With the 2018-19 NBA season set to tip-off this month, it’s time we look back at a past NBA Draft.

The 2010 NBA Draft was filled with future All-Stars and All-NBA talent. I would even say that a couple of the players could one day be in the Hall of Fame. 

John Wall was drafted first overall by the Washington Wizards in 2010. He was the consensus best player in the draft. One could argue that the picks that immediately followed him were pretty bad. Who knows how well those teams would have been if the Sixers, Nets or Timberwolves would have selected DeMarcus Cousins or Paul George.

The Indiana Pacers did the most with their picks in the 2010 NBA Draft. They selected Paul George at #10 and Lance Stephenson at #40. Those players were a huge part of their playoff teams in the mid-10’s.

We look back at the 2010 NBA Draft and reDraft based on their careers so far.

1. Paul George – F/G – Fresno State (George was drafted #10) – There were a few choices here for the reDRAFT, but I think George is arguably the best player in this draft class. When he was drafted #10 back in 2010, he was roughly four inches shorter and was one of the youngest guys in the draft. I believe the reason he has become such a great defensive player is due to his late growth spurt. He can now guard all five positions. He would have been a great addition to the Wizards if he was drafted first overall.

2. John Wall – G – Kentucky (Wall was drafted #1) – There are three or four guys that could easily be swapped in and out from #2 through #5. You could makes a case for each of those guys. Wall has been consistent, but the Wizards seem to always under-perform as a team. It hurts Wall’s legacy as he has been overshadowed by all the LeBron teams and that his teams were mostly favored to be a high playoff seed nearly every preseason, only to disappoint most years. I still think, in a bubble, Wall is the second-best player in the 2010 NBA Draft.

3. Gordon Hayward – F/G – Butler  (Hayward was drafted #9) – Hayward may not have been an instant sensation right out of college like Wall or Cousins, but Hayward has improved nearly every year since his rookie season. His current stock took a hit due to his nasty ankle injury that led to him missing all but the first game of the 2017-18 season. The Celtics are one of the best teams in the NBA and Hayward should make them an even better team this year.

4. DeMarus Cousins – F/C – Kentucky (Cousins was drafted #5) – Cousins was on a tear until the Kings new ownership came to power. He was a grumpy guy and would take plays off. He had a career resurgence when he was traded to New Orleans. He was a nice complement to Anthony Davis. He has now went ‘ring hunting’ and joined the Golden State Warriors. He’s a talented guy, but his temperament will always hurt his ability to be the best in this draft class.

5. Eric Bledsoe – G – Kentucky (Bledsoe was drafted #18) – Bledsoe is another guy who took a couple years to really find his way. He turned into a very explosive player, even though he tends to miss some time due to injuries nearly every year. He narrowly edged Monroe, but it was really close. He was one of the best guards in the draft.

6. Greg Monroe – C – Georgetown (Monroe was drafted #7) – Monroe went the opposite route as Bledsoe, as he peaked early and is now a bench guy. I listed him this high due to his Win Shares total he racked up early in his career. He had a shot to become a real dominant big man in a small man’s game. Andre Drummond turned out to take his spot in that role.

7. Derrick Favors – F/C – Georgia Tech (Favors was drafted #3) – Favors may be one of the most consistent guys in this area of the reDRAFT. He was right at the border of being an All-Star for a few years, but I believe his peak may be behind him now, but he’s still a productive starter in the league…which is something many guys on this list can’t say in 2018.

8. Hassan Whiteside – C – Marshall (Whiteside was drafted #33) – Whiteside found himself out of the NBA after two unproductive years with the Kings. He signed a ten-day contract with the Heat in 2014-15, and shined. He always had a high ceiling when it comes to defense, as he led the nation in blocks in his last year in college. He is now one of the stars with the Heat earning over $25 million per year.

9. Lance Stephenson – G – Cincinnati (Stephenson was drafted #40) – Stephenson was an after-thought when he was taken in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft. He was one of the top recruits of his high school class, but test scores kept him out of a few elite schools. He was ‘good’ at Cincinnati, but most thought he entered the draft too early. Stephenson went on to earn fame with the Pacers for his flamboyant style of play. He left the team only to find himself back with the Pacers after flaming out with the Hornets and a few other teams. This offseason, he signed as a free agent with the Lakers after two successful stints with the Pacers…hopefully he can get along with LeBron.

10. Patrick Patterson – F – Kentucky (Patterson was drafted #14) – This might be the most controversial listing by Patterson ahead of a few guys below him. I will argue that Patterson might be one of the best bench guys in the NBA. He’s not going to wow you scoring, but he plays really good defense and has a Win Share total higher than some guys above him on this list. He has another four or five years left in him doing exactly what he’s doing today.

11. Wesley Johnson – F – Syracuse (Johnson was drafted #4) – Johnson might be the most overrated players on this list, but he’s still a productive player. I remember when the Clippers got him, and for some reason, I was hearing that it was such a good acquisition. Like he was the missing piece the Clippers needed during the 2015-16 season. He’s a guy who starts, but should probably come off the bench. It sounds like I’m bashing the guy, but I’m just pointing out that he would be a perfect bench guy on a playoff team…not a starter on one.

12. Avery Bradley – G – Texas (Bradley was drafted #19) – If I made this list just two years ago, Bradley would have been much higher. He was a defensive stalwart on an up and coming Celtics team. One could argue that he was the best player on a few of those teams. He may have been in the top-ten if not for his injury history. He has only played in more than 64 games twice. He tends to be injured at the worst possible time. He’s still a good player, but he best days are behind him.

13. Ed Davis – F – North Carolina (Davis was drafted #13) – When the Pacers selected Paul George over Davis in the 2010 NBA Draft, there were some analysts that thought Indiana was reaching on George. They thought Davis was a guy who could play right away and be a more productive NBA player. In hindsight, the Pacers made the best pick in the draft, but Davis did turn out to be good as well. I would put him in the ‘Wesley Johnson category’, as a guy who could be an outstanding bench player on a playoff team, but you wouldn’t want him to be your starter. 

14. Evan Turner – G – Ohio State (Turner was drafted #2) – Turner was one of the best college basketball players going into the 2010 NBA Draft. I watched most of his games as I lived in Columbus, Ohio at the time. He was overrated as a player of those who could be a ball-dominant guard. He would make a ton of turnovers every game at Ohio State, but people would overlook it due to the rest of his the results. The turnovers were an issue immediately in the NBA. He was a very good player for a couple seasons, but he’s never been one of the best players on a good team. I had to list him at #14 as he as lost starting jobs mid-season multiple times. He can disappear in a game like no one else in the league.

15. Jeremy Lin – G – Harvard (Lin went undrafted) – Lin is the highest undrafted player on this list. It took him awhile to stick with a team and many thought he was a ‘flash in the pan’ when he first became nationally known with the New York Knicks. He has since become a good player, but injuries have wiped out his last two seasons. Through the 2017-18 season, he has made nearly $52 million in his career (not counting the $13.7 million he will earn this year), so that’s pretty darn good for being an undrafted NBA player.

16. Al-Farouq Aminu (Aminu was drafted #8)
17. Trevor Booker (Booker was drafted #23)
18. Ekpe Udoh (Udoh was drafted #6)
19. Landry Fields (Fields was drafted #39)
20. Jeremy Evans (Evans was drafted #55)
21. Luke Babbitt (Babbitt was drafted #16)
22. Larry Sanders (Sanders was drafted #15)
23. Ish Smith (Smith went undrafted)
24. Lance Thomas (Thomas went undrafted)
25. Greivis Vasquez (Vasquez was drafted #28)
26. Kevin Seraphin (Seraphin was drafted #17)
27. Quincy Pondexter (Pondexter was drafted #26)
28. Jordan Crawford (Crawford was drafted #27)
29. Boban Marjanovic (Marjanovic went undrafted)
30. Donald Sloan (Sloan went undrafted)

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About the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.