2001 NBA Draft: 10 Years Down the Road, Who Should Have Been the Lottery Picks?

The NBA Draft.  A night where dreams come true, franchises are saved, questionable suits are worn, and fans salivate over next season's prospects.  The focus of the draft is the NBA Draft Lottery, the first 14 picks of the draft, often considered the best 14 players available and the most surefire NBA stars.  This past draft was noticeably weak in the star power department but that was not a problem in the 2001 Draft, headlined by the man in the photo on this slide. No, I am not talking about Nene. Kwame Brown, the first player straight out of high school drafted number one overall was the first pick in this draft and he was taken by the Washington Wizards.  This is universally regarded as one of the worst draft picks in NBA history.  However this draft did feature 7 future all stars and 5 future all NBA team members as well as one of the most recognizable pine riders in NBA history. Without further ado here are your lottery picks as they should have been from the draft 10 years ago.

Honorable Mention: Brian Scalabrine, F/C, Chicago Bulls

Scalabrine is doing what he does best in this picture, rocking the warm-ups.  I couldn't not include Scals in this but he is not a lottery pick in this draft by a long shot.  With career averages of 3.2 points per game, and 2.1 points per game, he isn't exactly a game changer.  However, The White Mamba is probably the most recognizable bench rider in the NBA due to the fact that he was a fan favorite in Boston, sports some of the most iconic hair in the league...oh, and he has a ring too.

14th Overall: Brendan Haywood, C, Dallas Mavericks

Brendan Haywood was selected 20th overall by the Cleavland Cavaliers.  He was shipped to Washington before playing a game in Cleavland and began his career there. After 8 and a half seasons as a Wizard, 7 and a half which he started, he was shipped to Dallas in 2009-2010 and finished the second half of the season starting there.  The draft's most recent NBA Champion, Brendan got his ring this year and would start for many teams, the Mavs just happen to have one of the better centers in the game in Tyson Chandler.  Until his injury Haywood would get a lot of minutes off the bench to protect Tyson Chandler from getting into foul trouble.  Drafted in the same draft as Chandler (hint we will see him again) the two big men now form a dynamic duo at center for the reining NBA Champs. 

13th Overall: Troy Murphy, F/C, Boston Celtics

Troy Murphy was drafted by the Golden State Warriors 14th overall.  This was a pretty good selection as I have Murphy 13th.  He spent 5 and a half seasons as a Warrior, averaging a double-double in three of them before being dealt to Indiana.  As a Pacer he played 3 and a half seasons averaging a double-double the last two.  This past season he spent time with New Jersey and Golden State again before eventually signing with Boston for the playoffs but he failed to become a major contributor anywhere this season. He has had a solid career averaging 11.6 points per game and 8.3 rebound per game.

12th Overall: Samuel Dalembert, C, Sacramento Kings

Samuel Dalembert was taken 26th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers.  He played in Philly for 9 seasons, including the last 7 as the starting center before signing with the Kings this past season.  He is known as one of the most dominant shot blockers in the league and a fierce rebounder.  While not a dominant scorer he has career averaged of 8.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, and 2 bpg.  He is a rim protector, not a scorer, but he is very good at what he does.

11th Overall: Shane Battier, F, Memphis Grizzlies

Battier was taken 6th overall by the Grizzlies.  As a Grizzly, he played 5 seasons and was named to the NBA All Rookie team his first year and started for 4 seasons.  In 2006 on draft night he was traded to the Houston Rockets.  There he played and started for 3 and a half years before being traded back to Memphis for the stretch run of this season and the playoffs.  Battier was a key member of the Grizzlies team that made it to Game 7of the Western Conference Semi-Finals and that knocked out number 1 seed San Antonio in the first round.  Battier hit the game winning three pointer with Memphis down by 2 in game 1 of the Spurs series.  Throughout his career Battier has been known as one of the best defensive players in the league (he was on 2 NBA all defensive teams) and as a player who leaves everything on the court.  Regarded as one of the smartest players in the league, Battier brings a little bit of everything to the table, contributing points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, stellar defense, and clutch 3 point shooting. 

10th Overall: Mehmet Okur, F/C, Utah Jazz

Mehmet Okur was selected in the 2nd round (37th overall) by the Detroit Pistons.  As one of my top 10 players in this draft, this was quite a valuable selection.  The Turkish player played 2 seasons with the Pistons and contributed to the huge upset of the Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals, where he earned a ring.  After this season he signed with the Jazz where he has played the remainder of his career.  As a member of the Jazz Okur flourished as a scorer averaging 14 points per game over his 7 years there, the first 6 of which he started before getting injured in last years playoffs and having to miss time this year.  In the 2006-2007 season Okur was voted a Western Conference All-Star reserve.

9th Overall: Tyson Chandler, C, Dallas Mavericks

Tyson Chandler has had a roller coaster ride of a career.  From the moment he was drafted he has been on the move.  He was taken with the 2nd overall pick in this draft by the Clippers, but on draft night was traded to the Bulls for Elton Brand.  During his 5 seasons in Chicago injuries and inconsistent play limited his role for the Bulls and he began to be labeled as a bust.  That all changed in 2006 when he was traded to the Hornets, where their uptempo pace and high flying offense fit Chandler well and his game took off.  He lead the league in rebounding his first season there and then averaged a double-double in his second.  He had always been a great shot blocker and rim protector and now his game featured serious rebounding as well as some scoring.  His third season as a Hornet was limited by injuries and he was traded yet again, this time to the Oklahoma City Thunder.  This trade did not happen though because the Thunder voided the trade because Chandler failed to pass a physical.  After the season ended he was traded the Charlotte for Emeka Okafor.  He struggled in Charlotte and was traded yet again to the Dallas Mavericks where he currently plays. He had a successful season in Dallas averaging 10 ppg and 9 rpg, as well as serving as the defensive anchor on the Mavericks front line, allowing Dirk to focus more on scoring.  This formula obviously worked as in ended with Dirk,Chandler, and the Mavs winning their first NBA Championship.

8th Overall: Jason Richardson, G/F, Orlando Magic

Selected with the 5th overall pick in the draft by the Warriors, Jason Richardson has had an electrifying career. He played 6 years with Golden State and during that time frame he averaged over 18 ppg and started since the day he was drafted. He was selected to the All Rookie first team in 2001-2002, and won both the 2002 and 2003 NBA Slam Dunk contests.  Known for his sick athleticism and monstrous dunks, Richardson became the fan favorite in Golden State as well as their leading scorer and captain.  He topped all of this by leading them to the playoffs in 2006-2007 for the first time in 13 years, as well as a first round victory over the heavily favored and number one seed Dallas Mavericks.  In 2007 he was traded to Charlotte where he averaged 21.8 and 18.7 ppg respectively over a season and a half, which lead the Bobcats in scoring.  In the middle of the 2008-2009 season he was shipped to Phoenix where he played a total of 2 seasons (2 halves 1 whole), and helped the Suns reach the Western Conference Finals in 2010.  This past season he was traded to Orlando where he started alongside Jameer Nelson in the backcourt.  Over the course of his career Richardson has averaged 18 ppg on the dot and has been known as one of the best dunkers in the league throughout that time frame.

7th Overall: Richard Jefferson, F, San Antonio Spurs

Richard Jefferson or "RJ" as he is known as around the league was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the 13th overall pick in the draft.  His draft rights were traded to the Nets before he played a game in Houston.  As a Nets, Jefferson played 7 seasons and had a major role on the teams that won back to back Eastern Conference Championships.  During those 7 seasons Jefferson developed his overall game to the point where not only was he a slasher and emphatic dunker, but he also became an excellent defender and long range shooter. He averaged 17.7 ppg during his net career including a career high 22.6 in his final season there.  He struggled with injuries during his New Jersey career but when healthy, he started every game from his sophomore season on.  In 2008 RJ was traded to Milwaukee where he averaged 19.6 ppg in his only season there.  After his stint with the Bucks he was traded to the Spurs where he has started the past two seasons providing another weapon to the Spurs vast arsenal of veteran stars and he helped lead the Spurs to a number one seed in the West this past season.

6th Overall: Gilbert Arenas, G, Orlando Magic

Gilbert Arenas. Agent Zero. Habachi.  Call him whatever you want the man can play basketball, and were it not for injuries and legal trouble disrupting his career, he might have been much higher on this list.  Arenas was drafted in the 2nd round (30th overall pick) by the Golden State Warriors.  He spent 2 seasons with the Warriors and was a member of the NBA All Rookie team his first year and won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award in his second season increasing his scoring average from 10.9 ppg to 18.3 ppg. He then signed with the Wizards and spent 7 full seasons and the beginning of this past season there.  While a Wizard Gilbert made 3 All-Star Teams (2005, 2006, 2007), was on the All NBA third team in 2005 and 2006, made the All NBA second team in 2007, led the Wizards to three playoff appearances, and averaged 21.8 ppg for his Wizards career. However, he has been limited in the number of games that he has been able to play since 2007-2008 due to injuries and legal problems.  If not for those he might have made many more All-Star teams and All NBA teams.  At the beginning of this season he was dealt to the Orlando Magic where he averaged 8 ppg backing up Jason Richardson.

5th Overall: Gerald Wallace, F, Portland Trailblazers

Gerald Wallace was selected with the 25th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft.  He was drafted by the Sacramento Kings with whom he played for 3 seasons.  However he played sparingly and was selected in 2004 by the Charlotte Bobcats in the NBA Expansion Draft.  Once a Bobcat he started immediately and only sat when he was injured.  This has happened fairly often during his career due to his frenzied, reckless style of play, especially on the defensive end.  This earned him the nickname "Crash" and he soon became the leader of the Bobcats during his 7 and a half seasons there.  As a Bobcat, Wallace became known for two things which were his relentless defense and his ability to contribute in every facet of the game.  For his Charlotte career he averaged 16.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.8 spg, and 1.2 bpg.  In 2010, his final full season as a Bobcat, Wallace was voted an Eastern Conference All-Star and a member of the NBA All Defensive First Team.  At the trade deadline of this past season, Wallace was dealt to Portland in a deal that worked for both parties allowing Charlotte to being to rebuild without Wallace's contract and Wallace to be placed on a playoff team.

4th Overall: Zach Randolph, F, Memphis Grizzlies

Zach Randolph, or as he is known around the NBA "Z-Bo", was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers 19th overall in the 2001 NBA Draft.  He was a Blazer for 6 seasons and was a starter for his last 4.  In his first two seasons he played only a little but in his 3rd season he was given the chance to start and his scoring and rebounding went up from 8.4 and 4.5 per game to 20.1 and 10.2 per game respectively.  Once he had the job he never let go of it and went on to average 20.2 ppg and 9.6 rpg for his four years as a starter.  After the 2006-2007 season he signed with the Knicks where he played for a little more then a season, and averaged 19.1 ppg and 11.4 rpg.  In the middle of the 2008-2009 season he was traded to the Clippers and there he averaged 20.9 ppg and 9.4 rpg.  Before the 2009-2010 season he was traded again this time to the Grizzlies where he seems to have found his home.  In his 2 seasons as a Grizzly he has averaged 20.5 ppg and 12 rpg, and led Memphis to both its first playoff game and playoff series victory over the number one seed San Antonio Spurs.  He also carried his team to game 7 of the Western Conference Semi Finals against the Thunder where they were not able to win.  Z-Bo was the NBA's most improved player in 2004, was an All-Star in 2010, and was voted onto the All NBA third team in 2011.

3rd Overall: Joe Johnson, G/F, Atlanta Hawks

Joe Johnson was drafted 10th overall by the Boston Celtics.  He only played sparingly in his half season with the Celtics before he was traded to Phoenix.  Once he was a member of the Suns, his career started to take off.  By his third season in Phoenix Joe was a full time starter averaging 16.7 ppg 4.7 rpg, and 4.4 apg.  In his 4th and final season with the Suns he increased his scoring average to 17.1 ppg.  He became a restricted free agent after this year and signed with the Hawks in a sign and trade deal for Boris Diaw.  In his first season with Atlanta, Johnson became the go to scorer for the Hawks averaging 20.2 ppg.  By his second year he had truly taken off and become a superstar averaging 25 ppg.  He has lead Atlanta to the playoffs each of the past 4 years including the Eastern Conference Semi Finals each of the last 3 years.  He did this all as the man for Atlanta averaging 21.3 ppg, 5.4 apg, and 4.3 rpg during his Hawks career.  Johnson is a 5 Time All-Star (2007-2011) and made the All NBA third team in 2010.

2nd Overall: Tony Parker, PG, San Antonio Spurs

Tony Parker was drafted 28th overall by the San Antonio Spurs, and he has spent his entire NBA career as a Spur.  Parker has been the starting point guard for the Spurs since the day that he was drafted does not appear to be on the verge of losing that spot.  For his entire career he has been known as more of a scoring point guard and that is evidenced by his career averages of 16.7 ppg and 5.7 ppg.  It's not that he doesn't look to pass, it's just that he is more effective as a slashing and scoring point guard.  It would appear that Parker's role works because he, all time great Tim Duncan,  and sharpshooting wing Manu Ginobili have led the Spurs to three championships in their time together in San Antonio, and have not missed the playoffs once during their tenure together.  Along with 3 rings, Parker also has won a Finals MVP award (2007), made 3 All-Star teams (2006, 2007, and 2009) and made the All NBA third team in 2009.

1st Overall: Pau Gasol, F/C, Los Angeles Lakers

Pau is the number one player from the 2001 draft. He was the Rookie of the Year from this draft class and has never looked back.

Pau was taken third overall by the Atlanta Hawks, who traded his draft rights to the Grizzlies. As a rookie, he was the Rookie of the Year and was voted on to the All-Rookie First Team, averaging 17.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game his first year in the league.

Gasol spent six-and-a-half seasons in Memphis, leaving as the franchise's all-time leader in points, total rebounds, games played, minutes played, field goals and free throws made and attempted, offensive and defensive rebounds and blocked shots.

In 2006, he became the franchise's first All-Star, averaging 20.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. He led the Grizzlies to three playoff appearances during his time in Memphis.

In the middle of the 2007-08 season, Pau was traded to the Lakers. This was great for Pau, as he now was on a contender, and did not have to be the go-to scorer with Kobe Bryant on the team.

In his three-and-a-half seasons with the Lakers, Pau has not only continued to put up stellar numbers, averaging 18.7 points and 9.7 rebounds a game, but he has also started to win and get recognized for his efforts.

Since joining the Lakers, Pau has made three All-Star teams (2009-11), two All-NBA Third Teams (2009 and 2010), an All-NBA Second Team (2011), three trips to the NBA Finals (2008, 2009, and 2010) and has won two rings (2009 and 2010).

For his entire career, Pau has been incredibly consistent in his numbers, averaging 18.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks a game. His career numbers are pretty much the same as his numbers from any given season, showing that he is in no way slowing down, even with the bad playoffs he had this past year.

Pau is still a star.