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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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Dec 1, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Orlando Magic guard Shabazz Napier (13) against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Magic defeated the Timberwolves 96-93. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Orlando Magic guard Shabazz Napier (13) against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. The Magic defeated the Timberwolves 96-93. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

29. Oklahoma City Thunder: Shabazz Napier, UConn

Original selection: 24th by the Charlotte Hornets (traded to the Miami Heat)

2015-16 statistics: 413 PPG 2.o APG 1.1 RPG 10.51 PER

Coming out of UConn and fresh off a national championship, there were hopes that Shabazz Napier could live up to being the next Kemba Walker. Napier was on the team as a freshman when Walker lead the Huskies to a national title in 2011.

The Heat trading for Napier came to no surprise after LeBron James took to Twitter to express his likeness for the point guard:

After that, it was pretty much guaranteed that Napier would be sporting a Heat jersey when it was all said and done, but Napier’s game didn’t translate as many thought it would. After one season, the Heat traded him to the Orlando Magic for a second-round pick, not exactly the route you want your first-rounder to take.

Now as a backup in Orlando, Napier is still barely seeing the floor averaging just 12.4 minutes per game. There is no doubt that Napier has the ability to score the ball and set up teammates, but the systems he has played in just haven’t been a fit.

Looking back, if he would’ve dropped to the Thunder, Napier could have been a spark off the bench behind Russell Westbrook and could still be doing so today.

Next: No. 30