NBA Draft 2016: Every team’s most underrated pick ever
By Brad Rowland
Atlanta Hawks: Josh Smith, No.17 pick, 2004 NBA Draft
The Hawks have a miserable track record when it comes to capitalizing on opportunities in the NBA Draft, but Smith serves as a rare example of outright success. Though Atlanta misfired on its first selection in the 2004 NBA Draft (Josh Childress), they made up for it by adding Smith, who played 676 games for the organization while producing at a high level.
At this point in his career, Smith is best known for his hilariously bad shot selection and generally enigmatic behavior, but at one point, he was one of the most feared defenders in the NBA. Smith averaged 2.1 blocks and 1.3 steals per game over nine seasons in Atlanta, including a three-season span from 2005 through 2008 in which he averaged a blistering 2.8 swats per game.
The Hawks have made more impactful picks when it comes to the history of their franchise, including Al Horford, Pete Maravich and Kevin Willis, but Smith’s value should not be overlooked. Again, this is a list of the most underrated picks in each team’s history and, well, people tend to forget just how good Josh Smith was during his athletic prime in Atlanta.
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