The Indiana Pacers have the No. 18 and No. 47 overall picks in the upcoming 2017 NBA Draft. Here is a look at the draft history for these picks for both the team and the NBA.
As the Indiana Pacers prepare for next month’s 2017 NBA Draft, it is wise to bear in mind that the draft is not an exact science. In fact, some would label it as more of a crapshoot.
There have been top overall choices who have failed, late round picks who have achieved All-Star status, and every conceivable variation in between.
However, we can form some general expectations based on draft history. There are best-case and worst-case scenarios we can infer from this historical data that gives us an idea of what is possible when choosing from a particular spot in the draft order.
Let’s begin by looking at the Pacers’ 2017 first round pick, 18th overall.
Indiana has picked 18th in the first round one time before, and that choice was a success. In 1984, Georgia guard Vern Fleming was the Pacers’ pick, and he spent 11 productive years with the franchise.
Fleming posted 11.7 points, 4.9 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game in a Pacers uniform, while also becoming a fan favorite due to his soft-spoken personality and his poise on the basketball court.
Perhaps the most impactful player ever chosen in the opening round at No. 18 was Detroit Pistons guard Joe Dumars (1985). Dumars was a key contributor during the Pistons’ championship years, boasting a career scoring average of 16.1 points per contest.
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The only first round, 18th overall choice who never played a minute of NBA basketball was playground legend Raymond Lewis, who was picked by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1973.
Lewis reportedly had a world of talent, but he walked out on the 76ers due to a contract dispute prior to his rookie season, and as an end result, he never played in the NBA.
Indiana also owns a second round selection (47th overall) in the 2017 NBA Draft, and that pick also has an interesting history.
The Pacers have never picked at No. 47, but there is plenty of historical information available related to that draft position.
Probably the best player ever chosen 47th overall is Paul Millsap, picked by the Utah Jazz in 2006. Millsap is a four-time All-Star power forward, having just completed his 11th NBA season. In 2016-17, he registered per game averages of 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
There are plenty of players who never made an NBA roster coming out of the No. 47 slot in the draft, so the expectations are low for anyone chosen in the bottom half of the second round.
Nbadraft.net is currently projecting the Indiana Pacers to choose Kentucky big man Bam Adebayo with their first-round selection. Adebayo is an elite athlete, but considered raw in terms of his basketball skills.
With the 47th pick in the draft, Nbadraft.net has the Pacers taking European prospect Mathias Lessort, a 6-foot-9, 235 pound power forward from France.
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It typically takes several years to properly evaluate a team’s draft, but the process for 2017 is already well underway. Who do you think the Indiana Pacers should take when they are on the clock on June 22?