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Redrafting The 1st Round Of The 2014 NBA Draft

By Colby Giacubeno

Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Andrew Wiggins (Kansas) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number one overall pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Andrew Wiggins (Kansas) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number one overall pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The saying ‘hindsight is 20/20’ fits perfectly in this instance as we reflect on the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft and how it should’ve went now that player’s skills can be evaluated at the NBA level.

Nov 26, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) look on during the fourth quarter at Target Center. The Bucks defeated the Timberwolves 103-86. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker (12) and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins (22) look on during the fourth quarter at Target Center. The Bucks defeated the Timberwolves 103-86. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

In today’s NBA, to build a championship contender for years on end, the respective organization usually has a successful history in utilizing the draft. In the ’80s and ’90s, prospects that declared for the draft out of college were polished players who had gained multiple years of experience at the college level, making the transition to the NBA not as shocking as it is for the draftees today.

The one-and-done rule has been in effect since the CBA was signed in 2006, which made it mandatory for a player’s graduating class to be one year removed from high school before a becoming eligible to enter the NBA draft. Since the rule had been implemented, the number of players that come out of college after there freshman year has skyrocketed, and that’s not always a good thing.

There are special talents such as Anthony Davis, Andrew Wiggins, and Karl-Anthony Towns who have the skill set to almost guarantee a successful NBA career, but not all freshman sensations pan out and live up to expectations.

Related Story: NBA Draft: Best Player Ever Selected in all 60 Spots

Often times, NBA teams will draft a freshman that has the upside and potential to be a productive pro over the four-year college player who is more polished at that given time. Sometimes that method works and sometimes it fails miserably.

There are plenty of teams that would wish they could go back and draft differently now that they know the success of the particular player they passed on–such as the Detroit Pistons when they picked Darko Millicic over Carmelo Anthony in 2003.

How would the 2014 NBA Draft shape up if teams could go back and do things differently? Well, I’m glad you asked. Let’s take a look.

*Note: No trades were taken into consideration for this redrafting.

Next: No. 30