NBA
NBA Daily: The Best And Worst Of The Last NBA Draft Decade
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated06 Nov 2023
The Best And Worst
With the NBA Draft just around the corner and ever-increasing debate on where a certain player should be ranked, it seemed relevant to take a look back at the last decade of lottery picks and highlight some of the better decisions as well as some of the not so great decisions made on draft day.
If you want to see the complete history of every draft picks, check out the History of the NBA Draft – By Pick.
In looking at the draft history, two factors were used. We looked at whether the player was more or less than an average NBA player and whether he blossomed on a traditional track. Some drafted players found their groove well after their normal draft window and have had reasonable NBA careers, but many of those didn’t live up to their draft hype or draft status.
Let’s take a look:
The #1s
The Studs
2016: Ben Simmons, Louisiana State – Philadelphia 76ers
2015: Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky – Minnesota Timberwolves
2014: Andrew Wiggins, Kansas – Cleveland Cavaliers
2012: Anthony Davis, Kentucky – New Orleans Hornets
2011: Kyrie Irving, Duke – Cleveland Cavaliers
2010: John Wall, Kentucky – Washington Wizards
2009: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma – L.A. Clippers
2008: Derrick Rose, Memphis – Chicago Bulls
The Duds
2013: Anthony Bennett, UNLV – Cleveland Cavaliers
The #2s
The Studs
2016: Brandon Ingram, Duke – Los Angeles Lakers
2015: D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State – Los Angeles Lakers
2013: Victor Oladipo, Indiana – Orlando Magic
The Duds
2012: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky – Charlotte Bobcats
2011: Derrick Williams, Arizona – Minnesota Timberwolves
2009: Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut – Memphis Grizzlies
2008: Michael Beasley, Kansas State – Miami HEAT
The #3s
The Studs
2017: Jayson Tatum, Duke – Boston Celtics
2016: Jaylen Brown, California – Boston Celtics
2014: Joel Embiid, Kansas – Philadelphia 76ers
2013: Otto Porter, Georgetown – Washington Wizards
2012: Bradley Beal, Florida – Washington Wizards
2009: James Harden, Arizona State – Oklahoma City Thunder
The Duds
2015: Jahlil Okafor, Duke – Philadelphia 76ers
2008: O.J. Mayo, USC – Minnesota Timberwolves
The #4s
The Studs
2015: Kristaps Porzingis, Baloncesta Sevilla – New York Knicks
2014: Aaron Gordon, Arizona – Orlando Magic
2008: Russell Westbrook, UCLA – Seattle Supersonics
The Duds
2012: Dion Waiters, Syracuse – Cleveland Cavaliers
2010: Wesley Johnson, Syracuse – Minnesota Timberwolves
2009: Tyreke Evans, Memphis – Sacramento Kings
The #5s
The Studs
2010: Demarcus Cousins, Kentucky – Sacramento Kings
2009: Ricky Rubio, Spain – Minnesota Timberwolves
The Duds
2015: Mario Hezonja, FC Barcelona Basquet – Orlando Magic
2014: Dante Exum, Australia – Utah Jazz
2013: Alex Len, Maryland – Phoenix Suns
2012: Thomas Robinson, Kansas – Sacramento Kings
The #6s
The Studs
2014: Marcus Smart, Oklahoma St. – Boston Celtics
2012: Damian Lillard, Weber State – Portland Trail Blazers
2008: Danilo Gallinari, Italy – New York Knicks
The Duds
2013: Nerlens Noel, Kentucky – New Orleans Pelicans
2011: Jan Vesely, Czech Republic – Washington Wizards
2010: Ekpe Udoh, Baylor – Golden State Warriors
2009: Jonny Flynn, Syracuse – Minnesota Timberwolves
The #7s
The Studs
2017: Lauri Markkanen, Arizona – Minnesota Timberwolves
2016: Jamal Murray, Kentucky – Denver Nuggets
2014: Julius Randle, Kentucky – Los Angeles Lakers
2012: Harrison Barnes, UNC – Golden State Warriors
2010: Greg Monroe, Georgetown – Detroit Pistons
2009: Stephen Curry, Davidson – Golden State Warriors
2008: Eric Gordon, Indiana – L.A. Clippers
The Duds
2015: Emmanuel Mudiay, Guangdong Tigers – Denver Nuggets
2013: Ben McLemore, Kansas – Sacramento Kings
2011: Bismack Biyombo, Congo – Sacramento Kings
The #8s
The Studs
No Studs in the last decade.
The Duds
2014: Nik Stauskas, Michigan – Sacramento Kings
2013: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia – Detroit Pistons
2011: Brandon Knight, Kentucky – Detroit Pistons
2009: Jordan Hill, Arizona – New York Knicks
2008: Joe Alexander, West Virginia – Milwaukee Bucks
The #9s
The Studs
2012: Andre Drummond, Connecticut – Detroit Pistons
2011: Kemba Walker, Connecticut – Charlotte Bobcats
2010: Gordon Hayward, Butler – Utah Jazz
2009: DeMar Derozen, USC – Toronto Raptors
The Duds
2014: Noah Vonleh, Indiana – Charlotte Hornets
2013: Trey Burke, Michigan – Minnesota Timberwolves
The #10s
The Studs
2013: C.J. McCollum, Lehigh – Portland Trail Blazers
2010: Paul George, Fresno State – Indiana Pacers
2008: Brook Lopez, Stanford – New Jersey Nets
The Duds
2015: Justise Winslow, Duke – Miami HEAT
2011: Jimmer Fredette, BYU – Milwaukee Bucks
The #11s
The Studs
2015: Myles Turner, Texas – Indiana Pacers
2011: Klay Thompson, Washington State – Golden State Warriors
The Duds
2013: Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse – Philadelphia 76ers
2010: Cole Aldrich, Kansas – New Orleans Hornets (Draft rights traded to OKC Thunder)
2009: Terrence Williams, Louisville – New Jersey Nets
The #12s
The Studs
2015: Trey Lyles, Kentucky – Utah Jazz
2014: Dario Saric, Croatia – Orlando Magic
2013: Steven Adams, Pittsburgh – Oklahoma City Thunder
The Duds
2012: Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut – Houston Rockets
2011: Alec Burks, Colorado – Utah Jazz
2010: Xavier Henry, Kansas – Memphis Grizzlies
2008: Jason Thompson, Rider – Sacramento Kings
The #13s
The Studs
2017: Donovan Mitchell, Louisville – Denver Nuggets
2015: Devin Booker, Kentucky – Phoenix Suns
2014: Zach LaVine, UCLA – Minnesota Timberwolves
2013: Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga – Dallas Mavericks
2011: Markieff Morris, Kansas – Phoenix Suns
The Duds
2016: Georgios Papagiannis, Greece – Phoenix Suns
2012: Kendall Marshall, UNC – Phoenix Suns
2009: Tyler Hansbrough, UNC – Indiana Pacers
2008: Brandon Rush, Kansas – Portland Trail Blazers
The #14s
The Studs
2017: Bam Adebayo, Kentucky – Miami HEAT
2014: TJ Warren, NC State – Phoenix Suns
2011: Marcus Morris, Kansas – Houston Rockets
2010: Patrick Patterson, Kentucky – Houston Rockets
The Duds
2013: Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA – Utah Jazz
2009: Earl Clark, Louisville – Phoenix Suns
2008: Anthony Randolph, LSU – Golden State Warriors
If a drafted player is not listed he was neither a Stud or a Dud, that player was deemed simply an average NBA player or hasn’t logged enough time to practically be considered either way.
If you are curious how your favorite team has fared in the draft process, Basketball Insiders also has the History of the NBA Draft – By Team.
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