The 2009 NBA Draft was absolutley stacked, featuring names such as James Harden, Steph Curry, and Jrue Holiday for example.The draft class was filled with players who would go on to win MVP’s, Finals trophies, and become stalwarts in the NBA; but the picks didn’t go the way you think. So, in saying that, let’s take a look at how we can better the draft year that was 2009.
1st – Los Angeles Clippers
Original Pick- Blake Griffin / New Pick – Stephen Curry
Back in 2009 the Clippers we’re looking to draft a player who could become a part of a dynamic duo with recent signee Chris Paul. It made a lot of sense why they decided to go with power forward Blake Griffin, who for many years was the most ferocios dunker in the NBA. Now that time has come and gone, it’s clear to see who the new #1 pick is.
Stephen Curry has been a top-3 player in the league for the past 8 years, and it doesn’t looki like he’ll be slowing down anytime soon. With multiple MVP trophies and Larry O’Briens under his belt, not much of a case needs to be made as to why we’re putting him as the new #1.
2nd – Memphis Grizzlies
Original Pick – Hasheem Thabeet / New Pick – James Harden
The second best player of the 2009 NBA draft moves up a spot from his original selection point. Harden has been electrifying the league ever since he was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets. A cross-over, step-back god emerged in H-Town, and Harden has lit up the NBA for countless seasons. It’s still shocking to me that he has only 1 MVP award under his belt, but when you’re running against players like Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antentokoumpo, and Nikola Jokic, it speaks to how good you actually are to have won one at all.
The Grizzlies could have definitely used James Harden, but instead they landed on Thabeet, who was a bust for the second overall pick.
3rd – Oklahoma City Thunder
Original Pick – James Harden/ New Pick – Jrue Holiday
With James Harden moving on up we see a new number three pick emerge in Jrue Holiday heading to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Holiday has carved out a solid NBA career so far, but has been plagued with injuries and inconsistency issues. His defense is very underrated, and could have been a key piece in guidng Kevin Durant and Russel Westbrook to more NBA Finals.
4th – Sacramento Kings
Original Pick – Tyreke Evans / New Pick – DeMar DeRozan
It seems that the Sacramento Kings are continuously getting the short end of the stick in the NBA. Chalk it up to bad owners or poor management, but I’ve never seen this team be on the rise. That could have changed if they would have selected DeMar DeRozan with the fourth overall pick in 2009, as he has become one of the marquee power/small forwards in the NBA. In fact, he was just named to the ALL-NBA Second team. Go figure!
5th – Minnesota Timberwolves
Original Pick – Ricky Rubio / New Pick – Blake Griffin
Griffin falls from the first overall pick to the fifth overall pick in this draft, but make no mistake about it, the boy can ball, and early on in his career, he was the most feared dunker in the NBA. The T-Wolves we’re fielding a lacklustre squad during the late 2000s, and could have used that extra dunking power Griffin would have brought. His highlights would have also helped draw some national attention to the T-Wolves.
6th – Minnesota Timberwolves
Original Pick – Jonny Flynn / New Pick – Joe Ingles
The T-Wolves had back-to-back picks in this draft, and after having drafted Demar DeRozan, why not draft a crafty 6″7 playmaker who can shoot three’s with the best of them and create playmaking magic. Yes, I’m talking about Joe Ingles, who actually went undrafted in 2009, but who has since turned out to be an amazing NBA player.
7th – Golden State Warriors
Original Pick – Steph Curry / New Pick – Danny Green
Going from having drafted Steph Curry to Danny Green is quite the downgrade, but let’s not get it twisted, Danny Green is legit and can hang with the best three point shooters in the league. Having won a couple championships in the league only adds to his pedigree, and I’m sure the Warriors could have used him to spread the floor and knock down some clutch treys.
8th – New York Knicks
Original Pick – Jordan Hill / New Pick – Rick Rubio
The Knicks had originally drafted Jordan Hill with the 8th overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft, and I won’t be ashamed to say that I have absolutely no idea who Jordan Hill is. I do, however, know who Ricky Rubio, and I know that he is one of the passers in the league. The Knicks could have used some consistency at the PG position, and Rubio would have been the answer to that.
9th – Toronto Raptors
Original Pick – DeMar DeRozan / New Pick – Patrick Beverley
This pick is purely for the culture, as Beverley has become one of the most outspoken, in-your-face, players in the NBA over the past couple of years. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s a two-time ALL-Defense selection and that he’s pretty nasty beyond the arc.
10th – Milwaukee Bucks
Original Pick – Brandon Jennings / Taj Gibson
Taj Gibson was a solid NBA player in the league, and was mostly known for his play in the paint, as he was a rebound god and would normally put up some great numbers as well. Is he a difference maker? No, but every team needs a Taj Gibson.