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NBA Draft 2016: Every team’s most underrated pick ever

By Brad Rowland

Feb 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JULY 6: Gilbert Arenas and George Hill during the 2014 Ball Up Tour on July 6, 2014 at Arsenal Tech Gym in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Ron Hoskins/Andrew D. Bernstein Associates Photography, Inc. via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JULY 6: Gilbert Arenas and George Hill during the 2014 Ball Up Tour on July 6, 2014 at Arsenal Tech Gym in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Ron Hoskins/Andrew D. Bernstein Associates Photography, Inc. via Getty Images) /

Golden State Warriors: Gilbert Arenas, No. 31 pick, 2001 NBA Draft

This feels like cheating. Gilbert Arenas certainly did not become a full-fledged star until he arrived in the nation’s capital for his time with the Washington Wizards, but the Warriors saw enough in the former Arizona guard to invest a second-round selection in his services. That worked out quite well for Golden State, even if his stay in Oakland didn’t last long.

Arenas played two seasons with the Warriors, and during that time, he outreached any rational expectation. The volatile guard averaged 15.6 points, 5.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game while playing only 31.2 minutes, and Arenas made a name for himself with explosive scoring potential and unconscious shooting ability at times.

Of course, he peaked with an eight-year stint in Washington, averaging 25.0 points per game with the Wizards, and he is best known for that and his various off-court antics that include a lengthy suspension for gun-play (yes, you read that right) in a professional locker room. At the same time, many NBA fans probably have no clue that the Warriors even picked Arenas in the draft, much less the fact that he was a stellar contributor in Oakland.

Seems like an underrated draft investment to me.

Next: Houston Rockets

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