Malcolm Brogdon was named the Rookie of the Year after he was selected by the Bucks 36th overall in 2016. Draymond Green was picked 35th by the Warriors in the 2012 draft and became an instrumental part of three NBA championship teams.
Isaiah Thomas, DeAndre Jordan and Paul Millsap were second round draft choices, and all have gone on to make at least one All-Star team.
Here are five players projected to be picked in the second round of this year’s draft who could make an impact.
Five second-round 2019 NBA Draft sleepers
Tremont Waters, guard, LSU
Waters is a pure point guard who thrives with the ball in his hands. He can score off the pick-and-roll, push the pace and he willingly distributes to his teammates. Waters, however, is undersized at 5-10, which could prevent him from becoming an adequate defender.
Terance Mann, forward, Florida State
Mann is a versatile defender who should develop into someone capable of guarding multiple positions in the NBA. He currently projects as a role player, at best, but his ceiling could be raised significantly if he develops his shot. The 6-7 wing connected on just 32.7 percent of his 3-point attempts over four seasons at Florida State.
Dylan Windler, forward, Belmont
Windler is a knock down 3-point shooter — he made 40.6% of his shots from behind the arc during his collegiate career — who moves well without the ball. The 6-7 forward is a reliable defender, as well, and could develop into a solid 3-and-D player. He has a chance to go in the first round, however, ESPN projects he’ll be taken with the No. 35 pick, so he fits here.
Carsen Edwards, guard, Purdue
Edwards is a proven scorer who averaged 24.3 points and led Purdue to the Elite Eight in 2018-19. He’s a knockdown shooter who found ways to create for himself despite facing double teams. Edwards will struggle defensively at the next level, but his ability on the other end of the floor is well worth the risk.
Tacko Fall, center, Central Florida
The 7-6 center will certainly be a project. His offense is raw, and he’ll struggle to guard the pick-and-roll. But, with his size, he’s an excellent shot blocker. He has the potential to become a strong rim protector, which is definitely valuable in the modern NBA. Fall has a chance to go undrafted, but he has met with multiple teams — including the Knicks, Magic, Lakers and Cavaliers. It seems like someone may take a flier on him.
