Hindsight is 20/20. Nobody expected Kawhi Leonard to become one of the best two-way players in NBA history. Scouts said he was an undisciplined defender, lacked the skill to become a role player, and his high arcing jump shot wouldn't translate in the NBA.
Fast forward twelve years later, Kawhi's won two Defensive Player of the Year Awards, appeared in five All-Star games, and is the only player in his draft class to win multiple Finals MVPs. While it's evident Kawhi's exceeded everyone's expectations as a 15th pick, here's how the careers of the fourteen players picked ahead of him have turned out twelve years later.
14. Marcus Morris Sr
Morris had the reputation as a versatile big coming out of Kansas. He's been more of an all-around forward for the Los Angeles Clippers over the last four years and picks up the slack whenever Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are out of the lineup.
13. Markieff Morris
The other half of the Morris twins peaked in the early 2010s. His best season came with the Phoenix Suns when he averaged 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds and currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks.
12. Alec Burks
Injuries to his shoulder and ankle ultimately plagued the early part of Burks' career. Luckily, he's bounced back and has consistently averaged more than 13 points per game the last four seasons and currently plays for the Detroit Pistons.
11. Klay Thompson
Before suffering injuries to his Achilles and ACL in consecutive seasons, Klay was another player in this draft class that exceeded everyone's expectations. Since getting drafted Klay's won four NBA titles, appeared in five all-star games, and still plays for the team (Golden State Warriors) that drafted him.
10. Jimmer Fredette
After leading the nation in scoring and dropping 43 points on Kawhi Leonard in college, Jimmer struggled in his six years playing in the NBA. However, he did become a legend in China and has spent the last four years playing overseas.
9. Kemba Walker
Spoiler, Kemba is the only other player in the top ten aside from Kyrie Irving to make an All-Star game at this point. He was the lone bright spot for the Charlotte Hornets franchise in the last decade but is currently a free agent. Walker last played for the Mavericks on a 10-day contract which ended in January 2023.
8. Brandon Knight
Knight was one of the up-and-coming point guards in the NBA up until he tore his left ACL in July 2017. Like Walker, Knight also last played for the Mavericks and has spent the last few seasons playing in the G-league.
7. Bismack Biyombo
Biyombo is another role player from this draft class that's managed to stick around in the league. He's played for four different teams over his career and currently plays for the Phoenix Suns.
6. Jan Vesely
Vesely struggled to get any sort of playing time in his three-year NBA career. He last played for the Denver Nuggets in 2014 before becoming a Euroleague legend for Fenerbahçe until 2022.
5. Jonas Valanciunas
Valanciunas has carved up a role as a quality role player for every team he's played for. He currently plays for the New Orleans Pelicans and has started his last 262 of 263 games.
4. Tristan Thompson
The Cleveland Cavaliers are the only team who chose to pass on Kawhi Leonard twice in the 2011 draft. Thompson's best years came when he was teammates with LeBron James and now works for ESPN.
3. Enes Kanter
Also known as Enes ‘Freedom', the Turkish big man played eleven years in the NBA for four teams. He'll be most remembered for his time in OKC when he averaged 14.2 points and 8.0 rebounds in 180 games.
2. Derrick Williams
When you talk about two-way players of this draft class, nobody had quite the ceiling of Derrick Williams. However, Williams peaked in his sophomore year and played for seven different teams over his seven-year career.
1. Kyrie Irving
Off-court drama aside, Kyrie Irving is still one of the most talented offensive players in the NBA and currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks.
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