Biggest draft steals

[FamilyGuy90]

tell us who do you think was the biggest draft steal and why

[BOSS]

Roko Ukic was one heck of a steal for the Raptors. He was supposely a mid 1st rounder but slipped into early 2nd. He was compared to european stars like Ginobili and Parker. Too bad he aint playing this year but we still have his contract which is good.

Honorable Mentions ...

- Ryan Gomes
-

[Rip32]

Kobe Bryant at pick 13...


But Tayshaun Prince has proved to be a pretty big steal, he was drafted behind the likes of Mike Dunleavy Jr. (3), Nikoloz Tskitishvili (5), Ryan Humphery (19), Quintel Woods (21) and Casey Jacobsen (22).

Oh Yeah and if Undrafted HOF's count then Ben Wallace is a free agency steal...

[Riot]

Manu Ginobili going #57

[air gordon]

michael jordan

[Anthony15]

Amare had to wait 8 picks!

[NBAFAN2005]

John Stockton and Karl Malone. Possibly the best Powerforward of All-time, and one of the best point guards to ever play in the N.B.A, both picked out of the top 10 in their drafts.

[Drex]

Manu, Rodman, Arenas (just the ones that I remember)

[Sauru]

Kobe Bryant at pick 13...


But Tayshaun Prince has proved to be a pretty big steal, he was drafted behind the likes of Mike Dunleavy Jr. (3), Nikoloz Tskitishvili (5), Ryan Humphery (19), Quintel Woods (21) and Casey Jacobsen (22).

Oh Yeah and if Undrafted HOF's count then Ben Wallace is a free agency steal...

i cant agree with the kobe one for 1 reason, the team that drafted him in no way benefited from actually drafting him. i see your point but thats just my opinion on it.

now as for draft steals i will go with larry bird at 7. reason i pick him is cause out of the 3 best players ever(my opinion) he was drafted the lowest.

[Mentally Hilarious]

AlJeff, Gomes and Green in the recent two.

[ntong]

Manu Ginobili going #57

lol
He's gonna be an idiot if he has no duncan

[Drex]

How could he be an idiot if Duncan wasn't there?

[zmac]

MJ, Arenas, Amare, Ginobili, Ben Wallace(although he wasnt drafter, still a steal), Salim Stoudemire will be good for a second rounder (i think he was 2nd round).

And biggest bust, Darko

[[L3]1101]

Manu Ginobili going #57

lol
He's gonna be an idiot if he has no duncan

why do we have so many idiots who comments on basketball but don't know shit about basketball???

[air_edwards23]

Gerald Green and Danny Granger going 17 and 18

[Impose]

In this draft:

Salim Stoudamire might just make a big impression.

Nate Robinson seems destined for big things.

Danny Granger could be a very solid find.

and just coz im a hornets fan: Chris Paul will be considered a steal @ 4.

[j.23]

nick van exel
37th overall

[Kobe101]

The year the Celtics drafted Parish and Mchale.Now THAT was a steal!

[Kemp]

Rashard Lewis, he was a second round pick, 3rd overall back in 1998.

[air gordon]

The year the Celtics drafted Parish and Mchale.Now THAT was a steal!

you idiot. i guess i shouldn't be surprised since you are a kobe jock rider/laker fan

parish already was in the league for a few years when mchale was drafted

now if we're talking about the trade that lead the celts to getting both mchale and parish in 1980...


sauru.. interesting point about bird. that's pretty crazy that the celts had to wait a year for him to join the team since he stayed in college. but i'm sure you know what happened in his rookie year (and career)

[_marsal]

Manu Ginobili going #57

lol
He's gonna be an idiot if he has no duncan

Well, good thing Duncan was there when Manu won European the club title with Kinder, the MVP award, silver in World C. in Indianapolis and gold in Olympic games

[cklitsie]

Well, good thing Duncan was there when Manu won European the club title with Kinder, the MVP award, silver in World C. in Indianapolis and gold in Olympic games

Does that hurt, ntong?

[Null17]

his statement didn't even make any sense. what does Tim Duncan have to do with Manu Ginobili's IQ?

[Blue Nugget]

Manu Ginobili going #57

[Andrew]

In no particular order...

Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls

Simply because of his impact on the game during his career and the fact he wasn't picked first overall. Back then it would have seemed like a sound plan to take the big men before a swingman like Jordan so Dr Ramsay's decision to select Bowie is understandable though clearly unwise in hindsight. The fact the Bulls were able to snare him as a result makes him a steal, even as the third pick.

Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers

I'd consider Magic a steal for the Lakers, even as the first overall pick, simply because they weren't a team that was supposed to own a top draft selection. An earlier trade with Utah allowed the Lakers - 47-35 the previous season - to get the top pick and select Magic who would of couse become one of the greatest players the NBA has seen.

Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs

Much like Magic Johnson, Duncan was able to go to a team that already had several pieces in place to be a successful franchise. The Spurs' great fortune after some really bad luck with injuries in the 1997 campaign led to a new Twin Towers combo in Duncan and David Robinson and two titles in the next six years. Like Magic, Duncan isn't a steal in the traditional sense but both are steals for clubs who weren't exactly basement teams.

Willis Reed, New York Knicks

One of the greatest big men of the 60s and the driving force behind the Knicks' only championships, Reed wasn't taken until the second round in 1964. Granted, that still made him the 8th overall pick but none of the seven players taken before him have made anywhere near the same impact.

Larry Bird, Boston Celtics

Another NBA legend who was somehow passed over by no less than five teams. Of those five players taken before Bird, only Mychal Thompson and Michael Ray Richardson did anything of note and neither's accomplishments rival those of Larry Legend.

Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves

KG has become the face of the Timberwolves and one of the league's best players. No doubt if the 1995 Draft was held again today, he'd be taken first. KG's success is one of the reasons GMs have been open to taking chances on high school players...with mixed results. But there's no question that the gamble has paid off with Garnett.

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers (via the Charlotte Hornets)

A steal on two accounts, Kobe was first taken at 13th behind some players who haven't gone on to accomplish nearly as much or aren't even in the league anymore, then acquired by the Lakers for a centre (Vlade Divac) who had become expendable thanks to a huge free agent acquisition (Shaquille O'Neal).

John Stockton, Utah Jazz

One of the greatest point guards in league history and he wasn't even top 10. He wasn't even top 15. Enough said.

Karl Malone, Utah Jazz

See John Stockton and replace "point guard" with "power forward".

Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls (via the Seattle Supersonics)

One half of perhaps the greatest duo in NBA history, a great player in his right and six NBA titles. The cost? Olden Polynice. One of Krause's finer moments before he dropped the ball on rebuilding plans.

There's been a few guys who can be considered steals in recent years but because they haven't achieved the same level of success as the players I've already mentioned, for the moment I'd consider them second tier. Guys like Manu Ginobili for the Spurs, Boston taking Paul Pierce 10th overall in 1998 and Gilbert Arenas going in the second round lead that pack.