It's nearly impossible to nail the NBA Draft, and mistakes are often made along the way. Needless to say, teams would love to have a second chance at the draft each year. The 2017 draft is one of the more interesting, with a blend of stars and busts in the lottery, and like every draft, there were some massive steals.
Let's take another look at this class and re-draft the 2017 lottery, knowing what we know today and projecting the rest of these players' careers. The focus of this re-draft is more about the players' careers than the teams drafting them. Also, for simplicity purposes, any draft day (or near draft day) trades will be reflected in this re-draft order. Without any further ado, let's dive into this 2017 re-draft.
More FanSided NBA re-drafts: 2016, 2019, 2023, 2024
The Philadelphia 76ers originally traded up with the Boston Celtics. Now they get to right their wrong of taking Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 pick. To be fair, Fultz was the clear No. 1 pick back in 2017. Regardless, Tatum is an easier choice for the No. 1 pick in a re-draft, moving up two spots from his original selection. Earlier in his career, Tatum was mainly known for his prolific three-level scoring abilities. Tatum has maintained his elite scoring while developing as a playmaker and defender, thus becoming one of the league's most well-rounded stars.
It's incredibly impressive what the Duke product has already accomplished at 27. He is a six-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA member (four first teams), and, of course, a one-time NBA champion. Additionally, Tatum has the most playoff points by the age of 27, and his 13,784 points lead this class. Tatum has been playing important basketball since his rookie season, and he is on an all-time trajectory. While he'll be sidelined with an Achilles injury this season, Tatum's playstyle makes it likely he'll return to his elite level.
Donovan Mitchell is just as easy a No. 2 pick as Tatum is a No. 1 pick. Mitchell has made six All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams. He has posted stellar averages of 24.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists for his career. The 6-foot-3 guard is an exposlive athlete who can score at all three levels and has taken strides as a playmaker.
Mitchell has been the best player on elite regular-season teams. While these teams haven't seen much success in the postseason, it's never been Spida's fault as he's averaged 28.3 in the playoffs. Undoubtedly, Mitchell has what it takes to be the best player on a championship team, and he might accomplish just that with the Cleveland Cavaliers in a wide-open Eastern Conference this season. The Louisville product has clearly exceeded his draft day selection of No. 13 overall.
Originally drafted fifth, De'Aaron Fox gets a nice boost in this re-draft. Spending the first seven and a half seasons with the Sacramento Kings, Fox became one of the most underrated stars. Now with the San Antonio Spurs and alongside a big man who will maximize his skill set better, the NBA community will soon realize Fox's greatness.
Few guards can rival Fox's speed and ability to generate efficient shots at the rim. Fox pairs this with high-level passing chops, a smooth mid-range game, and rock-solid perimeter defense. The Kentucky product has career averages of 21.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. Fox proved he can be a first option on a playoff team in the 2022-23 season. In his lone playoff series, Fox, while battling a hand injury, went toe to toe with Steph Curry, averaging 27.7 points. Playing alongside Victor Wembanyama, Fox will be one of the league's best second options.
A lot of people would have Bam Adebayo ahead of his Kentucky teammate, Fox. I ended up giving Fox the edge since his playstyle is better suited to be a first option. Nevertheless, there's no denying Adebayo is an elite two-way player and complementary star. Originally drafted with the last pick of the lottery, Bam moves up 10 spots in this re-draft.
Bam is undoubtedly one of the league's best defenders with a rare blend of rim protection and versatility. The 6-foot-9 big man can also score down low and playmake at a high level. His career averages of 15.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2 stocks reflect his well-rounded impact. Bam has made three All-Star teams and five All-Defensive teams while being a key contributor on two Finals teams.
Jarrett Allen is one of the NBA's rim protectors with solid versatility to boot. Alongside Evan Mobley, Allen has helped anchor some of the NBA's best defenses. There's a clear case for Allen to be the best active player who hasn't made an All-Defensive team. The Texas product is also an elite lob threat and screener with underrated passing chops. He has posted solid career averages of 12.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks.
Over the past few years, Allen has been a key contributor to some talented Cavs teams. He even earned an All-Star selection in 2022. If the Cavs can break through and make a finals run, the entire NBA community will soon realize his incredible impact. Undoubtedly, the 6-foot-11 has exceeded his draft day selection of the No. 22 pick.
Few perimeter players have a similar impact to Derrick White. Offensively, the 6-foot-4 guard is one of the league's best shooters and a high-level connective playmaker. Defensively, that is where White is truly special, though. The Colorado product is an elite point of attack defender who is also one of the best helpside defenders. White provides a level of rim protection that is unheard of for a guard; he has notably led all guards in blocked shots over the last five years. He has been rewarded with two All-Defensive team selections.
The former No. 29 pick started off largely playing in the G League before becoming a solid role player with the San Antonio Spurs. From there, White became an irreplaceable part of the Celtics' championship core. Last season at 30 years old, White had a career-best season, averaging 16.4 points, 4.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 2 stocks. Without Tatum, White could have yet another career year and perhaps could be a first-time All-Star.
OG Anunoby has established himself as one of the league's best role players. The Indiana product is an elite and versatile defender who can legitimately guard all positions. He can lock up stars on the ball, and he wreaks havoc off the ball. OG is a knockdown 3-point shooter, too, netting 37.5 percent of his shots from beyond the arc for his career. While he's often boxed into the 3-and-D archetype, Anunoby is also a high-level finisher.
Anunoby proved his value with the New York Knicks during their conference finals run this past season. Every team in the league could use a versatile role like OG. Originally drafted with the No. 23 pick by the Toronto Raptors, Anunoby has undoubtedly exceeded his draft day expectations.
The No. 5 through 8 picks were the toughest to rank, and Lauri Markkanen's spot shouldn't be seen as a slight. Markkanen has had a fascinating career path and possesses a unique skill set. The former No. 7 pick got off to a fairly slow start with the Chicago Bulls and later the Cavs. However, after being traded to the Utah Jazz, Markkanen found his groove, winning the Most Improved Player award in the 2022-23 season. He averaged a career high of 25.6 points (a jump of 10.8 ppg) and made the All-Star team that season.
Markkanen has never been on a playoff team, but there's no doubt his skill would make him an ideal complementary piece on an elite team. The 7-footer has a rare blend of size, shooting, and self-creation. Hopefully, we can see Markkanen on a good team sooner rather than later, whether that means the Jazz make a leap or he gets traded. By landing Markkanen, the Knicks get a much-desired do-over here.
Josh Hart quickly became a fan favorite after he was traded to the Knicks, and it's easy to see why. Hart makes a well-rounded impact as a versatile defender, secondary playmaker, rebounder, and finisher. He has averaged 10.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists for his career. The Villanova product also plays with unmatched passion and intensity, or heart if you will.
Hart notably led the NBA in minutes per game and was fifth in triple-doubles last season. Undoubtedly, the former No. 30 pick has exceeded all expectations and is a no-brainer lottery pick in a re-draft. As the Knicks aim to win their first championship in over 50 years, Hart will be a key part of their success.
Isaiah Hartenstein is one of the best role players in the league, and the former No. 43 pick shoots up into the lottery on a second go around. I-Hart has a rare blend of rim protection, rebounding, interior scoring, and passing. The German big man proved his impact at the highest level this past season, being a key part of the Oklahoma City Thunder's championship core.
Hartenstein is a bit of a late bloomer, never truly finding his groove until the 2021-22 season. However, he hasn't turned back since then, including having a career year with OKC last year, averaging 11.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 blocks. His well-rounded skill set and contributions to winning basketball make him a clear lottery pick.
Some things just don't change, and that's true for Malik Monk as he once again is selected by the Charlotte Hornets in this re-draft. Furthermore, Monk was one of three Kentucky players selected in the 2017 lottery, and that holds true in a re-draft. The 6-foot-3 guard is one of the league's best microwave scorers, who has an exciting blend of finishing, shooting, and playmaking. This has made Monk one of the league's best clutch-time players.
Monk finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting in the 2023-24 season. Last year, Monk averaged a career high of 17.2 points and 5.6 assists per game. It's possible this becomes the new norm for Monk as the Kings need some extra perimeter shot creation.
Love him or hate him, there's no denying that Dillon Brooks is a highly impactful role player. Brooks is an elite on-ball defender who can shut down opposing wings and guards. This led to the Oregon product earning an All-Defensive team selection back in the 2022-23 season. He helped transform the Houston Rockets' culture and was a key part of the Memphis Grizzlies' success before that.
Brooks' shot selection and inconsistencies as a shooter can be frustrating at times, but he has still shot a solid 35.5 percent from beyond the arc for his career, including netting 39.7 percent of his 3-pointers last season. Without a doubt, the Grizzlies found a diamond in the rough with Brooks back in 2017 as he was selected with the 45th overall pick.
After a lackluster playoff performance with the Milwaukee Bucks, Kyle Kuzma has become an easy player to pick on. However, he has undoubtedly had a successful NBA career. Kuzma has averaged 17 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists for his career.
He is a gifted three-level scorer who, at times, has provided legit two-way value. Kuzma won a championship back in 2020, proving that he can contribute to winning basketball. All of this is to say the former No. 27 pick has put together a great career, and don't be surprised if Kuzma has a bounce-back year.
Being elite in one area gives you a path to a successful NBA career, and Luke Kennard is the perfect example of that. For his career, Kennard has shot 43.8 percent from beyond the arc and led the NBA in 3-point percentage twice. Kennard also has a solid all-around game as a playmaker and rebounder.
The Duke product's career averages of 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists might not jump off the page. But make no mistake, Kennard's elite shooting has benefited every team he's been on. Back in 2017, Kennard was the No. 12 pick; he ends up falling two spots in this re-draft but remains in the lottery in large part due to his stellar shooting.