The 30 most painful NBA Draft pass-ups since 2000

NBA Draft Mistake #8: Boston drafting Joseph Forte over Tony Parker.

Most people know by now that the Boston Celtics nearly won the draft rights to Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, only for them to come up just short. That was bad luck, but fewer people probably know that Boston passed up a chance to select Duncan’s long-time teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Tony Parker.

Parker was famously taken 28th by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2001 NBA Draft. However, Boston nearly selected him 21st before Celtics legend Red Auerbach made the final decision to pass on Parker for Joseph Forte. Parker would go on to be a six-time all-star, win four NBA championships, and be the Finals MVP in 2007.

Meanwhile, the player the Celtics took over Parker lasted only a year with the team. Part of the reason the Celtics chose to pass on Parker was reportedly because he wasn’t an American prospect. Back in 2001, there weren’t many international players in the NBA, especially 18-year-old point guards from France.

The Spurs, of course, were arguably the first team to target international prospects, and it paid off big time. At his best, Parker was one of the best players in the NBA and far exceeded even the Spurs’ wildest hopes. He could have been a huge get for Boston had they not overlooked him.