The No. 2 decide within the NBA Draft is a extremely coveted one annually. However the final 10 years have proven us that it’s not at all times the luckiest spot.
The 2025 NBA Draft is just a bit over every week away. Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are the unanimous first and second total picks on this 12 months’s draft. Whereas Flagg’s arrival in Dallas is merely a formality, the identical can’t be mentioned for Harper.
The San Antonio Spurs have the second total decide on this 12 months’s draft. However they’re fielding calls to commerce the decide.
The Philadelphia 76ers are among the many groups trying to commerce up within the draft. And so are the Brooklyn Nets, though they’re unlikely to supply the Spurs the package deal they’re in search of.
The Spurs are additionally linked to a potential Kevin Durant commerce. So it’s very seemingly they gained’t have the second total decide come draft evening. But when current historical past is something to go by, that is likely to be factor.
Over the past 10 years, the #2 total decide has been used to pick out some nice prospects. However these have principally didn’t grow to be dependable star gamers, for one purpose or one other.
D’Angelo Russell’s profession began out sturdy. After a quick stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Russell discovered himself taking over a star function with the Brooklyn Nets, even incomes an All-Star nomination in 2019.
Since then, Russell has bounced across the league, going from crew to crew. What grew to become evident is that Russell is an honest, albeit inconsistent, participant within the common season.
It’s the playoff stage that makes Russell considerably of a disappointment. His scoring and capturing numbers go down drastically within the playoffs, which, mixed together with his poor protection, make him downright unplayable.
Russell was anticipated to be a constant All-Star-level participant. However he has settled right into a rotation function within the league. Whereas gamers like Kristaps Porzingis and Devin Booker, who have been picked after him, have turn into stars within the NBA.
Brandon Ingram hasn’t had a foul profession within the NBA. Very similar to D’Angelo Russell, he spent a couple of years on the Lakers earlier than discovering success on one other crew.
Ingram was paired with Zion Williamson on the New Orleans Pelicans, the place he even earned an All-Star nomination.
The pair didn’t discover any success, by no means even making it previous the primary spherical of the NBA playoffs. Add to that his harm historical past, and Ingram has shortly been decreased to a job participant within the NBA.
Now on the Raptors, Ingram has little or no time to construct again the momentum he squandered. Whereas gamers like Jaylen Brown and Domantas Sabonis have established themselves as All-Star mainstays within the league.
Finishing the trifecta of Lakers’ errors with the #2 total decide, Lonzo Ball was hyped as much as be the subsequent nice Lakers star by Magic Johnson.
Nonetheless, he didn’t get off to begin in LA. Regardless of taking part in with LeBron James for a season, Ball failed to enhance. Ultimately, he was traded to the Pelicans as a part of the Anthony Davis commerce.
After two respectable seasons with the Pelicans, Lonzo signed with the Chicago Bulls. He regarded like he was lastly growing into the participant he was meant to be, however that’s when catastrophe struck.
A critical harm stored Ball sidelined for over two complete NBA seasons. And when he made his return final 12 months, he confirmed the Bulls that he can nonetheless play at a excessive degree, however he wanted to be dealt with with care.
Whereas a number of different stars picked after him, like Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo, Donovan Mitchell, and Lauri Markkanen, have turn into established All-Star and All-NBA caliber gamers.
Marvin Bagley III is without doubt one of the two gamers on this record who’re contenders for the crown of worst #2 decide of all time. After an excellent faculty stint the place he gained ACC Rookie of the 12 months and Participant of the 12 months in the identical season, he entered the NBA with nice anticipation.
Sacramento Kings government Peja Stojakovic lobbied for Bagley III forward of fellow Balkan standout Luka Doncic, Trae Younger, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Whereas he had a powerful rookie season, incomes All-Rookie honors, Bagley’s profession has been on a pointy decline since then.
Presently on the Memphis Grizzlies, Bagley III barely options, taking part in about eight minutes a sport. Whereas his aforementioned classmates are competing for NBA championships and different prestigious accolades.
Ja Morant is without doubt one of the few choices on this record who lived as much as his potential as a participant. Whereas Zion Williamson earned lots of hype within the 2019 NBA Draft, Morant was the one who shortly ascended up the ranks.
Morant established himself as one to look at after he gained Rookie of the 12 months and Most Improved Participant in consecutive years. Add to that a number of All-Star nominations, and followers would possibly query why Morant is even on this record.
His troubles off the courtroom have completed lots of harm to his profession. Morant’s illicit social media exercise landed him in scorching water twice within the 2022-23 NBA season.
This 12 months was considerably of a return to type. However his celebration antics in the direction of the tip of the season appear to counsel that Morant nonetheless hasn’t realized his lesson and can seemingly get into bother once more.
James Wiseman is the opposite participant on this record competing with Marvin Bagley III for the dishonor of the worst #2 total decide of all time.
Whereas Steve Kerr dismissed touchdown Anthony Edwards within the 2020 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors nonetheless had different choices they might go along with.
The Warriors selected Wiseman as a result of he might be the star-level middle they at all times needed. However in doing so, they chose one of the crucial disappointing NBA prospects in current reminiscence.
Right this moment, James Wiseman is out of the NBA, with little hope of ever returning. Whereas gamers in his draft class like Tyrese Haliburton, Tyrese Maxey, and LaMelo Ball are proving that the Warriors may have drafted the right successor to Stephen Curry had they been extra cautious.
Jalen Inexperienced hasn’t performed poorly since getting into the NBA. However he hasn’t been the star-level standout the Houston Rockets anticipated once they chosen him within the 2021 NBA Draft.
Inexperienced’s largest concern is his scoring effectivity and his inconsistency. However after a couple of years of struggling, Inexperienced regarded like he had figured it out this season, serving to the Rockets earn the second total seed with a 52-win season.
Within the playoffs, Inexperienced regarded horrible, dropping some genuinely poor performances because the Rockets misplaced to the Warriors within the first spherical.
Inexperienced’s future with the Rockets is unsure, because the crew appears to be like to land Kevin Durant. However the Rockets will look again on the 2021 NBA Draft and want they drafted Scottie Barnes or Jalen Suggs as a substitute.
In contrast to many gamers on this record, Chet Holmgren appears to be breaking this curse of the second total decide.
However when the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder first drafted him, issues have been trying bleak. Forward of his debut season, Chet suffered a season-ending harm that delayed his NBA profession by a 12 months.
When he did begin taking part in for the Thunder, he made fairly an affect, serving to the Thunder earn the primary seed within the Western Convention whereas competing neck-and-neck with Victor Wembanyama for Rookie of the 12 months.
This season, regardless of a prolonged absence as a consequence of harm, Chet has performed very nicely. And whereas his struggles within the NBA Finals are discouraging, Holmgren has the prospect to make a big effect for the Thunder en path to profitable an NBA championship.
Brandon Miller had the unlucky function of being the participant picked after Victor Wembanyama. And whereas that took lots of consideration away from him, he has completed nicely for himself.
Now, Miller’s profession common of 18.3 factors, 4.4 rebounds, and a couple of.7 assists is sort of sturdy, he hasn’t fairly developed on the tempo the Hornets would have hoped.
A part of that is because of his harm considerations, as Miller solely performed 27 video games this previous season. He nonetheless has lots of time left to show himself.
As issues stand, in comparison with gamers like Ausar Thompson and Amen Thompson, Miller has gone underneath the radar.
Alexandre Sarr very practically wasn’t on this record. When the Atlanta Hawks surprisingly gained the NBA Draft Lottery, Sarr was the front-runner to go first total within the NBA Draft.
Nonetheless, Sarr communicated to Hawks officers that he would return to France for one more 12 months in the event that they picked him, as he didn’t need to play for his or her crew.
As an alternative, the Hawks drafted Zaccharie Risacher, and Sarr went to the Washington Wizards. Sarr was certainly not a rookie standout, however performed nicely sufficient to complete fourth within the race for Rookie of the 12 months behind Stephon Fort, Risacher, and Jaylen Wells.
The rationale he’s on this record is his pre-draft exercise. If Sarr was prepared to dictate phrases to an NBA crew earlier than even making it to the league, that might be an indication of him being an issue case within the years to come back.
Hardly ever in a draft class do you get two sure-fire successes. However the 2025 NBA Draft presents simply that chance.
Dylan Harper has the potential to enter the NBA because the second total decide and reverse 10 years of dangerous luck with some unimaginable play and residing as much as his potential.
As issues stand, Harper may find yourself on a number of totally different groups. However hopefully, wherever he goes, he turns into the star he might be, because the NBA is in determined want of thrilling, younger expertise.
Because the NBA Draft is simply over every week away, NBA Evaluation Community put collectively their first mock draft. On high of that, we additionally projected the place each second-round decide would go. Keep tuned to the positioning for extra glorious NBA Draft protection within the coming days.
