A Decade of Draft Awards

[Kruwaukee]

Looking back there are always winners/losers, boom/busts, and over/under achievers. This will take a look at the past 10 years of drafts handing out awards to both the winners and losers.

2000

1st Overall- Tracy McGrady
Booms- Michael Redd (4), Deshawn Stevenson (11)
Busts- Baron Davis (2), Mehmet Okur (7)
6MOY- Joel Pryzbilla (8), Primoz Brezec (17), Mike Miller (19), Chris Mihm (22)
Best Draft- Houston Rockets
Worst Draft- Milwaukee Bucks

This draft produced some surprising talent and had some epic busts. Really one for the ages. We should all remember this draft for a long time producing two unexpected hall of famers in Redd and Stevenson

2001

1st Overall- Carlos Boozer
Booms- Zach Randolph (15), Eddie Griffin (16), Raul Lopez (17)
Busts- Carlos Boozer (1), Gerald Wallace (7), Kwame Brown (10)
6MOY- Ousmane Cisse (26)
Best Draft- Atlanta Hawks
Worst Draft- Toronto Raptors

How could he pick Boozer over Parker? I still can't find any reason why. This draft produced some unexpected big men talent. Griffin and Cisse are still huge shot blockers. Everyone remembers the big trade that gave the Bucks Eddie Griffin but what most forget is that the Suns got Raul Lopez. He's had himself a nice little career.

2002

1st Overall- Yao Ming
Booms- None
Busts- Tayshaun Prince (6), Jay Williams (7)
6MOY- Juan Carlos Navarro (16), Fred Jones (23)
Best Draft- LA Clippers
Worst Draft- Indiana Pacers

Yao Ming owned this draft. Many were hopeful that they could pick the next big thing but no one panned out to be that. More busts than booms.

2003

1st Overall- Lebron James
Booms- Jameer Nelson (6), Darko (7), Josh Howard (12)
Busts- Kirk Hinrich (4), James White (8)
6MOY- Luke Ridnour (20)
Best Draft- Van Grizzlies
Worst Draft- Denver Nuggets

King James drafts are always disappointing if you don't land #1 however this draft produced a ton of talent. Darko is the best defensive big in the game while Nelson was recently just traded for James. Bet you forgot they were in the same draft class. Thanks to this article you remember.

2004

1st Overall- Dwight Howard
Booms- Al Jefferson (2), Josh Smith (4), Andre Iggy (6), Paul Milsap (7), Sebastian Telfair (13)
Busts- Kevin Martin (8), Ben Gordon (10)
6MOY- Kris Humphries (21), Dorrell Wright (26)
Best Draft- New Jersey, Minnesota
Worst Draft- Detroit

Superman was the obvious #1 however Al Jefferson is Iron Man. Jefferson has become the game's best overall big man surpassing all of his predecessors. This draft was also fully loaded producing so many other top big men.

2005

1st Overall- Deron Williams
Booms- Rudy Gay (3)
Busts- Andrew Bogut (5)
6MOY- Ryan Gomes (16), Amir Johnson (21)
Best Draft- Indiana Pacers
Worst Draft- Utah Jazz

Deron Williams is really becoming a true #1 pick. He's putting up MVP type numbers and he's leading his team to atop of the conference. Rudy Gay however might be the best player this class produced. Once to be thought of as just a high flyer who plays on one half of the court has proved his critics wrong. He's for real!

2006

1st Overall- Brandon Roy
Booms- Saer Sene (26)
Busts- Everyone
6MOY- Everyone
Best Draft- Cleveland Cavs
Worst Draft- Everyone

This will go down as the worst draft ever in UOSLR history. Except as Broph pointed out Saer Sene boomed out of nowhere. Reminds me of the movie the air up there (I'm showing my age here)

2007

1st Overall- Chris Paul
Booms- Sean Williams (17), Acie Law (26)
Busts- Al Horford (4), Everyone after
6MOY- Jeff Green (11)
Best Draft- Utah Jazz
Worst Draft- Denver Nuggets

Really funny that of all teams the Utah Jazz landed not one but two Boom players late in the first round. Maybe Mike wasn't so bad when he was around. Nuggets making too many appearances under worst draft category.

2008

1st Overall- Kevin Durant
Booms- Nicolas Batum (8)
Busts- Derrick Rose (2), Blake Griffin (5), Michael Beasley (6)
6MOY- Deandre Jordan (27)
Best Draft- Houston Rockets
Worst Draft- Chicago Bulls

This was the Durant sweepstakes and everyone else was a bust after this.

2009

1st Overall- Derrick Favors
Booms- Terrance Williams (17)
Busts- Ricky Rubio (8)
6MOY- Johnny Flynn (13), Cole Aldrich (16)
Best Draft- Milwaukee Bucks
Worst Draft- Atlanta Hawks

The all around draft. This draft will always lead to comparisons to player Evan Turner, Tyreke Evans, and Terrance Williams. They are big, can shoot, can handle, can rebound, but who's the best?

2010

1st Overall- John Wall
Booms- Greg Monroe (2), Jeff Teague (19), Greivas Vasquez (20)
Busts- Paul George (4), Lance Stephenson (11)
6MOY- Jeff Teague (19), Dominque Jones (21)
Best Draft- Milwaukee Bucks
Worst Draft- Houston Rockets

John Wall is the next big thing. Jared Sullinger was supposed to be the next big thing after John Wall but was passed up in favor of Greg Monroe who was projected to be picked somewhere 6-10 range. How will this one play out?

2011

1st Overall- Perry Jones
Booms- ?
Busts- ?
6MOY- ?
Best Draft- ?
Worst Draft- ?

We'll just have to see in another 10 years won't we?

[Andrew]

awesome work

[Kruwaukee]

Seems like #17 pick produces and ton of booms!

[Kruwaukee]

Raul Lopez, Sean Williams, and Terrance Williams

[iflip]

great job on this.

damn i drafted 2 bust in okur and wallace. (i knew i shoulda drafted griffin!!!)

[Brophdog88]

dude....2006 had Saer Sene...how could you forget him....great read

[Kruwaukee]

May 22, 2010 0:46:32 GMT -5 Brophdog88 said:

dude....2006 had Saer Sene...how could you forget him....great read

by 2006 my eyes were starting to bleed. I'll edit him in there.

[Kruwaukee]

fixed broph

[Kruwaukee]

Looking back at this all these drafts were whacky which is awesome. Ashes/Play have done a great job making this league not boring or predictable.

[tmaczdaddy]

Gerald Green = bust

He was B B+ ? B+ after his first TC. Now B- B+ C- A-

[Kruwaukee]

May 22, 2010 0:53:05 GMT -5 tmaczdaddy said:

Gerald Green = bust

He was B B+ ? B+ after his first TC. Now B- B+ C- A-

douche you stop voting 1 so now you give me a 4. Why can't you ever hook anyone up with a 5? Really?

[Brophdog88]

May 22, 2010 0:50:41 GMT -5 Kruwaukee said:

Looking back at this all these drafts were whacky which is awesome. Ashes/Play have done a great job making this league not boring or predictable.

you should go back even farther...that 06 draft was truly the worst in any league I have ever seen....the 76ers pick of Sene was autoed by me too....

[tmaczdaddy]

May 22, 2010 0:55:33 GMT -5 Kruwaukee said:

May 22, 2010 0:53:05 GMT -5 tmaczdaddy said:

Gerald Green = bust

He was B B+ ? B+ after his first TC. Now B- B+ C- A-

douche you stop voting 1 so now you give me a 4. Why can't you ever hook anyone up with a 5? Really?

This isn't 5 worthy.

[tmaczdaddy]

Compared to all the other 5's around the league, this article is definitely a 4. It doesn't seem like it would take that long to write up.

[Kruwaukee]

May 22, 2010 0:58:58 GMT -5 tmaczdaddy said:

May 22, 2010 0:55:33 GMT -5 Kruwaukee said:

douche you stop voting 1 so now you give me a 4. Why can't you ever hook anyone up with a 5? Really?

This isn't 5 worthy.

You take the time to look and research all this shit. It's time consuming took me a few hours. It's just frustrating you always shit on everything everyone does for the league by not hooking them up with votes. This article is original, I laid it out with bold, italics, and proper spacing including pictures, and the information is useful and interesting.