2001 NBA Re-Draft: Lottery Edition
A look back at the best players from the 2001 NBA Draft and re-drafting the lottery picks.
Another NBA Redraft as we continue the NBA Redraft series. Today we look into the 2001 NBA Draft and we Redraft it. Lottery edition. The Depth of the 2001 NBA Draft is surprisingly deep. This is one of the better Draft classes of the 2000s in terms of lottery talent.
1) Washington Wizards: Pau Gasol, PF/C, FC Barcelona (Spain) — Original Draft slot- 3rd Overall
Career Stats: 1,226 Games, 1,150 Starts, 17.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.2 AST, 75 FT%, 50 FG%, 1.6 BLK
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2001–02 ROY, 2001–02 All-Rookie 1st Team, 6x All-Star, 2x All-NBA 3rd Team, 2x All-NBA 2nd Team, 2x NBA Champion
Wizards Original Pick: Kwame Brown
The Wizards had the right idea when they took a big-man with the 1st Overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft. Unfortunately, they took one of the biggest NBA Draft Busts of All-Time, Kwame Brown. In this 2001 NBA Re-Draft, the Wizards get a shot at redemption and take the player they should’ve taken all along. Gasol came into his own once he became a Laker in 2008. He was labeled “soft” during his time with the Grizzlies but quickly changed that narrative as he helped the Lakers reach three straight NBA Finals, and Win two straight.
2) L.A. Clippers: Joe Johnson, SG, Arkansas, Soph. — Original Draft slot- 10th Overall
Career Stats: 1,276 Games, 1,091 Starts, 16.0 PPG, 4.0 AST, 3.1 RPG, 44 FG%, 37 3P%, 80 FT%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2001–02 All-Rookie 2nd Team, 1x All-NBA 3rd Team, 7x All-Star
Clippers Original Pick: Tyson Chandler (Traded to Chicago Bulls)
Joe Johnson has had one of the more underrated great Careers in NBA history. When you look at his career numbers and accomplishments, you would think a player of his caliber would be a Hall-of-Fame Candidate, but according to https://www.basketball-reference.com/ Johnson only has a 50.6% chance of making it into the Hall-of-Fame. That seems pretty low for a player of Johnson's accomplishments and accolades.
Johnson’s best years came with the Atlanta Hawks where he played 7 seasons and averaged 20.2 PPG, 5.2 AST, 4.2 RPG. Looking back this would’ve been an easy choice for the Clippers.
3) Atlanta Hawks: Tony Parker, PG, France — Original Draft slot- 28th Overall
Career Stats: 1,254 Games, 1,151 Starts, 15.5 PPG, 5.6 AST, 49 FG%, 75 FT%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2001–02 All-Rookie 1st Team, 1x Finals MVP, 3x All-NBA 2nd Team, 1x All-NBA 3rd Team, 6x All-Star, 4x NBA Champion
Hawks Original Pick: Pau Gasol (Traded to Vancouver Grizzlies)
Throughout the 2000s, the Hawks struggled to find a good starting PG. It wasn’t until they drafted Jeff Teague in the 2009 NBA Draft that the Hawks found themselves a PG. Tony Parker would’ve been a staple for the next 15 years. A 4 time NBA Champ, a ridiculous floater, mid-range, quick first step, and clutch-ness made Parker one of the better PGs of the 2000s and even the 2010s.
4) Chicago Bulls: Zach Randolph, PF, Michigan State, Fr. — Original Draft slot- 19th Overall
Career Stats: 1,116 Games, 882 Starts, 16.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 1.8 AST, 47 FG%, 74 FT%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2003–04 Most Improved Player, 2010–11 All-NBA 3rd Team, 2x All-Star
Bulls Original Pick: Eddy Curry
Z-Bo matured during his time with the Grizzlies. Before that, he was known as a player that was a head case, and one you could not win with. Knowing what we know now though, he just needed time to mature and would be an upgrade over the Bulls Original Pick, Eddy Curry. In his prime, Randolph was a double-double machine and had nine seasons where he averaged at least 15 PPG and 10 RPG. That’s excellent production.
5) Golden State Warriors: Gerald Wallace, SF, Alabama, Fr. — Original Draft slot- 25th Overall
Career Stats: 832 Games, 611 Starts, 11.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.1 AST, 1.4 STL, 46 FG%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 1x All-Star, 2009–10 All-Defensive 1st Team, 2005–06 STL Leader
Warriors Original Pick: Jason Richardson
You could make the case for Jason Richardson here, who was the Original Pick for the Warriors. However, Wallace brought more “winning” tenancies and at his peak was an All-Star. Wallace was a great defensive presence that could take over a game defensively. He played for an Expansion Franchise in the Charlotte Bobcats and helped them make the playoffs for the first time in the 2009–10 season, Wallace’s best season as a pro.
6) Vancouver Grizzlies: Tyson Chandler, C, Dominguez H.S. (Compton California) — Original Draft slot- 2nd Overall
Career Stats: 1,160 Games, 886 Starts, 8.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 59 FG%, 1.2 BLK
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 1x Defensive Player of the Year, 2x All-Defensive 2nd Team, 1x All-Defensive 3rd Team, 1x All-Star, 1x All-NBA 3rd Team, 1x NBA Champion
Grizzlies Original Pick: Shane Battier
It took a while but Tyson Chandler developed into the player he was Drafted to be later in his career. It wasn’t until his 6th season until Chandler’s career took off. He blossomed and came into his own with the Hornets. Chandler then helped turn the Knicks into contenders for a couple of seasons and made his lone All-Star appearance. With the 6th pick in almost any Draft, Chandler would be a good pick.
7) New Jersey Nets: Richard Jefferson, SF, Arizona, Jr. — Original Draft slot- 13th Overall
Career Stats: 1,181 Games, 809 Starts, 12.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.0 AST, 46 FG%, 76 FT%, 37 3P%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2001–02 All-Rookie 2nd Team, 1x NBA Champion
Nets Original Pick: Eddie Griffin (Traded to Houston Rockets)
The Nets made the right decision in trading for Jefferson on Draft day but this time they don’t have to. Jefferson is available and the Nets won’t hesitate to take him. Jefferson was a prolific and talented scorer that always seemed to be on the fringe of making an All-Star game but never did. He was however an NBA Champion and was part of a New Jersey Nets team that made two straight NBA Finals Appearances.
8) Cleveland Cavaliers: Jason Richardson, SG, Michigan State Soph. — Original Draft slot- 5th Overall
Career Stats: 857 Games, 842 Starts, 17.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.7 AST, 1.2 STL, 43 FG%, 37 3P%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2001–02 All-NBA Rookie Team
Cavaliers Original Pick: DeSagana Diop
Richardson is another one of those players that were a fringe NBA All-Star Candidate but just never made the team. As you can see from his career 17.1 PPG total, he was a talented scorer, but just never seemed to play on many winning teams. I think that is what ultimately made his career go under the radar.
No doubt if Richardson had played on more winning teams he would’ve been an All-Star. Nonetheless, he had a very good career, was an athletic scorer, fun to watch dunker, and underrated Rebounder for his position.
9) Detroit Pistons: Shane Battier, SF, Duke, Sr. — Original Draft slot- 6th Overall Pick
Career Stats: 977 Games, 705 Starts, 8.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.8 AST, 43 FG%, 38 3P%, 1.0 STL
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2001–02 All-Rookie 1st Team, 2x All-Defensive Team, 2x NBA Champion
Pistons Original Pick: Rodney White
This is seemingly the perfect spot for Battier. A gritty championship-caliber role player that would fit nicely with those early to mid-2000s Piston teams. What Battier brought to a team didn’t always show up in the box score. You could always count on Battier giving max effort and trying to shut down a team's best scorer or wing player. Add to that his lethal three-point shot and you have yourself a solid “3 and D” late lottery pick for the Pistons.
10) Boston Celtics: Mehmet Okur, C, Turkey — Original Draft slot- 38th Overall
Career Stats: 634 Games, 460 Starts, 13.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.7 AST, 45 FG%, 37 3P%, 79 FT %,
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 1x All-Star, 1x NBA Champion
Celtics Original Pick: Joe Johnson
The Celtics miss out on some top talent and perhaps the 2nd best player in the 2001 NBA Draft, who they took with this pick, Joe Johnson. However, in any NBA Draft, you could do a lot worse than Mehmet Okur with the 10th Overall Pick. That speaks to the depth of the 2001 NBA Draft.
Okur had a good run in the NBA as a pick and pop Center. He was ahead of his time and a rare breed. He even made an All-Star Appearance with the Jazz in 2007. If Okur played in today’s NBA I believe he would be a perennial All-Star, his defense wasn’t the best, but in today’s NBA nobody plays defense anyway.
11) Bostons Celtics: Gilbert Arenas, PG/SG, Arizona, Soph. — Original Draft slot- 31st Overall
Career Stats: 552 Games, 455 Starts, 20.7 PPG, 5.3 AST, 3.9 RPG, 1.6 STL, 42 FG%, 35 3P%, 80 FT%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2002–03 Most Improved Player of the Year, 2x All-NBA 2nd Team, 1x All-NBA 3rd Team, 3x All-Star
Celtics Original Pick: Kedrick Brown
Arenas has some of the best Career Per Game Average numbers of this 2001 NBA Re-Draft. His numbers are not why he falls this far. His longevity or lack thereof, and this little incident doesn’t help. But at this point in the Draft, the Celtics can afford to take the gamble with their 2nd lottery pick. Who knows maybe things play out differently for Arenas and he’s able to sustain his Superstar success that he achieved at the peak of his career with the Washington Wizards.
12) Seattle Supersonics: Troy Murphy, PF, Notre Dame, Jr. — Original Draft slot- 14th Overall
Career Stats: 729 Games, 482 Starts, 10.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.5 AST, 44 FG%, 38 3P%, 78 FT%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: None
Supersonics Original Pick: Vladimir Radmanovic
This is where the real “drop-off” starts in this Re-Draft. That’s no knock on Murphy though. He was a solid stretch four and deadly from the three-point line. Murphy wasn’t a great defender and couldn’t always stay healthy. However, when healthy Murphy was a walking double-double. Murphy averaged at least 14 PPG and 10 RPG 4 different times during his career.
13) Houston Rockets: Vladimir Radmanovic, PF, Yugoslavia — Original Draft slot- 12th Overall
Career Stats: 737 Games, 8.0 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.4 AST, 41 FG%, 37 3P%, 75 FT%
Career Accomplishments/Awards: 2001–02 All-NBA Rookie 2nd Team, 1x NBA Champion
Rockets Original Pick: Richard Jefferson (Traded to New Jersey Nets)
Another stretch four off the board here. Radmanovic was always a reliable scorer who could contribute either off the bench or as a starter. He was key a contributor to the 2009 Championship Lakers team.
14) Golden State Warriors: Samuel Dalembert, C, Seton Hall, Soph. Original Draft slot- 26th Overall
Career Stats: 886 Games, 694 Starts, 7.7 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 1.7 BLK, 52 FG%, 70 FT%
Career Awards/Accomplishments: None
Warriors Original Pick: Troy Murphy
Dalembert rounds off this lottery edition of the 2001 NBA Re-Draft. Not much to say here. He was a solid starting Center in his prime who spent the majority of his career with the 76ers. He was a solid Rebounder and Shot blocker. Dalembert also could occasionally hit the mid-range jump-shot.
I will continue to do the NBA Re-Draft series up until the 2016 NBA Draft, then start an NFL Re-Draft Series. Hope you guys enjoyed thanks for reading. See you next time!
