Open Thread: Ranking the 11th draft picks of the 2010s- Part 2

As mentioned yesterday, Devin Vassell was drafted in the eleventh spot by the San Antonio Spurs. This was their first lottery pick in decades.

Eleventh picks do not come with a guarantee. The drafted player could make a major difference in your franchise, become a part of a bigger trade, or play out his contract and move on to another team.

Spurs fans will be focused on the immediate and long-term outcome of the Florida State Seminole. His playing time will be scrutinized as will what he does with that allotment.

With hindsight being 2020 (pun intended), let’s continue to rank the players chosen at the eleventh spot over the last decade and then produce the appropriate amount of speculation and conjecture for which to determine Vassell’s success rate.

Yesterday we started with 10-7:

10th- Cole Aldrich (2010)

9th- Doug McDermott (2014)

8th Malik Monk (2017)

7th Cameron Johnson (2019)

On to the next set:

6th Meyers Leonard (2012)

The seven-foot center may not have stellar numbers, but he is a steady big man with an “all-in” attitude, even from the bench. His sideline cheerleading was a hot topic during the NBA Finals even if he was coming in behind Bam Adebayo and Kelly Olynyk. Not a bad draft pick until you see both Draymond Green (35th) and Khris Middleton (39th) waiting until the second round to find a home.

5th Michael Carter-Willams (2013)

Michael Carter-Williams (PG) started his career strong. He was the 2014 NBA Rookie of the Year while averaging 16.7PPG/6.3APG/6.2RPG in his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Unfortunately, multiple injuries stifled what might have otherwise been a stellar career. Six teams in seven years and stats trending downward has left MCW coming off the bench. He was an admirable choice, but unbeknownst at the time – two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was hanging in the 15th spot.

4th Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2018)

Another player with a small sample size who made an immediate and noticeable impact on the league. Gilgeous-Alexander started in seventy-three games for the Clippers his rookie year before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in what turned out to be the most embarrassing season for Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers. Shai started in all seventy games for the Thunder who surprised everyone in turning their supposed “rebuild” season into a contending one.

Next up: What’s with all the blue and yellow jerseys?

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