[Mick]

FWLIW, I think there is a H.UGE difference between a number 3 and a fringe lottery pick. a #3 pick you expect to start for your team right away and be a consistent all star. A mid first round is expected to have a solid NBA career and be a contributor.

I wonder about that.  Nash (15th overall), Karl Malone (13), John Stockton (16), Kobe Bryant (13), Nate Archibald (19),

Are you trying to make a serious case that it's better to have the number 13-19 pick in the draft than the number 1-3 pick? I'd like to see you pitch that to an NBA GM and see how he responds.

No.  That's a rather nonsensical position.  Obviously a top three position, where you can get players like LaRue Martin and Chris Washburn and Joe Smith are preferable to the #13-#19 pick, if only for the odds.  All I was saying is that a high draft position doesn't guarantee a quality player.  Since 1950, only 44 of the first round picks became All-Stars.  And a mid-level first round draft position doesn't guarantee an average player. 

For extra credit trivia, name the three NBA all-stars in the draft era who weren't drafted...at all.

[Mick]

FWLIW, I think there is a H.UGE difference between a number 3 and a fringe lottery pick. a #3 pick you expect to start for your team right away and be a consistent all star. A mid first round is expected to have a solid NBA career and be a contributor.

I wonder about that.  Nash (15th overall), Karl Malone (13), John Stockton (16), Kobe Bryant (13), Nate Archibald (19),

Are you trying to make a serious case that it's better to have the number 13-19 pick in the draft than the number 1-3 pick? I'd like to see you pitch that to an NBA GM and see how he responds.

No.  That's a rather nonsensical position.  Obviously a top three position, where you can get players like LaRue Martin and Chris Washburn and Joe Smith are preferable to the #13-#19 pick, if only for the odds.  All I was saying is that a high draft position doesn't guarantee a quality player.  Since 1950, only 44 of the first round picks became All-Stars.  And a mid-level first round draft position doesn't guarantee an average player. 

For extra credit trivia, name the three NBA all-stars in the draft era who weren't drafted...at all.