May 14, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) looks on against the Golden State Warriors in the first half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Analyzing Where Each Starter in the NBA Conference Finals was Drafted

Originally posted on NBA Draft on SI | By Randall Sweet | Last updated May 22, 2025 1:57 PM ET

The 2025 NBA Playoffs have been eventful, to say the least.

With a seven-game series between Denver and Oklahoma City in addition to upset across the East and Western Conferences, there's been plenty to talk about. Following a few entertaining conference semifinal series, four teams remain standing: the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Of course, all four teams left in the postseason were constructed in different ways. The Thunder acquired their MVP-winner, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, via trade, while the Knicks signed their leader, Jalen Brunson, in free agency.

Minnesota, on the other hand, drafted their star player with the No. 1 overall pick, then filled the roster out around Anthony Edwards by signing and trading for role players.

Edwards was one of the only starters in the conference finals to be selected with the top pick, joining Knicks' standout Karl-Anthony Towns. Aside from Towns and Edwards, there were only three other players in the starting five on their team who were selected in the top 10 of the NBA Draft.

Average draft pick for the 20 starters on the 4 conference finalists was 19th. https://t.co/bGk7rOf1sB pic.twitter.com/2Gx3R8Vl3e
— Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) May 19, 2025

Two of the aforementioned top ten picks, Julius Randle and Mike Conley, flank Edwards on the Timberwolves. The only other player starting in the conference finals who was selected in the top 10 of the NBA Draft is Chet Holmgren, who was the No. 2 overall pick in 2022.

This metric indicates that, earning a top pick in the draft is certainly important, there is more to team-building than simply selecting at the top of the class. All-Stars like Jalen Williams, Tyrese Haliburton and others were selected outside the top 10 and have still made a big impact on the postseason.

Three of the starters in this year's conference finals were second round picks, as Brunson, Isaiah Hartenstein and Andrew Nembhard have all developed into starters on high-level playoff teams. Of course, not every round two selection will develop into a decent role player, but there are still a few impactful prospects avaliable in the second round.

Lu Dort was the lone undrafted player to work his way into the starting lineup of a conference finals team. After not being picked in the 2019 NBA Draft, Dort quickly developed in the G League before earning a spot on the Thunder's playoff roster with Chris Paul and a young Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

This article first appeared on NBA Draft on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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