Looking Back at the 2018 Draft (Season 6 Rookies)
Mar 31, 2015 21:23:49 GMT -6
Madrid, Seattle, and 1 more like this
Post by New York on Mar 31, 2015 21:23:49 GMT -6
So after doing the Otis Birdsong article I realized that I could use the old saves I have to look back at past drafts and see how players developed over the years. Sort or like a "where are they now" article in a way. I will be starting with the rookies drafted in 2018 because I lost all of my saves prior to that point. In the future I would like to have screenshots for the players prior to the draft, following the draft and the players in the current day. However like I said I lost all of my old saves so this version of this article will lack the pre-draft screenshots because I just don't have access to them. I doubt these will all come out right after each other as there is no reason for them to and if I take my time working on a single article then I figure the quality for each will be better. So enough with the intro, lets get into the 2018 Draft.
The 2018 ABCA Draft was an interesting one because it was the draft that saw the league expand for the first time. In addition to our 26 active teams the league expanded by adding the Harlem Globetrotters to the American Conference and Lithuania BC Zalgiris to the Eurasian Conference. They would receive the 4th and 5th picks in the draft which was perfect since this draft was headlined by 5 players; Julius Erving, Moses Malone, George Gervin, Bill Walton, and Bob McAdoo. We will look at those five players along with the rest of the lottery and one "steal" found later in the draft.
The 2018 ABCA Draft was an interesting one because it was the draft that saw the league expand for the first time. In addition to our 26 active teams the league expanded by adding the Harlem Globetrotters to the American Conference and Lithuania BC Zalgiris to the Eurasian Conference. They would receive the 4th and 5th picks in the draft which was perfect since this draft was headlined by 5 players; Julius Erving, Moses Malone, George Gervin, Bill Walton, and Bob McAdoo. We will look at those five players along with the rest of the lottery and one "steal" found later in the draft.
Drafted By: London Towers (via Lakers 1st)
Teams Played For: Towers, KK Partizan, Chicago, Buenos Aires
Career Stats: 23.9 PPG | 7.4 RPG | 4.2 APG | 1.5 SPG | 1.0 BPG | 51.8 FG% | 34.7 3P%
Achievements: 1x ABCA Champion, 7x All-Star, 1x All-League First Teamer, 2x All-League Second Teamer, 2x All-League Third Teamer
Analysis: Dr. J came into the league as a member of the London Towers after a controversial deal by the Lakers sent the #1 pick to London in exchange for Wilt Chamberlain. There was a debate as to whether Moses Malone or Julius Erving would be the number one pick (Which You Can Read by Clicking Here) but in the end it was hard for the Towers to pass up on a prospect like Dr. J. As a rookie he showed the potential to be an elite player in the future putting up 18 PPG | 6 RPG | 4 APG as the sidekick to the previous year's ROTY, Elvin Hayes. They would go on to win the championship which to this point has been Dr. J's only title run. The following season he broke out of the pact when he was traded to KK Partizan and benefited from a Training Camp jump. He would never score below 23 PPG again in a season and solidified himself as a superstar in the league. He would play the majority of his career in Chicago where he would team up with big men such as Elvin Hayes (again) and David Robinson and make the playoffs every season while gathering quite a few accolades. This off-season he was traded to Buenos Aires in exchange for Robert Parish and when looking at the player he has become, it's safe to say he has lived up to his potential and then some.
Teams Played For: Towers, KK Partizan, Chicago, Buenos Aires
Career Stats: 23.9 PPG | 7.4 RPG | 4.2 APG | 1.5 SPG | 1.0 BPG | 51.8 FG% | 34.7 3P%
Achievements: 1x ABCA Champion, 7x All-Star, 1x All-League First Teamer, 2x All-League Second Teamer, 2x All-League Third Teamer
Analysis: Dr. J came into the league as a member of the London Towers after a controversial deal by the Lakers sent the #1 pick to London in exchange for Wilt Chamberlain. There was a debate as to whether Moses Malone or Julius Erving would be the number one pick (Which You Can Read by Clicking Here) but in the end it was hard for the Towers to pass up on a prospect like Dr. J. As a rookie he showed the potential to be an elite player in the future putting up 18 PPG | 6 RPG | 4 APG as the sidekick to the previous year's ROTY, Elvin Hayes. They would go on to win the championship which to this point has been Dr. J's only title run. The following season he broke out of the pact when he was traded to KK Partizan and benefited from a Training Camp jump. He would never score below 23 PPG again in a season and solidified himself as a superstar in the league. He would play the majority of his career in Chicago where he would team up with big men such as Elvin Hayes (again) and David Robinson and make the playoffs every season while gathering quite a few accolades. This off-season he was traded to Buenos Aires in exchange for Robert Parish and when looking at the player he has become, it's safe to say he has lived up to his potential and then some.
Drafted By: Athens Panathinaikos
Teams Played For: Athens, Kings, Maccabi, Bulls
Career Stats: 20.2 PPG | 8.9 RPG | 2.1 APG | 1.5 BPG | 57.2 FG%
Achievements: 4x All-Star, 1x All-League Second Teamer, 2018 Rookie of the Year
Analysis: With Julius Erving off the board, it was a no brainer who Athens Panathinaikos was going to grab with the number 2 pick. Moses Malone was the guy many would have picked if they had the #1 selection and London may have also if they didn't already have future GOAT Elvin Hayes in place. Moses was considered by some to be a surefire MVP candidate for years to come with his unique athleticism as a big man and amazing potential that had at that point not been seen by many bigs outside of Wilt Chamberlain and Elvin Hayes. For the first two years of his career the predictions looked accurate as he looked like the best player in the draft and by year two a top 5 player that led Athens to a top 3 seed in his conference. At his best we saw him average 28.1 PPG | 10.0 RPG | 2.3 APG | 2.3 BPG while only being 22 years old and having room to grow as a scorer and defender. He was right up there with Elvin Hayes, Wil Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Darrall Imhoff in terms of MVP candidacy. It isn't farfetched to have expected a few 30 PPG | 10+ RPG | 3 BPG seasons from a prime Moses. But then the bottom fell out and while the athleticism was obviously still there, the skill that had made Moses Malone a top 5 player was gone. He became a good but not great rebounder with no potential to grow, more of a 20 PPG scorer (it helped that the Athens GM continued to give him opportunities) than a 30 PPG guy, and a below average big man defender. He became to play 2nd fiddle to fellow Draftee George McGinnis for a few seasons before being relegated to more of a 6th man off the bench in 2023 and then eventually not playing at all last year. At a point where he should be in the prime of his career making max dollars he is looked at as a bench guy on a good team making the LLE. In this league we hear often that Training Camp destroyed some potentially great players and Moses Malone is probably the biggest example of this.
Teams Played For: Athens, Kings, Maccabi, Bulls
Career Stats: 20.2 PPG | 8.9 RPG | 2.1 APG | 1.5 BPG | 57.2 FG%
Achievements: 4x All-Star, 1x All-League Second Teamer, 2018 Rookie of the Year
Analysis: With Julius Erving off the board, it was a no brainer who Athens Panathinaikos was going to grab with the number 2 pick. Moses Malone was the guy many would have picked if they had the #1 selection and London may have also if they didn't already have future GOAT Elvin Hayes in place. Moses was considered by some to be a surefire MVP candidate for years to come with his unique athleticism as a big man and amazing potential that had at that point not been seen by many bigs outside of Wilt Chamberlain and Elvin Hayes. For the first two years of his career the predictions looked accurate as he looked like the best player in the draft and by year two a top 5 player that led Athens to a top 3 seed in his conference. At his best we saw him average 28.1 PPG | 10.0 RPG | 2.3 APG | 2.3 BPG while only being 22 years old and having room to grow as a scorer and defender. He was right up there with Elvin Hayes, Wil Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and Darrall Imhoff in terms of MVP candidacy. It isn't farfetched to have expected a few 30 PPG | 10+ RPG | 3 BPG seasons from a prime Moses. But then the bottom fell out and while the athleticism was obviously still there, the skill that had made Moses Malone a top 5 player was gone. He became a good but not great rebounder with no potential to grow, more of a 20 PPG scorer (it helped that the Athens GM continued to give him opportunities) than a 30 PPG guy, and a below average big man defender. He became to play 2nd fiddle to fellow Draftee George McGinnis for a few seasons before being relegated to more of a 6th man off the bench in 2023 and then eventually not playing at all last year. At a point where he should be in the prime of his career making max dollars he is looked at as a bench guy on a good team making the LLE. In this league we hear often that Training Camp destroyed some potentially great players and Moses Malone is probably the biggest example of this.
Drafted By: Boston Celtics (via KK Partizan 1st)
Teams Played For: Celtics, Kings, Rockets, ALBA, Raptors
Career Stats: 16.7 PPG | 4.7 RPG | 3.3 APG | 1.2 SPG | 49.3 FG% | 33.7 3P%
Achievements: 1x ABCA Champion, 2x ABCA Dunk Contest Champion
Analysis: Similar to the Moses Malone in this draft, George Gervin is a player that we never got to see the best of. But what's worse (and the Pacers GM can confirm this because I am not 100% sure) I don't believe Gervin even made it through his first Training Camp. One of the most athletic wing prospects we've seen come into this league, Gervin was traded for a 26 year old Elgin Baylor who at that point was still very much an All-Star. However he combined with new starting SF George Yardley to give the team 64 wins in his rookie year which is to this day the franchise high. Due to his training camp he didn't look like a superstar but he looked like he could be a star and give his team 20 PPG | 6 RPG | 4 APG | 1 SPG while shooting over 50% from the SG spot. He would put up solid numbers in his second season and help his team to an ABCA Championship but didn't seem to be improving as a player. In the coming seasons it would become clear that Gervin suffered a TC drop somewhere along the way and fell to around a 14-15 PPG scorer (mostly off the strength of his athleticism) with bad defense. However I know some are saying, "well he doesn't look much different than his rookie screenshot". The reason for that is around 2023 he had a TC jump which evened him out a bit and saw his offense recover enough for him to average over 20 PPG for the Sydney Kings. So that's pretty much where he is right now, a scorer that can put up 20 PPG in the right situation but in reality is solid but nothing spectacular. I know that many in the league had higher hopes for him but he was able to carve out a solid career despite the drops.
Teams Played For: Celtics, Kings, Rockets, ALBA, Raptors
Career Stats: 16.7 PPG | 4.7 RPG | 3.3 APG | 1.2 SPG | 49.3 FG% | 33.7 3P%
Achievements: 1x ABCA Champion, 2x ABCA Dunk Contest Champion
Analysis: Similar to the Moses Malone in this draft, George Gervin is a player that we never got to see the best of. But what's worse (and the Pacers GM can confirm this because I am not 100% sure) I don't believe Gervin even made it through his first Training Camp. One of the most athletic wing prospects we've seen come into this league, Gervin was traded for a 26 year old Elgin Baylor who at that point was still very much an All-Star. However he combined with new starting SF George Yardley to give the team 64 wins in his rookie year which is to this day the franchise high. Due to his training camp he didn't look like a superstar but he looked like he could be a star and give his team 20 PPG | 6 RPG | 4 APG | 1 SPG while shooting over 50% from the SG spot. He would put up solid numbers in his second season and help his team to an ABCA Championship but didn't seem to be improving as a player. In the coming seasons it would become clear that Gervin suffered a TC drop somewhere along the way and fell to around a 14-15 PPG scorer (mostly off the strength of his athleticism) with bad defense. However I know some are saying, "well he doesn't look much different than his rookie screenshot". The reason for that is around 2023 he had a TC jump which evened him out a bit and saw his offense recover enough for him to average over 20 PPG for the Sydney Kings. So that's pretty much where he is right now, a scorer that can put up 20 PPG in the right situation but in reality is solid but nothing spectacular. I know that many in the league had higher hopes for him but he was able to carve out a solid career despite the drops.
Drafted By: Harlem Globetrotters
Teams Played For: Globetrotters, Towers, Boca Juniors BC
Career Stats: 19.2 PPG | 9.8 RPG | 3.1 APG | 2.3 BPG | 56.5 FG%
Achievements: 1x ABCA Champion, 5x All-Star
Analysis: The first pick of the expansion teams was Bill Walton who has had a nice career in his 8 seasons in ABCA. He played a pivotal role on a championship team but for some reason he is rarely talked about when you hear about the elite bigs in ABCA history. The reason for that is because in some people's eyes he was a player that peaked in his rookie season. I don't say that because I think he was a better player as a rookie and experience a TC drop. He didn't experience any TC drops and filled his potential to become a better player. However he averaged 23.0 PPG | 10.5 RPG | 3.2 APG as a rookie which is above his career averages in all 3 categories. He actually had a top 8 EWA among all players in the league in his rookie season just behind ROTY Moses Malone. I'd argue that he had the 2nd best career of anyone in this draft not named Julius Erving. The reason why he isn't spoke about more highly is because he was put in a position where he prioritized the team over his own numbers. Outside of his rookie season he never averaged 36 MPG, never received more than 15.6 touches per game (and only 15+ once), never had a usage above 25, and was never the go to guy on his teams. When he was in Harlem he played with Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson, and Artis Gilmore and in Buenos Aires and London he was paired with Michael Jordan. Then you also have to consider that Harlem and London are slow paced teams for the most part. I believe if put in a situation where he was tasked with being a primary scorer he could've been a 22 PPG | 10+ RPG | 3.5 APG | 2 BPG guy which aren't far off from his career numbers so maybe i'm still selling him short. He's won a title and been to multiple conference finals on 60+ win teams though so i'd say he has been one of the more successful stories from this draft.
Teams Played For: Globetrotters, Towers, Boca Juniors BC
Career Stats: 19.2 PPG | 9.8 RPG | 3.1 APG | 2.3 BPG | 56.5 FG%
Achievements: 1x ABCA Champion, 5x All-Star
Analysis: The first pick of the expansion teams was Bill Walton who has had a nice career in his 8 seasons in ABCA. He played a pivotal role on a championship team but for some reason he is rarely talked about when you hear about the elite bigs in ABCA history. The reason for that is because in some people's eyes he was a player that peaked in his rookie season. I don't say that because I think he was a better player as a rookie and experience a TC drop. He didn't experience any TC drops and filled his potential to become a better player. However he averaged 23.0 PPG | 10.5 RPG | 3.2 APG as a rookie which is above his career averages in all 3 categories. He actually had a top 8 EWA among all players in the league in his rookie season just behind ROTY Moses Malone. I'd argue that he had the 2nd best career of anyone in this draft not named Julius Erving. The reason why he isn't spoke about more highly is because he was put in a position where he prioritized the team over his own numbers. Outside of his rookie season he never averaged 36 MPG, never received more than 15.6 touches per game (and only 15+ once), never had a usage above 25, and was never the go to guy on his teams. When he was in Harlem he played with Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson, and Artis Gilmore and in Buenos Aires and London he was paired with Michael Jordan. Then you also have to consider that Harlem and London are slow paced teams for the most part. I believe if put in a situation where he was tasked with being a primary scorer he could've been a 22 PPG | 10+ RPG | 3.5 APG | 2 BPG guy which aren't far off from his career numbers so maybe i'm still selling him short. He's won a title and been to multiple conference finals on 60+ win teams though so i'd say he has been one of the more successful stories from this draft.
Drafted By: BC Zalgiris
Teams Played For: BC Zalgiris, KK Partizan, Rockets, Athens
Career Stats: 21.4 PPG | 8.8 RPG | 2.6 APG | 1.0 SPG | 1.4 BPG | 48.9 FG% | 27.8 3P%
Achievements: 1x All-Star
Analysis: So here's something that some know and others don't, Bob McAdoo has both jumped in Training Camp and dropped in Training Camp during his career. McAdoo came into this league as a versatile but not necessarily elite big man for Lithuania. In his rookie year he was able to put up 20.9 PPG | 9.2 RPG | 2.4 APG | 0.8 SPG | 0.9 BPG on 46.8% shooting in 35.9 MPG. That's not necessarily someone you want to be your star but when your other options are a 31 year old Johnny Green and Jan Bobrovsky then you understand why BCZ pushed him into that role right away. The team would push him into a supporting role the following year when they drafted Bernard King and made the playoffs with 36 wins. He seemed to thrive as the secondary player, averaging only 31.8 MPG while averaging 21.5 PPG | 8.0 RPG | 2.4 APG | 0.9 SPG | 1.4 BPG on 49.5% shooting. He would really be relegated to the 2nd spot on his team when they traded Bernard King for Wilt Chamberlain to form an elite front court duo. Next to Wilt (and this is where the jump took place) he took his game to another level averaging while still playing limited MPG. Over the next few seasons he would actually start to shoot over 50% from the field while also hitting over 30% of his 3s. At his peak he was one of the league's best scorers at 26.3 PPG but that wouldn't last long as he would fall in training camp and be traded to KK Partizan that same year. He has not completely fallen from grace as he has averaged over 19 PPG as a member of both KK Partizan and more recently Athens Panathinaikos. He's in the last year of the max contract he was given by BC Zalgiris and it will be interesting to see what he is paid as he will likely still be a contributor for a few more seasons.
Drafted By: Bullets
Teams Played For: Bullets, Franca BC, Zamalek, Lakers, CSKA, Warriors, ALBA, Aoshen, Detroit, Toronto
Career Stats: 13.2 PPG | 5.3 RPG | 2.6 APG | 1.2 SPG | 43.6 FG% | 32.2 3P%
Achievements: N/A
Analysis: Well now that we are out of the top 5, I will not be going as in depth with the rest of the player as I did the top 5. I just spoke about Bob McAdoo who was a player that jumped in potential and then dropped. Jamaal Wilkes falls under that same category. He came into the league as a solid defensive starter and was averaging 14.4 PPG | 5.8 RPG | 3.1 APG | 1.1 SPG for the Bullets and by the time he was traded to Brazil, he was inching close to being a 20 PPG scorer (this is where the jump happened). He finished off his rookie deal averaging an impressive 18.4 PPG | 6.6 RPG | 2.9 APG | 1.5 SPG. He would be signed by the rising Los Angeles Lakers in 2021-22 off-season to a max deal and then immediately fall off in training camp. Since that point he has never reached the levels of even his rookie season again and is now best as a wing off the bench making a minimum (or near minimum) salary like he will be in Berlin. Was never projected to be a star but after his jump he could've been a really good starter but it wasn't meant to be.
Drafted By: Franca BC
Teams Played For: Franca BC, Bulls, Athens
Career Stats: 18.4 PPG | 9.9 RPG | 2.5 APG | 1.5 SPG | 2.0 BPG | 49.9 FG%
Achievements: 3x All-Star, 1x All-Defensive First Teamer, 3x All-Defensive Second Teamer, 1x Rebound Leader
Analysis: George McGinnis is admittedly one of my favorite players in the league. He was the first super raw player I saw come into the league that actually panned out. I remember when he was moved from Franca BC to Chicago to London to Cairo to Athens really quickly, really early in his ABCA career because most saw him as "too far away". Athens was the one GM that completely committed to him and believed in his potential. It took his entire rookie contract but he finally broke out in his 4th season putting up 21.2 PPG | 11.1 RPG | 2.5 APG | 1.4 APG | 2.2 BPG on 52.2% shooting. He became the key cog for the team when Moses Malone began to tail off due to rough TC after rough TC. Fast forward to today and he is one of the most versatile big men in the league, an elite rebounder, and pretty much gives his team everything you'd want from a big man. At 30 years old it'll be interesting to see what he receives on the open market if he hits Free Agency next year. He's up there with Bill Walton for the second best player from this draft but I think he flies under the radar due to where he has played most of his career.
Analysis: George McGinnis is admittedly one of my favorite players in the league. He was the first super raw player I saw come into the league that actually panned out. I remember when he was moved from Franca BC to Chicago to London to Cairo to Athens really quickly, really early in his ABCA career because most saw him as "too far away". Athens was the one GM that completely committed to him and believed in his potential. It took his entire rookie contract but he finally broke out in his 4th season putting up 21.2 PPG | 11.1 RPG | 2.5 APG | 1.4 APG | 2.2 BPG on 52.2% shooting. He became the key cog for the team when Moses Malone began to tail off due to rough TC after rough TC. Fast forward to today and he is one of the most versatile big men in the league, an elite rebounder, and pretty much gives his team everything you'd want from a big man. At 30 years old it'll be interesting to see what he receives on the open market if he hits Free Agency next year. He's up there with Bill Walton for the second best player from this draft but I think he flies under the radar due to where he has played most of his career.
Drafted By: Franca BC
Teams Played For: Franca BC, Knicks, ALBA, Huskies/Raptors, Warriors, Celtics, ALBA, Athens
Career Stats: 7.8 PPG | 2.3 RPG | 5.4 APG | 1.2 SPG | 41.1 FG% | 32.2 3P%
Achievements: N/A
Analysis: With the 8th pick we start a streak of like 5 players that did not pan out in their ABCA career. Jean-Pierre Staelens was the prototype for what a General Manager would look for in a future PG but never put it together fully and eventually saw his potential disappear due to a rough TC. One GM specifically gave him a shot on three separate occasions (twice as a potential starter) and that was the New York Knicks who traded for him in his rookie season. He had a dreadful rookie season putting up 5.8 PPG and 6.8 APG on 36.8% shooting and was shipped out as part of a Darrall Imhoff package. However the Knicks still saw something in him and decided to bring him back the following year and in Year 2 he definitely showed signs of improvement averaging nearly 9 PPG | 7 APG | 1.4 SPG on 40.8% shooting while still showing a lot of potential. But unlike his teammate this year, George McGinnis he did not continue to grow into his potential as he completely fell off the next season and was immediately benched by the Knicks before being traded once again. He did have a few solid years on the rebuilding Celtics but he never turned into the player he could have and is better suited as a 3rd PG for a team at this point in his career.
Analysis: With the 8th pick we start a streak of like 5 players that did not pan out in their ABCA career. Jean-Pierre Staelens was the prototype for what a General Manager would look for in a future PG but never put it together fully and eventually saw his potential disappear due to a rough TC. One GM specifically gave him a shot on three separate occasions (twice as a potential starter) and that was the New York Knicks who traded for him in his rookie season. He had a dreadful rookie season putting up 5.8 PPG and 6.8 APG on 36.8% shooting and was shipped out as part of a Darrall Imhoff package. However the Knicks still saw something in him and decided to bring him back the following year and in Year 2 he definitely showed signs of improvement averaging nearly 9 PPG | 7 APG | 1.4 SPG on 40.8% shooting while still showing a lot of potential. But unlike his teammate this year, George McGinnis he did not continue to grow into his potential as he completely fell off the next season and was immediately benched by the Knicks before being traded once again. He did have a few solid years on the rebuilding Celtics but he never turned into the player he could have and is better suited as a 3rd PG for a team at this point in his career.
Drafted By: REAL
Teams Played For: Titans, Aoshen, BC Zalgiris, Kings, KK Partizan, Athens, Rockets
Career Stats: 6.4 PPG | 1.5 RPG | 3.0 APG | 0.7 SPG | 39.8 FG% | 34.0 3P%
Achievements: N/A
Analysis: Another PG that had potential to be a starter in this league that flamed out and has been all but forgotten in the league is Pierluigi Marzarati (PLM for short). He was drafted by REAL Madrid but was immediately traded to the Titans to pair with another draftee from this article. However much like JPS, he came into the league raw and before he could grow into his potential was hit with a training camp drop. He bounced around the league for a few seasons providing minutes off the bench for a few teams and recently got a chance to start on last year's 32nd seeded Bayi Rockets and still couldn't make his mark despite being given a career high amount of touches. He currently sits in the free agent pool and may have played his last game in ABCA because when you look at him what you have is a PG that isn't a great passer, shooter, scorer or defender and isn't efficient as we see he has shot under 40% for his career.
Analysis: Another PG that had potential to be a starter in this league that flamed out and has been all but forgotten in the league is Pierluigi Marzarati (PLM for short). He was drafted by REAL Madrid but was immediately traded to the Titans to pair with another draftee from this article. However much like JPS, he came into the league raw and before he could grow into his potential was hit with a training camp drop. He bounced around the league for a few seasons providing minutes off the bench for a few teams and recently got a chance to start on last year's 32nd seeded Bayi Rockets and still couldn't make his mark despite being given a career high amount of touches. He currently sits in the free agent pool and may have played his last game in ABCA because when you look at him what you have is a PG that isn't a great passer, shooter, scorer or defender and isn't efficient as we see he has shot under 40% for his career.
Drafted By: Kings
Teams Played For: Sonics, ALBA, Spurs, BC Zalgiris, Lakers
Career Stats: 12.2 PPG | 3.4 RPG | 3.8 APG | 0.8 SPG | 45.0 FG% | 36.0 3P%
Achievements: 2019 ABCA Most Improved Player
Analysis: So I don't think I will call Paul Westphal a bust as he is not on the level of JPS, PLM or the man that was drafted immediately after him BUT he did not turn into the player he was expected to when he was drafted. When you saw PLM as a rookie you saw a guy that looked like they'd turn into an elite shooter, was athletic, had the ball handling ability to play PG and the size to play SG. In his first few seasons he looked like he would be that player. In his rookie season he started off slow much like the other rookie guards in this draft but after a trade to the San Antonio Spurs in his sophomore season where he was allowed to start, he would win M.I.P when he put up 18.1 PPG | 5.0 APG | 4.2 RPG on 45.1% & 36.6% shooting. He continued with a strong season in BCZ after being traded their the following year. He would become a mainstay in Lithuania but somewhere along the line he began to regress. He no longer looked like a guy that would eventually give you 20 | 5 | 5 but rather a nice efficient guard off the bench. Like I said he isnt a player i'd consider a bust but I wouldn't say he panned out either. He may gets some minutes in Los Angeles this year to try and reinvigorate his career, we'll see how it goes.
Drafted By: Titans
Teams Played For: Pistons, KK Partizan, Bullets, Olympia
Career Stats: 5.0 PPG | 2.9 RPG | 1.0 APG | 0.5 SPG | 46.0 FG% | 23.8 3P%
Achievements: N/A
Analysis: Another lotto pick, another bust. Looking back at this draft is a bit depressing when you see how many of the lotto fell off before reaching their potential. It wouldn't be bad if there were some late round gems but this draft actually lacked a good amount of steals as well. But onto the player, John Drew was a pretty unique forward coming out of the gate. He seemingly was projected to be the best rebounding SF we had seen at the time. But he wasn't strictly a rebounder as he had solid defensive and offensive potential for a wing. We saw some of this potential in his rookie year as he shot 50.2% from the field while putting up nearly 7 PPG | 5 RPG | 2 APG off the bench in under 20 MPG. I felt with some time this guy was a surefire starter and would fit into the role that we saw guys like Ben Warley eventually take up on pretty good teams. But instead the following year his potential plummeted and he would play in a combined 64 games over the next two seasons for the Titans before getting the final year of his rookie contract declined. That is the ultimate sign that you have failed as a lottery pick. He would bounce around to a few different teams but has never played more than 16 MPG and that was on a horrible team. In all likelihood his ABCA career won't go much further because if you are a good team, he doesn't add anything and if you are a bad team there are younger and more interesting prospects to take a flier on.
Analysis: Another lotto pick, another bust. Looking back at this draft is a bit depressing when you see how many of the lotto fell off before reaching their potential. It wouldn't be bad if there were some late round gems but this draft actually lacked a good amount of steals as well. But onto the player, John Drew was a pretty unique forward coming out of the gate. He seemingly was projected to be the best rebounding SF we had seen at the time. But he wasn't strictly a rebounder as he had solid defensive and offensive potential for a wing. We saw some of this potential in his rookie year as he shot 50.2% from the field while putting up nearly 7 PPG | 5 RPG | 2 APG off the bench in under 20 MPG. I felt with some time this guy was a surefire starter and would fit into the role that we saw guys like Ben Warley eventually take up on pretty good teams. But instead the following year his potential plummeted and he would play in a combined 64 games over the next two seasons for the Titans before getting the final year of his rookie contract declined. That is the ultimate sign that you have failed as a lottery pick. He would bounce around to a few different teams but has never played more than 16 MPG and that was on a horrible team. In all likelihood his ABCA career won't go much further because if you are a good team, he doesn't add anything and if you are a bad team there are younger and more interesting prospects to take a flier on.
Drafted By: Maccabi
Teams Played For: Maccabi, Kings, Pacers, Istanbul
Career Stats: 9.0 PPG | 2.2 RPG | 2.4 APG | 0.8 SPG | 43.7 FG% | 37.0 3P%
Achievements: That last buster on the list is Drazen Dalipagic who much like George Gervin came out of the gate slow. During the draft process he didn't look super impressive but he had potential to be an elite 3 point shooter in this league. He did in fact have a few seasons where he shot over 40% from long range but outside of those he has been pretty unspectacular. Due to a training camp drop he lost his one speciality and without his ability to hit 3s there will pretty much always be better options out there when looking to fill your team. He was actually out of the league for two seasons before being picked up by Istanbul this off-season in what is likely his last shot. Maybe he surprises everyone and becomes a contributor once again but I suspect that he is what he is at this point and that's a player that isn't very good.
Drafted By: Olympia
Teams Played For: Olympia, ALBA, Mahram, Towers, Buenos Aires, Celtics
Career Stats: 8.1 PPG | 2.1 RPG | 2.1 APG | 0.9 SPG | 0.2 BPG | 45.2 FG% | 37.8 3P%
Achievements: 1x ABCA Champion
Analysis: Doug Collins is one of the few in this lotto that didn't completely bomb and actually turned into a somewhat decent player. Now Collins was never projected to be anything special so his ceiling was lower than most of the guys in this draft. But as you can see from the then and now shots, he turned into the player he was expected to be. He has been a bench contributor on quite a few good teams such as Buenos Aires, London and Berlin to name a few. In his one shot as a starter we saw him give the London Towers over 16 PPG on efficient shooting. He was never really given a big role again so I wonder if he could've duplicated that season if given the opportunity but with him aging now, we likely won't find out. As I said, he was never expected to be a star or anything like that and won't be a hall of famer or an all-time great in ABCA history. However Doug Collins had a steady career which something few players in this draft could claim.
Analysis: Doug Collins is one of the few in this lotto that didn't completely bomb and actually turned into a somewhat decent player. Now Collins was never projected to be anything special so his ceiling was lower than most of the guys in this draft. But as you can see from the then and now shots, he turned into the player he was expected to be. He has been a bench contributor on quite a few good teams such as Buenos Aires, London and Berlin to name a few. In his one shot as a starter we saw him give the London Towers over 16 PPG on efficient shooting. He was never really given a big role again so I wonder if he could've duplicated that season if given the opportunity but with him aging now, we likely won't find out. As I said, he was never expected to be a star or anything like that and won't be a hall of famer or an all-time great in ABCA history. However Doug Collins had a steady career which something few players in this draft could claim.
Drafted By: Towers
Teams Played For: Aoshen, 76ers, Buenos Aires, Kings, Rockets, ALBA, Warriors, Knicks
Career Stats: 13.2 PPG | 6.4 RPG | 1.5 APG | 1.2 SPG | 1.8 BPG | 49.3 FG% | 27.7 3P%
Achievements: 3x All-Defensive Second Team
Analysis: Who would've thought the final player in the lottery would have one of the best careers of the players in this draft. Bobby Jones was a meh prospect coming into the draft. He was a big man that didn't have the potential to be a good rebounder, defender and outside of his jumpshot didn't project to be much of a scorer. For a long time we saw constant up and down seasons from him on bad teams and he didn't seem to be a "needle mover" in any particular way. But thanks to a kind TC (or two) he began to look like much more of a defensive prospect and a baby McGinnis of sorts as he could contribute on both the perimeter and in the post. Through his eight year career he has found himself on the All-Defensive Second Team multiple times, most recently on the 63 win New York Knicks. Bobby Jones is not a star but he is a starter and if paid a respectable amount he can be a nice addition on pretty much any team.
Teams Played For: Aoshen, 76ers, Buenos Aires, Kings, Rockets, ALBA, Warriors, Knicks
Career Stats: 13.2 PPG | 6.4 RPG | 1.5 APG | 1.2 SPG | 1.8 BPG | 49.3 FG% | 27.7 3P%
Achievements: 3x All-Defensive Second Team
Analysis: Who would've thought the final player in the lottery would have one of the best careers of the players in this draft. Bobby Jones was a meh prospect coming into the draft. He was a big man that didn't have the potential to be a good rebounder, defender and outside of his jumpshot didn't project to be much of a scorer. For a long time we saw constant up and down seasons from him on bad teams and he didn't seem to be a "needle mover" in any particular way. But thanks to a kind TC (or two) he began to look like much more of a defensive prospect and a baby McGinnis of sorts as he could contribute on both the perimeter and in the post. Through his eight year career he has found himself on the All-Defensive Second Team multiple times, most recently on the 63 win New York Knicks. Bobby Jones is not a star but he is a starter and if paid a respectable amount he can be a nice addition on pretty much any team.
Drafted By: Maccabi
Teams Played For: Sonics, Warriors, Cairo, Towers, Olympia, Pistons
Career Stats: 6.9 PPG | 6.5 RPG | 1.2 APG | 0.4 SPG | 1.4 BPG | 51.0 FG%
Achievements: 1x ABCA Champion
Analysis: So I am going to try and find the biggest non-lotto steal of each draft and include them in each draft article. LaRue Martin is not a spectacular player and that goes to show that there weren't many (if any) true steals in this draft. However when he was selected at 19 by Tel Aviv Maccabi he looked to be an okay rebounder and defender but projected to be pretty much a bench guy. But after a nice TC he was scooped up by the Seattle Sonics and has been a starting caliber big sense. At 31 his best days are behind him but in his prime he could average 9 PPG | 9 RPG in limited minutes or a double double in full starter minutes (which he never received). Like Bobby Jones, Larue was never a star but he was a good starter on a championship team which is something that some of the lotto players in this draft never were so I think he was the best late round grab/steal in this one.
Teams Played For: Sonics, Warriors, Cairo, Towers, Olympia, Pistons
Career Stats: 6.9 PPG | 6.5 RPG | 1.2 APG | 0.4 SPG | 1.4 BPG | 51.0 FG%
Achievements: 1x ABCA Champion
Analysis: So I am going to try and find the biggest non-lotto steal of each draft and include them in each draft article. LaRue Martin is not a spectacular player and that goes to show that there weren't many (if any) true steals in this draft. However when he was selected at 19 by Tel Aviv Maccabi he looked to be an okay rebounder and defender but projected to be pretty much a bench guy. But after a nice TC he was scooped up by the Seattle Sonics and has been a starting caliber big sense. At 31 his best days are behind him but in his prime he could average 9 PPG | 9 RPG in limited minutes or a double double in full starter minutes (which he never received). Like Bobby Jones, Larue was never a star but he was a good starter on a championship team which is something that some of the lotto players in this draft never were so I think he was the best late round grab/steal in this one.
