Yahoo Sports 2013 NBA re-draft: The way it should have been
The 2013 NBA draft has turned out to be one of the weakest of the 2010s, with the No. 1 pick, Anthony Bennett, flaming out very quickly and going down as one of the worst top selections in league history.
Even besides him, Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller, teammates at Indiana, did not live up the Top-5 pick billing, though the former can blame injuries for that, as he was at least an All-Star at one point. The Top 5 that year was rounded out by Otto Porter and Alex Len, which goes to show just how weak that class was.
If it weren’t for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert coming nearly out of nowhere to become Hall-of-Fame-level players, we might be looking at the weakest draft class ever here.
No. 1 pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
One of the best non-lottery picks of all time in the NBA draft, Antetokounmpo fell to 15th overall in 2013, one spot behind Shabazz Muhammad and one spot ahead of Lucas Nogueira, two names who won’t be popping up in this re-draft. The Greek Freak has gone on to smash every expectation set for him, going from a gangly, raw, long but athletic prospect to one of the most dominant two-way players in the league, one with two league MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year and one championship already, and a chance to add more hardware to his mantle before it’s all said and done.
Actual position: No. 15
Career earnings: $147,960,040
Career stats: 22.5 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 4.7 apg, 53.5 FG%, 28.8 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 2: Rudy Gobert
Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports
Another historically great steal in the NBA draft, Gobert fell to near the end of the first round, greatly outperforming his draft slot to this point. A three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Gobert, like Antetokounmpo, has done very well to take his game from raw to refined, making a ridiculous nightly impact thanks to his improved skill and freakish physical traits.
Actual position: No. 27
Career earnings: $138,348,195
Career stats: 12.5 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 2.2 bpg, 65.5 FG%, 64.0 FT%
Scouting Report
No. 3: CJ McCollum
John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
From mid-major to a Top 10 pick, CJ McCollum picked up popularity as a draft prospect thanks to a mighty impressive career at Lehigh, one that saw him average north of 23 points and five rebounds per game as a senior. McCollum really blew up that year before that, though, when, as a junior, he dropped 30 points to help Lehigh defeat Duke in the first round of the 2012 NCAA tournament in one of the biggest upsets ever. McCollum’s three-level, smooth scoring really translated to the NBA, making him one of the league’s top 2-guards since getting drafted.
Actual position: No. 10
Career earnings: $147,980,107
Career stats: 19.4 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.7 apg, 45.3 FG%, 39.4 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 4: Victor Oladipo
Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Oladipo would have ranked higher in this re-draft if not for the major injuries in the midst of his prime, setbacks that have the talented 2-guard currently coming off the bench after multiple All-Star campaigns not all that long ago. Oladipo is an athletic marvel with great length and just enough tough-shot-making ability to make him a good scorer in the NBA. It’s unlikely we’ll ever see peak Oladipo again but even so, a two-time All-Star career with a 3rd Team All-NBA is nothing to sneeze at.
Actual position: No. 2
Career earnings: $107,877,081
Career stats: 17.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 43.6 FG%, 34.6 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 5: Steven Adams
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The weakness of the 2013 draft can really start to be seen here, with Steven Adams – a fine player but far from a star – going fifth overall in this re-draft. Adams has been a solid big man throughout his career, a well-liked player in the locker room who is great at boxing out and setting screens and can finish around the rim well enough.
Actual position: No. 12
Career earnings: $128,833,175
Career stats: 9.2 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 1.5 apg, 58.7 FG%, 53.6 FT%
Scouting Report
No. 6: Dennis Schroeder
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
A former starting point guard, Dennis Schroeder has been mostly coming off the bench over recent years, where he really thrives as more of a sixth man. Schroeder’s got great quickness and length and can score by getting to the basket or shooting threes, though he does lack consistency as a shooter. The German point guard is also a good defender for his position.
Actual position: No. 17
Career earnings: $75,670,502
Career stats: 14.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.7 apg, 43.4 FG%, 33.7 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 7: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Another decent role player, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been mostly just a 3-and-D specialist in his career, an athletic player with good shooting touch from beyond the arc, particularly with his feet set, and who really gets after it on the defensive end. He can’t really be expected to score off the dribble or in one-on-situations, nor can he run a pick-and-roll. He does, however, know his role and plays it well.
Actual position: No. 8
Career earnings: $74,992,697
Career stats: 11.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, 42.5 FG%, 36.6 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 8: Kelly Olynyk
Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
Kelly Olynyk was a star in his final season at Gonzaga, going from averaging 5.8 points as a sophomore to 17.8 points as a junior leader for the Bulldogs. There was question as to whether Olynyk’s unorthodox game would translate in the NBA but it truly has, as Olynyk can face-up opponents, score by shooting over them or by dribbling by them while being able to post up smaller foes. Olynyk has plus-ball-handling chops to go with underrated passing skills, as well as quick feet on the defensive end, where he’s more effective on switches than when protecting the basket.
Actual position: No. 13
Career earnings: $72,548,646
Career stats: 10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.1 apg, 47.7 FG%, 36.8 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 9: Robert Covington
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The highest undrafted player to go in this re-draft, Robert Covington is another good role player out of the 2013 class, a 3-and-D guy who would pile up steals and blocks in his prime while being able to knock down open three-pointers without providing much else on offense.
Actual position: Undrafted
Career earnings: $67,083,106
Career stats: 11.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 40.7 FG%, 36.0 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 10: Tim Hardaway Jr.
Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
If he were just less streaky as a shooter, Tim Hardaway Jr. would have had a different career to this point in the NBA and sit far higher in this re-draft. Still, the son of the Hall-of-Fame point guard has had an impressive career as a pro, capable of getting hot from beyond the arc and piling up points when he catches top form. The issue is, he can get cold just as quickly. Still, Hardaway Jr. can score off the dribble and from the midrange, so he isn’t just a stand-still shooting specialist.
Actual position: No. 24
Career earnings: $100,165,468
Career stats: 13.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 41.9 FG%, 36.0 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 11: Otto Porter
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
There was a chance for Porter Jr. to have had a better career than he has had, with injuries and inconsistency causing him to fall off after a quick peak in 2017-18. Porter Jr. was a versatile swingman in his prime, who could do more than just shoot with his feet set. The Georgetown product could shoot off the dribble and run a pick-and-roll, as well as defend multiple positions.
Actual position: No. 3
Career earnings: $128,220,040
Career stats: 10.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.5 apg, 47.8 FG%, 39.7 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 12: Seth Curry
David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Perhaps NBA teams, and NCAA teams for that matter, should have looked at his older brother when evaluating his chances for succeeding, as Seth Curry started his college career at Liberty before finishing it at Duke. Likewise, NBA teams let him fall entirely out of the 2013 draft, which looks pretty terrible in hindsight considering what a solid role player Curry has been in the NBA, an elite outside shooter (go figure), and how bad the 2013 crop of prospects was.
Actual position: Undrafted
Career earnings: $33,286,379
Career stats: 11.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, 47.5 FG%, 43.5 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 13: Mason Plumlee
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Another former Blue Devil and a teammate of Curry’s in college, Mason Plumlee has outperformed his draft positioning. Plumlee is a tough-nosed big man, one who sets good screens, can finish around the basket and likes to do the dirty work. His poor length and lack of skill from outside of the paint hinder his impact but overall, he’s a solid role player.
Actual position: No. 22
Career earnings: $64,648,103
Career stats: 8.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, 59.4 FG%, 56.5 FT%
Scouting Report
No. 14: Nerlens Noel
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
A defensive specialist, Nerlens Noel can rack up steals and blocks, with good length, quick feet and great instincts as a point-stopper. Noel can also finish around the basket, though he’s not much of a threat from outside of the painted area.
Actual position: No. 6
Career earnings: $35,957,625
Career stats: 7.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 54.7 FG%, 65.5 FT%
Scouting Report
No. 15: Michael Carter-Williams
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
A former Rookie of the Year, which further goes to show the weakness of the 2013 draft class, Michael Carter-Williams was no longer even averaging double-digit points by his fourth season and is now a fringe NBA player. Carter-Williams did appear to have some promise at first, a tall point guard with decent quickness and vision, but his lack of shooting and overall athleticism pretty much negated his impact once teams figured out how to defend hin.
Actual position: No. 11
Career earnings: $22,880,202
Career stats: 10.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.4 apg, 40.2 FG%, 25.5 FT%
Scouting Report
No. 16: Mike Muscala
Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Mike Muscala was never expected to be a star, nor has he been close to one in the NBA, but he’s carved out a nice role in the NBA by developing a respectable outside shot, an important skill for modern big men to possess. Muscala remains a decent bench big to this day.
Actual position: No. 44
Career earnings: $20,752,553
Career stats: 6.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.9 apg, 45.6 FG%, 37.8 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 17: Reggie Bullock
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
His game isn’t the most well-rounded but Reggie Bullock has been one of the NBA’s solid three-point shooters since his arrival to the NBA, still playing a lot of minutes today thanks to his accuracy as a three-point marksman, as well as the quick release on his jump shot.
Actual position: No. 25
Career earnings: $28,593,764
Career stats: 7.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.2 apg, 42.4 FG%, 38.4 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 18: Cody Zeller
Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports
If this exercise had been done just a month ago, we’d be talking about how Zeller went from being the fourth-overall pick of 2013 to no longer in the NBA. However, he has resurfaced recently, with the Miami Heat, and – to his credit – has performed well as a screen-setting big man with good finishing ability as a roller to the rim. With injuries behind him now, perhaps Zeller will be able to extend his NBA career even further after this season.
Actual position: No. 4
Career earnings: $75,799,754
Career stats: 8.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.4 apg, 52.1 FG%, 22.1 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 19: Gorgui Dieng
Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images
A decent role-playing big man, Gorgui Dieng can hit open three-pointers or finish around smaller foes near the rim. He’s not much of a scorer these days and there are nights he doesn’t even see the floor, but Dieng had a respectable long career, even if it does end after this season.
Actual position: No. 21
Career earnings: $73,689,390
Career stats: 7.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.3 apg, 49.8 FG%, 35.8 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 20: Tony Snell
Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Now in the G League, Tony Snell is the definition of a role-playing shooting specialist, providing teams with next to nothing if his jumper isn’t falling or if he isn’t able to get open for opportunities from the arc. Snell once infamously played 28 minutes while recording zero stats across the board beside one three-point attempt. Impressive, if nothing else.
Actual position: No. 20
Career earnings: $53,175,288
Career stats: 6.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.1 apg, 43.1 FG%, 39.4 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 21: Daniel Theis
Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Yet another solid role-playing big out of the 2013 crop of players, Daniel Theis is a good shot-blocker who can hit an open three here or there while playing with toughness and providing solid screen-setting.
Actual position: Undrafted
Career earnings: $20,474,208
Career stats: 7.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.3 apg, 54.3 FG%, 32.6 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 22: Matthew Dellavedova
Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
A beloved figure in Cleveland Cavaliers history, Matthew Dellavedova has gotten every ounce possible out of his athletic gifts, lasting quite a while in the NBA, far longer than most players with his physical attributes might have. Dellevedova won a championship in Cleveland, playing tough defense on Stephen Curry and Co. in the 2016 Finals and hitting timely shots, two traits he’s made a career out of.
Actual position: Undrafted
Career earnings: $43,258,256
Career stats: 5.3 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 3.6 apg, 38.5 FG%, 36.3 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 23: Dewayne Dedmon
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
A tough rebounder and finisher down low, Dewayne Dedmon remains in the NBA thanks to his scoring ability and down low and toughness in the painted area as a defender.
Actual position: Undrafted
Career earnings: $40,155,501
Career stats: 6.4 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 0.7 apg, 52.6 FG%, 33.5 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 24: Ben McLemore
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
One of the bigger disappointments of the 2013 class, Ben McLemore was a superstar prospect before attending Kansas where he played one decently impressive season before declaring for the draft. McLemore turned out to be somewhat of a bust, however, never being able to pair his athletic gifts with consistent basketball.
Actual position: No. 7
Career earnings: $31,059,587
Career stats: 9.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.0 apg, 41.4 FG%, 36.3 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 25: Allen Crabbe
Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Now no longer in the NBA, Allen Crabbe had a decently lengthy career, peaking in 2017-18 at averages of 13.2 points and 3.4 rebounds on 37.8 percent shooting. Crabbe wasn’t consistent enough of a shooter to be an elite threat from out there, though, and once his athleticism started to taper off, his time in the NBA was pretty much done.
Actual position: No. 31
Career earnings: $58,966,776
Career stats: 9.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.1 apg, 42.5 FG%, 38.7 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 26: Andre Roberson
Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports
If we did this re-draft a few years ago, Andre Roberson might have crept into the Top 10, his defensive impact was that great in his prime. Roberson was one of the best defenders in the league at one point, earning a 2nd Team All-Defense in 2016-17. However, a knee injury put at least a pause on his career prematurely, with Roberson just now getting back to the G League level in hopes of making an NBA comeback.
Actual position: No. 26
Career earnings: $36,077,231
Career stats: 4.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.9 apg, 47.3 FG%, 25.3 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 27: Shane Larkin
Nicholas Muller / SOPA Images/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images
Shane Larkin may have just lasted four seasons in the NBA, mostly due to a lack of size and inconsistent outside shooting, but he’s had one very impressive career playing overseas in Europe, currently considered one of the best guards in the world outside of the NBA.
Actual position: No. 18
Career earnings: $6,167,345
Career stats: 5.5 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 2.9 apg, 42.2 FG%, 33.6 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 28: Solomon Hill
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
A 3-and-D role-playing swingman in his prime, Solomon Hill could hit a shot or two from the outside nightly and play some solid defense.
Actual position: No. 23
Career earnings: $58,472,359
Career stats: 5.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 38.8 FG%, 33.1 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 29: Alex Len
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Another bust from the disappointing 2013 class, Len had promise coming out of Maryland thanks to being a mobile big man with finishing ability down low and good toughness, it just didn’t translate well enough to the NBA, mostly due to a slight frame and average athleticism. He’s still in the NBA now but barely even has a role at this point.
Actual position: No. 5
Career earnings: $36,173,628
Career stats: 7.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 0.8 apg, 50.7 FG%, 32.8 3P%
Scouting Report
No. 30: Trey Burke
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
We finish the 2013 re-draft with Trey Burke, a teammate of Hardaway Jr.’s in college at Michigan, where he was one of the best players in the country before declaring for the NBA. Burke’s lack of athleticism and size really hindered his chances of being a star in the NBA, too, though he did last a while thanks to his ability to make tough shots and shiftiness as a ball-handler.
Actual position: No. 9
Career earnings: $19,990,552
Career stats: 9.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 3.1 apg, 41.0 FG%, 34.5 3P%
Scouting Report
Biggest risers
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Robert Covington: From undrafted to No. 9
Seth Curry: From undrafted to No. 12
Daniel Theis: From undrafted to No. 21
Matthew Dellavedova: From undrafted to No. 22
Dewayne Dedmon: From undrafted to No. 23
Rudy Gobert: From No. 27 to No. 2 (+25)
Giannis Antetokounmpo: From No. 15 to No. 1 (+14)
Tim Hardaway Jr: From No. 24 to No. 10 (+14)
Highest picks not listed
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Anthony Bennett: No. 1
Shabazz Muhammad: No. 14
Lucas Nogueira: No. 16
Sergey Karasev: No. 19
[lawrence-related id=1917951]
[lawrence-related id=1914685]
[lawrence-related id=1905912]
[lawrence-related id=1880261]
[lawrence-related id=1408781]
