We continue our eDraft exclusive look at the top NBA draft choices over the past 40 years. Our continued look back through history will determine who was the best draft selection through each slot in the draft. We don’t stop with the first overalls, we will go pick by pick, year by year to to identify the very best selections of all-time.
We just finished our analysis of the greatest 16th overall draft pick ever and boy did we find a gem, rather the Utah Jazz found a gem. An unheralded point guard from the even less heralded West Coast Conference named John Stockton was an easy selection as our greatest pick. The Hall of Famer, ten time All-Star and two time Olympic Gold Medalist was a deserving winner. Let’s see how the greatest 15th overall draftee stacks up.
Before we get down to our eventual champion there are some former 15th overall picks that are worth mentioning here. In back-to-back years, 2011 and 2010 two solid players were found. Both Kawhi Leonard and Larry Sanders had their name called on draft day out of this spot. The Indiana Pacers grabbed Leonard and the Milwaukee Bucks nabbed Sanders.
Going back-to-back again we have Robin Lopez going to Phoenix in 2008 and Rodney Stuckey going to the Detroit Pistons in 2007. Rounding out the decade that was, the 2004 draft saw the Boston Celtics select Al Jefferson with their 15th overall pick. While Jefferson’s career got off to a slow start due to injuries and inconsistency; he has blossomed into a double-double machine.
Two others are worth mentioning here as success stories. The 1995 draft saw the Denver Nuggets select an eventual Slam Dunk Champion in Brent Barry while the Utah Jazz selected the sharpshooting Dell Curry back in 1986.
Our greatest 16th overall draft pick came out of the smaller-time West Coast Conference and we go back to that conference to find out greatest 15th overall draft pick. Steve Nash, now of the Los Angeles Lakers was originally drafted by the Phoenix Suns back in 1996. He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks after a few years, only to return to the Suns as a free-agent.
Nash’s greatest success came in the Valley of the Sun as he won back-to-back MVP awards and narrowly missed out on a third consecutive. Nash is one of only two point-guards to win multiple MVP’s (the other being Magic Johnson) and joins a group of only nine players to ever win the award back-back. Nash is credited with being one of the smartest and savviest players in the league to go along with one of the hardest working.
Nash’s work ethic and relentless pursuit of perfection has propelled him into the stratosphere of the all-time greats. He is in rare company when it comes to shooting percentages and field-goals made. While Nash is likely to retire without a Championship, he is still an eight time All-Star, seven time All-NBA Team member and he led the league in assists for five seasons.
Once Nash retires he will undoubtedly be a first-ballot Hall of Famer as he ranks as a top ten point-guard of all-time. In addition to representing the NBA, Nash has paved the way for future Canadian basketball players to make the jump to the NCAA and the pro’s. The league has seen an increase in Canadian talent as guys like Tristan Thompson, Anthony Bennett and the soon-to-be-pro Andrew Wiggins all count Nash as an influencing force in their decision to continue their basketball dreams.
Steve Nash has been a true ambassador for the NBA and as his career winds down with the Lakers; a look back shows how remarkable his career truly was. Nash was an easy choice for eDraft’s greatest 15th overall draft pick of all-time.