Fansided

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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DALLAS – JANUARY 30: Forward Josh Howard #5 of the Dallas Mavericks takes a shot against Juwan Howard #6 of the Portland Trail Blazers on January 30, 2010 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS – JANUARY 30: Forward Josh Howard #5 of the Dallas Mavericks takes a shot against Juwan Howard #6 of the Portland Trail Blazers on January 30, 2010 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Dallas Mavericks: Josh Howard, No. 29 pick, 2003 NBA Draft

Dirk Nowitzki was not a draft pick of the Dallas Mavericks (at least technically) and some of the other stalwarts of the franchise are far too obvious for inclusion here. With that said, a former running mate of Nowitzki’s is a snug fit, and he came and went in wild fashion.

Josh Howard emerged from virtually nowhere, struggling through a largely uninspiring rookie season in 2003-2004 after being a (very) late first round draft pick. In short order, though, the former Wake Forest forward emerged as a legitimate number two option for the Mavs, averaging 17.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game over a five-season sample from 2005 through 2009.

After that, Howard fell off with haste but the value was already extracted for Dallas. The 6-foot-8 forward was named as an All-Star in 2007, and Howard was a very nice defensive piece in addition to his offensive acumen alongside Dirk and company. No one would mistake his play for that of a superstar but Howard was once comfortably ingrained as a top-50 player in the NBA, and people seem to just forget about his existence entirely when discussing similar players from that era of the league.

Next: Denver Nuggets

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