Being taken first overall or high in the first round of the NBA Draft is no guarantee of success. Scouting isn’t an exact science as there are countless intangibles that just can’t be measured. Also, playing in the right system or having the proper development staff can do wonders for a prospect.
Throughout NBA history, we’ve seen countless top-ranked prospects fail to live up to expectations. In contrast, some rather-unknown guys or players who weren’t supposed to be as good as those wind up having better careers.
It takes some players longer, but others make it clear from day one that they outplayed their draft stock, even becoming perennial All-Stars. Therefore, people often claim their teams ‘stole’ them during Draft night, as they should’ve been taken higher. In this article, we’re going to honor those players, letting you know about the 20 biggest steals in NBA Draft history.
What is a draft steal in the NBA?
A player who was drafted at a low spot yet went on to have an excellent career is known as a draft steal.
20. Michael Redd
Long before Khris Middleton, there was a second-rounder getting buckets for the Milwaukee Bucks and proving scouts wrong. That guy was Michael Redd, the 43rd overall pick in the 2000 NBA Drat, and one of the best sharpshooters of his time.
Playing as a guard/forward, Redd was a scoring menace from all three levels, even being called up for Team USA thanks to his scoring prowess. He could get hot in the blink of an eye, and once set the record for the most consecutive three-pointers made in one quarter with 8.
Even though the latter part of his career was derailed by injuries, Michael Redd still had a better career than most first-rounders, averaging 19 points and nearly 4 rebounds per game. He made the ASG and the All-NBA team in 2004. Also, he won the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics.
19. Shawn Kemp
Shawn Kemp was a driving force of nature and one of the strongest, most explosive players to ever grace the face of the Earth. Even in high school, he looked like a man among children, but failing to reach the minimum score on his SATs prevented him from playing in college. That’s why his draft stock fell and was taken 17th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics.
Kemp didn’t play that much in his rookie season as he was one of the youngest players in the league. But once he took over, he became a wrecking ball on both ends of the floor with his athleticism and signature poster dunks.
Unfortunately for him, he and the Sonics weren’t able to fulfill their potential and win an NBA championship. Still, he was a six-time All-Star and made the All-NBA Second Team three times. He also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Orlando Magic.
18. Marc Gasol
Most people saw Marc Gasol as Pau Gasol’s younger, unathletic brother. The Lakers took him 48th overall in 2007 and later sent him to the Memphis Grizzlies to land Pau in a franchise-changing transaction.
Marc put a lot of work in the gym and got slimmer, stronger, and faster. He had an elite basketball IQ and was a guy who rarely forced things on both ends of the floor. He could anchor the defense in the paint or in the perimeter and could also knock down shots from beyond the arc if need be.
Throughout his career, Marc Gasol was a three-time All-Star, was named All-NBA twice, and won the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013. He won one NBA Championship in his lone season with the Toronto Raptors in 2019.
17. Bill Laimbeer
If you’re not a Detroit Pistons fan, then chances are that you hate Bill Laimbeer with all your heart. But as much as we hate to break it to you, he’s still one of the greatest players in franchise history and one of the biggest draft steals of all time.
Laimbeer entered the NBA as a third-rounder, being the 65th pick of the 1979 draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers took him but he chose to play overseas in Italy for a year before taking his talents back to the NBA. Then, after two years in Ohio, his career took a massive turn when he arrived in Motor City.
Known for being a physical and often dirty player who wouldn’t mind punching, scratching, or elbowing his rivals, Laimbeer became a fan favorite in Detroit. He won two NBA championships there, led the league in rebounds once, and made it to four All-Star games.
16. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler wasn’t even supposed to be an NBA player. His mother threw him out of his house and he spent one year in Junior College before spending three seasons with Marquette. That was enough for the Chicago Bulls to take him with the 30th pick in 2011, albeit he didn’t play much in his first years in the league.
Butler rose to prominence as the Bulls’ primary scorer when Derrick Rose fell with injury. He became one of the league’s finest two-way players and a highly-coveted asset, playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat. Now, he’s the living proof of Heat Culture after leading the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals in the bubble.
Throughout his career, Butler has made the All-Star team six times. He’s also made the All-NBA Third Team four times, the All-Defensive Second Team five times, led the NBA in steals once, and was named the league’s Most Improved Player in 2015.
15. George Gervin
Even though we don’t mention his name as often as we should, George Gervin is one of the greatest and most influential scorers in basketball history. He was a late bloomer in high school and didn’t figure to be much of a top-ranked prospect, but a late growth spurt helped him have a three-year stint at Eastern Michigan University.
He played semi-pro ball with the Pontiac Chaparrals and barely made ends meet. His team faced the ABA’s Virginia Squires and that game was enough for him to get a shot at the ABA, although the team’s financial problems forced them to trade him to San Antonio. Eventually, the Phoenix Suns took him in the second round of the 1974 NBA Draft, but he decided to stay with the Spurs.
Over his career, The Iceman made the All-NBA First Team five times. He was a nine-time All-Star with one Al-Star MVP, led the NBA in scoring four times, and was a part of the league’s 50th and 75th-anniversary teams. He was also a part of the All-ABA Second Team, ABA All-Rookie First Team, and the ABA All-Time Team, and played in three ABA All-Star games.
14. Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic didn’t think he was going to be drafted at all. In fact, he was taken during a Taco Bell commercial with the 41st pick of the 2014 NBA Draft and was asleep when his brothers reached out to congratulate him.
Jokic was out of shape, slow, and not the most athletic big in the world. But he had the passing skills, court vision, and basketball IQ of a point guard in the body of a seven-footer. He kept getting better every single year and is now considered the greatest passing big man ever.
Nikola Jokic has all the tools to become the greatest player in Denver Nuggets history. He’s already a two-time NBA MVP and has made the NBA All-Star Game four times. He’s also earned All-NBA honors three times and he’s just entering his prime. He’s also the biggest draft steal they’ve gotten, even ahead of Alex English.
13. Clyde Drexler
After three excellent years at the University of Houston, Clyde Drexler declared for the NBA Draft. The Portland Trail Blazers took him with the 14th overall pick in 1983, not knowing that he’d go on to lead them to the NBA Finals and become arguably their best player in franchise history.
Drexler was an athletic freak and explosive scorer. In fact, there was a time when there was an actual debate on whether he was as good or better than Michael Jordan. Needless to say, time eventually settled those doubts. But still, he was a massive steal at 14th.
Throughout his career playing for the Blazers and then the Houston Rockets, Clyde The Glide was able to win just one NBA championship. He was a ten-time All-Star, made the AlL-NBA First Team, two All-NBA Second Teams, two All-NBA Third Teams, and was a part of the NBA’s 50th and 75th-anniversary teams.
12. Kawhi Leonard
You can’t talk about NBA Draft steals if you don’t talk about Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs. He’s mastered the art of fining raw talents, yet people still halfway wonder when he gets away with murder year in and year out. And Kawhi Leonard was an example of that.
Taken 15th overall by the Indiana Pacers in 2011, the Spurs made a rather bold move at the time to acquire his services. He didn’t make much of an impact early in his career but kept quietly and steadily turning from a defensive specialist into a deadly scorer as well.
Playing for the Spurs, Toronto Raptors, and now Los Angeles Clippers, Leonard established himself as one of the best two-way players of all time. He’s a two-time NBA champion with two NBA Finals MVPs, a five-time All-Star, All-Star MVP, has been selected to five All-NBA Teams, seven All-Defensive Teams, led the league in steals, and is a member of the 75th-anniversary team.
11. Tony Parker
Tony Parker wasn’t going to wow many NBA scouts. He wasn’t fast, athletic, or could jump through the roof. But Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs could see beyond all that and still took him 28th overall back in 2001.
Parker was a master at pulling the strings of the offense. He never needed to put up big numbers to make a huge impact on both ends of the floor, especially when the game was on the line. Also, his signature floater and footwork set the way for guards that came after him.
Tony Parker spent his entire NBA career with the Spurs, except for his final season with the Charlotte Hornets. He helped the team win four rings with one Finals MVP, was a six-time All-Star, made it to four All-NBA Teams, and was also selected to the All-Rookie First Team.
10. Steve Nash
Steve Nash spent four years in Santa Clara before the Phoenix Suns took him with the 15th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft. He wasn’t an impressive prospect by any means, his measures didn’t stand out, and some doubted he’d ever be more than a fringe rotation player.
Needless to say, Nash sure proved his doubters wrong, becoming one of the most influential point guards in NBA history. His efficient shooting, flawless playmaking, and top-tier basketball IQ made him a treat to watch and one of the league’s finest passers ever.
A bit of a late bloomer, Nash eventually became a two-time MVP. He made eight All-Star appearances, seven All-NBA Teams, was a four-time member of the exclusive 50/40/90 club, led the league in assists per game five times, and was recently named to the league’s 75th-anniversary team.
9. Joe Dumars
People often talk about Isiah Thomas for very good reasons, but the Detroit Pistons also owe plenty of their success to Joe Dumars. Crazy as it may seem, one of the greatest backcourt defenders of all time slipped all the way to the 18th pick of the 1985 NBA Draft.
Playing at both guard spots, Dumars was a driving force in the offense and a suffocating stopper on the other side of the hardwood. Also, he was quite durable and rarely missed a game at all, spending his entire fourteen-year career with the ‘Bad Boys’ Detroit Pistons.
With Thomas by his side, Dumars led the Pistons to a couple of NBA championships and even won one Finals MVP award. He was a six-time All-Star, made the All-Rookie team, was selected to three All-NBA teams, and made five All-Defensive teams. He later won another ring with the organization, this time as an executive.
8. Draymond Green
Draymond Green came as a big reward after all the losing seasons. The Golden State Warriors can brag about being a dynasty that was built through the NBA Draft, and one-third of their core wasn’t even a first-round pick.
Following a solid career at Michigan State, the Warriors took Green with the 35th overall pick. Then, when Steve Kerr took over in 2014 and slid him into the starting lineup, he became the heart, soul, and mind behind the Dubs’ dynasty, becoming one of the most versatile defenders of all time.
Thanks partly to Green’s knowledge and all his efforts, the Golden State Warriors have been the NBA champion four times in the past eight NBA seasons, even though he’s rarely averaged double digits in scoring. He’s a four-time All-Star, a four-time member of the All-Defensive First Team, and has been selected to the All-NBA team twice. He also won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2017.
7. Manu Ginobili
Manu Ginobili is the lowest drafted player on this list, thus making him one of the biggest NBA Draft steals of all time. He was the best player in Europe back in 1999, yet no one but Gregg Popovich had a clue as to who he was when the San Antonio Spurs took him 57th overall.
Ginobili needed some time to adapt but once he settled, he became one of the best Sixth Men to ever do it. His skills as a lefty made countless players mold their offensive game to him, including James Harden. And he was a fearless defensive player who had a feel for making huge plays in the clutch.
In his 16 NBA seasons, all with the Spurs, the Argentinean shooting guard helped them win four NBA championships. He made the All-Star Game twice as well as two All-NBA Teams. He was named Sixth Man of the Year in 2008 and was the brains behind one of the winningest trios in NBA history.
6. Karl Malone
Given his off-court controversies, not many people is a fan of Karl Malone nowadays. But from a basketball standpoint, no one can deny that he was one of the greatest, most unstoppable players in the history of the league.
Taken with the 13th overall pick in 1985, The Mailman wroke havoc on opposing defenses night in and night out, becoming a top-3 scorer in NBA history. He was the best power forward in the league even in a time when Charles Barkley was also in the game and spent 19 seasons with the Jazz before his final year with the Lakers.
Malone reached the NBA Finals three times in his career but could never win a ring. He was a two-time MVP, made the ASG 14 times with two ASG MVPs, was selected to 14 All-NBA Teams, and four All-Defensive Teams. He’s also a member of the league’s 50th and 75th-anniversary teams.
5. Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman was a superstar off the court and a defensive menace on it. He was a late bloomer and a rather unknown prospect out of Junior College ball until the Detroit Pistons gave him a chance with the 27th pick of the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft.
Rodman was a gym rat and a student of the game. He literally spent hours studying the basketball’s trajectory after hitting all sides of the glass and rim, how many times it spun in the air and whatnot. He used that to become arguably the greatest rebounder of all time despite being undersized for his position.
The Worm could never be tamed, but that fearless attitude and how he put his body on the line on every single possession is what made him so great. He was a two-time All-Star, made the All-NBA Defensive Team eight times, was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, made three All-NBA teams, and won five NBA championships. Also, he led the league in rebounds per game for seven consecutive seasons.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Some claimed that the Milwaukee Bucks were reaching when they took Giannis Antetokounmpo with the 15th overall pick back in 2013. But all things considered, it was actually one of the biggest draft steals in league history.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was a late bloomer but never stopped working and climbing his way to the top. Now, he’s one of the greatest players of all time and he hasn’t even turned 30. It’s crazy to think that 14 teams passed on a guy with such untapped potential and athletic traits, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes.
The Greek Freak has already built a Hall of Famer kind of career. He’s an NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and has been named to six All-NBA squads, five All-Defensive Teams, and six All-Stars with one All-Star MVP. He was also recently named to the league’s 75th-anniversary team.
3. John Stockton
John Stockton had an impressive career at Gonzaga but he didn’t strike as the kind of player NBA scouts were enamored with or a potential franchise-changing gem. The Utah Jazz took him with the 14th pick of the 1984 NBA Draft to be their backup point guard, and his career got off to quite the slow start.
It took him four seasons to become a starter but once he got there, he became one of the greatest pure point guards in the history of basketball. He spent his entire 19-season career with the Jazz, leading them to back-to-back NBA Finals. Also, he missed a grand total of 22 games in nearly two decades as a pro.
Even though Stockton couldn’t win an NBA championship, he made the All-Star game 10 times, won one All-Star Game MVP, made it to the All-NBA Team eleven times, and led the league in assists per game in nine consecutive seasons. He’s a part of the 50th and 75th-anniversary teams and the league’s all-time leader in both assists (15,806) and steals (3,265), two records unlikely to ever be broken.
2. Kobe Bryant
Only one person thought Kobe Bryant was going to be as good as he was, and that’s Jerry West. He traded Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for a lanky kid out of Lower Merion High School, the thirteen-overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft.
Kobe Bryant stood up among the top in what turned out to be a top-3 NBA draft class in terms of talent. It took him a while but once he got settled in the starting lineup, he became the closest thing we ever saw to Michael Jordan; thus becoming one of the biggest NBA draft steals ever.
The Black Mamba spent his entire two-decade career with the Los Angeles Lakers, leading the organization to five NBA championships. He was a two-time Finals MVP, MVP, led the league in scoring twice, and was selected to 18 All-Stars with four All-Star Game MVPs. He made the NBA All-Defensive Team twice teams, was chosen for the All-NBA team 15 times and the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team, and became one of the most influential athletes of all time.
1. Michael Jordan
It’s hard to talk about a steal when you’re the third-overall pick. Also, you can’t blame scouts for passing on Michael Jordan or any player whose draft class includes Hakeem Olajuwon as well. But all things considered, Jordan is still the biggest NBA draft steal of all time.
Considered by most the greatest player in NBA history, Jordan turned an ever-struggling Chicago Bulls franchise into a dynasty and one of the most popular and lucrative teams in all sports. His athleticism, defense, scoring prowess, and competitive nature made the game global.
Besides boasting the highest scoring average in NBA history and countless records, Jordan was a six-time NBA champion with six Finals MVPs, 10 Scoring Titles, was named Defensive Player of the Year, won five MVPs, made nine NBA All-Defensive teams, led the league in steals three times, made it to 14 All-Star teams with 3 All-Star MVPs, and made it to eleven All-NBA teams. He would’ve been the league’s all-time leading scorer if it wasn’t for his two early retirements.
