The 2012 NBA Draft produced three surefire Hall of Famers, yet it is still one of the worst draft classes in recent memory. Anthony Davis has been one of the best players in the league since being drafted first overall, and Draymond Green is one of the best second-round picks in NBA history. Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal were also drafted in 2012, but besides those four, there isn't much depth or star talent in this draft class.
That means when we decided to redraft the 2012 NBA Draft class, a few surprising names popped up in the first round. The lack of talent from 2012 means a number of busts and players with short NBA careers were still among the top 30 best players in this class, but regardless, plenty of teams would have loved a do-over because there were tons of selections that have proven to be bad picks. With that being said, here is the 2012 NBA redraft.
30. Festus Ezeli: Golden State Warriors
Actual position: 30th
Original number 30 pick: Festus Ezeli
There were perhaps a few players that had better or longer careers than Festus Ezeli, a center who had tons of talent but ended up having his career derailed by knee injuries, but the big man helped the Golden State Warriors win a championship, so why would they change anything up?
Even though other bigs like Miles Plumlee and Thomas Robinson did contribute a little bit more than Ezeli during their careers, it was not like they were world beaters. Robinson was a bust, and Plumlee was an end-of-the-bench player. Therefore, it is justifiable for Golden State to again go with Ezeli. Sometimes, the devil you know is better than the devil you don't know.
29. Kendall Marshall: Chicago Bulls
Actual position: 13th
Original number 29 pick: Marquis Teague
Kendall Marshall only lasted 160 games in the NBA despite being a lottery pick. The 2012 NBA Draft ended up being very poor, though, so he still sneaks into the back end of the first round in this redraft. The Bulls select him here because he does have a clear NBA-caliber trait, and that is his playmaking. Although he was below average at everything else, Marshall was capable of feeding his teammates the basketball, as evidenced by his 8.8 assists per game in 2013-14. That season, which he spent with the Los Angeles Lakers, was his only one as a full-time starter.
28. Jared Sullinger: Oklahoma City Thunder
Actual position: 21st
Original number 28 pick: Perry Jones III
Jared Sullinger was highly touted coming out of Ohio State where he thrived as a paint scorer. Sullinger had three seasons averaging double-digit scoring figures, and he averaged 10.8 points per game for his career. He was regularly out of shape, though, and his lack of conditioning played a role in his NBA career ending after only five years. While he was a great interior scorer and rebounder, he struggled to hold his own on the defensive side, and he was frequently targeted in pick-and-roll actions.
27. Kyle O'Quinn: Miami Heat
Actual position: 49th
Original number 27 pick: Arnett Moultrie
Kyle O'Quinn was an unorthodox player. He was somewhat short for a center, but he made up for it with a massive frame and great strength. You didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of O'Quinn's screens, and he was great at boxing out and collecting rebounds.
26. Tyler Zeller: Indiana Pacers
Actual position: 17th
Original number 26 pick: Miles Plumlee
Three Zeller brothers made it to the NBA, in Tyler, Cody, and Luke. Tyler wasn't as good as Cody was, but he still managed to stick in the NBA for a good amount of time as a backup center. All of the Zeller brothers had somewhat limited skill sets, but they also all had size and could contribute in stereotypical ways for a center, like with rebounding and rim protection.
25. Quincy Acy: Memphis Grizzlies
Actual position: 37th
Original number 25 pick: Tony Wroten
Quincy Acy might not have been the most skilled player, but he was the type of guy that his teammates loved and his opponents hated. His intensity and motor were unmatched, and while that sometimes led to unnecessary technical fouls, Acy was just going to do whatever it took to give his team a competitive advantage. Acy was a ferocious dunker and a tenacious rebounder, and you were sure to walk away with a few bruises after playing him. That gritty style of play would fit perfectly with the Memphis Grizzlies identity.
24. Terrence Jones: Cleveland Cavaliers
Actual position: 18th
Original number 24 pick: Jared Cunningham
Terrence Jones' skill set is reminiscent of Julius Randle's, but he never reached the heights that Randle has in the NBA. Jones was a big, bruising left-handed shooter who could step out and shoot the deep ball on occasion, albeit at an inefficient clip. The power forward actually had three seasons averaging double-digit scoring figures, but he still only lasted six seasons in the league.
23. Jonathon Simmons: Atlanta Hawks
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 23 pick: John Jenkins
Jonathon Simmons only played four years in the NBA, and his career came to a somewhat unexpected end, considering he scored 13.9 points per game in his third season. Simmons was a regular starter with good defensive abilities during the 2017-18 campaign with the Orlando Magic, but he didn't do much in any other year in the league.
22. Mike Scott: Boston Celtics
Actual position: 43rd
Original number 22 pick: Fab Melo
Mike Scott is perhaps best known for having the same name as the iconic character from the television show ‘The Office,' but the basketball player had a decent career as a role player. He only accumulated 34 starts over his career, but he played in 555 total games. Scott was a reliable three-point shooter, and he would hustle on defense.
21. John Henson: Boston Celtics
Actual position: 14th
Original number 21 pick: Jared Sullinger
The Boston Celtics were 0-2 with taking old-school centers in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. While John Henson didn't have a great career, he would be an upgrade in a similar mold over Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo. As a back-to-the-basket paint scorer, Henson averaged 7.6 points per game for his career, with his best season coming in year two when he averaged 11.1 points. Henson, Middleton, Jabari Parker, and Giannis Antetokounmpo once formed an exciting young core with the Milwaukee Bucks, but the 2012 NBA redraft splits that group up.
20. Tomas Satoransky: Denver Nuggets
Actual position: 32nd
Original number 20 pick: Evan Fournier
Tomas Satoransky didn't come stateside until the 2016-17 season, and had he joined the NBA sooner, he likely would have been drafted much higher in this redraft. At 6-feet 7-inches, Satoransky was a jumbo-facilitator, and he helped popularize that role in the NBA. Now it is very common for big guards to lead their team's offense because of their ability to see over the top of defenders. While Nikola Jokic is a point-center and not a jumbo guard, we have seen this idea work with the Denver Nuggets.
19. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: Orlando Magic
Actual position: 2nd
Original number 19 pick: Andrew Nicholson
The fact that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist lasted eight years in the NBA despite having arguably the ugliest shooting form in NBA history shows you just how impressive he was as a slasher and defender. Kidd-Gilchrist is most definitely one of the biggest busts in recent memory, considering he was drafted second overall.
He only averaged 8.4 points per game, and he did it while being a non-threat from three-point land. Offense was never the reason Kid-Gilchrist was drafted, though, and he truly was elite as a point-of-attack defender. Still, it was obviously a mistake to take an offensive liability second overall, regardless of how good he was on defense.
18. JaMychal Green: Houston Rockets
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 18 pick: Terrence Jones
JaMychal Green was a solid rebounder and interior scorer early in his career, but it didn't seem like he was a sure thing to stick in the league. Then, the forward added a three-point shot, and that extended his career and improved his outlook in the NBA.
17. Meyers Leonard: Dallas Mavericks
Actual position: 11th
Original number 17 pick: Tyler Zeller
The early-mid 2010s is when the stretch big man truly became popularized. By averaging 5.6 points per game over his career, Meyers Leonard didn't put up massive numbers, but he hung around in the league for long enough that he finds himself in the top-20 of the 2012 NBA redraft, though, because he played a role that became more popular as Leonard emerged as a player.
16. Kent Bazemore: Houston Rockets
Actual position: Undrafted
Original number 16 pick: Royce White
Kent Bazemore is the highest-selected player to originally go undrafted from the 2012 class. Undrafted players have to do whatever it takes to earn a spot in the NBA, and Bazemore certainly did that, considering he played ten years in the league. The original 16th pick was the opposite. Royce White only played three games in the NBA, and none of them were with the Houston Rockets.
White had a fear of flying, and it stopped his NBA career before it had a chance to take flight. With nine minutes and no recorded stats to his name in the NBA besides two personal fouls, White is one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history. A reliable player and known hard worker with a team-first attitude like Bazemore had would have made much more sense with this pick.
15. Maurice Harkless: Philadelphia 76ers
Actual position: 15th
Original number 15 pick: Maurice Harkless
Maurice Harkless wasn't quite the shooter that teams wanted him to be, but he was still a great defensive player. He had great length and athleticism, which was a perfect fit around shooters like Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum during his prime with the Portland Trail Blazers. In most NBA Draft classes, he wouldn't be near the lottery in a redraft, but the 2012 draft was bad enough that the Philadelphia 76ers take what they can get with pick 15.
Ironically, the 76ers took Harkless with this pick back in 2012. He wasn't traded on draft night, but he never suited up for the team because they traded him a couple of months later in a package for Andrew Bynum in a deal that saw Dwight Howard join the Los Angeles Lakers. That trade was an epic flop for the 76ers, as Bynum never played for the team, and Andre Iguodala and Nikola Vucevic (who the 76ers included in the trade) had good careers elsewhere. It was one of the worst trades for a team in NBA history, and the 76ers would certainly hold onto Harkless this go around.
14. Austin Rivers: Milwaukee Bucks
Actual position: 10th
Original number 14 pick: John Henson
Austin Rivers was one of the most hyped-up prep athletes ever because of his thrilling high school mixtape. At the NBA level, Rivers didn't turn into the superstar that many projected him to become. He did have a solid career as a role player, though. Rivers used pace and isolation to get buckets, but he was also a good team player towards the end of his career.
13. Jeremy Lamb: Phoenix Suns
Actual position: 12th
Original number 13 pick: Kendall Marshall
Jeremy Lamb only falls one pick in the 2012 NBA redraft, but it might surprise some that he again goes in the lottery. Lamb had a relatively long and productive career, though. He averaged 10.1 points per game over his ten-year career, and he had four straight seasons averaging double-digit scoring figures.
12. Dion Waiters: Houston Rockets
Actual position: 4th
Original number 12 pick: Jeremy Lamb
Dion Waiters' career was pretty memorable despite him not living up to expectations as the fourth overall pick. He famously said, “I'd rather go 0 for 30 than 0 for nine [because] that means you stopped shooting.” This quote was hilarious considering the context of Waiters' consistently bad shot selection. Additionally, no one can forget his epic duel against Tim Hardaway Jr. in the Rising Stars Game.
Waiters even notoriously missed a game after consuming too many marijuana edibles. These incidents all contributed to Waiters' career being somewhat comedic, but it doesn't change the fact that he was an automatic bucket. There wasn't a shot that Waiters didn't like, and there really wasn't a shot that he couldn't hit. It led to a 13.1 point per game career over eight seasons, and he could have put up even bigger scoring numbers if any team made him more of a priority.
11. Jae Crowder: Portland Trail Blazers
Actual position: 34th
Original number 11 pick: Meyers Leonard
For years, it seemed that Jae Crowder was the fifth option on a contender, and that is meant as a compliment. He was never a star, but his defense and three-point shooting made him a valuable player on teams who were fighting for the championship. This is why the Milwaukee Bucks traded five second-round picks for him at the 2023 NBA trade deadline.
While Crowder's Milwaukee tenure hasn't gone completely according to plan, he is starting to figure things out and is becoming an important piece for a team that will most definitely be in the championship hunt come playoff time. It is worth noting that the quality of talent falls off significantly after this pick in this redraft.
10. Will Barton: New Orleans Hornets
Actual position: 40th
Original number 10 pick: Austin Rivers
Denver Nuggets fans turned on Will Barton in his last couple of seasons with the team because of his shot selection and inefficiency, but Barton was a super important piece in helping the team grow into a champion. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to reap the rewards, as he was traded for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope before the Nuggets made the NBA Finals.
While he could be frustrating at times, Barton stuck in Denver for a long time for a reason. He was always exciting with the ball in his hands, and he could hit tough shots. He had a number of highlight finishes at the rim as well.
9. Terrence Ross: Detroit Pistons
Actual position: 8th
Original number 9 pick: Andre Drummond
Will Barton and Terrence Ross are very similar players with very similar careers. Barton averaged 11.2 points to Ross' 11 points over their careers, and they were both bucket-getters who could make any shot, but also were given the shot-chucker label by some folks. Both had distinctly skinny frames and had at least one season being voted top five in Sixth Man of the Year voting. They even both played in the NBA all the way until this season.
We give Ross the slight edge, though, for one reason, and that is because he had an iconic 51-point performance in 2014 with the Toronto Raptors. With such similar careers, Ross wins the tie-breaker.
8. Evan Fournier: Toronto Raptors
Actual position: 20th
Original number 8 pick: Terrence Ross
A few prime years of Evan Fourier's career were wasted while he rotted away on the New York Knicks' bench, but the guard has already found more success in his brief time with the Detroit Pistons since being traded at the 2024 NBA trade deadline, and fans of the former first-rounder will hope that continues.
Prior to his time in New York, Fournier was building a pretty impressive career for himself. Fournier is best when shooting the three-point shot, and he has recorded double-digit scoring tallies in eight straight seasons. Three-point shooting has long been a weakness for the Toronto Raptors, so he would be a great fit for the team.
7. Andre Drummond: Golden State Warriors
Actual position: 9th
Original number 7 pick: Harrison Barnes
Andre Drummond is a tough player to rank in this draft class. He has put up big numbers at certain points in his career, which has made him one of the best rebounders in the history of the game. Four times, Drummond led the league in rebounds, and that led to two All-Star appearances and a nod on the 2016 All-NBA Third Team. On top of his elite rebounding, Drummond is a solid rim protector.
Besides those traits, though, Drummond is a below average player. His offensive game is limited, and his many head-scratching decisions on that end of the floor have probably given his head coaches a handful of gray hairs. His skill set is even a little bit outdated, which has forced him into a backup role for the majority of the back half of his career. Still, he is one of the six players with an All-Star appearance from this class, and he is undoubtedly very good at what he does best.
6. Harrison Barnes: Portland Trail Blazers
Actual position: 7th
Original number 6 pick: Damian Lillard
Harrison Barnes has done it all during his NBA journey. He was a key piece as a complementary player during the beginning of the Golden State Warriors dynasty, which earned himself a championship pedigree. Barnes then became a top option after signing a massive deal with the Dallas Mavericks, and since then, he has settled in as a three-and-D role player who would start on most teams in the league.
Regardless, the Portland Trail Blazers get worse in the 2012 NBA redraft, because they lose out on Damian Lillard, a guy who became arguably the best player in franchise history. Still, Barnes is a player that would have thrived when the Blazers brought him in, regardless of who they built the roster with around him.
5. Khris Middleton: Sacramento Kings
Actual position: 39th
Original number 5 pick: Thomas Robinson
Most NBA fans have surely forgotten that Khris Middleton was originally drafted by the Detroit Pistons. His time in Detroit only lasted 27 games, though, and Middleton has since become one of the longest-tenured players on his current team, the Milwaukee Bucks. Middleton has long been the Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo's Batman. If he started his career with the Sacramento Kings, it is possible he would have become a number one option.
Even as a number two, Middleton has great career numbers. He has averaged 16.9 points per game thanks to a great mid-range shot, and he is a three-time All-Star. The wing appears to be on the downhill turn for his career, but he is still an important part of a Bucks team that not only has a championship in this era but also has championship aspirations going forward.
4. Draymond Green: Cleveland Cavaliers
Actual position: 35th
Original number 4 pick: Dion Waiters
Few players impact winning as much as Draymond Green. He is the ultimate team player, and he will always put individual numbers to the side in favor of contributing to the greater good, and as a result, Green has four championships to his name. The former second-round pick is the rare modern-day enforcer (which has been both a good thing and a bad thing), but that role has been important throughout the league's history.
More importantly, Green is one of the best defensive players of all time. This may come as a surprise, considering Green is undersized, but the forward has a great wingspan, great instincts, and is incredibly strong. Despite a successful career, Green doesn't enter the top three in the 2012 NBA redraft because teams picking in the top three typically need a superstar in the more typical sense of the word. Green has the accolades to be considered a superstar, but he doesn't have the offensive game to be a team's top offensive option.
Green has only averaged 8.7 points per game for his career, and he has always been iffy with his three-point shot. That hasn't mattered in his career because he has been surrounded by scoring machines like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson, but Green's weaknesses were on display when he had one of the worst seasons of his career when his star teammates were hurt back in the 2019-20 campaign.
Even without being a scoring threat, Green clearly impacts the game in a positive way. He is a good passing forward, which has opened up the Warriors offense. He can't enter the top three here because he needs stars around him, but he would have that in Cleveland, considering Kyrie Irving was on the team at this time, and LeBron James was not far off from returning to the Cavs. Green certainly has more accolades than Bradley Beal, and he is one of the best second-round selections ever, but Beal goes before him in this redraft because of his superior offensive game.
3. Bradley Beal: Washington Wizards
Actual position: 3rd
Original number 3 pick: Bradley Beal
The Washington Wizards took Bradley Beal with the third pick in 2012, and since that pick worked out quite well, the Wizards again go with Beal. The debate between Beal and Green for the third pick in this redraft is a debate between team and individual success. Winning is the ultimate goal, and Green has Beal beat in that regard, but Beal is clearly the more talented basketball player.
It is unfortunate that Beal hasn't had much playoff success, but that can be more so credited to the teams he's been on rather than the type of player he is. Beal is an elite scorer, as he's averaged 22 points per game during his career, and the championship may come sooner rather than later considering how well his Phoenix Suns have been playing as of late.
In his best season, Beal averaged 31.3 points per game and was an All-NBA Third Team member. The guard has been to three All-Star Games, but that doesn't illustrate how great he has been, as he has been one of the biggest All-Star snubs ever.
2. Anthony Davis: Charlotte Bobcats
Actual position: 1st
Original number 2 pick: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
In 2012, Anthony Davis was considered a generational prospect and arguably the best player in the draft since LeBron James in 2003. Davis has lived up to those expectations, but he still falls to number two because of how incredible Damian Lillard has been.
The former first-overall pick has the edge on the 2012 NBA redraft's first pick in a number of aspects. The most important piece is that Davis won a championship in 2020, and additionally, he is consistently one of the best defensive players in the league, as he has led the NBA in blocks three times during his career. Davis has four appearances on an All-Defensive Team, and there were many seasons when he was commonly predicted to win MVP.
However, Davis has never gotten that coveted MVP, and he was also never a Defensive Player of the Year winner. In fact, despite how talented he is, he has oftentimes come up short of expectations. Davis has always been great, but he has somehow always left fans wanting even more. This is evidenced by his pairing with DeMarcus Cousins and, most recently, his frequency of getting hurt and missing important games. The injury issues are the main thing that holds Davis back from the one slot in this redraft, as Lillard has been more available than Davis for much of their respective careers.
Davis' placement as the number two pick in this redraft does not mean that he wasn't worthy of being selected first overall in 2012. In fact, Davis has been one of the best top picks in recent memory. In our opinion, Lillard is just slightly more valuable.
1. Damian Lillard: New Orleans Hornets
Actual position: 6th
Original number 1 pick: Anthony Davis
Ironically, both the Charlotte Bobcats (who picked second) and the New Orleans Hornets (who picked first) rebranded to the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans, respectively, not long after picking at the top of the 2012 NBA Draft. The Hornets/Pelicans can't complain about the production they got out of Anthony Davis, as he has lived up to the billing of being a number-one overall pick.
However, the end of Davis' tenure in New Orleans was ugly and saw him request a trade. Meanwhile, Lillard is known as one of the most loyal superstars in the NBA. He stuck with his Portland Trail Blazers for 11 seasons despite the team being unable to bring in the necessary help to win a championship. New Orleans would have appreciated this type of loyalty, which is why they choose Lillard in the 2012 NBA redraft over Davis.
Lillard's resume is certainly number one overall pick caliber, too. He is a career 25.1 point per game scorer, and he is one of the most clutch performers in NBA history. He is an eight-time All-Star and the NBA's fifth-leading three-point shooter all time. A championship ring has been the one thing that has eluded the guard, but he is set up nicely to add that to his resume, considering his new team in the Bucks are one of the best squads in the league.
Win shares are a great way to determine an NBA player's impact in the league. When we started writing this redraft, Lillard led the 2012 draft class in win shares. He is currently at 109.3 for his career, but Davis has since taken the top spot with 109.4 win shares. That goes to show you just how close it is between Lillard and Davis, and you truly can't go wrong with either choice.
Follow Us
Subscribe