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Chapter 25: NBA draft evolution
🕑 Added 2025-04-26 09:02:32 +0000 UTCJust like how the NBA went from no three-pointers to living and dying by them, the NBA Draft has gone through some wild changes too.
In the early days, the draft had a rule called the "territorial pick." A team could give up their first-round pick and instead select a local college player to help build local fan interest. In 1956, the Celtics used that rule to snatch up Tom Heinsohn from Worcester. Smart move, huh?
Starting in 1966, the league decided to flip a coin between the worst teams from the East and West to determine who got the No. 1 pick. Everyone else? Drafted based on regular season standings, worst to best.
Then came 1985—the game-changer. That's when the NBA introduced the draft lottery. The goal? Stop teams from tanking on purpose. Initially, all non-playoff teams had an equal shot at the No. 1 pick.
By 1986, they tweaked it again. Instead of seven teams, only the top three picks were determined by lottery balls— actual ping-pong size balls. The rest went by regular-season records, worst to best. So even if you finished dead last, the worst you could fall was fourth.
These days, the first 14 picks are what we call the "lottery," and being a lottery pick still carries a ton of weight. It's a badge of honor for a rookie to say, "Yeah, I went lottery."
Now, let's talk about the weirdest draft class ever—2009.
Before the draft even started, scouts were already down on the class. Some even said it could be worse than the 2000 draft, which is saying something. Outside of guys like Kenyon Martin, Hedo Türkoğlu, and Mike Miller, the 2000 class was forgettable.
So here comes the 2009 draft, and the Clippers—who held the No. 1 pick—weren't even sure if there was anyone worth taking. Other teams didn't even want to trade for the top pick. They thought it wasn't worth giving up a solid role-player.
But what held people back wasn't a lack of talent—it was arrogance.
Scouts seriously underestimated the 2009 class. Blake Griffin missed his rookie year due to injury, but once he hit the court with his 20+ points and 10+ rebounds performances, teams were kicking themselves for not making a move.
Lin Yi, at that point, was starting to get some real attention. After ESPN and the Draft Express sites updated their boards, he was projected to go 13th—right in the lottery zone. Meanwhile, Steph Curry's stock had shot up into the top five.
Now here's the question that still gets asked by fans: How the hell did Steph Curry fall to seventh?
First off—seventh isn't that low. People forget that Kobe went 13th. Even Donovan Mitchell did too. Curry wasn't the only one overlooked that year—the whole class was.
And Curry didn't help himself much either. He refused to work out for teams like the Grizzlies and Timberwolves because he really wanted to go to New York. His scouting reports weren't glowing, and his refusal to do workouts scared teams off. Even the Knicks, his dream team, weren't confident enough to take that risk.
The Grizzlies' GM said they would've taken him at No. 2—if he had a tryout for them.
But then came Don Nelson—the mad genius in Golden State. He loved Steph. Loved his shot. Loved his feel for the game. This is the same Warriors squad that upset the Mavericks by bombing threes before it was trendy. Nelson saw the future and knew Steph was part of it.
So, when Curry fell to No. 7, Nelson didn't hesitate. The Suns reportedly tried to trade for him, offering up Amar'e Stoudemire, but Nelson threatened to quit if they went through with it. That's how badly he wanted Curry.
It wasn't some grand conspiracy. The Warriors just beat everyone to the punch.
........
Back in Room 4001, Steph and Lin were celebrating.
"Look, bro! We're both lottery picks now!" Steph grinned.
"Oh please," Lin rolled his eyes. "You're top five. Lord Stephen Curry, the royal highness."
Steph laughed. "Hey, you're right behind me. Keep grinding and you'll climb even higher."
Looking back, Steph couldn't believe how much had changed. One year ago, he was just a scrawny guard with doubts hanging over him. Now, he had Lin, his best teammate, by his side—and they were headed for the league together.
Then Lin brought him back to Earth. "Hey Steph, the Knicks have been playing a bit too well lately. You sure they're gonna end up with a top-five pick?"
Steph shrugged. "Trust me, they'll find a way. Knicks gonna Knicks."
Lin shook his head and sagely implied. "I dunno, man. I feel like the Warriors are about to tank hard and steal that pick."
Steph winced. "Don't even joke about that."
........
And history? It was changing. Teams that were supposed to be bad were overperforming. Good teams were falling apart. Whether it was a butterfly effect or not, things were shifting.
Would the Clippers still get the No. 1 pick? Would Golden State still make that bold move for Curry?
As Lin Yi was pondering all this, his phone rang.
"Yo Lin! Did you see the draft projections? You're moving up, man!" It was Javier Stanford, hyped up. "Oh—and get this. The Thunder are sending a scout to follow you. Presti's super interested. He's even thinking about using their top pick on you!"
Lin paused. The Thunder?
That was unexpected. But it made sense. Presti already had Durant and Westbrook, and he needed a big. In 2009, after Griffin, there were barely any decent bigs left. Thabeet? Total bust. That's why he took Harden instead.
But Lin Yi was different. He had guard-level handles, speed, and could shoot. Plus, he had the size and defensive potential to anchor a team. Put him next to KD and Russ? That's a scary thought.
Presti had a track record for spotting talent. He picked Westbrook even when most people thought he was a late lottery guy. Westbrook wasn't even a full-time starter at UCLA! But Presti believed.
Now, he believed in Lin.
And Lin? He was pumped.
He shared the news with Curry, who looked shocked. "Oklahoma though? It's… kinda small."
Lin laughed. "Man, you've got your heart set on New York."
.......
Since 2007, there have been three major events that shaped the NBA:
Don Nelson taking Curry and betting the farm on three-point shooting before anyone else believed in it. That move built the foundation for a dynasty.
Sam Presti drafting Durant, Westbrook, Harden, and a solid supporting cast with insane precision. The Thunder were the future.
Jerry West, the Logo himself, joined the Warriors and immediately identified Klay Thompson as a better shooter than Fredette, refusing to trade him, and pulling off moves to get Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala. And all that with the Finals in mind—even before anyone thought the Warriors could make the playoffs consistently.
West was different. The guy even convinced Steve Kerr—a rookie coach—to lead the team. Why? Because he saw him as the final piece.
Then came Kerr's iconic line to Curry: "You shoot from that far with that kind of accuracy? Why aren't you shooting more?"
And just like that, the NBA shifted into the era of outside shooting.
......
So yeah, Lin being noticed by Presti meant something. He wasn't just dreaming anymore. He was proving himself.
And the rest, as they say… was about to become history.
