There have been many mistakes made in past NBA Drafts. The 2002 NBA Draft watched the number two pick, Point Guard Jay Williams, whom many thought should have been the top overall pick, have a career-ending injury via a motor cycle accident after his first season. It also saw stars, like Carlos Boozer, slide to late in the draft, while busts, such as Dajuan Wagner and Nikoloz Tskitishvili go in the high lottery.
If teams could re-draft knowing what they know now about players, here's how the 2002 NBA Draft might have looked.
1st pick: Houston Rockets selects C Yao Ming
The Rockets did well with this pick. The 7-6 Center, Yao Ming, blossomed into a top-flight big man, with career averages of 19.1 ppg, 9.2 rbpg, 1.9 bspg, while shooting 52% from the field and 83% from the line.
2nd pick: Chicago Bulls selects F Amare Stoudemire
Imagine how different things might have been for the Bulls had they used this pick on Stoudemire. Amare entered the NBA straight out of high school, and was Rookie of the Year. He's gone on to have a great career, averaging 21.0 ppg, 9.0 rbpg, 1.5 bspg, while shooting 54% from the field.
3rd pick: Golden State Warriors selects F Carlos Boozer
It's astonishing that Boozer fell all the way to the 35th pick of the draft. Experts were even surprised by that at the time. He had entered draft camp a bit overweight, according to rumor, and the Cleveland Cavs capitalized. After just two seasons, he signed with the Utah Jazz in a controversial move, claiming he wanted to play for the team his idle, Karl Malone, played for. His career stats are 17.0 ppg, 10.0 rbpg, while shooting 54% from the field.
4th pick: Memphis Grizzlies selects F Caron Butler
Other than the outside shooting, Butler's game somewhat resembles Paul Pierce's. He's a strong body on the wing who knows how to get into the lane. It's somewhat fitting, therefore, that Butler slipped - like Pierce had - to the 10th pick because of a draft day rumor. Word has it that teams were scared off from drafting Butler because of an unknown injury. His career averages are 16.4 ppg, 6.0 rbpg, 1.7 spg.
5th pick: Denver Nuggets selects F Tayshaun Prince
Prince's numbers don't necessarily reflect his value, since the biggest attribute of his game is his defense. At 6-9, he's long and pesky. He even helped Detroit win a championship. His career averages are 12.5 ppg, 4.7 rbpg.
6th pick: Cleveland Cavaliers selects FC Maybyner "Nene" Hilario
Nene hadn't shown his true potential until recently. Injuries have really slowed his career, so this assessment might be partly based on potential. However, after the Nuggets traded Marcus Camby in the off season of 2008, Nene has come alive. His career averages are 11.3 ppg, 6.6 rbpg, 1.3 spg, while shooting 54% from the field.
7th pick: New York Knicks selects FG Mike Dunleavy
It took Dunleavy to find himself in the NBA. Some argue that he's never really produced on a winning team. Still, he has decent career averages, 12.4 ppg, 4.9 rbpg.
8th pick: LA Clippers selects F Drew Gooden
Gooden has had a solid career as a decent rebounding power forward with a good jump shot. His career averages are 12.1 ppg, 8.0 rbpg.
9th pick: Phoenix Suns selects F Chris Wilcox
The Suns couldn't have done better than they did, drafting Amare Stoudemire. Wilcox is athletic, but never had the work ethic to be great. When he's wanted to be, however, he's been a solid power forward, with career averages of 9.6 ppg, 5.5 rbpg, while shooting 53% from the field.
10th pick: Miami Heat selects GF John Salmons
Salmons didn't really come into his own until more recently. His career average is 8.2 ppg.
11th pick: Washington Wizards selects F Luis Scola
Scola slid to the second round of the draft and didn't even join his team his first year. There were a lot of questions, as there often is with European players, as to whether he'd enter the NBA at all. He's done well, however, with career averages of 11.0 ppg, 7.0 rbpg in his first two seasons.
12th pick: LA Clippers selects C Nenad Krstic
Krstic's been hampered by injuries, but has shown great mobility and soft hands as a big man. His career averages are 11.2 ppg, 5.7 rbpg, while shooting 49% from the field.
13th pick: Milwaukee Bucks selects GF Rasual Butler
Some might find other names more appropriate here, such as Matt Barnes, Ronald "Flip" Murray, or Roger Mason, but Butler's been the most productive over the course of his career. His career averageis 7.9 ppg.
