NBA Second Round Knockouts: Sometimes the Jackpot Isn't In The Lottery

Here's a case of a guy being prepared for the NBA.

His size and body build alone made him NBA-ready. A banger, a physical bruiser who expanded his game to having a semi-decent mid-range arsenal.

Since getting acquainted with the league, he's been a sure shot fixture for a double-double.

After passing up a chance to play alongside LeBron James in his sophomore season, Boozer bolted for Utah for more money. While I certainly didn't respect the move, it elevated his game to a new level.

An official 20 and 10 guy.

Pretty good for a player who was drafted in the second round. How many power forwards selected ahead of him have had multiple All-Star appearances?

Redd worked his way from being a bench warmer, to being a sixth man, to being a superstar.

An Olympian.

Throughout college, people respected Redd's jumper, but his form/release made him a gamble to NBA suitors. Redd filled in some of the holes of his game, and transformed himself into an All-Star.

The key with him is staying healthy.

Paired with Andrew Bogut, the real FIRST pick of a draft, and a few other role players, this team would be straight. Build through the draft. That's the point of the lottery.

Playing in the realms of obscurity in Golden State, Arenas worked and hustled his way into being a starter.

When he signed in Washington, Arenas went from being one of the biggest offensive threats off the bench to being one of the biggest offensive threats in the league.

If anything, in college he seemed like nothing more than a flashy role player. But he has proven himself to be a league superstar.

I respect him that much more since he had to REALLY prove it being drafted so low. When a player is drafted as a lottery pick, it's expected.

Ironically, Arenas and former teammate Antawn Jamison hooked up again, both seasoned veterans. The Wizards have held their own since acquiring Arenas, as well as Jamison and Caron Butler.

They are no longer the laughingstock of the league. The Wizards were never favorites, but always in the mix, right in the middle. In the discussion of playoff talk.

Players could improve franchises, but very rarely do they save them. Arenas has made a huge impact not only on the Wizards, but the league.

Not bad for a second-rounder.

This player makes me smile every time I think of his career.

He started in Washington a big, muscle-bound monster playing sporadic minutes. Fast forward to Detroit, which was, at the time, a lost franchise.

He went on to anchor one of the arguably one of the best team defenses in league history. Wallace focused on what his team needed, which was defense and rebounding.

He did those two things to perfection and made those ugly roles glamorous and recognizable.

While raking up four Defensive Player of the Year awards, he re-inspired a brand of basketball that the Motor City hadn't seen in almost 20 years.

Wallace was one of the few players that coaches had to prepare for despite not being a scoring threat.

This guy has come a million miles.

He gave new meaning to the term "slasher". Playing for a team like San Antonio, Ginobili injected youth and athleticism to a franchise that had been starving since Sean Elliot. Also, playing internationally seasoned him to the diversity of the league,

His toughness and reckless abandon attacking the rim have separated Ginobili from the average. Constant energy and hard-nosed play are what we know this guy for.

Ginobili disproved the NBA stereotype that Europeans were soft. Silky, smooth and aggressive. A guy who seems to perform better the more rattled he is.

He's a silent killer.

Let's see if he deserves the recognition for being such.

Coming from Coney Island by way of Fresno State, it's Skip To My Lou, a.k.a. Rafer Alston.

Undrafted, he hit the streetball circuit, where he became a star from his dribbling and passing. Then, here comes one of these showboaters to the NBA.

In the beginning, it was rough. For one thing, Sam Mitchell wasn't taking any crap from anyone, least of all some hot shot undrafted showboater.

I think it was a reality check for Alston. He wasn't the type of player to put up superstar numbers. He was the type to lead his team to victory.

Since then, Alston is better known for his leadership qualities than his streetball legacies. He is a seasoned NBA veteran and one of the leagues bona fide point guards and leaders.

A long way from mixtapes, huh?

Here's a guy from an relatively unknown basketball school in Shaw.

Murray really got to show his talents during Ray Allen's injury in Seattle. When Allen returned, he was never the same.

Murray was a cross of a superstar with bench dynamo mixed together. The bench side won.

He wasn't All-Star material, but he was a cannon off the bench. He perfected the term of "instant offense".

While he might not be a superstar, he is certainly a player who will earn a living in the league. Strictly for perfecting a role.

Scorer.

Unexpected for a second rounder, right?