The 25 greatest second-round picks in NBA history

Jokić isn't just the best second-round pick ever, but he's emerged as one of the best players ever, period. He's still in his 20s and already one of the most accomplished of all time. He's a perennial All-Star, and he's been a serious MVP candidate the past five seasons, winning three times.

Reed is a key piece of New York basketball history. He started his career as the Rookie Of The Year, and a few seasons later, he won the MVP. A 7-time All-Star, Reed was an undeniable NYC sports icon in the late 1960s and early '70s.

Rodman is a unique figure in NBA history, even aside from his eccentric personality. In the '90s, he led the NBA in rebounding for 7 consecutive seasons. In all but one of those campaigns, he averaged at least 15 rebounds a game (and in the one he didn't, he pulled down a mere 14.9).

Ginóbili had a relatively late start in the NBA, joining the Spurs at the age of 25. He only won the Sixth Man Of The Year award one time, but that undersells the fact that he was one of the most impactful reserves of the 2000s. The Spurs were a dynasty during his time, and he was an indispensable part of that run.

English was the face of the Nuggets in the '80s. He regularly averaged at least 25 a night and led the league in scoring for the 1982-83 season. English was a real iron man, too, appearing in at least 80 games in every full season he played for Denver.

Second-round picks were a different beast when the league was smaller: Greer was a second-rounder, but he was still selected 14th overall. Regardless, he was one of the league's most important players in the '60s during his time with the Syracuse Nationals and Philadelphia 76ers. He, alongside Wilt Chamberlain and Chet Walker, also led the 1966-67 Sixers to a championship.

Archibald had one of the most impressive offensive seasons in 1972-73, when he became the first and only player to lead the league in both points and assists per game in the same season. He had some ups and downs from there, but ultimately, he was a six-time All-Star. He also enjoyed a late-career renaissance in Boston, where he earned three of those All-Star nods.

Aside from being first-team All-Name, World B. Free had a standout run in the '70s and '80s. He only ended up with one All-Star year, but for an eight-season stretch, he averaged at least 22 points per game every year. In the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons, he finished second in the league for points per game, with 28.8 and 30.2, respectively.

Murphy's list of accomplishments is impressive, but even more so with the context that he stands at a mere 5'9". Despite his lack of verticality, he was a consistent presence for the Rockets in the '70s and '80s and even earned an All-Star selection in the 1978-79 season. He's actually one of the two shortest players to ever play in the All-Star game, the other of whom will be mentioned later.

Since making the move from Dallas to New York, Brunson has become one of the league's best guards. He can score or pass effectively when the moment calls for it, averaging over 24 points and 6 assists a night every season since 2022-23. He also has a knack for coming through when it counts and won the Clutch Player Of The Year award in 2024-25.

Gasol started his NBA tenure best known as being Pau's younger brother, and was even traded for him before even playing a single NBA game. Pau went on to enjoy a Hall Of Fame career, but Marc had an exceptional 13 years himself. Spending most of his time with the Grizzlies, he earned three All-Star nods and won a Defensive Player Of The Year award.

Thomas was the final pick, No. 60, in the 2011 Draft. Most players with that kind of start don't amount to much, but Thomas defied the odds, especially considering he stands at 5'9". After a promising start in Sacramento and a promising partial season in Phoenix, Thomas found his way to Boston, where he became a local hero. He was an All-Star for two seasons and a fringe MVP candidate in 2016-17, when he averaged nearly 29 points a game.

Until the 2024-25 season, Middleton was Giannis' reliable, occasional All-Star running mate in Milwaukee. After a middling rookie campaign in Detroit, Middleton found his way to the Bucks, where he blossomed into a strong scorer and defender. He was particularly key to the Bucks' 2020–21 championship, coming through with big scoring performances and clutch buckets.

Cheeks was a strong passer and could score when needed, a perfect complement to Julius Erving in the late '70s and early '80s. He was also hard-nosed on the defensive side of the ball, regularly making all-defense teams and earning DPOY consideration. On top of all that, "Mo Cheeks" is a very cool-sounding name.

After spending his first two seasons developing, Green became a source of much-needed grit for the Warriors franchise of the 2010s. While Steph Curry and Klay Thompson fueled the offense, Draymond offered defensive toughness, making all-defense teams almost annually, and even picking up a DPOY award. Without him, four of the Warriors' championship seasons could have looked a lot different.

For his first seven seasons, Millsap flew relatively under the radar in Utah. He was solid, though, averaging 12 points and 7 rebounds during his time with the team. When he moved to Atlanta, though, he came into his own, racking up four All-Star seasons and earning a reputation as a tough defensive force.

After winning the Most Improved Player award in his second season, Arenas continued to ascend. His three-season stretch from 2004 to 2007 was particularly memorable. He was an All-Star for each of those seasons, and during two of them, he flirted with averaging 30 points a game.

At 6'10" and playing in the early 2000s, Lewis was a tall sharpshooter before that became a league-wide norm. Indeed, he was a premier stretch forward of his era, which lifted him to a pair of All-Star appearances. His play style offered him longevity, too, as he retired after enjoying a 16-year career.

Those '90s Jazz teams were all about Stockton and Malone, but Hornacek was a key part of that unit, too. Although they never got over the hump and won a title, Hornacek kept them competitive against Jordan's Bulls, coming up with some big scoring nights. He also had a strong NBA life pre-Utah, earning an All-Star nod with Phoenix in 1991-92.

Speaking of those Bulls teams, Kukoč was a key supporting piece. One of the all-time greats from Croatia, he picked up a Sixth Man of the Year award in 1995-1996. Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman are the faces of the Bulls in the '90s, but Kukoč played a vital role, too.

Looking purely at his trophy case, Williams is one of the best sixth men ever, as only he and Jamal Crawford have won the award for it three times. He could have started for most teams in the league, but instead, he thrived with the second unit. Williams had a few campaigns that were All-Star-esque, like in 2017-18 when he averaged 22 points, 5 dimes, and a steal a night.

Before the 3-point explosion, Korver was arguably the league's best long-range shooter of the 2000s. He led the league in 3-point percentage on a few occasions and was a constant threat on those formidable 2010s Hawks teams. Korver was able to do his thing for a long time, too, sticking around the league for 17 seasons.

Jordan and Blake Griffin were the two high-flyers leading the Clippers during the "Lob City" era of the 2010s. Jordan was pulling down boards, too, as many as 15 a game in multiple seasons. After his time in LA was up, Jordan managed to retain value and stick around as a locker room guy who's approaching 20 years in the NBA.

Before Steph Curry turned the Warriors into a modern dynasty, Monta Ellis provided the team with its scoring punch. In back-to-back seasons from 2009 to 2011, he averaged of 24 points a game. He kept it going post-GSW, too, enjoying fruitful stints in Milwaukee, Dallas, and Indiana before retiring after the 2016-17 season.

Boozer was a force during his Utah era, from 2004 to 2010. Over those seasons, he averaged a cool 19 points and 10 rebounds, earning a pair of All-Star appearances for his efforts. If nothing else, he's the best player to ever come out of Alaska.