Re-draft 2003 NBA Draft

In the 2003 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers held the No. 24 pick and were looking to get back to the NBA Finals. The late pick in the draft wasn’t as consequential to them as loading up their roster via free agency and trade was, so they went with Illinois power forward Brian Cook.

The Lakers would reach the NBA Finals the following year and would be defeated by the Detroit Pistons in what was Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s final trip to the finals as a duo. Considering the Lakers roster makeup at the time, they had enough guards and some big men soon to be on their way out, that Cook was the right pick in the draft.

Although he wasn’t a flashy player in the league, he was someone that the Lakers could throw out for 15 minutes a game in his five years with the team. While that might not seem like much to many, it’s not bad for a 24th pick overall and in this re-draft, most of the talent that is better is already gone.

This re-draft could have maybe gone with one of the more talented wings, but there would have been no room for them on that Lakers roster.

Next: No. 25 Pick