The 2017 NBA Draft is most famous for the mystifying collapse of its No. 1 pick — and the multiple All-Stars who followed.
Multiple All-Stars and All-NBA players have emerged from the 2017 rookie class. None of them, however, went first overall. That unique honor was bestowed upon Markelle Fultz, the once glamorous Washington guard whose career arc in the NBA is best described as utterly inexplicable.
It’s a prime example of how unpredictable the NBA Draft truly is. At the time, no player felt particularly close to Fultz. He had it all — the skill, the athleticism, the potential for immediate production and long-term growth. Then it all fell apart, almost immediately, because of a shoulder injury we still don’t fully understand.
Anything can happen in the NBA. And often, it does.
Who would go No. 1 overall if the 2017 NBA Draft were held today?
With the benefit of hindsight, the 2017 draft order would look much different. Fultz wouldn’t have gone first overall. Perhaps the Sixers wouldn’t have even traded up to No. 1 in the first place, completely changing the trajectory of multiple NBA franchises. That’s what makes this particular exercise so fun: it’s an exercise in what could have been.
Let’s jump right in.
A career 36.4 percent 3-point shooter who can guard a couple different positions depending on the matchup. Sterling Brown affords lineup flexibility at 6-foot-7 and won’t get played off the court.
Frank Jackson averaged 10.6 points for the rebuilding Pistons last season, a new career high. Unfortunately, his scoring efficiency plummeted. He might peak as a change-of-pace reserve.
Edmond Sumner spent last season recovering from a severe knee injury, the kind of injury that can derail an unproven player’s career. He started 24 games for the Pacers in 2020-21, though, and he brings intriguing size and athleticism to the two-guard spot.
Originally the No. 4 pick, it has been tough sledding at the NBA level for Josh Jackson. He’s an athletic 6-foot-8 wing who can defend all over the floor, but his scoring numbers are dreadful. It’s hard for one-way players at the professional level.
Frank Ntilikina never really figured it out offensively. That said, his 3-point percentage has steadily increased in recent years and he does provide impactful defense on the perimeter. His 7-foot-1 wingspan can really muck things up for the opposing offense.
Dennis Smith Jr. will probably never recapture the productivity of his rookie season. He’s simply not the elite on-ball creator teams expected him to be on draft night. Instead, Smith has carved out his niche as a stingy guard defender.
Tony Bradley has been remarkably unremarkable in his NBA career, but he’s a pretty reliable drop coverage defender who can rebound and convert easy points at the rim.
Injuries have been the story of Zach Collins’ career. There’s a lot to like on the surface — he’s a mobile 7-footer who attempts multiple 3s per game — but he hasn’t been on the court long enough for us to get a solid read on his NBA future.
Luke Kornet has played for five teams in five years, never lingering too long in one spot. The playing time has been sparse, but he’s listed at 7-foot-2 and can snipe 3s. Sign me up for more.
Were it not for his relatively advanced age (29 years old), Chris Boucher would be much higher in this re-draft. He’s a bankable role player for a contender, supplying a lot of length, activity, and switchability to the Raptors’ elite defense.
Thomas Bryant is another player whose career has been indelibly marked by injuries. His ability to block shots and hit 3s should keep him relevant, but we simply have not seen him on the court much the last few seasons.
Malik Monk finally found his footing in the NBA last season, emerging as a reliable reserve guard (and spot starter) who can score in myriad ways. His propensity for bucket-getting dates back to before Kentucky, so expect Monk to keep it up.
Isaiah Hartenstein finally broke onto the scene with the Clippers last season. He’s an excellent rim runner and shot blocker who is now in line for an even bigger role with the Knicks in 2022. He’s a rock-solid, fundamentally sound player who impacts winning on both sides of the ball.
Monte Morris has long drawn praise for his ball security and efficiency at the point guard position. He’s not particularly explosive, but Morris avoids mistakes and does a lot of good things on offense. His 3-point percentage hovers around the high-30s every season and he looks comfortable as a starter or a sixth man.
Jonathan Isaac has not played NBA basketball since 2020. That’s a problem. Injuries have ravaged his career and it wouldn’t be hard to blame teams for passing on him in this re-draft. But, when healthy, Isaac has flashed legitimate All-Defensive team upside with plenty of scoring equity to boot.
The Sixers’ infamous decision to trade up and select Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 overall pick feels like decades ago. One vague shoulder malady and a torn ACL later, Fultz’s career path is still very much undetermined. He’s a gifted facilitator and versatile defender who has enough natural talent to warrant optimism despite the laundry list of red flags.
Josh Hart was an immediate impact presence in the NBA. The Villanova product has delivered on the promise of his winning instincts and veteran composure. At 6-foot-5, Hart plays well above his height. He crashes the glass with ferocity and competes hard all over the floor on defense. His multi-positional nature is perfect for today’s NBA.
On the offensive end, Hart does a little bit of everything. He’s a reliable spot-up shooter who can stretch the defense out and attack slower defenders driving downhill. He’s also a highly adept passer who keeps his head on a swivel. Hart’s unselfish approach and eye for teammates no doubt stems from his development under Jay Wright and Nova’s famed prep-to-pros pipeline.
Hart isn’t a primary creator, but he has been able to step into a featured scoring role in the past. He scored 44 points in a game for Portland last season and averaged 14.9 points per game on the whole, splitting the season between the injury-ravaged Pelicans and the momentarily rebuilding Blazers. When asked to, Hart can put his head down and put up points. That ability to oscillate between secondary scorer or gritty role player depending on circumstance is an uncommon luxury.
The NBA is fast becoming a hotbed for skilled wings. Players who check as many boxes as Hart on both sides of the ball are impossible to overlook. He has the talent and the mental sharpness to stick in the league for a long time.
Kyle Kuzma has transformed from a fun sixth man into the legitimate No. 2-or-3 scorer on a playoff hopeful. He, like many before him, has found new life since leaving the Lakers’ infamously poor player development system, adding new layers to his game and giving the Wizards a lot on both sides of the ball.
There has never been much doubt about Kuzma’s ability to score the basketball. He entered the league on fire, making tough shots off the dribble and immediately entering the national consciousness as a highly entertaining rookie on the NBA’s most publicized team. Then, he hit some roadblocks. LeBron’s arrival and the emphasis on winning laid bare some of Kuzma’s more inefficient tendencies.
Now in Washington, however, Kuzma has become a much more well-rounded offensive player. He’s taking more 3s and making an effort to involve teammates as a passer while still maintaining his unique tough-shot ability when possessions break down. He has the size to punish mismatches inside and the quickness to exploit slower power forwards on the perimeter.
What has been most remarkable about Kuzma’s development in Washington, however, is his defense. Kuzma is becoming a legitimately impactful rebounder who can also guard multiple positions at a high level. His newfound commitment to that side of the ball, in tandem with his offensive growth, has made Washington profoundly victorious in the infamous Russell Westbrook swap.
Dillon Brooks was the second-leading scorer on the No. 2 seed Grizzlies last season. He’s not always the most efficient scorer, but Brooks’ ability to create off the dribble and hit difficult shots late in the clock was essential to Memphis’ offensive success. Without him, too much creation pressure would have rested squarely on Ja Morant’s skinny shoulders.
The looming improvement of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. should now take some of the pressure off of Brooks, in turn allowing him to boost his efficiency and occupy a more complementary role. He will never leave the heat checks entirely behind, but Brooks should (ideally) be able to refine his shot diet in the coming years.
What makes Brooks truly special, however, is his defense. He is one of the best wing defenders in the NBA, a relentless presence at the point of attack who can fluster some of the league’s top perimeter creators. At 6-foot-7, Brooks is strongly built — a muscular force who fights over screens and makes driving the lane supremely difficult.
The Grizzlies simply are not the contender they were last season without Brooks’ contributions. He’s something of an unsung hero. The shot selection can be frustrating, and he hit some low points in the postseason, but the good often overwhelms the bad with Brooks.
Luke Kennard led the NBA in 3-point percentage last season and he’s on track to potentially do the same in 2022-23. The NBA as a whole is becoming more reliant on the 3-pointer with each passing season, and Kennard is one of the best in the business at stretching defenses out beyond the arc.
The Clippers have the luxury of extreme depth and a glut of playmakers, which allows Kennard to patrol the perimeter primarily as a spot-up threat. That isn’t the extent of his offensive repertoire, though. Kennard has also flashed playmaking skills, at some points with LA and more prolifically with Detroit before that (and Duke before that). He’s capable of attacking closeouts off the dribble and making crisp passing reads on the move.
Kennard’s versatile complementary skill set makes him one of the NBA’s best role players. He doesn’t need to dominate touches to contribute to winning, and he makes the absolute most of the touches he does receive. Again, with the modern NBA so strongly favoring Kennard’s skill set, he’s a lottery lock in this re-draft.
The main limiting factor for Kennard is defense. He’s 6-foot-5, but his short wingspan and subpar athleticism limit him greatly on that side of the ball. His competitive spirit and general instincts are strong, but Kennard relies mostly on his offensive talent.
Derrick White’s status as spot starter/sixth or seventh or eighth man in Boston doesn’t really do justice to his talent. Such is life on the East’s foremost contender. White was the Spurs’ best guard for a good minute before Dejounte Murray’s breakout and his ability to contribute on both sides of the ball lands him comfortably in the top 10 of this re-draft.
While White’s scoring limitations have caught up to him over the years, he is a respectable 3-point shooter who can average 10-15 points per game when given the opportunity. He slashes to the rim effectively and is able to work off the ball, using his burst to beat defenders backdoor for easy finishes around the rim.
The greatest attribute of White’s offensive game is his facilitation. As a secondary ball-handler and connective passer, White excels. He doesn’t have the assist numbers one might associate with a great point guard, but in the right context, White’s smarts and ancillary skills are quite effective.
Of course, what really cements White in the top 10 is not offense. It’s defense. He’s on the short list of best defensive guards in the NBA. White has the length (6-foot-8 wingspan) to guard multiple positions and the dogged determination to stonewall the NBA’s most explosive playmakers.
I’m not sure Lauri Markkanen has completely earned top-10 status, but the NBA Draft is, at its core, a game of chance. Teams are shooting for upside, constantly on the prowl for star power. If Lauri Markkanen’s start to the 2022-23 season is any indication, he might have another gear we haven’t seen before — and the Most Improved Player trophy in his future.
Markkanen’s early years in Chicago were largely uninspiring. He’s a 7-footer who can bomb 3s, so he was always going to have a place in the NBA. But he was a dreadful defender and looked relatively one-noted on the offensive end. Then, last season in Cleveland, we saw Markkanen take a step forward on both ends of the court. Now in Utah, the floor is his. And man, have the results been awesome.
It all started with Markkanen’s tantalizing performance in Eurobasket over the summer. The Jazz have now unleashed him in wholly new ways — not only as a shooter but as a driver and go-to scorer who can beat defenses from various spots on the floor. Dribble pull-ups, post-ups, floaters, fadeaways. It’s all in the bag for Markkanen right now.
He’s rebounding better than ever. At 7-foot and 240 pounds, he spent last season on the wing and is essentially playing the three in Utah, too. That kind of versatility combined with his floor-stretching ability and untapped potential leaves Markkanen in the No. 9 slot (with room to move up even further).
So! What’s going on with Lonzo Ball’s knee? That’s the primary question facing the eldest brother of the prodigal basketball family right now. Health has limited the former No. 2 pick since day one, to the point where injuries are becoming the narrative of his career so far. Which is wild when you consider the sheer volume of headline fodder that once circled around Ball.
When he’s healthy, Ball is the kind of star role player good teams yearn for. He’s excellent on the defensive end and one of the most brilliant passers in the sport. Ball can read the chess board several moves in advance. Whether he’s stationed off the ball or running point, Ball knows where he needs to be and where the ball needs to go.
There were several misconceptions about Ball’s game coming out of UCLA. He was never the Chris Paul-style Point God. He doesn’t need to dribble a lot to manipulate the defense. In fact, Ball is better in the off-guard position, moving fluidly about the court and making quick, decisive passes. He’s also one of the best in the business at turning rebounds into transition opportunities thanks to his knack for hit-ahead passes.
Ball is connective tissue, not the central nervous system. He won’t create a lot of points for himself, but he’s a knockdown 3-point shooter with deep range and the kind of preternatural I.Q. that just makes the game easier for everyone else. He’s the perfect 3-and-D guard for a team like Chicago built around two ball-dominant scorers like DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
Length and versatility is the name of the game for the Toronto Raptors. There is no better example than OG Anunoby, who has slowly but surely established his presence as part of the Raptors’ core. A big, bruising scorer who can obliterate his defender in isolation, Anunoby clearly took more than a few notes during his one season behind Kawhi Leonard.
Unfortunately for Anunoby, he has hardly ever been healthy. He played 69 games in 2019-20, the highest mark of his career, but he has failed to break 50 games in a season since. The flashes are plentiful, but Anunoby is rarely on the floor long enough to build up real rhythm and momentum.
Hopefully that all changes this season. When Anunoby does play, it’s fun to watch. He can methodically break down the defense, using his strength to gain position and carve out space inside the arc. Anunoby has one of the smoothest mid-range games you’ll find, along with an above-average 3-point stroke and plenty of finishing touch around the rim.
What makes Anunoby truly special, however, is his defense. A healthy Anunoby ranks as one of the best individual wing defenders in the game. With 232 pounds of muscle and a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Anunoby can handle the daunting physicality of the game’s best wing scorers. He has the ability to switch 1-4 any given night and fits the 3-and-D mold so many contenders covet.
Injuries have held De’Aaron Fox below 60 games played in three consecutive seasons now. As is common with these re-drafts, a player’s talent and ceiling are not the only factors. There is the lingering question of whether or not Fox can stay healthy enough to reach his ceiling.
To make matters worse, Fox is stuck in the closest place we have to basketball purgatory. The Kings can’t seem to figure out how to win, nor can they figure out how to properly rebuild. Sacramento’s struggles stretch well beyond Fox (it’s not his fault his teammates consistently fail him), but Fox has been the bedrock of Sacramento’s team building for six years now. At some point, the criticism will rest on Fox’s shoulders.
He is far from flawless. Fox spent much of his early career struggling behind the 3-point line, and even last season he shot below 30 percent from deep. The volume continues to improve and Fox has gotten significantly better at torching defenses from the mid-range, but his lack of shooting efficiency is a valid critique. He has also traditionally struggled on the defensive end.
That said, Fox is also one of the fastest NBA players. He possesses an elite first step that can overwhelm even the best defenders. Once he’s moving downhill, Fox has the athleticism and finesse to knife right through traffic in the paint. He’s good for 20-25 points per game and he has the capacity to be one of the NBA’s most prolific facilitators. There is always value in a reliable, go-to initiator like that, even if the jumper is of concern.
John Collins continues to add new layers to his game with each passing season. One could attribute his success to favorable circumstances (Trae Young is probably the perfect point guard running mate), but Collins has evolved well beyond his Wake Forest roots.
Drafted for his rim-running and rebounding, Collins still does those things exceedingly well. But, he’s also a reliable 3-point shooter with the ability to attack closeouts off the dribble and improvise in the mid-range. Collins is an excellent complementary scorer and play-finisher, but he’s capable of stepping into a more featured role when called upon.
There’s also the question of whether Collins has ever truly played the right position. He’s currently situated next to Clint Capela in the Hawks’ frontcourt. Atlanta has used Collins primarily at the four spot for his entire career, when on paper he’s much more of a modern-day center. The flexibility to oscillate between positions is valuable, but it’s fair to wonder what Collins would look like as a team’s full-time anchor in the middle.
The answer is probably mixed right now. Offensively, it could free up Collins to be even more dynamic attacking slower bigs in space. Defensively, however, Collins still has a lot of room for growth. He has gotten better in recent years, but Collins’ current capacity for rim protection leaves a lot to be desired.
We might be in the early stages of Jarrett Allen’s first real Defensive Player of the Year campaign. It’s way too early to make concrete proclamations, but that’s the kind of talent we’re dealing with. It took Allen a change of scenery to unlock his stardom, but ever since he arrived in Cleveland it has been evident that Allen is more than worthy of the All-Star label.
Allen is the perfect example of a star in his role. No, he doesn’t create his own offense. No, he doesn’t space the floor. But Allen is one of the league’s best rim-runners, a monster athlete who can devour space in the paint and play well above the basket. He sets thundering screens, competes hard on the offensive glass, and is absurdly efficient within five feet of the rim.
That athleticism translates to the defensive end too. Not many rim protectors around the league are as forceful and imposing as Allen. He’s one of the few who truly makes guards think twice about venturing inside. His swift feet, massive 7-foot-6 wingspan, and preternatural instincts are put to great use in the middle of Cleveland’s uniquely dynamic defense.
Only a handful of players each draft have the potential to be the lead creator or No. 1 scorer on a contender. At some point, you have to prioritize ancillary skills — players who do the little things well and impact winning in secondary roles. Not many do that better than Allen, who’s an easy top-five pick here.
Donovan Mitchell has started the season on fire for the new-look Cavaliers. After years of coming up short in Utah, it looks like Mitchell might finally be at the helm of a legitimate contender. While Mitchell’s career up to this point has been equal parts electrifying and frustrating, a change of scenery could be what propels him to the next level of stardom. That’s exciting.
There’s no denying Mitchell’s talent for scoring the basketball. His deadly first step and explosiveness at the rim make Mitchell one of the league’s most prolific slashers. He’s also an excellent pull-up shooter who continues to improve his 3-point volume and efficiency every season.
Now, Mitchell faces the ultimate burden of proof: he can score prodigiously, but can he be the go-to creator and ostensible alpha dog for a title contender? He never reached that status in Utah. Precious few players are truly capable of occupying such a role, and even fewer are small guards. Mitchell’s early-season performance as a facilitator and defender has been very promising, but he will have to sustain that all-around impact for an entire season and postseason.
Whether he eventually achieves that status or not, Mitchell is a perennial All-Star who has comfortably outperformed his original draft position. The capacity for sustained growth is there too. Mitchell is small, yes, but he’s a 6-foot-2 guard with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. He’s long, and he’s built like a linebacker. He can play bigger than his height on defense when he puts his mind to it. The same goes for the offensive end: Mitchell doesn’t face the same pitfalls as other guards in his height range.
Here’s the biggest quandary of the 2017 re-draft: who goes second overall? Is it Donovan Mitchell, the explosive creator who might be capable of leading the charge for a contender? Or is it Bam Adebayo, arguably the single best “No. 2” in the NBA — an elite, all-world defender whose complementary skills have been foundational to two separate conference finals runs in Miami?
Adebayo will never be able to lead an offense like Mitchell. His scoring profile is too limited in scope. On the flip side, Adebayo is the fulcrum of maybe the East’s most consistent defense. He can switch 1-5, really switch 1-5, and he’s an excellent rim protector too. Adebayo has locked down the likes of Trae Young, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid on the game’s biggest stage. That kind of malleability and competitive spirit cannot go unrewarded.
It’s borderline shameful that Adebayo has only made one All-Star team. He gets better each season, making marginal improvements on the offensive end while cementing his singular status on defense. Adebayo doesn’t score like a No. 1, but he does put up points. He can trapeze around the post with graceful footwork or put his head down and charge down the defense’s throat. His jump shot is little more than a fledging at this point, but there are signs of long-term potential.
The secret weapon for Adebayo is his passing. He’s a legitimate offensive hub at the elbow with two seasons of over five assists per game under his belt. Why Adebayo may too often shy away from generating his own points, he does leverage his physicality and the attention he commands to generate looks for teammates. Again, there just aren’t many better second bananas in the NBA right now. You need those guys to win a championship — something Miami has come close to doing once already during Adebayo’s career.
Well, there’s not as much debate about the No. 1 spot. Jayson Tatum, who famously went third overall after the Sixers traded up to select Markelle Fultz in the top spot, is the rightful first pick in hindsight. While Tatum always profiled as a gifted scorer at Duke, nobody could have seen his rapid NBA ascent coming.
Tatum led Boston to the NBA Finals last season at 24 years old. Now he’s on the verge of MVP contention. He’s the most fluid wing scorer since Kevin Durant. It just comes easily to him: the pristine footwork, the high-arcing jumper, the stone-cold demeanor. Tatum can beat the defense from anywhere on the floor. He has the strength to overpower smaller defenders inside, the speed to slaughter slow-footed bigs on the perimeter, and the tough-shot acumen to demoralize those who can actually stay in front of him.
A gifted isolation scorer from the very beginning, Tatum has since diversified his approach. His passing gets better every season. He can run ball screens and create for teammates, as well as for himself. There simply aren’t many holes in Tatum’s offensive repertoire at this point.
The proverbial cherry on top is Tatum’s recent transformation into an elite wing defender. The Celtics’ defense is what made them so formidable last season, and Tatum played his part well. He’s capable of checking the opponent’s best player and using every bit of his 6-foot-11 wingspan to wreak havoc. True superstars tend to get it done on offense and defense. Tatum is a true superstar.