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Best NBA Draft Sleepers of All-Time

By Cody Williams

Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; A general view as the names of the first round draft picks are displayed above the stage during the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; A general view as the names of the first round draft picks are displayed above the stage during the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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1. George Gervin (1974 NBA Draft, 3rd Round, 40th Overall)

George “The Iceman” Gervin played two years in the ABA before he was selected in the third round of the 1974 NBA Draft by the Suns. He then played another two years after that in the ABA before moving to the NBA with the Spurs franchise that he played for. In retrospect, it’s insanity that one of the greatest scorers that we’ve ever seen wasn’t one of the top prospects in the draft.

Over his 10 seasons that he played in the NBA, Gervin was consistently one of the most dominant offensive players in the league on the wing. He averaged 26.2 points per game on 51.1 percent shooting for the entirety of his NBA career, including putting up 29.8 points per game on 51.9 percent shooting from 1977-82. Oh yeah, he also put up those numbers while taking just 259 three pointers for his entire career.

Gervin’s proficiency as an offensive player is near unmatched in the history of the league. His combination of skill, length, quickness, and athleticism allowed him to dominate opposing defenders in essentially any way that he felt like doing so. Yes, he’s another product of a curious part in the NBA’s history involving the ABA, but it’s amazing that a team didn’t recognize his talent before the third round of the 1974 draft.

No matter where he ended up being selected or how he ended up in the NBA, though, The Iceman is a deserved Hall of Famer and one of the greatest to ever play the game at the professional level. If earning that kind of praise by the end of his career doesn’t qualify him as a sleeper, you probably need to rethink the qualifications.

Next: Best Player From Every NBA Draft in Lottery Era

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