Best draft picks in Memphis Grizzlies history
The draft is a seminal moment for many incoming players. Putting aside competitive stakes, each young athlete's life is irreversibly altered by the fame and fortune that comes with being an NBA player. The exorbitant contract values ensures these players almost never have to worry about personal finances. Plus, these young guns get to play alongside some of their basketball idols for a living. With these high stakes, it's easy to see why the draft is so revered.
Likewise, the fortunes of a city and franchise can be completely transformed by a draft pick. LeBron James, for instance, brought Cleveland its first sports championship in 52 years and was also to the city's downtown economy. It almost goes without saying that Michael Jordan built the Chicago Bulls from the ground up into a championship team whose dynamic would reverberate through the decades.
With that in mind, compiled a list of the best draft picks in Memphis Grizzlies history using data from . Players were ranked according to a formula that approximates their career achievements, career value, and play quality. The formula encompasses Basketball-Reference.com's , career win shares, and value over replacement player, aka VORP. For players drafted before data is available for VORP, half of the player's win shares were used in its place to calculate their 爆料TV score. Basketball Hall of Fame inductees were given a minimum of 60% for their Hall of Fame probability, indicating a worthy r茅sum茅 for their time but not up to par with some modern players. Scores were normalized to 100 based on the scoring leader. Keep reading to see where your favorite players fall on the list.
#24. Zach Edey
- 爆料TV score: 1.0
- Ninth overall pick in 2024
- Played two seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 9.9 PTS, 8.7 REB, 1.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 5.6 win shares, 0.0 box plus/minus, 0.9 VORP
#23. Jake LaRavia
- 爆料TV score: 1.4
- 19th overall pick in 2022
- Played two seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 7.4 PTS, 3.6 REB, 1.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 8.2 win shares, -1.2 box plus/minus, 0.9 VORP
#22. Darrell Arthur
- 爆料TV score: 1.4
- 27th overall pick in 2008
- Played four seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 6.5 PTS, 3.5 REB, 0.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 12.3 win shares, -2.2 box plus/minus, -0.4 VORP
#21. Cam Spencer
- 爆料TV score: 1.5
- 53rd overall pick in 2024
- Played two seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 9.3 PTS, 2.2 REB, 4.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 6.1 win shares, 2.0 box plus/minus, 2.0 VORP
#20. Jevon Carter
- 爆料TV score: 1.5
- 32nd overall pick in 2018
- Played one season with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 5.3 PTS, 1.7 REB, 1.6 AST
- Advanced statistics: 9.4 win shares, -1.4 box plus/minus, 1.0 VORP
#19. Xavier Tillman
- 爆料TV score: 2.0
- 35th overall pick in 2020
- Played three seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 4.9 PTS, 3.5 REB, 1.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 10.3 win shares, -0.2 box plus/minus, 2.0 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2024 NBA Champ
#18. Greivis V谩squez
- 爆料TV score: 2.2
- 28th overall pick in 2010
- Played one season with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 9.0 PTS, 2.5 REB, 4.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 12.6 win shares, -1.2 box plus/minus, 1.8 VORP
#17. Hakim Warrick
- 爆料TV score: 2.8
- 19th overall pick in 2005
- Played four seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 9.4 PTS, 4.0 REB, 0.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 20.4 win shares, -1.9 box plus/minus, 0.4 VORP
#16. Stromile Swift
- 爆料TV score: 3.1
- Second overall pick in 2000
- Played one season with Vancouver Grizzlies and five seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 8.4 PTS, 4.6 REB, 0.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 21.3 win shares, -1.6 box plus/minus, 1.1 VORP
#15. Santi Aldama
- 爆料TV score: 3.5
- 30th overall pick in 2021
- Played five seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 10.4 PTS, 5.4 REB, 2.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 14.5 win shares, 0.9 box plus/minus, 4.7 VORP
#14. O.J. Mayo
- 爆料TV score: 4.4
- Third overall pick in 2008
- Played four seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 13.8 PTS, 3.1 REB, 2.9 AST
- Advanced statistics: 21.8 win shares, -0.9 box plus/minus, 4.7 VORP
#13. Brandon Clarke
- 爆料TV score: 5.6
- 21st overall pick in 2019
- Played seven seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 10.2 PTS, 5.5 REB, 1.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 24.6 win shares, 2.4 box plus/minus, 7.1 VORP
#12. DeMarre Carroll
- 爆料TV score: 6.1
- 27th overall pick in 2009
- Played one season with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 8.9 PTS, 4.2 REB, 1.3 AST
- Advanced statistics: 29.5 win shares, 0.0 box plus/minus, 6.7 VORP
#11. Jaren Jackson
- 爆料TV score: 7.0
- Fourth overall pick in 2018
- Played seven seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 18.6 PTS, 5.6 REB, 1.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 30.2 win shares, 0.8 box plus/minus, 9.2 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2022-23 Def. POY
--- 2x BLK Champ
--- 3x All-Defensive
--- 2x All Star
#10. Drew Gooden
- 爆料TV score: 7.1
- Fourth overall pick in 2002
- Career averages: 11.0 PTS, 7.1 REB, 1.1 AST
- Advanced statistics: 43.9 win shares, -1.2 box plus/minus, 4.3 VORP
#9. Ja Morant
- 爆料TV score: 7.2
- Second overall pick in 2019
- Played seven seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 22.4 PTS, 4.6 REB, 7.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 24.3 win shares, 2.5 box plus/minus, 11.8 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2019-20 ROY
--- 2021-22 All-NBA
--- 2x All Star
#8. Desmond Bane
- 爆料TV score: 8.6
- 30th overall pick in 2020
- Played five seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 18.3 PTS, 4.5 REB, 3.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 33.0 win shares, 2.2 box plus/minus, 12.7 VORP
#7. Antonio Daniels
- 爆料TV score: 9.5
- Fourth overall pick in 1997
- Played one season with Vancouver Grizzlies
- Career averages: 7.6 PTS, 1.8 REB, 3.4 AST
- Advanced statistics: 47.0 win shares, 0.0 box plus/minus, 10.1 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1999 NBA Champ
#6. Rudy Gay
- 爆料TV score: 15.6
- Eighth overall pick in 2006
- Played six seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 15.8 PTS, 5.6 REB, 2.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 61.0 win shares, 0.6 box plus/minus, 22.4 VORP
#5. Shareef Abdur-Rahim
- 爆料TV score: 16.7
- Third overall pick in 1996
- Played five seasons with Vancouver Grizzlies
- Career averages: 18.1 PTS, 7.5 REB, 2.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 71.2 win shares, 1.0 box plus/minus, 21.9 VORP
- Accolades
--- 1x All Star
#4. Mike Bibby
- 爆料TV score: 17.6
- Second overall pick in 1998
- Played three seasons with Vancouver Grizzlies
- Career averages: 14.7 PTS, 3.1 REB, 5.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 73.2 win shares, 0.8 box plus/minus, 23.8 VORP
#3. Shane Battier
- 爆料TV score: 19.4
- Sixth overall pick in 2001
- Played five seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 8.6 PTS, 4.2 REB, 1.8 AST
- Advanced statistics: 75.7 win shares, 1.7 box plus/minus, 28.2 VORP
- Accolades
--- 2x NBA Champ
--- 2x All-Defensive
#2. Mike Conley
- 爆料TV score: 28.0
- Fourth overall pick in 2007
- Played 12 seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 13.6 PTS, 2.9 REB, 5.5 AST
- Advanced statistics: 107.6 win shares, 2.3 box plus/minus, 40.9 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 0.7%
- Accolades
--- 2012-13 All-Defensive
--- 1x All Star
#1. Kyle Lowry
- 爆料TV score: 43.6
- 24th overall pick in 2006
- Played two seasons with Memphis Grizzlies
- Career averages: 13.8 PTS, 4.2 REB, 6.0 AST
- Advanced statistics: 112.4 win shares, 2.6 box plus/minus, 43.1 VORP
- Hall of Fame probability: 85.7%
- Accolades
--- 2019 NBA Champ
--- 2015-16 All-NBA
--- 6x All Star
