This Thursday a new edition of the players’ choice lottery will be held, which received future cracks, but also epic mistakes that sank franchises.
Throughout 76 years, the NBA Draft -which will have its 2023 edition this Thursday night- received future stars as it deserved and also experienced epic mistakes that sank franchises. The French Victor Wembanyamapredictable number one this year, is the latest protagonist of an unpredictable selection system.
Victor Wembanyama, the most precious loot in the draft. Photo: JEFF PACHOUD / AFP.
The first player chosen with the number one in the Draft was Clifton McNeeleyby the Pittsburgh Ironmen in 1947. The league, then called the Basketball Association of America (BAA), was not yet as attractive and the forward preferred working in the oil fields to playing professionally.
One of the great passions of basketball fans is revisiting past decisions in the Draft. The first great “what if…” could be starred by the Rochester Royalswho with the first election in 1956 allowed Bill Russell to opt for Sihugo Green.
Los Celtics they took advantage of it to convince the St Louis Hawks, who had selected Russell second, to trade him for their All-Star center Ed Macauley. It was a stroke of genius for the coach Red Auerbach key to the dynasty that exercised Boston with 11 championship rings between 1957 and 1969.
San Francisco’s Bill Russell in a Boston Celtics uniform. Photo: AP
He most remembered mistakehowever, it occurred in 1984 when Michael Jordan It wasn’t picked until number three by the Chicago Bulls.
The Rockets took first place pick Hakeem Olajuwonwhich made them win two titles, and the Blazers were the worst off when they opted for Sam Bowie instead of ‘Air Jordan’, still considered the best player in history. There is an explanation, although in Portland they still lament it. The Oregon franchise had in its ranks Clyde Drexler, a crack – he was part of the first Dream Team – who played in the same position as the man who changed the NBA forever.
Michael Jordan when he signed his contract with the Chicago Bulls. Photo: AP/Charlie Knoblock.
In 1969, Lew Alcindor it was not called yet Kareem Abdul-Jabbar but he was already on everyone’s lips having won three straight college titles with UCLA.
The young center was so coveted that the Milwaukee Bucks they chose him first in the NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets in the rival league American Basketball Association (ABA) and the Harlem Globetrotters offered him a contract for one million dollars.
In the end, Alcindor opted for the Bucks and the rest is history: six championships (one with the Bucks and five with the Lakers) in ten Finals, six MVP awards and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer until this year he was surpassed by a certain LeBron James.
LeBron James receives the ball from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after breaking his scoring record. Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
LeBron, baptized as “The Chosen One” before landing in the NBA in 2003, is one of the stars taken in the first place who exceeded expectations and media pressure, to hoard countless records and win four rings.
In addition to ‘King James’, The animal may be inspired by other legends such as Magic Johnson (Lakers, 1979), Shaquille O’Neal (Orlando, 1992) y Tim Duncan (San Antonio, 1997) who were also number one.
For many, the best draft crop in history is still that of 1984 when, in addition to Jordan y Olajuwonthey arrived Charles Barkley (5th) and John Stockton (16th), who had extraordinary careers that they could not crown with a title.
The 1996 Draft was also exceptional with Allen Iverson (1º/Philadelphia), Ray Allen (5º/Minnesota), Kobe Bryant (13th/Charlotte and immediately traded to Lakers) and Steve Nash (15º/Phoenix).
In 2003, LeBron (1st/Cleveland) had top players as classmates like Carmelo Anthony (3º/Denver), Chris Bosh (4th/Toronto) and Dwyane Wade (5º/Miami).
Looking back, the number ones that ended in failure are almost more remembered than the hits. They have reserved places on that list Michael Olowokandi (Clippers and 1998), Anthony Bennett (Cleveland in 2013) y Kwame Brown (Washington a 2001).
In case of Greg Odenrecruited by Portland in 2007, was also a notorious fiasco because, despite the fact that he was slowed down by serious injuries, the Blazers had an alternative to Kevin Duranta superstar chosen in the two by the Seattle SuperSonics.
The victory this season of the Denver Nuggets was largely the result of one of the greatest successes in the history of the Draft: selecting Nikola Jokic ranked 41st in 2014.
emanuel ginobili basketball basketball player buenos aires basketball basketball player emanuel ginobili basketball basketball player signed a contract with sann antonio spurs 20020718 emanuel ginobili basketball basketball player signed a contract with sann antonio spurs 20020718
In addition to the two-time MVP, other great figures were discovered in the second round, such as the Argentine Emanuel Ginobili for the Spurs (57th in 1999), Draymond Green by Golden State (35th in 2012) or Marc Gasol by Lakers (48th in 2007), later transferred to Memphis.
With information from AFP
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2023-06-22 12:34:13
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