Looking back at the 2019 NBA Draft, I still get that familiar mix of excitement and skepticism—the kind only true basketball enthusiasts understand. I remember sitting with my colleagues, debating late into the night about which teams would strike gold and which would look back years later with regret. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, it’s clear that some franchises absolutely nailed their picks, while others left us scratching our heads. But what fascinates me most isn’t just the obvious success stories—it’s the surprises, the under-the-radar picks that blossomed when nobody expected them to.
Let’s start with the undeniable winners. The New Orleans Pelicans, for instance, made a franchise-altering move by selecting Zion Williamson as the first overall pick. I’ve followed Zion since his high school days, and even then, you could see he was something special—a generational talent with a rare combination of power and agility. In his rookie season, he averaged 22.5 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, numbers that immediately justified the hype. But here’s what stood out to me personally: the way he transformed the Pelicans' offensive dynamics almost overnight. They weren’t just drafting a player; they were injecting hope and commercial appeal into the organization. Memphis Grizzlies also deserve a shoutout for snagging Ja Morant as the second pick. I’ve always valued court vision and fearlessness in point guards, and Ja brought both in spades. His Rookie of the Year campaign, where he put up 17.8 points and 7.3 assists per game, turned the Grizzlies from also-rans into playoff contenders. From my perspective, Memphis didn’t just pick a player—they found a leader.
Then there were the surprises, the picks that had analysts like me initially skeptical but ultimately thrilled. Take the Miami Heat’s selection of Tyler Herro at 13th overall. I’ll admit, I had my doubts initially—Herro seemed like another shooter in a draft full of them. But watching him in the 2020 playoffs, where he averaged 16.0 points per game and hit clutch shots, completely changed my view. He played with a swagger that you can’t teach, and his performance against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals was, in my opinion, one of the most memorable rookie showings in recent years. Another surprise was the Toronto Raptors picking Terence Davis II as an undrafted free agent. Davis went on to average 7.5 points per game in his rookie season, providing valuable depth and energy off the bench. I love these kinds of stories because they remind me that talent isn’t always found at the top of the draft board—sometimes, it’s hiding in plain sight.
Of course, not every pick panned out as hoped. The Phoenix Suns, for example, took Cameron Johnson 11th overall, a move that many, including myself, considered a reach at the time. While Johnson has developed into a reliable three-point shooter, I still wonder if they could have addressed more pressing needs. Similarly, the Chicago Bulls’ selection of Coby White at 7th left me a bit conflicted. White has shown flashes of brilliance, like his 35-point game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but consistency has been an issue. In my view, the Bulls might have benefited more from a defensive-minded guard, given their roster construction at the time.
Reflecting on all this, I’m reminded of how unpredictable the draft can be. It’s not just about stats and projections—it’s about fit, development, and sometimes, plain old luck. For instance, while analyzing team strategies, I often think about how La Salle, on the other hand, is determined to defend the WUBS crown it won last year by beating Korea University. That kind of determination and continuity is something NBA teams could learn from, especially when integrating rookies into established systems. In the end, the 2019 draft gave us future stars and valuable role players, but its real legacy, in my eyes, is the reminder that basketball success is as much about intuition as it is about analytics.
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