NBA Draft: Top 30 draft steals in league history
118. Power Forward. 47th Pick: 2006. Paul Millsap. 25. player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Best NBA Draft steals of all time: Paul Millsap, Utah Jazz
Most NBA franchises see the second round of the NBA Draft as an opportunity to take a flyer on a player with that hopes that he may develop into a semi-consistent part of their team at some point down the line.
Nobody expects a second-round pick to become a multi-year NBA All-Star.
The Utah Jazz selected Paul Millsap with the 47th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
They got more than they ever thought they would from the big man.
Millsap became an instant contributor during his rookie season, appearing in all 82 regular season games, while averaging 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest.
After a successful seven seasons with the Jazz where the team made the playoffs five times, Millsap left Utah in free agency to join the Atlanta Hawks.
Millsap’s four seasons in Atlanta proved to be the most successful of his career.
Voters selected Millsap as an NBA All-Star all four years he was in Atlanta, along with making the All-Defensive team in the 2015-16 season with the Hawks.
He also helped lead Atlanta to four straight playoff appearances, including an Eastern Conference Finals appearance against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2014-15 NBA season.
While Millsap has never posted overly eye-popping statistics in his career, his solid defense, consistency and ability to evolve his style of play has allowed him to enjoy a 12-year NBA career — with more to come.
Though his statistical contribution will never place him in the conversation as one of the best players in the league, Millsap being one of the final 13 players taken in a 60-man NBA Draft makes him an insanely good steal.