Indiana Pacers: The 13th pick has a favorable history
By Luke Parrish
Other notable selections since 2000
There have been a few other notable players selected 13th overall since 2000 who either never became stars or were too far back to really consider in the “recent history” of this piece. Kelly Olynyk, whether you like him or not, has been a rotational big in the NBA since 2013 and has proven to be a solid stretch-big option.
Markieff Morris has bounced around a bit since 2011 but always seems to be the targeted veteran at the trade deadline that can help a team over the hump. Last season, he moved from Detroit to Los Angeles to help the Lakers win the title.
Pacers fans should be familiar with back-to-back 13th overall selections in 2008 and 2009. Brandon Rush (2008) had a few solid years with the Pacers as a starter and off the bench before spending the rest of his career out west. Tyler Hansbrough (2009) spent his first four NBA seasons with Indiana as the bench big with a mean streak.
In 2001, Richard Jefferson was the 13th overall pick for the Houston Rockets and was traded to the Nets. Jefferson spent 17 seasons in the league and averaged 12.6 points across those 17 years. From 2003-2009, Jefferson averaged 19.7 points and 5.3 assists.