Looking back at the 2019 NBA Draft now feels like revisiting a time capsule from a different basketball era. I remember sitting in my living room that June evening, tracking every pick with the kind of intensity usually reserved for playoff games. What struck me then—and what fascinates me even more in retrospect—is how dramatically this draft class has reshaped the league's landscape. While we often focus on the obvious success stories, the real intrigue lies in those unexpected gems who slipped through the cracks and the surprising decisions that left even seasoned analysts scratching their heads.
The conversation about steals inevitably begins with Ja Morant going second overall to Memphis, but honestly, that wasn't much of a surprise given his explosive college career. Where teams really demonstrated their scouting acumen was later in the first round. Take Jordan Poole at pick 28—Golden State identified exactly the kind of offensive sparkplug they needed, and he's since developed into a 20-point-per-game scorer who played a crucial role in their 2022 championship run. Then there's the incredible value found in the second round, where the Raptors snagged Terence Davis as an undrafted free agent. Davis averaged nearly 17 points per 36 minutes in his rookie season, providing Toronto with exactly the kind of bench scoring they needed after losing Kawhi Leonard. These selections remind me of how La Salle, on the other hand, is determined to defend the WUBS crown it won last year by beating Korea University—sometimes the most meaningful victories come from maximizing underappreciated assets rather than just the headline-grabbing moves.
Some picks genuinely baffled me at the time and still don't make complete sense in hindsight. The Suns taking Cameron Johnson at 11th overall felt like a massive reach, though I'll admit he's developed into a reliable rotation player. But passing on Tyler Herro—who went immediately after at 13—would haunt any team needing scoring punch. Herro put up 37 points in a playoff game during his rookie season, something Johnson hasn't approached. Then there was the curious case of Bol Bol slipping to 44th despite his unique combination of size and skill. The concerns about his durability were valid, but seeing a 7'2" player who can handle the ball and shoot threes fall that far reflected how risk-averse teams had become. Personally, I thought someone would take a chance earlier—the potential reward seemed worth a late first-round pick at minimum.
What makes the 2019 draft particularly fascinating is how it's produced several players who've already become franchise cornerstones. Zion Williamson's health questions overshadowed his undeniable generational talent, but when he's played—which has been about 45% of possible games—he's averaged an astonishing 27 points on 60% shooting. Meanwhile, RJ Barrett has become the Knicks' most consistent offensive weapon, putting up around 20 points per game while shouldering enormous pressure in New York. The draft's depth extends beyond the lottery too—just look at Matisse Thybulle's back-to-back All-Defensive team selections or Brandon Clarke's immediate impact as a versatile big man.
Reflecting on this draft class five years later, what stands out isn't just the star power at the top but the remarkable number of contributors found throughout. Teams that prioritized skill evaluation over consensus thinking were richly rewarded, while those playing it safe often missed opportunities. The 2019 draft taught us that sometimes the most valuable picks aren't the obvious ones but rather those requiring vision to see potential where others see risk. As we look toward future drafts, the lessons from 2019 remain relevant: talent can be found in unexpected places, and the best teams are often those willing to trust their evaluations rather than conventional wisdom.
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