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In the NBA Draft, you don’t need a first-round pick to find a potential franchise-altering player. Some of the most impactful draft picks were drafted with second-round selections.
Everyone is obsessed with the NBA Draft Lottery and the early first-round picks. But if a team is smart and lucky, they can find value at any of the 60 modern NBA Draft slots. That includes Hall-of-Famers, legendary leaders and transformational offensive and defensive anchors.
Here are the five best second-round picks in NBA Draft history:
5. Manu Ginóbili
A member of the 2022 NBA Hall of Fame Class, the Argentinian enjoyed a long and successful career. After being drafted with the 57th overall selection in the second round, Ginóbili spent his first three overseas even after being drafted. But once he arrived with the Spurs, he made his presence felt.
The left-handed shooting guard didn’t take long to get acclimated to the NBA style of play. Once he came to the NBA in 2002, he earned All-Rookie Second Team honors. He played a prominent role in the Spurs’ run to the 2003 NBA Championship. Little did we know, that was only the beginning for Ginóbili and the Spurs.
He became an All-Star for the first time in just his third season with the Spurs. That same year, the Spurs won another championship. Having won two championships in his first three NBA seasons, the Spurs went on to enjoy one of the most dominant eras in NBA history. They had a streak of 18 straight 50-win seasons, which set an NBA record.
Manu Ginóbili and the Spurs went on to win two more titles, ending his career as a four-time NBA Champion. Ginóbili continued to improve as his career went on, receiving All-NBA Third Team honors twice.
Ginóbili was also the ultimate team player who was willing to make sacrifices if it meant helping the team win. He not only accepted a bench role with the Spurs, but he also thrived in it. He earned the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award for his efforts in the 2007-08 season.
Throughout an illustrious 16-year career, Manu Ginóbili averaged 13.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. He was a key piece of one of the most historically-dominant teams in American professional sports history, making Ginóbili an easy addition to this list.