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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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May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) enters the arena before the game against the Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) enters the arena before the game against the Golden State Warriors in game six of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

Oklahoma City Thunder: Russell Westbrook, No. 4 pick, 2008 NBA Draft

This is a franchise with a rich history dating back to its days in Seattle, but you would be hard-pressed to find a better draft pick than Russell Westbrook. With that said, it wasn’t a slam dunk that the then-SuperSonics would pick up the former UCLA guard, and while Kevin Durant and Dennis Johnson are always mentioned on “best pick” lists for this organization, Westbrook deserves more love.

More than anything, the team should be credited for taking Westbrook as high as they did. He was not seen as a consensus top-five pick after playing a largely supporting role at UCLA, and Westbrook landing ahead of players like Kevin Love, Brook Lopez and Eric Gordon was big news at the time.

Oklahoma City’s choice has paid dividends, though, as Westbrook has blossomed into a top-10 player in the NBA with his aggressive, physically dominant approach to the point guard position. He holds career averages of 21.5 points, 7.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game, and if you remove Westbrook’s first two years in a smaller role, those numbers balloon to 23.7 points, 8.0 assists and 5.9 rebounds per contest over six seasons.

We are stretching the “underrated” criteria by taking a legitimate superstar, but Westbrook’s draft investment was so shrewd by this franchise that it has to be acknowledged.

Next: Orlando Magic

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