Biggest NBA Draft Steals

In theory, the best players are selected in the first picks of the NBA Draft, and usually the first picks live up to expectations. However, sometimes they turn out to be busts, while the real superstars are taken in later rounds.

It feels weird to see some of the biggest players of all time chosen outside the first 10 picks in a draft, and even some of them outside of the top 20. These NBA players fell off teams’ draft lists because scouts didn’t see much potential in them, but these guys ended up proving everyone wrong.

UPDATE: 2024/04/26 20:59 EST BY ROBERTH PEREZ

Every NBA team has a specialized scouting department that spends months studying players to figure out who they are going to pick in the NBA Draft. Most of the time, they get it right and make a good pick, but sometimes, they completely ignore players who end up becoming superstars.

In theory, the best players were already taken, so these teams probably didn’t have high expectations for these lesser-known picks. But as time went on, those players who were forgotten in the first picks, ended up becoming top of the class, and even all-time greats.

15 Carlos Boozer Was Drafted By The Cleveland Cavaliers In 2002

Carlos Boozer Had A Great 13-Year NBA Career

Carlos Boozer was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 35th pick in the 2002 NBA Draft. No one expected much from this 6-9 power forward, but he ended up exceeding expectations. He certainly didn’t win any major awards, but he posted averages of 16.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.9 steals per game, with a Player Efficiency Rating of 19.5 and 80.3 Win Shares for his career.

14 Devin Booker Was Drafted By The Phoenix Suns In 2015

Devin Booker Is A Four-Time All-Star

Devin Booker is one of the most explosive players in the NBA today. When he is inspired, he can have an epic performance, like his 62-point game just above. Booker is just 27 years old, and while he hasn’t won any major awards, he has been one of the top players in the league in recent years.

For his career, he averages 24.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 0.9 steals per game, with a Player Efficiency Rating of 18.8. He can already be considered a draft steal, but we consider him to be one of the biggest draft steals in history because it looks like he still has a great career ahead of him.

13 Jimmy Butler Was Drafted By The Chicago Bulls In 2011

Jimmy Butler Was The ECF Finals MVP In 2023

Jimmy Butler was selected as the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. It is hard to understand how so many teams passed up on this generational talent. And to make matters worse, that year there were several draft busts, like Derrick Williams, Enes Freedom, Tristan Thompson, Jan Veselý or Bismack Biyombo.

Butler has had a great career, and in recent years has proven to be one of the most clutch players in the NBA. Butler knows how to steal the show in the Playoffs and how to lead his team to victory, although he has yet to win a championship ring.

12 Tony Parker Was Drafted By The San Antonio Spurs In 2001

Tony Parker Won The NBA Championship Four Times

Nobody had faith in Tony Parker’s potential, which is why he was discarded through 27 picks in the 2001 NBA Draft. But the San Antonio Spurs trusted the European, and he ended up being one of the best picks in franchise history.

Parker played 17 seasons with the Spurs and formed a formidable trio with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, winning four NBA Championships together. In his NBA career, Parker recorded 15.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 0.8 steals per game, with a Player Efficiency Rating of 18.2 and Value Over Replacement Player of 30.1.

11 Steve Nash Was Drafted By The Phoenix Suns In 1996

Steve Nash Is An NBA Hall Of Famer

Steve Nash certainly never won an NBA Championship, but he had an illustrious career. We’re talking about one of the best point guards of all time, with a phenomenal ability to assist his teammates and an excellent mid- and long-range shot. Nash won two consecutive MVP awards in the 2000s, and came close to winning the award for the third year in a row, but was runner-up to Dirk Nowitzki. In his career, Nash scored 17,387 points and dished out 10,335 assists.

10 Kawhi Leonard Was Drafted By The Indiana Pacers In 2011

Kawhi Leonard Is A Two-Time NBA Finals MVP

Kawhi Leonard was the 15th pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, by the Indiana Pacers, but was immediately sent to the San Antonio Spurs along with Dāvis Bertāns and Erazem Lorbek in exchange for George Hill.

Leonard had a slow start in the NBA, but progressively improved to become one of the best players of his generation. Kawhi has been a two-time NBA champion, being the Finals MVP both times, he is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and he’s been named All-NBA First Team three times.

9 Draymond Green Was Drafted By The Golden State Warriors In 2012

Draymond Green Is A Four-Time NBA Champion

Draymond Green is one of the best defenders in the NBA in the last 10 years, hands down. In fact, he’s been named to the All-Defensive team on eight occasions. He has been crucial to the Golden State Warriors’ four championships, averaging 11.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game in the playoffs. Someone would say Draymond Green was among the top 10 picks in his class, but he was actually the 35th overall pick in the 2012 draft.

8 Manu Ginóbili Was Drafted By The San Antonio Spurs In 1999

Ginóbili Is An NBA Hall Of Famer

Manu Ginóbili was the 57th overall pick in the 1999 draft. That is, he was taken second to last. Amazing, isn’t it? Ginobili ended up with the highest VORP in that year’s class (47.1), scoring over 14,000 points, with over 4,000 assists and 3,500 rebounds and 1,300 steals. In addition, Gino finished his career with four championship rings and, most importantly, he was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame.

7 Giannis Antetokounmpo Was Drafted By The Milwaukee Bucks In 2013

Giannis Antetokounmpo Is A Two-Time NBA MVP

The Greek Freak is one of the most dominant players in the NBA in recent years, an unstoppable force in the paint, and a natural rebounder. Giannis Antetokounmpo was born to play basketball, but for some reason scouts didn’t take him seriously, and he was the 15th overall pick in the 2013 draft.

It is inexplicable that 14 teams ignored Giannis, who has been the best player in that class by far. Anthony Bennet was the first pick that year, and that was one of the worst first picks of all time.

6 Rudy Gobert Was Drafted By The Denver Nuggets In 2013

Rudy Gobert Is A Three-Time Defensive Player Of The Year

The Denver Nuggets selected Rudy Gobert with the 27th overall pick in the 2013 Draft, which is unbelievable. This French Center never played for the Nuggets, but he has had a brilliant NBA career, recording 12.4 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in nine years with the Utah Jazz. And he is currently playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Gobert is a three-time Defensive Player Of The Year, and he’s a mainstay on the All-NBA Defensive team, with six appearances. Rudy Gobert is one of the best players in the NBA nowadays, and perhaps one of the best foreign players of all time.

5 Dennis Rodman Was Drafted By The Detroit Pistons In 1986

Dennis Rodman Won Seven Rebounding Titles In A Row

The NBA Hall of Famer was a rebounding champion for seven consecutive seasons, averaging 16.7 rebounds per game in that span. But in addition to his unique ability to grab rebounds, Dennis Rodman was a major contributor defensively, being one of the best defenders of his generation. In fact, he won the Defensive Player of the Year award twice. To top it off, The Worm won five championships, two with the Detroit Pistons and three with the Chicago Bulls. Believe or not, Rodman was the 27th overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft.

4 John Stockton Was Drafted By The Utah Jazz In 1984

John Stockton Is The All-Time NBA Assists Leader

John Stockton was the 16th overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft, and it’s safe to say that no one thought this guy would end his career as the all-time leader in assists, with 15,806, a record that will probably never be broken. Stockton won the assists title in nine straight seasons, which is absolutely mind-blowing. Stock won two steal titles as well, and he made the All-NBA team 11 times.

3 Karl Malone Was Drafted By The Utah Jazz In 1985

Karl Malone Was Named NBA MVP Twice

The following draft, the Utah Jazz selected Karl Malone with the 13th pick. That’s right, the Jazz stole the draft in two consecutive years. Malone had a legendary career, winning two MVP awards, and appearing 14 times in the All-Star game.

The Mailman averaged 25 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per game, and, according to Stathead, he had 706 20-Pt/10-Reb games, the most in NBA history. Malone was the best player in the 1985 class, even better than the first pick, Patrick Ewing.

2 Kobe Bryant Was Drafted By The Los Angeles Lakers In 1996

Kobe Bryant Ended Up Becoming One Of The Greatest Players In NBA History

Another inexplicable 13th pick was none other than Kobe Bryant. How on earth did 12 teams pass up on Kobe Bryant? And to make matters worse, the Charlotte Hornets selected him, but traded him before his debut to the Los Angeles Lakers for Vlade Divac.

Kobe ended up being an NBA Hall of Famer, with five Championship rings, he was a two-time Finals MVP, 2007-08 MVP, two-time scoring champion and made the All-NBA team 15 times. Kobe averaged 25 points per game, racking up 33,643 points.

1 Nikola Jokić Was Drafted By The Denver Nuggets In 2014

Nikola Jokić Is Arguably The Best NBA Player Right Now

Nikola Jokić was the 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, and with the simple fact that he HAS won two MVP awards, he has a Championship ring, and that it seems he hasn’t reached his peak yet, it can be said that he is the biggest draft steal in NBA history.

The Serbian has been improving his numbers year after year, and in the 2023-24 season he put up video game stats: 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. Nikola Jokić is arguably the best player in the NBA right now.