Withdrew JR. Florida John Egbunu Withdrew 1996 INT. Levallois (France) Cyrille Eliezer-Vanerot Withdrew JR. Marshall Jon Elmore Withdrew JR. Temple Obi Enechionyia Withdrew SO. Oregon State Drew Eubanks Withdrew SO. Oklahoma State Jawun Evans Philadelphia 2nd/39th SO. Central Florida Tacko Fall Withdrew SO. Lee College C.C. (TX) Tony Farmer Undrafted 1998 INT. Pinheiros (Brazil) Aquiles Ferreira Withdrew 1996 INT. Trento (Italy) Diego Flaccadori Withdrew FR. Kentucky De'Aaron Fox Sacramento 1st/5th FR. Washington Markelle Fultz Philadelphia 1st/1st 1996 INT. Banvit (Turkey) Tolga Gecim Withdrew FR. Duke Harry Giles Portland 1st/20th JR. Florida Gulf Coast Brandon Goodwin Withdrew JR. Clemson Donte Grantham Withdrew 1997 INT. Espoirs Nancy (France) Yoan Granvorka Withdrew 1996 INT. Karsiyaka (Turkey) Egemen Guven Withdrew JR. Purdue Isaac Haas Withdrew 1998 INT. Zalgiris (Lithuania) Isaiah Hartenstein Houston 2nd/43rd 1997 INT. RTU Riga (Latvia) Karlis Helmanis Withdrew SO. UCLA Aaron Holiday Withdrew SO. Kentucky Isaac Humphries Undrafted JR. Boise State Chandler Hutchison Withdrew 1996 INT. Buducnost (Montenegro) Aleksa Ilic Withdrew FR. Florida State Jonathan Isaac Orlando 1st/6th FR. Duke Frank Jackson Charlotte 2nd/31st- FR. Kansas Josh Jackson Phoenix 1st/4th FR. Maryland Justin Jackson Withdrew JR. North Carolina Justin Jackson Portland 1st/15th 1997 INT. Nancy (France) Jonathan Jeanne Undrafted JR. Missouri State Alize Johnson Withdrew JR. La Salle B.J. Johnson Withdrew JR. CSU-Northridge Darin Johnson Withdrew JR. Louisville Jaylen Johnson Undrafted JR. Indiana Robert Johnson Withdrew FR. Texas Andrew Jones Withdrew 1996 INT. Mega Leks (Serbia) Alpha Kaba Atlanta 2nd/60th JR. Wisconsin Green Bay Kerem Kanter Withdrew FR. North Carolina State Ted Kapita Undrafted JR. Central Michigan Marcus Keene Undrafted 1996 INT. Cegep de Thetford (Canada) Tidjane Keita Undrafted SO. Duke Luke Kennard Detroit 1st/12th FR. Alabama Braxton Key Withdrew JR. Colorado George King Withdrew 1997 INT. GBA Sparta (Czech Rep.) Verners Kohs Withdrew 1997 INT. PAOK (Greece) Antonios Koniaris Withdrew 1998 INT. Baunach (Germany) Arnoldas Kulboka Withdrew 1998 INT. Barcelona (Spain) Rodions Kurucs Withdrew JR. Utah Kyle Kuzma LA LAkers 1st/27th JR. Oklahoma Khadeem Lattin Undrafted FR. UCLA T.J. Leaf Indiana 1st/18th JR. Alabama-Birmingham William Lee Withdrew JR. Texas Southern Zach Lofton Withdrew 1996 INT. Lugano (Switzerland) Axel Louissaint Withdrew 1998 INT. Panathinaikos (Greece) Michail Lountzis Withdrew SO. Syracuse Tyler Lydon Utah 1st/24th JR. Arkansas Daryl Macon Withdrew JR. Northern Illinois Marin Maric Withdrew FR. Arizona Lauri Markkanen Minnesota 1st/7th 1998 INT. Zalgiris (Lithuania) Gytis Masiulis Withdrew JR. Georgia Yante Maten Withdrew 1997 INT. Zadar (Croatia) Lovro Mazalin Withdrew SO. Wichita State Markis McDuffie Withdrew JR. Illinois State MiKyle McIntosh Withdrew SO. Brigham Young Eric Mika Undrafted 1996 INT. Vytautas (Lithuania) Regimantas Miniotas Withdrew SO. Louisville Donovan Mitchell Denver 1st/13th FR. Kentucky Malik Monk Charlotte 1st/11th SO. Cornell Matthew Morgan Withdrew JR. Wichita State Shaquille Morris Withdrew JR. Baylor Johnathan Motley Undrafted 1998 INT. Mega Leks (Serbia) Kostja Mushidi Withdrew JR. Kansas Svi Mykhailiuk Withdrew JR. Stetson Divine Myles Withdrew SO. Stetson Derick Newton Withdrew JR. Virginia Austin Nichols Undrafted 1996 INT. Lietuvos Rytas (Lithuania) Margiris Normantas Withdrew 1998 INT. Strasbourg (France) Frank Ntilikina New York 1st/8th JR. Southern Methodist Semi Ojeleye Boston 2nd/37th 1997 INT. Pau Orthez (France) Elie Okobo Withdrew 1997 INT. Unicaja (Spain) Viny Okouo Withdrew SO. Nevada Cameron Oliver Undrafted 1996 INT. Istanbul (Turkey) Ayberk Olmaz Withdrew JR. Southern Utah Randy Onwuasor Withdrew FR. Creighton Justin Patton Chicago 1st/16th JR. Georgetown L.J. Peak Undrafted 1998 INT. Pinheiros (Brazil) Lucas Pereira Withdrew JR. North Carolina Theo Pinson Withdrew SO. California Ivan Rabb Orlando 2nd/35th JR. Florida State Xavier Rathan-Mayes Undrafted JR. Florida Devin Robinson Undrafted JR. Austin Peay Josh Robinson Undrafted SO. Lewis & Clark C.C. (Ill.) Martavius Robinson Withdrew SO. North Carolina State Maverick Rowan Withdrew 1996 INT. Starogard (Poland) Martynas Sajus Withdrew SO. Rutgers Corey Sanders Withdrew JR. Idaho Victor Sanders Withdrew 1998 INT. Crevena Zvezda (Serbia) Borisa Simanic Withdrew JR. Ohio Jaaron Simmons Withdrew FR. Arizona Kobi Simmons Undrafted SO. Chicago State Fred Sims Jr. Withdrew 1997 INT. Cibona (Croatia) Nik Slavica Withdrew JR. Texas Tech Zach Smith Withdrew FR. North Carolina State Dennis Smith Jr. Dallas 1st/9th SO. Kansas State Kamau Stokes Withdrew SO. Xavier Edmond Sumner New Orleans 2nd/52nd SO. Purdue Caleb Swanigan Portland 1st/26th FR. Duke Jayson Tatum Boston 1st/3rd JR. New Mexico State Matt Taylor Undrafted JR. Ohio State Trevor Thompson Undrafted SO. Eastern Michigan James Thompson IV Withdrew SO. Oregon State Stephen Thompson Jr. Withdrew JR. Maryland Melo Trimble Undrafted 1996 INT. Fenerbahce (Turkey) Berk Ugurlu Withdrew JR. Louisiana State Craig Victor II Undrafted SO. Michigan Moritz Wagner Withdrew JR. Valparaiso Tevonn Walker Withdrew SO. Antelope Valley C.C. (CA) Antone Warren Undrafted JR. UCLA Thomas Welsh Withdrew JR. Western Michigan Thomas Wilder Withdrew JR. Central Michigan Cecil Williams Withdrew JR. Gonzaga Jonathan Williams Withdrew JR. Ohio State Kam Williams Withdrew JR. Gonzaga Nigel Williams-Goss Utah 2nd/55th JR. Texas-San Antonio Christian Wilson Withdrew JR. Michigan D.J. Wilson Milwaukee 1st/17th 1996 INT. Bayi Fubang (China) Zou Yuchen Withdrew FR. North Carolina State Omer Yurtseven Withdrew 1996 INT. Vytautas (Lithuania) Kristupas Zemaitis Withdrew

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Written by The Draft Review

Published: 01 June 2017

Created: 01 June 2017

Last Updated: 19 November 2020

Ivan Renko Awards

...but who the hell is Ivan Renko?

Once upon a time back in 1993, a 6-foot-8, 230 pound power forward from Yugoslavia (Serbia) entered the recruiting world off the lips of Indiana’s head coach Bobby Knight. Knight brought media attention to the player claiming that he committed to play for Indiana.

Knight's story was that while attending a coach's clinic in Europe, he was made aware of the player. His account of Renko's living conditions in the war torn country created a high buzz. But what happened next is one of the greatest April Fools jokes of in all of sports. Various experts responded by ranking Renko and publishing scouting reports. One even proclaimed him to be a white Larry Johnson, which today is like saying he's the next Kevin Durant. Another expert claimed to spot the strapping power forward on Indiana’s campus. But how could this be when Knight made the whole thing up?

Renko is imaginary. He never existed. Knight concocted him to expose the so-called recruiting experts he doubted were providing real scouting information.

This is the backdrop to the Ivan Renko Awards. It's given to the players who seemingly appeared out of nowhere with tremendous hype and acclaim through various media outlets. But like every award, there are stipulations.

• Player must be drafted.
• Player must be a total surprise in Renko fashion.

The draft nerd (that's me) lists the following Renko Awards from 2000 onward:

2000: Kaniel Dickens – What do you get when you combine tremendous athleticism and show the ability to hit an occasional three point shot? The Answer is Dickens. What the Jazz wanted was Bryon Russell 2.0 what they got wasn't close Dickens played 19 games in the NBA.

2001: Kedrick Brown – Brown is the highest a juco player has gone and may be the reason along with Alek Radojevic why no other Juco players have been taken as high.

2002: Peter Fehse – The Seattle Supersonics admitted they didn’t even scout him. One would think an NBA draftee would have a productive career overseas, but Fehse has been anything but a star on any level, except the third division Germany league he was drafted from.

2003: Nedzad Sinanovic – The Portland Trailblazer's selection of Nedzad Sinanovic had many wide-eyed and open mouthed. After almost three years with the Bosnian Army, Sinanovic decided he was going to play basketball again. His agent had him signed and on his way to the Spanish club, Unicaja Malaga. Here, the raw prospect would workout, gain experience and training, but would never actually play for the team, giving him extremely low exposure to scouts and GMs. During this time Sinanovic developed tremendous potential, and because of his age, was automatically eligible for the draft. On purpose he was provided a non-English speaking agent and virtually no publicity, the prospect of going undrafted was all but certain. This fate, however, was what Sinanovic's agent was hoping for. Going undrafted equated to more dollars for the player. As a free agent, he would have bypassed the rookie pay scale and been able to sign a contract with any NBA team for an unrestricted amount. Needless to say, gone are the days of international surprises!

2004: David Young – It had been 21 years since the last time a player from North Carolina Central had it's name called on draft night. Young spent 3 years in the Atlantic-10 conference playing for Xavier College. Young transferred to North Carolina College and put together a fine season but was still under the draft radar. After some stellar workouts but teams like Seattle brought him back for a second workout. Sonics head coach Nat McMillian's brother randy was one of North Carolina Central's assistant coaches. Despite not having a write-up in the NBA's official draft guide Young proved his place among NBA prospects.

2005: Orien Greene - What do you do when you're not getting playing time for a great team in a tough conference? You apparently transfer to a lower division and create a niche for yourself. At 6-4, Greene’s specialty was his self-proclaimed point guard status. With the love of a few media outlets, the Boston Celtics bit. But it turns out they ordered up the wrong meal. A greasy hamburger of a player can't be transformed into a juicy steak.

2006: Ejike Ugboaja – "Who in the world!" basically sums up my thoughts on draft night. I obtained his profile stats through some detective work. He has yet to play in the NBA and I doubt he ever will.

2007: Milovan Rakovic – I had the opportunity to see this guy play several times, and each time I came away with the thought that Rakovic is a career overseas player who will play in a decent league, but not with a premier overseas team. Who is his genius agent? He's definitely earned more than his standard commission. Give that man double.

2008: Patrick Ewing_Jr. – You wouldn’t think being the son of an NBA Hall of Fame player Patrick Ewing that Ewing Jr. would be on this list. Ewing worked hard through the predraft camps and slowly gained respect from scouts who had written him off. Despite this on draft night few had him pegged as a guaranteed draft pick. Ewing Jr. now works as the director of basketball operations at Georgetown.

2009: Taylor Griffin – No offense, but no one on draft night (except maybe his brother, Blake, and their parents) felt that both brothers would be drafted. It smells like an Agent favor, but thanks to his brother, Taylor had one of the best sports agencies backing him up.

2010: Ryan Reid – A valuable member of the Florida State basketball team Reid established himself as a tremendous post defender. With his limited upside and marginal offensive skills Reid’s selection was surprising.

2011: Chukwudiebere Maduabum & Tanguy Ngombo – A tie as both prospects were far from anybody’s draft list. Maduabum was essentially drafted out of the NBDL and never showed much of anything other than being tall. Ngombo was one of David Khan’s more mindboggling selections. Hilariously it later came out that Ngombo might have lied about his age that he was not 21 but 27 years old!

2012: Tomislav Zubcic – Another overseas player who was drafted like Peter Fehse after a face-up forward model of Dirk Nowitzki and Andrea Bargnani. Great shooter terrible rebounder and a marginal athlete I doubt he will ever reach the NBA.

2013: Arsalan Kazemi – Not that Kazemi was unknown by scouts but the general public knew very little of him. He wasn’t on anyone’s top 75 draft list other than the Wizards. Great hustle player with limited upside has yet to play a game in the NBA. He is the NBA's first Iranian draftee.

2014: Bruno Caboclo – No player has been such a surprise to go in the first round since Martin Muursepp in 1996. Extremely young with potential yet the comparison to being the Brazilian Kevin Durant seems like a huge stretch.

2015: Juan Pablo Vaulet – So much of a surprise was Vaulet that even his native country was shocked by his selection. Vaulet is a young prospect with developing skills but nothing exceptional. Could he be the next Argentina draft steal like Manu Ginobili or enter the realm of the forgotten like Federico Kammerichs.

2016: Adel Nader – Everyone knew about his college teammate Georges Niang but few fans knew of Nader. Apparently part of his selection had an agreement that Nader would be stashed in the D-League. This past year Nader was named the NBA D-League Rookie of the Year. Time remains to be seen if his selection was genius or a reach but it certainly was a surprise.

Congratulations to the Ivan Renko clones. So who's next? As if there won't be one every year! Someone is going to take a risk for no good reason. TDR will be here with draft day giggles to hand out the Award.

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Written by Matthew Maurer

Published: 31 May 2017

Created: 31 May 2017

Last Updated: 20 September 2017

2016 Underclassmen

2016 Underclassmen Class School/Team Player Status SO. North Carolina State Abdul-Malik Abu Withdrew JR. Stanford Rosco Allen Undrafted FR. Southeast Missouri St. Tony Anderson Undrafted JR. North Carolina St. BeeJay Anya Withdrew 1996 INT. Cedevita (Croatia) Marko Arapovic Withdrew 1996 INT. Galatasaray (Turkey) Ege Arar Withdrew 1997 INT. Spars Sarajevo (Bosnia) Edin Atic Withdrew 1984 Orangeville (NBL) Brandon Austin Undrafted JR. New Mexico St. Ian Baker Withdrew 1997 INT. Antibes (France) Gracin Bakumanya Undrafted SO. Vanderbilt Wade Baldwin IV Memphis 1st/17th JR. North Carolina St. Anthony Barber Undrafted JR. Notre Dame V.J. Beachem Withdrew FR. Florida State Malik Beasley Denver 1st/19th 1997 INT. Clinicas Rincon (Spain) Romaric Belemene Withdrew JR. St. Joseph’s DeAndre Bembry Atlanta 1st/21st 1997 INT. Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) Dragan Bender Phoenix 1st/4th SO. Providence Ben Bentil Boston 2nd/51st 1995 INT. Istanbul BSB (Turkey) Metecan Birsen Withdrew SO. Indiana James Blackmon Jr. Withdrew FR. Louisiana St. Antonio Blakeney Withdrew JR. Clemson Jaron Blossomgame Withdrew SO. Xavier Trevon Bluiett Withdrew 1995 INT. Chalon (France) Axel Bouteille Withdrew JR. Connecticut Amida Brimah Withdrew FR. Kentucky Isaiah Briscoe Withdrew SO. Oregon Dillon Brooks Withdrew SO. New Mexico Elijah Brown Withdrew FR. California Jaylen Brown Boston 1st/3rd SO. Utah State-Eastern C.C. Lamous Brown Undrafted JR. Iowa State Deonte Burton Withdrew JR. Ohio Antonio Campbell Withdrew JR. Auburn Kareem Canty Undrafted JR. Maryland Robert Carter Jr. Undrafted FR. Washington Marquese Chriss Sacramento 1st/8th JR. Washington State Conor Clifford Withdrew JR. Dayton Charles Cooke III Withdrew JR. Maryland-Eastern Shore Bakari Copeland Withdrew 1996 INT. Denain (France) Isaia Cordinier Atlanta 2nd/44th 1995 INT. Le Mans (France) Petr Cornelie Denver 2nd/53rd FR. Michigan State Deyonta Davis Boston 2nd/31st FR. Northwest Florida State C.C. Moustapha Diagne Withdrew FR. Kansas Cheick Diallo LA Clippers 2nd/33rd 1995 INT. Loboral Kutxa (Spain) Ilimane Diop Withdrew FR. Oregon Tyler Dorsey Withdrew JR. Stillman College D’Andre Downey Withdrew JR. Providence Kris Dunn Minnesota 1st/5th SO. Purdue Vince Edwards Withdrew FR. Marquette Henry Ellenson Detroit 1st/18th 1995 INT. Le Mans (France) Youssoupha Fall Withdrew JR. Oakland Kay Felder Atlanta 2nd/54th 1996 INT. Trento (Italy) Diego Flaccadori Withdrew 1995 INT. Spirou (Belgium) Michael Fusek Withdrew JR. Kansas Brannen Greene Undrafted 1995 INT. Crvena Zvezda (Serbia) Marko Guduric Withdrew 1996 INT. Karsiyaja (Turkey) Egemen Guven Withdrew 1996 INT. Sevilla (Spain) Ludvig Hakanson Withdrew JR. Kent State Jimmy Hall Withdrew SO. Connecticut Daniel Hamilton Denver 2nd/56th JR. Dalton State Cedric Happi Noube Undrafted JR. Rhode Island Jordan Hare Undrafted JR. Villanova Josh Hart Withdrew JR. Washington State Josh Hawkinson Withdrew JR. Wisconsin Nigel Hayes Withdrew 1995 INT. Estudiantes (Spain) Juan Hernangomez Denver 1st/15th FR. Duke Brandon Ingram LA Lakers 1st/2nd JR. Washington State Ike Iroegbu Withdrew JR. Notre Dame Demetrius Jackson Boston 2nd/45th SO. North Carolina Justin Jackson Withdrew JR. Southern California Julian Jacobs Undrafted JR. Hawaii Stefan Jankovic Undrafted SO. Cal State-San Bernardino Anthony January Undrafted 1995 INT. Mega Leks (Serbia) Ognjen Jaramaz Withdrew JR. Villanova Kris Jenkins Withdrew JR. Washington State Que Johnson Withdrew JR. Iowa Peter Jok Withdrew JR. Vanderbilt Damian Jones Golden St. 1st/30th FR. UNLV Derrick Jones Jr. Undrafted JR. Southern California Nikola Jovanovic Undrafted 1996 INT. Mega Leks (Serbia) Alpha Kaba Withdrew 1995 INT. Aalstar (Belgium) Vincent Kesteloot Withdrew JR. Arkansas Moses Kingsley Withdrew SO. Centenary Travion Kirkendoll Withdrew 1997 INT. Efes (Turkey) Furkan Korkmaz Philadelphia 1st/26th 1995 INT. Efes (Turkey) Emircan Kosut Withdrew FR. Kentucky Skal Labissiere Phoenix 1st/28th SO. Manhattan Jermaine Lawrence Undrafted FR. Memphis Dedric Lawson Withdrew JR. Kentucky Marcus Lee Withdrew 1995 INT. Chalon (France) Mathias Lessort Withdrew 1997 INT. Orleans (France) Luc Loubaki Withdrew 1995 INT. Mega Leks (Serbia) Timothe Luwawu Philadelphia 1st/24th Post Grad. Orangeville Prep Thon Maker Milwaukee 1st/10th SO. Yuba C.C. Emmanuel Malou Undrafted SO. Yale Makai Mason Withdrew SO. UNLV Patrick McCaw Milwaukee 1st/38th FR. Gadsden State C.C. Zak McLaughlin Undrafted FR. South Florida Jahmal McMurray Withdrew JR. North Carolina Kennedy Meeks Withdrew 1997 INT. Union Olimpija (Slovenia) Blaz Mesicek Withdrew JR. North Florida Dallas Moore Withdrew JR. Utah State Jalen Moore Withdrew FR. Washington Dejounte Murray San Antonio 1st/29th FR. Kentucky Jamal Murray Denver 1st/7th JR. Cal-Irvine Mamadou N’Diaye Undrafted JR. Gardner-Webb Tyrell Nelson Withdrew FR. Mississippi State Malik Newman Withdrew 1995 INT. Brose Baskets (Germany) Aleksej Nikolic Withdrew JR. Florida Gulf Coast Marc-Eddy Norelia Withdrew JR. UNLV Chris Obekpa Undrafted SO. UNLV Goodluck Okonoboh Undrafted FR. Nevada Cameron Oliver Withdrew SO. Louisville Chinanu Onuaku Houston 2nd/37th 1997 INT. Panathinaikos (Greece) Georgios Papagiannis Phoenix 1st/13th 1995 INT. Koszalin (Poland) Adam Pechacek Withdrew JR. Valparaiso Alec Peters Withdrew JR. VMI QJ Peterson Withdrew SO. Utah Jakob Poeltl Toronto 1st/9th SO. San Diego State Malik Pope Withdrew JR. Connecticut Rodney Purvis Withdrew 1996 INT. Xinjiang (China) Zhou Qi Houston 2nd/43rd JR. Louisiana State Tim Quarterman Undrafted 1995 INT. Metalac (Serbia) Petar Rakicevic Withdrew JR. Xavier Jalen Reynolds Undrafted FR. Syracuse Malachi Richardson Charlotte 1st/22nd SO. Gonzaga Domantas Sabonis Orlando 1st/11th 1996 INT. Zalgiris (Lithuania) Martynas Sajus Withdrew 1997 INT. Torrelodones (Spain) Jordan Sakho Withdrew FR. Rutgers Corey Sanders Jr. Withdrew JR. Kansas Wayne Selden Jr. Undrafted 1996 INT. Bauru (Brazil) Wesley Sena Withdrew 1995 Draftee Dallas Hoyas (NABL) Ingrid Sewa Undrafted SO. New Mexico State Pascal Siakam Toronto 1st/27th FR. Louisiana State Ben Simmons Philadelphia 1st/1st 1995 INT. Karsiyaka (Turkey) Kenan Sipahi Withdrew 1997 INT. Cibona (Serbia) Nik Slavica Withdrew 1995 INT. Fuenlabrada (Spain) Rolands Smits Withdrew FR. Maryland Diamond Stone New Orleans 2nd/40th 1995 INT. FC Barcelona Emir Sulejmanovic Withdrew FR. Purdue Caleb Swanigan Withdrew JR. Texas Isaiah Taylor Undrafted JR. Anderson (SC) Rakish Taylor Withdrew JR. Idaho State Ethan Telfair Withdrew SO. Ohio State Trevor Thompson Withdrew SO. Maryland Melo Trimble Withdrew 1996 INT. Fenerbahce (Turkey) Berk Ugurlu Withdrew SO. Kentucky Tyler Ulis Phoenix 2nd/34th JR. Hawaii Aaron Valdes Undrafted 1995 INT. Barcelona (Spain) Alexander Vezenkov Withdrew JR. Creighton Maurice Watson Jr. Withdrew JR. Boise State James Webb III Undrafted JR. Nebraska Andrew White III Withdrew SO. Seton Hall Isaiah Whitehead Utah 2nd/42nd JR. West Virginia Devin Williams Undrafted JR. Indiana Troy Williams Undrafted JR. Portland Alec Wintering Withdrew JR. Northwestern State Zeek Woodley Withdrew 1995 INT. Rouen (France) Guerschon Yabusele Boston 1st/16th 1997 INT. Obradoiro (Spain) Santiago Yusta Withdrew 1995 INT. Mega Leks (Serbia) Rade Zagorac Boston 2nd/35th FR. UNLV Stephen Zimmerman Orlando 2nd/41st 1997 INT. Cibona (Croatia) Ante Zizic Boston 1st/23rd 1997 INT. Mega Leks (Serbia) Ivica Zubac LA Lakers 1st/32nd

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Written by The Draft Review

Published: 25 June 2016

Created: 26 June 2016

Last Updated: 06 March 2022