CruzDude
Senior Member sharing a brew with bajaden
Thought this article in RealGm.com was interesting in view of Kings picking at #12 this year.
Top 10 Careers Of Players Picked 11th And 12th
6th May, 2008 - 3:26 pm
I’ve taken over the reigns from the very-talented Nick Obergan on his ‘Standing 10’ series chronicling the greatest careers of players drafted at every given slot. A few weeks ago Nick featured the greatest players taken with the thirteenth and fourteenth picks in the NBA Draft, meaning this week I’ll feature selections eleven and twelve. As you might expect, the candidates are getting better and better as we inch closer to the top ten.
10. Terrell Brandon – No. 11 in 1991 (Cleveland)
Brandon played his first six NBA seasons with the Cavaliers after being drafted out of Oregon. He broke out during his fifth season in 1995-96, with averages of 19.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.76 steals per game. He made the first of two consecutive All-Star appearances that same season, before shifting his career to Milwaukee where injuries began to take hold of his future.
He played just fifty games for the Bucks during the 1997-98 campaign, notching 16.8 points, 7.7 assists and 2.22 steals per contest (with the theft average marking his career-high). He was traded to the Timberwolves in 1999 at the top of his game, and formed a nice twosome alongside Kevin Garnett. Unfortunately, knee injuries cut his career short. Had he not suffered from chronic knee issues, he may have fallen a few spots higher on this list.
9. Mookie Blaylock – No. 12 in 1989 (New Jersey)
In addition to inspiring one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all-time (Pearl Jam’s Ten), Blaylock was one of the best defensive point guards of his generation. Mookie averaged 13.5 points, 6.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds during an 800-game NBA career. Drafted by the Nets out of Oklahoma, his best seasons were as a member of the Hawks (1992-99).
He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team twice, while making the Second Team on four different occasions. Over his career he notched a 2.33 steals per game average, with his highest theft rate coming during the 1996-97 season (2.72). Despite his status as a mid-level star, he rates among the all-time best in terms of career steals (11th) and steals per game (7th). Blaylock was named to one All-Star team as a member of the Hawks in 1994.
8. Robert Horry – No. 11 in 1992 (Houston)
It’s hard to imagine a player placing this low on any ‘best-of’ list when you consider the seven championship rings that he owns. Horry has never made an All-Star team or achieved any substantial individual honors, but always seems to find a sizable role on a championship-caliber team. His best statistical season came in 1996 as a member of the Rockets when he averaged 12.0 points and 5.8 points per game.
His career averages make him look like a typical role player (7.0 points and 4.8 boards per game), but his playoff heroics have made him more famous than players with much better statistical resumes. He’s second only to Reggie Miller in terms of three-pointers made in postseason history and has appeared in more playoff games than any player not named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
7. Cedric Maxwell – No. 12 in 1977 (Boston)
Maxwell made a name for himself during the Celtics run towards the NBA Title in 1981 when he took home the Finals MVP award, despite sharing the locker room with guys like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. Over his eleven-year career he averaged 12.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He spent his final season with the Rockets in 1988.
He became the 22nd Celtic to have his number retired a few years ago when the team raised his #31 into the rafters. In addition to his 1981 Finals MVP award, he scored 24 points in the decisive game against the Lakers to help give Boston yet another championship a few years later. He was always a tad smaller than his competition at 6’8”, but made up for it in other ways. He converted nearly 55% of his field goal attempts throughout his career, and currently works as radio announcer for the Celtics in Massachusetts.
6. Lafayette Lever – No. 11 in 1982 (Portland)
Like Maxwell, Lever was a great rebounder for his size. Drafted by the Blazers, he made a name for himself as a member of the Nuggets in the mid-eighties. He played both guard positions in Denver, while regularly leading the team in rebounding. He is by no means as talented, but his rebounding instincts paired with tremendous court vision, make him similar to Jason Kidd when looking back at his career.
For three seasons during the prime of his career he flirted with a triple-double average, posting 19.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists from 1986 to 1989. He may not have sustained such a high level of play for as long as Kidd has, but he was definitely a better scorer in his heyday. He made just two All-Star teams during his career, but also made the All-NBA Second Team (1987) once as well as the All-Defensive Second Team in 1988.
5. Allan Houston – No. 11 in 1993 (Detroit)
Houston rather quietly registered one of the most prolific scoring careers in the history of the Knicks. After his initial contract expired with the Pistons, he bolted for New York, where he played his best basketball. He twice made the Eastern Conference All-Star team with the Knicks, and won a gold medal with ‘Dream Team III’ in Sydney, Australia at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
He averaged close to twenty points a game for the Knicks on several occasions during his nine-year tenure at Madison Square Garden. His dramatic last-second shot in the 1999 playoffs against the Heat is one of the most remembered baskets in team history, as it sent the Knicks into the second round and they eventually advanced to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, his career was cut short due to knee issues and is often recalled for the maximum contract New York was stuck with soon after he signed it in the summer of 2001.
4. Kiki Vandeweghe – No. 11 in 1980 (Dallas)
The German-born baller started his career rather ominously when he refused to play for the Mavericks, the team that selected him with the eleventh pick in the 1980 Draft. He was traded to the Nuggets, where he made the All-Star team on two occasions. Despite a somewhat limited set of offensive moves, he finished in the top five in the race for three scoring titles during his career.
His best season came in 1984 when he averaged 29.4 points per game for Denver, while grabbing 5.3 rebounds as well. While his best campaign came with the Nuggets, he enjoyed above-average seasons in Portland as well (he was traded to the Blazers in a deal that involved “Fat” Lever, number six on this list). He finished his career with the Clippers, after a handful of seasons as a member of the Knicks in the late-eighties.
3. Kevin Willis – No. 11 in 1984 (Atlanta)
Willis is most remembered for being the oldest player in the NBA on numerous occasions, but he was an All-Star during his time with the Hawks and he won a championship with the Spurs as a role player in 2003. He averaged a double-double (points and rebounds) five times in his career, including a streak of four-straight seasons from 1991-95.
His career averages of 12.1 points and 8.4 rebounds are amazing when you consider that he was playing less than twelve minutes a night during his final four seasons in the league (2002-07). Kevin is one of only fifteen players in NBA history to post over 16,000 points and 11,000 rebounds in his career.
2. Reggie Miller – No. 11 in 1987 (Indiana)
Had I not grouped picks eleven and twelve together on this list, Miller would have easily placed at the top. No one in the history of the NBA has made more three-pointers than Miller, who canned 2,560 during his eighteen-year career as a Pacer. Reggie had his number retired by Indiana in 2006, becoming just the fifth person to earn the honor.
While he may never have gotten his hands on an NBA Title – Indiana made one Finals appearance against the Lakers in 2000 – he made five All-Stars teams, was named to the All-NBA Third Team on three occasions and won two gold medals. He was consistently good throughout his career, but made a name for himself during numerous deep playoff runs in the mid-nineties, including a famous feud with the Knicks and super fan Spike Lee.
1. Julius Erving – No. 12 in 1972 (Milwaukee)
Erving played his first five professional seasons in the ABA, but still ranks among the greatest NBA players of all-time. During eleven seasons in the League, Julius averaged 22.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993, and is only of the few players to have his number retired by two franchises (the Sixers and Nets).
He was known for his high-flying antics, but was an all-around player for a good part of his career. He was named the NBA MVP (1981), made the All-NBA First Team (three times), the All-NBA Second Team (twice) and played in the All-Star game on eleven occasions. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and was an easy selection to top this list.
Andrew Perna is a Senior Writer for RealGM.com and would love to hear what you think about this list. Feel free to e-mail him at Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com
Top 10 Careers Of Players Picked 11th And 12th
6th May, 2008 - 3:26 pm
I’ve taken over the reigns from the very-talented Nick Obergan on his ‘Standing 10’ series chronicling the greatest careers of players drafted at every given slot. A few weeks ago Nick featured the greatest players taken with the thirteenth and fourteenth picks in the NBA Draft, meaning this week I’ll feature selections eleven and twelve. As you might expect, the candidates are getting better and better as we inch closer to the top ten.
10. Terrell Brandon – No. 11 in 1991 (Cleveland)
Brandon played his first six NBA seasons with the Cavaliers after being drafted out of Oregon. He broke out during his fifth season in 1995-96, with averages of 19.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.76 steals per game. He made the first of two consecutive All-Star appearances that same season, before shifting his career to Milwaukee where injuries began to take hold of his future.
He played just fifty games for the Bucks during the 1997-98 campaign, notching 16.8 points, 7.7 assists and 2.22 steals per contest (with the theft average marking his career-high). He was traded to the Timberwolves in 1999 at the top of his game, and formed a nice twosome alongside Kevin Garnett. Unfortunately, knee injuries cut his career short. Had he not suffered from chronic knee issues, he may have fallen a few spots higher on this list.
9. Mookie Blaylock – No. 12 in 1989 (New Jersey)
In addition to inspiring one of the greatest rock and roll albums of all-time (Pearl Jam’s Ten), Blaylock was one of the best defensive point guards of his generation. Mookie averaged 13.5 points, 6.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds during an 800-game NBA career. Drafted by the Nets out of Oklahoma, his best seasons were as a member of the Hawks (1992-99).
He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team twice, while making the Second Team on four different occasions. Over his career he notched a 2.33 steals per game average, with his highest theft rate coming during the 1996-97 season (2.72). Despite his status as a mid-level star, he rates among the all-time best in terms of career steals (11th) and steals per game (7th). Blaylock was named to one All-Star team as a member of the Hawks in 1994.
8. Robert Horry – No. 11 in 1992 (Houston)
It’s hard to imagine a player placing this low on any ‘best-of’ list when you consider the seven championship rings that he owns. Horry has never made an All-Star team or achieved any substantial individual honors, but always seems to find a sizable role on a championship-caliber team. His best statistical season came in 1996 as a member of the Rockets when he averaged 12.0 points and 5.8 points per game.
His career averages make him look like a typical role player (7.0 points and 4.8 boards per game), but his playoff heroics have made him more famous than players with much better statistical resumes. He’s second only to Reggie Miller in terms of three-pointers made in postseason history and has appeared in more playoff games than any player not named Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
7. Cedric Maxwell – No. 12 in 1977 (Boston)
Maxwell made a name for himself during the Celtics run towards the NBA Title in 1981 when he took home the Finals MVP award, despite sharing the locker room with guys like Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. Over his eleven-year career he averaged 12.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. He spent his final season with the Rockets in 1988.
He became the 22nd Celtic to have his number retired a few years ago when the team raised his #31 into the rafters. In addition to his 1981 Finals MVP award, he scored 24 points in the decisive game against the Lakers to help give Boston yet another championship a few years later. He was always a tad smaller than his competition at 6’8”, but made up for it in other ways. He converted nearly 55% of his field goal attempts throughout his career, and currently works as radio announcer for the Celtics in Massachusetts.
6. Lafayette Lever – No. 11 in 1982 (Portland)
Like Maxwell, Lever was a great rebounder for his size. Drafted by the Blazers, he made a name for himself as a member of the Nuggets in the mid-eighties. He played both guard positions in Denver, while regularly leading the team in rebounding. He is by no means as talented, but his rebounding instincts paired with tremendous court vision, make him similar to Jason Kidd when looking back at his career.
For three seasons during the prime of his career he flirted with a triple-double average, posting 19.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists from 1986 to 1989. He may not have sustained such a high level of play for as long as Kidd has, but he was definitely a better scorer in his heyday. He made just two All-Star teams during his career, but also made the All-NBA Second Team (1987) once as well as the All-Defensive Second Team in 1988.
5. Allan Houston – No. 11 in 1993 (Detroit)
Houston rather quietly registered one of the most prolific scoring careers in the history of the Knicks. After his initial contract expired with the Pistons, he bolted for New York, where he played his best basketball. He twice made the Eastern Conference All-Star team with the Knicks, and won a gold medal with ‘Dream Team III’ in Sydney, Australia at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
He averaged close to twenty points a game for the Knicks on several occasions during his nine-year tenure at Madison Square Garden. His dramatic last-second shot in the 1999 playoffs against the Heat is one of the most remembered baskets in team history, as it sent the Knicks into the second round and they eventually advanced to the NBA Finals. Unfortunately, his career was cut short due to knee issues and is often recalled for the maximum contract New York was stuck with soon after he signed it in the summer of 2001.
4. Kiki Vandeweghe – No. 11 in 1980 (Dallas)
The German-born baller started his career rather ominously when he refused to play for the Mavericks, the team that selected him with the eleventh pick in the 1980 Draft. He was traded to the Nuggets, where he made the All-Star team on two occasions. Despite a somewhat limited set of offensive moves, he finished in the top five in the race for three scoring titles during his career.
His best season came in 1984 when he averaged 29.4 points per game for Denver, while grabbing 5.3 rebounds as well. While his best campaign came with the Nuggets, he enjoyed above-average seasons in Portland as well (he was traded to the Blazers in a deal that involved “Fat” Lever, number six on this list). He finished his career with the Clippers, after a handful of seasons as a member of the Knicks in the late-eighties.
3. Kevin Willis – No. 11 in 1984 (Atlanta)
Willis is most remembered for being the oldest player in the NBA on numerous occasions, but he was an All-Star during his time with the Hawks and he won a championship with the Spurs as a role player in 2003. He averaged a double-double (points and rebounds) five times in his career, including a streak of four-straight seasons from 1991-95.
His career averages of 12.1 points and 8.4 rebounds are amazing when you consider that he was playing less than twelve minutes a night during his final four seasons in the league (2002-07). Kevin is one of only fifteen players in NBA history to post over 16,000 points and 11,000 rebounds in his career.
2. Reggie Miller – No. 11 in 1987 (Indiana)
Had I not grouped picks eleven and twelve together on this list, Miller would have easily placed at the top. No one in the history of the NBA has made more three-pointers than Miller, who canned 2,560 during his eighteen-year career as a Pacer. Reggie had his number retired by Indiana in 2006, becoming just the fifth person to earn the honor.
While he may never have gotten his hands on an NBA Title – Indiana made one Finals appearance against the Lakers in 2000 – he made five All-Stars teams, was named to the All-NBA Third Team on three occasions and won two gold medals. He was consistently good throughout his career, but made a name for himself during numerous deep playoff runs in the mid-nineties, including a famous feud with the Knicks and super fan Spike Lee.
1. Julius Erving – No. 12 in 1972 (Milwaukee)
Erving played his first five professional seasons in the ABA, but still ranks among the greatest NBA players of all-time. During eleven seasons in the League, Julius averaged 22.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. He was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993, and is only of the few players to have his number retired by two franchises (the Sixers and Nets).
He was known for his high-flying antics, but was an all-around player for a good part of his career. He was named the NBA MVP (1981), made the All-NBA First Team (three times), the All-NBA Second Team (twice) and played in the All-Star game on eleven occasions. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and was an easy selection to top this list.
Andrew Perna is a Senior Writer for RealGM.com and would love to hear what you think about this list. Feel free to e-mail him at Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com
