The 2024 NBA Draft is right around the corner, and more so than ever, NBA teams will be looking to find hidden gems in the draft. This year's draft class is considered one of the weakest in recent memory. Good players come out of every draft class, though; it is just a matter of identifying and selecting them.
While generational prospects and elite number-one overall picks are one way to find franchise players, it isn't the only way. Some of the best players in NBA history were drafted way later than they should have been, and these players had careers far better than the players drafted ahead of them.
Since the 2024 NBA Draft isn't expected to have the star power at the top that we've seen in recent drafts, teams will be scouring their big boards to find players who they think can outplay their draft position. These players who perform better than expected for where they were drafted are called draft steals, and they can completely turn a franchise's fate around.
Elite players are rarely found later in the draft, and finding a great player without having to invest heavily into acquiring one is a sign of a great front office. It can also take a little luck, as it is easier to judge a player using hindsight than it is to evaluate a player as a prospect.
With that said, the state of this year's draft means there is no better time than now to rank the biggest NBA Draft steals ever. For fans worried that their rebuilding (or contending) team won't be able to find the missing piece because everyone is saying this year's draft class is weak, this article should go to prove that star talent can truly be found in any draft class at any point in the draft.
10. Rudy Gobert, 2013 Round 1, Pick 27: Denver Nuggets
Only three players in the NBA's history have won the Defensive Player of the Year award four times. Dikembe Mutombo did it, but he was drafted fourth overall in 1991, so he is not really considered a draft steal. Ben Wallace was also a four-time DPOY, but he went undrafted in 1996 and, therefore, doesn't qualify for this list. Rudy Gobert is the third player who was named the league's best defensive player on four occasions, and he is surely one of the biggest draft day steals ever, considering he wasn't taken until pick 27.
The Nuggets were actually the team that drafted Gobert before involving him in a draft day trade in 2013. It was a rare draft day mistake for Denver over the last decade or so. Gobert has been the league's best shot blocker basically since he stepped foot in the league. While his offensive game leaves something to be desired, his defensive impact is unquestionable.
Years after being drafted, Gobert was the headliner of a massive trade that landed him in Minnesota. He helped the Timberwolves make it as far as the Western Conference Finals this year, and his defensive prowess will likely helped the team contend for years to come.
9. Jimmy Butler, 2011 Round 1, Pick 30: Chicago Bulls
Jimmy Butler has a true underdog story. He spent part of his childhood homeless before playing Junior College ball. Eventually, Butler turned into a legitimate draft prospect while playing for Marquette, but he still wasn't selected until the last pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft. The Bulls draftee has continued to prove people wrong throughout his career, and it is fair to call him one of the biggest draft steals in NBA history.
Whether it was with the Bulls, Timberwolves, 76ers, or now the Heat, Butler has been one of the league's best players where ever he has played at. He may not have the deepest range or the flashiest play style, but he knows how to win basketball games, and that is why he always seems to turn things up a notch in the playoffs.
Butler is now 34 years old, and his best days are likely in the rearview mirror. Unfortunately, a championship has alluded the guard/wing to this point. However, Butler has shown no signs of slowing down, and he will always give teams the effort necessary to win games. Butler has carried the underdog persona that he came into the league with even long after becoming a superstar.
8. Dennis Rodman, 1986 Round 2, Pick 27: Detroit Pistons
When Dennis Rodman was drafted, there were only 23 teams in the league. That meant he technically fell to the second round when the Pistons took him with pick 27. Rodman's draft day fall wasn't necessarily a surprise, as he was far from the most ordinary prospect, but he certainly proved he was better than expected during his 14-year career.
We can't really blame 26 teams for passing on Rodman. He was very limited as an offensive player, and his unique path before entering the NBA made it hard to predict how he would translate in the pros.
Rodman didn't grow past six feet until after he graduated high school when he was working as an overnight janitor. His growth spurt afforded him the opportunity to play college basketball at Cooke County College. After a good season there, Rodman flunked out and ended up at NAIA school Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Despite a limited offensive game, Rodman became one of the best rebounders and defenders in the country. Those skills translated to the NBA game after Rodman was drafted by the Bad Boys Pistons. Rodman perfectly fit Detroit's mantra, and his ability to thrive in the less glamorous parts of the game led to two championships in Detroit.
Of course, Rodman also found success with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. The always-working forward won another three championships on his new team, a team that was arguably the greatest dynasty in league history.
While he is certainly known for his colorful personality (and hair), as well as his off-the-court antics, Rodman will forever be remembered as one of the greatest defensive players and rebounders ever. The lack of offense that scared teams off from drafting him earlier ended up being a false concern, and Rodman became one of the most polarizing players in league history.
7. Draymond Green, 2012 Round 2, Pick 35: Golden State Warriors
Rodman made his money not because of his offense, but because he was the ultimate team player and a great defender who was willing to do whatever it took to win games, including the dirty work. This archetype is perhaps undervalued in the draft, because Draymond Green, a similarly dominant defensive player/glue guy, also slid to the second round before proving his doubter wrong.
Green is considered the 21st century version of Rodman, but he was actually drafted even latter than The Worm was, so he ranks as a bigger draft steal than the former Pistons/Bulls star.
Like Rodman, Green's stellar defensive play has made him a bonafide champion. The former Michigan State player has won four championships with the Golden State Warriors. He is well known for his antics, which have made him loved by Warriors fans and hated by everyone else, but Green is the ultimate team player, and he will do whatever it takes to win games.
One other difference between Rodman and Green is that Green isn't as much of a non-factor on offense as Rodman was. He still isn't a great scorer, but he is a great facilitator. The Warriors have been able to run their offense through Green, which has allowed him to make plays setting up his superstar teammates like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson while they move off of the ball.
6. Steve Nash, 1996 Round 1, Pick 15: Phoenix Suns
Only 15 NBA players have won multiple MVP awards. Steve Nash, despite being drafted outside of the lottery, is one of them. Nash was the ultimate floor general. He was the engine that made some of the best offensive teams in league history work. The point guard was a maestro with the ball in his hands and that made him one of the best players we have ever seen at his position.
Nash is known for his days with the Suns, but it actually wasn't until the guard's second stint with the team that he really found success, even though Phoenix was the team that drafted him.
Nash ranks top five all-time in assists (10,335), and he also has double the amount of 50-40-90 seasons as anyone in NBA history with four times accomplishing that feat. His efficiency shooting the ball, combined with his passing ability, makes him the poster boy for the point guard position, and because he exceeded all expectations for a non-lottery pick, the Santa Clara product is certainly one of the biggest NBA Draft steals ever.
Nash is also one of the prized possessions from one of the best NBA Draft classes ever, which further justifies why he fell in the draft, considering a number of the players selected ahead of him were elite hoopers.
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, 2013 Round 1, Pick 15: Milwaukee Bucks
Another 15th overall pick, Giannis Antetokounmpo just edges out Steve Nash on this list. Like Nash, Antetokounmpo has won the MVP award twice, but the Bucks' forward also has a championship to his name. Antetokounmpo was drafted as late as he was because he was incredibly raw. In fact, some even considered him a reach when Milwaukee took him 15th overall.
As a prospect, Antetokounmpo's offensive game needed refining and his body needed developing. Both of these things happened, though, and the Bucks ended up with a near seven-footer who runs the floor like a guard and can compete with the strongest big men in the league down low.
Now, Antetokounmpo is arguably the greatest player in the league. He is impossible to stop when attacking the rim, and his defense is equally as dominant. He is an eight-time All-Star and was the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year.
You aren't expected to find MVP-caliber players outside of the lottery, but pick 15 has actually been somewhat of a hot spot for elite players. In addition to Nash and Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard was another superstar drafted with the first pick outside of the lottery. Leonard just missed out on making these rankings.
4. Kobe Bryant, 1996 Round 1, Pick 13: Charlotte Hornets
Kobe Bryant's status as a draft-day steal has more to do than with just where he was taken. Pick 13 is clearly a steal, considering the career the Hall of Famer had, but he stands out as a player who wasn't even drafted by the team that he played for. The Hornets were the team that made his name the 13th announced back in the 1996 NBA Draft, but they inexplicably traded him on draft night for Vlade Divac.
Divac was a solid player, but that decision was arguably the worst mistake in league history. After being traded, Bryant spent the entirety of his 20-year career with the Lakers. That type of loyalty is rare in the NBA, which makes Los Angeles' acquisition of the star even more impressive.
Bryant won five championships and the 2008 MVP award. He was named to 18 All-Star Games and 12 All-Defensive teams, and he even led the league in scoring twice. All of these accolades don't even do Bryant's career justice, as he truly was one of the best players in league history.
The Hornets should have never traded Kobe Bryant, but the NBA legend didn't just make Charlotte pay. The entire league had to pay for Bryant falling as far as he did in the draft.
3. Isaiah Thomas, 2011 Round 2, Pick 60: Sacramento Kings
You can't be drafted later than Isaiah Thomas was in 2011, so that makes him clearly one of the biggest NBA Draft steals of all time. The NFL may be more known for the Mr. Irrelevant role, but few players taken with the last pick in the NBA have found success, either. Thomas is the exception.
Despite standings only 5-foot-9, the undersized guard quickly made a name for himself in the NBA. He became one of the best scorers in the league and even finished top five in MVP voting one season.
Few players under six foot find success in the NBA, so it is not a surprise that Thomas fell so far in the draft. Even a moderate amount of success after being picked 60th overall could qualify a player as a draft day steal, but Thomas found a lot more than a moderate amount of success, so he cemented himself as one of the biggest NBA Draft steals in history.
2. Manu Ginobili, 1999 Round 2, Pick 57: San Antonio Spurs
Until the emergence of the next player on this list, Manu Ginobili spent years as the consensus biggest draft steal ever. Ginobili is one of many draft day steals in Spurs draft history. The team consistently drafted near the back end of the first round during their extended dynasty, yet they always seemed to find key contributors.
San Antonio drafted Tony Parker (2001 pick 28), Dejounte Murray (2016 pick 29), Derrick White (2017 pick 29), Keldon Johnson (2019 pick 29), Kyle Anderson (2014 pick 30), and George Hill (2008 pick 26) near the end of the first round, and they even traded for Kawhi Leonard – who was taken outside of the lottery with pick 15 – on draft day in 2011. Ginobili stands above the rest as the Spurs' biggest draft steal ever, as the Argentinian wasn't taken until the second to last pick in 1999.
Ginobili was a silky smooth lefty who helped popularize the euro-step move. His play style helped change narratives for non-American prospects, as Ginobili found success because of skill and fundamentals rather than through athleticism. The shooting guard is also credited with being the best sixth man ever.
We've seen teams find championship success after making big moves in free agency and through trade. The Spurs demonstrated the importance of drafting and developing homegrown talent, though. Their sustained success can be attributed to their ability to find great players without having picks at the top of the draft.
1. Nikola Jokic, 2014 Round 2, Pick 41: Denver Nuggets
It should come as no surprise that the best second round pick in NBA history is the league's biggest draft steal of all time. Nikola Jokic as outplayed his draft status more than any other draftee in league history, and his career is far from over. Jokic was drafted 41st overall in 2014. It took a year after he was drafted for him to join the Denver Nuggets, and he has done nothing but make history since.
Players like Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan have spent time as the best player in the NBA, the former two of which were first overall draft choices, while the latter of whom was picked third overall. Jokic, despite not being picked until the 41st selection, is the best player currently in the NBA.
Jokic is coming off a season in which he won his third MVP award. The center is incredibly versatile, and it feels like something went wrong if he doesn't drop a triple-double on a nightly basis. The best passing center ever already ranks fourth all-time with 130 career triple-doubles. Jokic's vision and feel for the game are unmatched, but he isn't only a threat to get his teammates involved. The center can also score at will. His touch inside ,combined with his impressive strength, makes him a nightmare matchup in the paint, but the big man is also capable of stepping outside and knocking down jump shots.
Jokic already has a Finals MVP to his name, too, and the Serbian superstar has shown no signs of slowing down. Before being drafted, Jokic was happy just to have a chance to make the NBA. Now, he is on a Hall of Fame trajectory and is well on his way to solidifying his place as one of the very best centers of all time.
No team has been better recently than the Nuggets at finding prospects who outplay their draft status. In addition to Jokic, Denver's core includes Jamal Murray (2016 pick 7), Michael Porter Jr. (2018 pick 14), and Christian Braun (2022 pick 21).
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