6th pick is an historical wasteland
Looking for a difference maker at No. 6? Not likely to happen.
I just went over the list of number 6 picks going back to the Ralph Sampson draft of 1983, and its an absolute wasteland of mediocrity or out-and-out busts.
The best player chosen at sixth over that period of time was, subjectively, Tom Gugliotta. The rest of the choices are a cast of characters that can be called semi-useful players (Kenny Smith, Hersey Hawkins, Stacey King, Antoine Walker, Shane Battier, Chris Kaman, Josh Childress) or out-and-out busts (Russell Cross, Mel Turpin, Joe Kleine, Felton Spencer, Doug Smith, Calbert Chaney, William Bedford, Bryant Reeves, Robert Traylor, Dajuan Wagner, Martell Webster).
Having said that, it must be noted that there have been good players chosen below the sixth pick, and that this is a very unique draft (its the first draft of players affected by the age restriction that was grafted onto the old hardship rule). So we might get lucky. The key will be to chose the best player, not simply a player with size or a player that appears to fit a need. If you notice, most of the worst choices in the 6th slot have been guys who were selected mainly because they were big, not because they were skilled.
In that regard, I am hopeful. Larry Harris has been saying this morning on Milwaukee radio that he will select the best player available, regardless of position. And the Bucks, at full strength, really aren't that far from being a pretty decent team.
Source: databasebasketball.com
posted by Ty Will @ Wednesday, May 23, 2007
3 Comments:
hey don't feel bad, if you take it back to 1956, you can find Tom Heinsohn, Lenny Wilkens in 60, Dantley in 76, Bird in 78 (knew they'd have to wait a year or that wouldn't have happened)... yeah, this blows
I know, I saw Bird too! But, I knew already that Bird was only available there because of some weird rule that made him draftable after his original senior class graduated (he dropped out of Indiana and then reenrolled at Indiana State a year later).
But, did you also see that in 1977 Bernard King was available at number 6? Of course, this is from the days when the team's scouting departments were alternatively known as "Street's & Smith Magazine".
Missed that while I was double-checking what spot Respert went at... at least he wasn't on that list. I do think they should still have a real good shot at hopefully a good prospect, but 14 through 7 on track and then what a stunner.
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