22) Cedric Ceballos, 1990 (#48 overall)

A late bloomer, Ceballos wasn’t even a starter on his high school basketball team and spent a season at Ventura College before moving on to Cal State Fullerton (where he was teammates with Bruce Bowen, who made our list of the greatest un-drafted players). That’s where Ceballos started turning heads and taking names, averaging 22.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, though it was tempered by Cal State Fullerton’s lack of success (Sports Illustrated even labeled Ceballos as one of the five best NCAA players who was never on TV). He fell to the last half of the second round of the 1990 NBA Draft, going to the Suns at #48 (out of 56 total picks). His pro career started a little slow as well but by his third season, Ceballos was a key contributor to an NBA Finals team (his knee injury in the 1993 Conference Finals arguably cost the Suns a shot at upsetting the Bulls in the NBA Finals) and in his fifth season he was an All-Star.

21) Monta Ellis, 2005 (#40 overall)
20) Lou Williams, 2005 (#45 overall)

It was a worst kept secret in 2005 that the NBA was about to re-institute a minimum age for draft eligibility. The draft class was therefore flooded with high school talent, which led to some major busts (most notably Martell Webster) but also two diamond-in-the-rough second round finds in Ellis and Williams. Unlike most prep-to-pro players, Ellis was already 20 years old by the time of his NBA debut and by the end of his rookie season had already settled into his role as a fearless gunner. His size (6’3″, 185 pounds) didn’t match his game (traditional shooting guard), which always hampered his career, but he averaged 18+ points per game for nine straight seasons. Williams’ decision to go pro was derided as a mistake by experts, who mostly predicted him as a lottery pick if he waited until 2006. Instead, he fell to the #45 spot and barely played in his first two seasons with the Sixers. But soon enough, the team traded Allen Iverson and was desperate for scoring, allowing Williams to develop into one of the greatest bench players in history. He eventually totaled over 15,000 career points and won Sixth Man of the Year a record three times.

19) Michael Redd, 2000 (#43 overall)

No one ever doubted that Redd could shoot. The Columbus native finished his three years at Ohio State in the top five in school history in scoring but NBA scouts were concerned about his athleticism and defensive skill. That caused him to drop to the #43 spot in a draft class that, even at the time, was considered a weak one (in retrospect, it’s now arguably the worst of the lottery era so far). Here are some of the guards selected way ahead of Redd: DerMarr Johnson, Courtney Alexander, Desmond Mason, Mateen Cleaves, Erick Barkley, and Speedy Claxton. In the end, Redd wound up with the fourth most career win shares of anyone in his draft class, even though he almost constantly struggled with injuries.

18) Goran Dragic, 2008 (#45 overall)

Already 22 years old and with several years of pro experience in his native Slovenia, Dragic wasn’t exactly an enigmatic prospect in the 2008 draft class. But there were concerns about his light frame, his poor shooting touch, and his lack of defensive prowess. The Spurs drafted him and then immediately traded him to Phoenix, where Dragic got his revenge just a couple years later, putting on a breakout performance in the 2010 Conference Semifinals as Phoenix swept San Antonio. Dragic would later earn Most Improved Player for the Suns in ’13-’14, make an All-Star appearance for the Heat in 2018, and help lead Miami to the 2020 NBA Finals. His 4,254 career assists place him fourth all-time amongst lottery era second round draft picks.

17) Nick Van Exel, 1993 (#37 overall)

When every NBA team passed on Van Exel in the first round in 1993 (10 of them twice), he wasted little time making them regret it, becoming just the third second round pick of the lottery era to be named to the All-Rookie team. He fell that far due to some concerns over his shooting but also over his attitude at Cincinnati, which would eventually prove prophetic, with Van Exel turning on most of his NBA coaches, most notably Del Harris on the Lakers and Dan Issel in Denver. But he also thrilled fans at every stop with his scoring and play making, eventually totaling 5,777 assists, the most all-time of any lottery era second round selection.

16) Stephen Jackson, 1997 (#42 overall)

Perhaps no player in NBA history personified the second round pick chip on their shoulder more than Jackson. Not only did he fall to the #42 pick in 1997, Jackson was then cut by the Suns team that selected him, cut by the Grizzlies team that subsequently signed him, and languishing on a pro squad in Venezuela when his first NBA chance came three years later. He joined the Spurs supposedly on a promise to Gregg Popovich to stop smoking weed during the season and was soon after a key piece of their ’02-’03 title team. “Captain Jack” became a journeyman from there, adding scoring punch, leadership, and a competitive edge to the Pacers, Warriors, Hornets, and more in a 14-year career. Originally committed to attend Arizona, Jackson was ruled academically ineligible and never played college ball, only getting drafted by the Suns after impressing in an informal workout with some existing members of the team.

15) Gilbert Arenas, 2001 (#31 overall)

The jersey number zero is a central part of the Arenas lore and he reportedly adopted it after overhearing a scout proclaim that he would play zero minutes at the NBA level. That certainly felt like a prevailing thought in 2001, when Arenas fell to the second round of the draft despite a star turn at Arizona, but “Agent Zero” had widely different ideas. He soon developed into one of the league’s top scorers, a three-time All-Star, and the centerpiece of the best sustained era of success for the Wizards since their late ’70s title. Originally drafted by the Warriors, Arenas signed a massive contract with Washington two years later, forcing the NBA to re-evaluate how restricted free agency functions for second round draft picks.

14) Clifford Robinson, 1989 (#36 overall)

35 players were drafted ahead of Robinson in 1989 but none played in more career games than his 1,380 or totaled more points than his 19,591. That is, in fact, the most points scored by any second round pick of the lottery era by a large margin over second place Jeff Hornacek. Not only was Robinson unique as a late draft find, he was also ahead of his time as a long range shooting big man, holding the record for most three-point field goals by a player over 6’11” for quite a while (Dirk Nowitzki eventually broke it). Robinson also made an immediate impact as a rookie for the Blazers team that drafted him, as the leading bench scorer in the playoffs as the team reached the NBA Finals.

13) Isaiah Thomas, 2011 (#60 overall)

They call the perennial last pick of the NFL Draft “Mr. Irrelevant,” even going so far as to award him a tongue-in-cheek trophy of a player fumbling a ball. No “Mr. Irrelevant” has gone on to a successful NFL career in the modern era but an NBA equivalent has. Listed at just 5’9″ and likely even shorter, Thomas was always a long shot for basketball success and his draft position certainly reflects that. But he was hardly deterred, eventually getting named to two All-Star teams and finishing fifth in MVP voting in ’16-’17 before injuries marred his remaining career. There has never been another “Mr. Irrelevant” nearly as significant as Thomas in NBA history though Elgin Baylor and Manu Ginobili were close, going with the second-to-last pick in 1956 and 1999, respectively.

12) Toni Kukoc, 1990 (#29 overall)

As of Kukoc’s draft eligibility in 1990, only two foreign-born, non-NCAA players had ever been selected in the first round: Arvydas Sabonis in 1986 and Vlade Divac in 1989. Though Divac was coming off a successful rookie season, NBA front offices were still nervous about importing European talent and the attendant headaches, from culture shock to fraught negotiations with overseas clubs. This trepidation left Kukoc, an obviously incredible talent, falling to the second pick of the second round in 1990, right into the lap of Bulls general manager Jerry Krause. It took three years for Kukoc to reach Chicago but he eventually made an immeasurable impact on three championship teams. The second round remained a safe space for NBA general managers to take a flier on international talent for several more years until the floodgates really opened up starting in 1996.

“[Nikola] Jokic’s selection at #41 overall by the Nuggets isn’t even shown on video, announced instead as a bottom-of-the-screen chyron while an ad plays hyping the Taco Bell quesarito”

11) Rashard Lewis, 1998 (#32 overall)

The late ’90s was when the NBA Draft got really weird, with front office personnel scrambling to adjust to the rigors of scouting not just underclassmen and prep players but also the burgeoning international market. This led to some incredible busts (e.g., Michael Olowokandi, Jonathan Bender) but also some real steals. One such bargain was Lewis, whom the Sonics nabbed early in the second round in 1998. Athletic but raw at age 18, Lewis also had his career stunted by starting off in the 1998 lockout and didn’t really round into shape until ’00-’01. Despite his rocky start, he developed into one of the most consistent and successful players of the ’00s, averaging 18.4 points per game during the decade and getting named to two All-Star Games.

10) DeAndre Jordan, 2008 (#35 overall)

With most experts projecting him as a borderline lottery pick, Jordan traveled to the 2008 NBA Draft in New York with his mom, expecting to play out a moment of televised elation. Instead, he had a disillusioning experience, falling to the second round over concerns with his motor, his lack of shooting, and his inexperience after playing light minutes in just one season with Texas A&M. After a few seasons riding the pine with the Clippers, Jordan became the starting center in ’11-’12 and a key element of the “Lob City” seasons. He will eventually go down as one of the most efficient offensive players in league history and one of the all-time great rebounders.

9) Paul Millsap, 2006 (#47 overall)

The 2006 draft class will surely go down as one of the worst in modern NBA history, with no sure Hall of Fame players (LaMarcus Aldridge, Kyle Lowry, and Rajon Rondo are borderline, at best) and only five All-Stars. When the Jazz landed Millsap halfway through the second round, some of the forwards already off the board included lottery flops Tyrus Thomas, Shelden Williams, and Adam Morrison, plus first round disappointments Shawne Williams, Cedric Simmons, and Josh Boone. It was dire, folks. Millsap was a lone bright spot, developing into a solid contributor for the Jazz by his third season and later a four-time All-Star in his prime with the Hawks. Only Dennis Rodman and DeAndre Jordan have more rebounds as a second round pick than Millsap, who was overlooked coming out of Louisiana Tech despite becoming the first player to ever lead the NCAA in rebounding in three consecutive seasons.

8) Khris Middleton, 2012 (#39 overall)

Not only will Middleton go down as one of the greatest second round picks in NBA history, he’ll also make the list indefinitely of greatest players to spend time in the G-League. After drafting him #39 overall in 2012 (his draft stock was heavily affected by an ankle injury suffered during his final season at Texas A&M), the Pistons assigned Middleton to their G-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. That minor league stint ultimately lasted just three games, with Middleton getting recalled a week later. He was soon after traded to the Bucks, where his mid-range shooting and strong defensive presence were maximized. In 2019, he became the first G-League player to make an All-Star team (he’s made two more appearances since) and in 2021 was the second leading scorer on the Bucks championship team.

7) Jeff Hornacek, 1986 (#46 overall)

Being overlooked at first and then blossoming into undeniable has been a consistent theme of Hornacek’s basketball career. The son of a high school basketball coach, he still just barely made his high school team (at Lyons Township in suburban Chicago) but was eventually an all-state player. Hornacek was then un-recruited by any college and a walk-on at Iowa State but by the end of his time there was All-Conference as one of the top scorers in the Big 8. He was one of three players on this list drafted in the second round in 1986 and a slow starter in the NBA. But by 1992, Hornacek was an All-Star for the Suns and one of the league’s premier long range shooters and play makers. He’s the all-time leader in steals by a lottery era second round draft pick and is second in both points and assists.

6) Marc Gasol, 2007 (#48 overall)

Not much was expected of “Pau’s younger brother” when the Lakers selected Marc Gasol halfway through the second round in 2007. There were concerns about his weight, his lack of athleticism, and, most ludicrous in retrospect, his subpar defensive skills. Before ever even taking the court for an NBA game, Gasol was traded to the Grizzlies as essentially a throw-in to the package that landed his brother in Los Angeles. Fast forward a decade and he was widely respected as one of the greatest centers of his generation, especially defensively. Gasol was named to three All-Star teams, earned Defensive Player of the Year in ’12-’13, was All-NBA twice, and won a championship as the starting center for the ’18-’19 Raptors. 2007 turned out to be a great draft for centers, with Al Horford and Joakim Noah additionally getting picked, though it was also the year that Greg Oden was notoriously selected #1 overall.

5) Mark Price, 1986 (#25 overall)

As is a theme throughout this list, the team that drafted Price wasn’t even sure what kind of talent they had or what to do with it. Thus, the Mavericks basically gave away Price on draft day to the Cavaliers in exchange for a second round pick in 1989 (which they used on Jeff Hodge, a player that never made an NBA roster). Price was one of four rookies who received major playing time for Cleveland in ’86-’87, alongside #1 overall pick Brad Daugherty, #8 overall pick Ron Harper, and fellow second rounder Hot Rod Williams. Amongst that brilliant rookie class, Price had undeniably the best overall career, getting named All-NBA four times, going to four All-Star Games, joining the 50/40/90 club, and setting the career league record for free throw percentage (since broken by Steve Nash). He is also third all-time in total assists by a lottery era second round pick, averaging 6.7 per game for his career.

4) Draymond Green, 2012 (#35 overall)

Even now, with his four championships, four All-Star appearances, and Defensive Player of the Year trophy, there are some who question Green’s value. Green himself certainly isn’t amongst them and that brash confidence is a crucial part of his meteoric rise from second round pick to all-time great. While the narrative for many players on this list involved being overlooked as an amateur, that was not the case for Green, who was an All-American at both the high school and NCAA levels, the latter earned at one of the most prestigious programs in the country, Michigan State. Scouts were concerned about his age (he turned 23 during his rookie season) and lack of a natural NBA position. That experience and versatility were quickly flipped from liabilities to assets, as Green developed into the heart-and-soul of Warriors teams that won four championships in the last eight seasons.

3) Manu Ginobili, 1999 (#57 overall)

Between Ginobili, Khris Middleton, and Draymond Green, it’s a debate over which second round pick has been the most essential to a championship team. Ginobili was second in scoring on the Spurs squads that won championships in 2005 and 2007, and was additionally a key element of the 2003 and 2014 titles. He was also Sixth Man of the Year in ’07-’08, an All-Star twice, and finished as high as eighth in MVP voting. Not bad for a guy who fell to the second-to-last pick of the 1999 NBA Draft. Scouting and acquiring overlooked talent was a central tenet of the Spurs during the Peter Holt era, with a list of championship contributors that also includes second round picks Malik Rose and Stephen Jackson, late first round pick Tony Parker, and non-draftees Avery Johnson, Devin Brown, Antonio Daniels, and Bruce Bowen. Four years after Ginobili was the first Argentinian ever drafted, an Argentinian was selected in the first round for the first time, when Carlos Delfino went #25 overall.

2) Dennis Rodman, 1986 (#27 overall)

A singular player in NBA history with an equally unprecedented back story, Rodman was cut from his high school team and working as a janitor when he reportedly had a growth spurt from 5’11” to 6’7″. He decided to give basketball another try at the NAIA school Southeastern Oklahoma State, eventually parlaying that into being the #27 pick in the 1986 NBA Draft. He couldn’t have been placed in a better NBA situation than the “Bad Boy” Pistons, where Rodman’s relentless motor, selfless attitude, and defensive intensity were a perfect fit, leading to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. He eventually earned three more titles with the Bulls in the late ’90s and along the way established himself as one of the best defenders and rebounders in NBA history. Rodman is also the only post-merger player on the 75 Greatest Players list who wasn’t a first round pick.

1) Nikola Jokic, 2014 (#41 overall)

When Jokic became the first second round pick ever to earn league MVP in 2021, a clip from the ESPN broadcast of the 2014 NBA Draft went viral. In it, Jokic’s selection at #41 overall by the Nuggets isn’t even shown on video, announced instead as a bottom-of-the-screen chyron while an ad plays hyping the Taco Bell quesarito (for our non-American readers: that would be a mash-up of a quesadilla and a burrito). Once an unassuming moment in American capitalist history, it’s now a humorous and fundamental footnote in the career of a player with two MVP trophies and counting. Just eight years into his career, Jokic has already taken the mantle as all-time (lottery era) greatest second round pick. In addition to his MVPs, the Serbia superstar also has been 1st-Team All-NBA three times, an All-Star four times, and led the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA Finals. While his skills and court awareness were never in question, scouts were rightfully concerned at the time about his conditioning and athleticism. This remained a refrain throughout his early career but Jokic has certainly overcome any physical disposition, quickly developing into one of the greatest centers in NBA history. His spot at the top of this list is likely secure for a long time.