2001 NBA Draft winners and losers: 22 days of NBA Draft Day 1
By Jim James
Hello all, welcome to day one of the 22 days of NBA Draft series, where we start with the 2001 NBA Draft Winners and Losers. Today in Day 1, we take a look at the 3 Biggest Winners and losers of the 2001 NBA Draft, 21 years later, I know, but still. That makes for a better one in hindsight. Alright, let’s begin.
Winners
San Antonio Spurs
Tony Parker. That’s it. That’s the word. They got one of the biggest steals in draft history in the history of the NBA. Although they had 2 2nd round picks who never played a game, Tony Parker at the 28th pick makes up for it.
Golden State Warriors
They had an amazing draft. They drafted Jason Richardson, who was actually good, Troy Murphy who was eh, and the jewel in the crown, Gilbert Arenas with the 31st pick. He wasn’t too good for Golden State, but the Warriors still have the brag of drafting him, one of the biggest steals in the history of the league.
Vancouver Grizzlies
A double-coup by the Canadians, trading for 3rd pick Pau Gasol for *gulp* Shareef Abdur-Raheem and the 27th pick (Jamaal Tinsley, the pick before Tony Parker). Gasol may not have stayed north of the border for long, but they got team legend and brother Marc Gasol in a trade to the Lakers. Great doings from Vancouver.
Losers
Washington Wizards
Kwame Brown, one of the biggest busts in NBA history. With just 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds, just 3 games started in his rookie year, 7 teams played for in his last 6 seasons, and leaving the NBA at just 33, it’s fair to say the Wizards really missed on this one.
Atlanta Hawks
The other side of the Pau Gasol deal, he was traded for yes, two productive but meaningless seasons from Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and the pick before Tony Parker, as previously mentioned. This deal rippled negatively for the Hawks until 2021, 20 years, and should they have not made the trade may have ended up with players such as Marc Gasol, Jonas Valanciunas, and Steven Adams. Yikes.
Chicago Bulls
Is it possible to have 2 top 4 picks in one draft and have them both be busts? Yes. Yes it is. The Bulls in 2001 had 2 top 4 picks and selected Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry. Tyson Chandler started out looking like a bust but switched teams and went on to make an All-NBA team, but not on the Bulls, so he’s a Bulls bust. Eddy Curry was selected 4th by Chicago in this draft as well, started out looking like a bust, and ended looking like a bust. To add salt to the wound, in the Tyson Chandler trade, the Bulls gave up Elton Brand to the Clippers, who would go on to make 2 All-Star teams, an All-NBA team, and never average less than 17 points per game with them for 7 years.
There you have it ladies and gentlemen, the Winners and Losers of the 2001 NBA Draft. We’ll have content like this for most of this month as we get closer to the NBA Draft.