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Prior to the NBA Draft, basketball fans usually have an idea on which prospects would transform into NBA stars. Especially with analysis, mixed tapes, and experts freely expressing their predictions, determining a player's ceiling has been more advanced than ever. However, while scouting reports and social media can still affect a player's trajectory, some find a way to defy expectations and push their ceiling to new heights. Here is a look at the 10 most unexpected superstars in NBA history.
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Nikola Jokic
Drafted with the 41st overall pick in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft, Nikola Jokic pretty much entered the NBA as an under-the-radar prospect. In fact, the Denver Nuggets drafted Jokic at the same time a Taco Bell commercial aired on television. However, little did anyone expect that Jokic would eventually dominate the NBA as arguably the best center in the league today. The Serbian star has collected three NBA MVPs, one NBA championship, and one NBA Finals MVP.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
As a scrawny kid out of Greece, Giannis Antetokounmpo had all the tools to be unstoppable. However, people also knew that he was also pretty raw. Despite having little to no accolades in Europe, Giannis developed into the Greek Freak, thanks to the development and patience by the Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff.
Antetokounmpo earned two NBA MVPs, one NBA Cup title, one NBA Cup MVP, an NBA Most Improved Player Award, and an NBA Defensive Player of the Year trophy. But more importantly, Giannis led the Bucks to an NBA championship for the first time in 50 years with him crowned as the Finals MVP in 2021.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Drafted in the first round with the 11th overall pick by the Los Angeles Clippers, a lot of people knew that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a good player out of Kentucky. However, no one expected that he would dominate the league. The newly crowned 2025 NBA MVP wasn't looked at high enough by the Clippers, putting him as part of a blockbuster trade package to bring in All-Star Paul George. SGA went on to become the face of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who just advanced to the NBA Finals.
Kawhi Leonard
When the San Antonio Spurs acquire you, you're a player that's special. While the Indiana Pacers originally drafted Kawhi Leonard with the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2011 NBA Draft, they then traded Leonard to the Spurs on the same night. Many expected that Leonard's ceiling would be a premiere 3-and-D player.
However, after locking up LeBron James and balling out at the 2014 NBA Finals, Leonard kicked off his ascent to superstardom by becoming one of the youngest NBA Finals MVPs. He has collected two NBA titles with two different franchises thus far.
Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler's life has been littered with obstacles, which he has successfully surpassed with his grit and determination. From being kicked out of the family to faxing his National Letter of Intent from McDonald's to Marquette, Butler eventually realized his NBA dream.
Although he did start his career as a bench player for the Chicago Bulls, Butler slowly earned his minutes, eventually breaking out to earn NBA Most Improved Player. The six-time NBA All-Star went on to star for a handful of franchises, capped off by two NBA Finals appearances with the Miami Heat.
Jalen Brunson
At the 2018 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks selected Villanova standout Jalen Brunson in the second round with the 33rd overall pick. Initially, fans overlooked his selection. But eventually, he made his presence felt as a reliable sixth man.
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However, when his contract expired, the Mavericks opted not to reward him with a more lucrative deal, paving the way for Brunson to sign with the New York Knicks. Here, Brunson has been turning some heads in a Knicks uniform, ultimately becoming the franchise superstar the city has been waiting for.
Tyrese Haliburton
While Tyrese Haliburton was a first-round pick for the Sacramento Kings, joining a franchise with questionable history only brought in conservative expectations. It also didn't help when the Kings weren't comfortable with the duo of him and De'Aaron Fox, prompting them to send him to the Indiana Pacers. But in Indiana, Haliburton emerged as a superstar, as his clutch scoring and elite playmaking has propelled the Pacers back to relevancy.
Pascal Siakam
Pascal Siakam was also another first-round pick. However, it took some time for him to find his footing in the league. The Cameroonian power forward even spent most of his rookie season with the Toronto Raptors NBA G-League affiliate, the Raptors 905, where he helped the team win the G-League title.
But in the 2019 NBA Playoffs, Siakam started to turn some heads by becoming an instrumental player en route to the 2019 NBA championship. Since then, he evolved into a three-time NBA All-Star and NBA Most Improved Player. Currently, Siakam is one of the franchise cornerstones for the Pacers alongside Haliburton.
Isaiah Thomas
Standing at 5-foot-9, Isaiah Thomas was terribly undersized by NBA standards. As a result, it was easy to see why he was selected dead last at the 2011 NBA Draft. Nonetheless, those odds didn't faze Thomas at all. He first outshined lottery pick Jimmer Fredette in Sacramento then proceeded to transform into a superstar with the Boston Celtics.
To make up for his lack of size, Thomas used his quickness and versatile scoring to inject some excitement in Boston, leading the franchise to competitive playoff runs.
John Stockton
No one was exactly hyped about John Stockton, including Stockton himself, after the Utah Jazz selected him in the first round. Gonzaga had yet to establish itself in college basketball, and the 6-foot-1 guard only got his opportunities with the Bulldogs due to injuries.
Nonetheless, people still overlooked that he set the school record for steals. Despite low expectations and a slow start to his NBA career, Stockton defied the odds and proceeded to become a 10-time NBA All-Star. But more importantly, he went on to set the all-time NBA record for career assists and steals before being enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
