Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking the last 10 first-round picks

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8. Josh Hart (2017)

One of the countless college basketball superstars who got drafted lower than their NCAA resume warranted, Josh Hart was taken with the 30th and final pick of the first round in the 2017 draft after earning Big East Player of the Year and consensus All-American honors at Villanova.

The 6’5″ do-it-all wing had helped the Wildcats win a national championship in 2016 and collected two Big East Tournament M.O.P. awards. He’s not the ideal size for an NBA wing, but he’s a polished, efficient offensive player and a solid defender.

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In two seasons with the Lakers, Hart averaged 7.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 36.1 percent from 3-point range.

By the end of his second season, he was considered a key part of the franchise’s young foundation. When Hart was traded to the Pelicans as part of the Davis deal, a lot of L.A. fans objected to him being included and felt he would’ve been a valuable role player in the future.

This season with the Pelicans, Hart is averaging a career-best 10.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game as an occasional starter.

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