Teams choose players to join their squads at the NBA Draft, which is an important event. There have been numerous draft picks who went on to have outstanding rookie seasons and great careers, despite the fact that success in the NBA is never guaranteed. Here are a few prominent NBA draft picks and their early-career triumphs:
Damian Lillard
(2012 Draft, 6th overall pick, Portland Trail Blazers) – With an impressive rookie campaign, Damian Lillard averaged 19 points and 6.5 assists per game. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year honor and rapidly made a name for himself as one of the top point guards in the game. Since then, Lillard has earned many NBA All-Star selections and has a history of making crucial shots.
Tim Duncan
(1997 Draft, 1st overall pick, San Antonio Spurs) – Tim Duncan had a stellar first season, averaging 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. He won NBA Rookie of the Year honors while assisting the Spurs in making the playoffs. Later, Duncan became one of the all-time greatest power forwards after winning five NBA titles.
LeBron James
(2003 Draft, 1st overall pick, Cleveland Cavaliers) – LeBron James lived up to the high expectations placed on him when he joined the NBA. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2004 and quickly rose to the top of the league. Since then, James has won four NBA championships and is regarded as one of the game’s all-time greats.
Kevin Durant
(2007 Draft, 2nd overall pick, Seattle SuperSonics) – Making an impression in the NBA was something Kevin Durant did quickly. He was voted the NBA Rookie of the Year after scoring 20.3 points per game on average in his rookie campaign. Since then, Durant has become one of the most prolific scorers in league history, a four-time scoring champion, and a two-time NBA champion.
Magic Johnson
(1979 Draft, 1st overall pick, Los Angeles Lakers) – By leading the Lakers to the NBA title in 1980 during his rookie season, Magic Johnson had an immediate influence. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became hurt and couldn’t play center in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, he stepped in and made an important contribution.
David Robinson
(1987 Draft, 1st overall pick, San Antonio Spurs) – Due to military obligations, David Robinson didn’t enter the NBA until the 1989–90 season, although he had an outstanding first season. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year with his 24.3 points, 12 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game average. Robinson later enjoyed a Hall of Fame career and helped the Spurs earn two NBA titles.
Shaquille O’Neal
(1992 Draft, 1st overall pick, Orlando Magic) – Shaquille O’Neal‘s stature, strength, and domination in the paint had a significant instant effect. He won the 1993 NBA Rookie of the Year award and went on to become one of the league’s most dominant centers, earning four NBA titles.
Many young people nowadays are really eyeing to become one of the professional basketball players. With the amount of fame and good fortune that the basketball league promises to the youth, there are really many hopefuls who play the game at an early age to get the necessary skills and be equipped enough to be drafted. With the use of social media, the aspirants are now able to create their little names so the big teams will notice them and hope to pick them and be part of their NBA teams.
These are only a few instances of NBA draft picks that enjoyed fruitful rookie campaigns before going on to have outstanding careers. A young player’s chance to display their abilities and have an instant influence in the league is provided by the NBA draft, which is still a thrilling event.
