NBA All-Star Damian Lillard hired as GM at alma mater Weber State
Lillard, 35, made the announcement in Ogden, Utah, where he is hosting the Weber State Basketball Alumni Classic.
"It's something that, my relationship with coach (Eric) Duft and this program means a lot to me, and seeing the success of the program means a lot to me," Lillard said those in attendance at Swenson Gym, according to the Standard-Examiner in Ogden. "I feel like I can do a lot to help the program be successful, to help the players even individually continue to grow their careers past college, that's something that I'm passionate about."
The guard is expected to miss the 2025-26 NBA season as he recovers from a torn left Achilles tendon while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks on April 27 that knocked him out of the rest of the playoffs.
The Bucks waived him after the season and he re-signed with the Trail Blazers for a reported three-year, $42 million contract.
Weber State issued a news release on Saturday which said Lillard will work closely with the coaching staff and athletic department leadership "to provide insight, mentorship, and guidance, using his experience at the collegiate and professional levels to elevate the program."
Portland selected Lillard with the sixth overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft. The point guard averaged 24.5 points and shot 40.9 percent on 3-point attempts in 32 games (all starts) as a senior in the 2011-12 season, when he was a third-team All-American.
Lillard averaged 18.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals while shooting 39 percent from long range in 104 games (98 starts) during a highly decorated four-year college career. He was the Big Sky Player of the Year twice.
Lillard returned to Ogden and graduated in 2015. WSU retired his No. 1 jersey in 2017, and he was inducted into its athletics hall of fame in 2021 and the Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame in 2022.
"Once again, Damian Lillard exemplifies loyalty and commitment to his alma mater," WSU President Brad Mortensen said in the release. "We are so grateful for his continued leadership and example he sets for Wildcats past, present, and future."
The nine-time All-Star and 2012-13 NBA Rookie of the Year has been selected All-NBA seven times. Lillard owns career averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 900 regular-season contests with Portland (2012-23) and Milwaukee (2023-25). His 2,804 3-pointers rank fourth in NBA history and his 22,598 points rank eighth among active players.
"Success doesn't come overnight, especially in today's ever-changing basketball landscape," Lillard said in the university's news release. "College athletics is constantly evolving, and building a strong program requires time, trust, and commitment.
"I believe in what this program represents and the culture that continues to grow at Weber State," Lillard continued. "The support of our community is vital to the program's success, and I am committed to playing a greater role in that effort. This opportunity allows me to be even more involved in shaping the future of Weber State basketball."
--Field Level Media
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Welcome back to The Danny Ainge System, where on Tuesday we evaluated every NBA executive's trade history, compiling a rating (or OPS) of their performance in that market. Kevin Pritchard, president of basketball operations for the reigning Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, was our leader in that regard. Today we are evaluating every NBA executive's draft history, using baseball's Sabermetrics to categorize each selection as a home run, triple, double, single, walk or strikeout. The higher the OPS, the better the GM. If you are not following, it's OK. It will make more sense as we go. Come along for the ride. (On Thursday we will evaluate every NBA executive's free-agent performance. And on Friday we will compile our findings and provide a complete picture of who is best leading his franchise into the future.) As we had with the trade ratings, there was an outlying score in the draft history portion of the System — a number of them, actually. 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Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics (2021-) Draft picks: .333 OBP • .000 SLG • .333 OPS BB: Baylor Scheierman (30th, 2024) K: Juhann Begarin (45th, 2021) • Jordan Walsh (38th, 2022) Nico Harrison, Dallas Mavericks (2021-) Draft picks: .667 OBP • 1.000 SLG • 1.667 OPS 2B: Dereck Lively II (12th, 2023) 1B: Jaden Hardy (37th, 2022) K: Olivier-Maxence Prosper (24th, 2023) Joe Cronin, Portland Trail Blazers (2021-) Draft picks (OBP: 1.000 • SLG: 1.000 • OPS: 2.000) 1B: Shaedon Sharpe (7th, 2022) • Scoot Henderson (3rd, 2023) • Donovan Clingan (7th, 2024) BB: Kris Murray (23rd, 2023) • Rayan Rupert (43rd, 2023) Mike Dunleavy, Golden State Warriors (2023-) Draft picks: 1.000 OBP • 1.000 SLG • 2.000 OPS 1B: Brandin Podziemski (19th, 2023) BB: Trayce Jackson-Davis (57th, 2023) • Quinten Post (52nd, 2024) Michael Winger, Washington Wizards (2023-) Draft picks: 1.000 OBP • 1.000 SLG • 2.000 OPS 1B: Bilal Coulibaly (7th, 2023) • Alex Sarr (2nd, 2024) • Bub Carrington (14th, 2024) BB: Tristan Vukčević (42nd, 2023) • Kyshawn George (24th, 2024) Have a feel for what you're looking at now? Every draft pick is categorized as a hit, a walk or a strikeout. How much power each exec hit for depends on how impactful the player became. But as a general rule ... HR: A face of the franchise 3B: A star-level talent 2B: A rotation regular 1B: A moderate success BB: A marginal move K: A relative bust For this exercise we removed picks 46-60, unless, of course, one of them reach base, in which case the executive gets credit for a walk or a hit. Otherwise, those picks have become too much of a crapshoot. We didn't want to penalize an executive for an almost impossible ask, but we did need to create a cutoff somewhere, so we included the first half of the second round, even if a bunch of those are whiffs, too. Even late first-round picks are more difficult than those in the lottery. It's just the nature of the game. San Antonio Spurs general manager Brian Wright lucked into the Victor Wembanyama pick, just as Juan Soto checked his swing into a home run, and then lucked into the No. 2 pick again in June. It is too early to tell whether Dylan Harper will carry the same power, so we removed this year's picks from the System. A quick reminder: Newcomers Jeff Peterson (Charlotte Hornets), Trajan Langdon (Detroit Pistons), Ben Tenzer (Denver Nuggets), Onsi Saleh (Atlanta Hawks), Scott Perry (Sacramento Kings), Brian Gregory (Phoenix Suns) and Bobby Webster (Toronto Raptors) do not have sample sizes big enough to evaluate. Let's get to the rankings. Ladies and gentlemen, The Danny Ainge System: Draft History. 18. Jon Horst, Milwaukee Bucks (2017-) Draft picks: .286 OBP • .167 SLG • .453 OPS 1B: Donte DiVincenzo (17th, 2018) BB: Tyler Smith (33rd, 2024) K: D.J. Wilson (17th, 2017) • Jordan Nwora (45th, 2020) • MarJon Beauchamp (24th, 2022) • Andre Jackson Jr. (36th, 2023) • AJ Johnson (23rd, 2024) That's just a tough draft history. No way around it. Especially considering the Bucks parted ways with Donte DiVincenzo, Horst's only successful draft pick, in exchange for an aging Serge Ibaka, before the Villanova product even reached his second contract. Milwaukee could sure use a player like that right now — or anyone from the last eight years out of the draft who could assist Giannis Antetokounmpo. 17. Rob Pelinka, Los Angeles Lakers (2019-) Draft picks: .833 OBP • .000 SLG • .833 OPS BB: Talen Horton-Tucker (46th, 2019) • Max Christie (35th, 2022) • Maxwell Lewis (40th, 2023) • Dalton Knecht (17th, 2024) • Bronny James (55th, 2024) K: Jalen Hood-Schifino (17th, 2023) Maybe it's a good thing if the Lakers trade away all of their draft picks. Here's rooting for Bronny James. 16. Kevin Pritchard, Indiana Pacers (2017-) Draft picks: .476 OBP • .471 SLG • .947 OPS 2B: Nicolas Batum (25th, 2008) • Andrew Nembhard (31st, 2022) 1B: Rudy Fernandez (24th, 2007) • Dante Cunningham (33rd, 2009) • Bennedict Mathurin (6th, 2022) • Ben Sheppard (26th, 2023) BB: Josh McRoberts (37th, 2007) • Patty Mills (55th, 2009) • Aaron Holiday (23rd, 2018) • Johnny Furphy (35th, 2024) K: Greg Oden (1st, 2007) • Petteri Koponen (30th, 2007) • Victor Claver (22nd, 2009) • Jeff Ayres (31st, 2009) • Luke Babbitt (16th, 2010) • Elliot Williams (22nd, 2010) • Armon Johnson (34th, 2010) • T.J. Leaf (18th, 2017) • Goga Bitadze (18th, 2019) • Chris Duarte (13th, 2021) • Isaiah Jackson (22nd, 2021) (Pritchard served as general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers from 2007-2010.) Man, that Greg Oden pick looms large. A bunch of general managers would have made the same selection, but some — including Ainge — claim they would have drafted Kevin Durant ahead of Oden. At any rate, Pritchard has finally connected on some recent draft picks. No doubt Andrew Nembhard could turn his double into a triple, especially in the absence of an injured Tyrese Haliburton. Same goes for Benn Mathurin and Ben Sheppard, both of whom could turn singles into doubles. Mathurin might even be there already, given his occasionally outstanding impact in the playoffs. Johnny Furphy might be able to leg out a single, too. Good things are happening for the Pacers, despite the Haliburton news. 15. Lawrence Frank, Los Angeles Clippers (2017-) Draft picks: .333 OBP • .625 SLG • .958 OPS HR: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11th, 2018) 1B: Terance Mann (18th, 2019) BB: Moussa Diabaté (43rd, 2022) K: Jerome Robinson (13th, 2018) • Mfiondu Kabengele (27th, 2019) • Daniel Oturu (33rd, 2020) • Keon Johnson (21st, 2021) • Jason Preston (33rd, 2021) • Kobe Brown (30th, 2023) Give credit to Lawrence Frank for identifying Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the 2018 draft, though he traded the Canadian before he became a superstar in Oklahoma City. We still granted Frank a homer. Other than that, though — and SGA might have been more of a double for L.A. than a home run — Frank's draft history is a rough scene. Then again, he has only twice drafted in the lottery and once took a future MVP. Maybe the draft is more of a coin flip than we even thought. 14. Joe Dumars, Detroit (2000-2014) • New Orleans Pelicans (2025-) Draft picks: .500 OBP • .565 SLG • 1.065 OPS 2B: Tayshaun Prince (23rd, 2002) • Andre Drummond (9th, 2012) 1B: Mehmet Okur (38th, 2001) • Carlos Delfino (25th, 2003) • Amir Johnson (56th, 2005) • Rodney Stuckey (15th, 2007) • Arron Afflalo (27th, 2007) • Jonas Jerebko (39th, 2009) • Greg Monroe (7th, 2010) • Khris Middleton (39th, 2012) • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (8th, 2013) BB: Brian Cardinal (44th, 2000) K: Mateen Cleaves (14th, 2000) • Rodney White (9th, 2001) • Darko Miličić (2nd, 2003) • Jason Maxiell (26th, 2005) • Walter Sharpe (32nd, 2008) • Austin Daye (15th, 2009) • DaJuan Summers (35th, 2009) • Terrico White (36th, 2010) • Brandon Knight (8th, 2011) • Kyle Singler (33rd, 2011) • Kim English (44th, 2012) • Tony Mitchell (37th, 2013) (Dumars served as general manager of the Detroit Pistons from 2000-2014.) Dumars drafted Tayshaun Prince to a championship core and selected Andre Drummond, a two-time All-Star who never meaningfully impacted winning in Detroit. Outside of that, he failed to hit for any power for long stretches of his career, including the 2003 selection of Darko Miličić, a historic strikeout at No. 2 overall. What Detroit might have been with Carmelo Anthony instead is an all-time barroom debate. This does not include Dumars' 2025 selections of Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. Queen, in particular, became the subject of much surprise around the league — not because he was taken in the lottery but because New Orleans gave up its unprotected 2026 first-round pick to get him. It may have been the single-most confounding trade of the offseason, but it goes unrecorded in our ledger, as the picks this summer are too fresh to evaluate. The Pelicans have invested this entire season into Queen. No pressure. 13. Artūras Karnišovas, Chicago Bulls (2020-) Draft picks: .500 OBP • .600 SLG • 1.100 OPS 2B: Matas Buzelis (11th, 2024) 1B: Ayo Dosunmu (38th, 2021) K: Patrick Williams (4th, 2020) • Marko Simonovic (44th, 2020) • Dalen Terry (18th, 2022) BB: Julian Philips (35th, 2023) That Patrick Williams pick is not going to help his cause. Matas Buzelis might, and Noa Essengue, this year's lottery pick, is coming, too. This score could get a lot better or a lot worse for Karnišovas soon. 12. Pat Riley, Miami Heat (1995-) Draft picks: .438 OBP • .774 SLG • 1.212 OPS HR: Dwyane Wade (5th, 2003) • Bam Adebayo (14th, 2017) 3B: Caron Butler (10th, 2002) • Tyler Herro (13th, 2019) 2B: Josh Richardson (40th, 2015) 1B: Eddie House (37th, 2000) • Rasual Butler (53rd, 2002) • Dorell Wright (19th, 2004) • Mario Chalmers (34th, 2008) • Nikola Jovic (27th, 2022) • Jaime Jaquez Jr. (18th, 2023) • Kel'el Ware (15th, 2024) • Pelle Larson (44th, 2024) BB: Precious Achiuwa (20th, 2020) K: Martin Müürsepp (25th, 1996) • Charles Smith (26th, 1997) • Mark Smith (31st, 1997) • Tim James (25th, 1999) • Jerome Beasley (33rd, 2003) • Albert Miralles (39th, 2004) • Wayne Simien (29th, 2005) • Daequan Cook (21st, 2007) • Michael Beasley (2nd, 2008) • Patrick Beverley (42nd, 2009) • Dexter Pittman (32nd, 2010) • Jarvis Varnado (41st, 2010), Da'Sean Butler (42nd, 2010) • Norris Cole (28th, 2011) • Justin Hamilton (45th, 2012) • Shabazz Napier (24th, 2014) • Justise Winslow (10th, 2015) • KZ Okpala (32nd, 2019) Riley drafted Dwyane Wade, a franchise icon, which warrants a long career. He extended it with his work on the trade market and in free agency. He also drafted Bam Adebayo, the backbone of two more trips to the NBA Finals. He has hit a couple triples, a double and a bunch of singles. He has a rich draft history. But you would expect a little more success from someone who is 30 years into this gig. There were a lot of whiffs late in the first round and early in the second round. There were some big swings and misses, too, when it came to Michael Beasley and Justise Winslow. If only Riley had taken Ainge up on his offer of a handful of first-round draft picks for Winslow, the two archrivals might be flipped in these rankings. 11. Leon Rose, New York Knicks (2020-) Draft picks: .667 OBP • .667 SLG • 1.333 OPS 2B: Immanuel Quickley (25th, 2020) 1B: Quentin Grimes (25th, 2021) • Miles McBride (36th, 2021) BB: Pacôme Dadiet (25th, 2024) • Tyler Kolek (34th, 2024) • Ariel Hukporti (58th, 2024) K: Obi Toppin (8th, 2020) • Rokas Jokubaitis (34th, 2021) • Trevor Keels (42nd, 2022) If only Rose had held onto Obi Toppin, he might have ended up with another single. As it is, he had to watch as Toppin contributed as a member of the Pacers to his team's defeat in the conference finals. Note, too, that Toppin was the only player taken higher than 25th by Rose, and Rose gave up too early on his best opportunity at success in the draft. It is good to know, though, that it is possible to be successful without much success in the draft, as the Knicks are in decent shape despite their difficult draft history. 10. Jeff Weltman, Orlando Magic (2017-) Draft picks: .500 OBP • .929 SLG • 1.429 OPS HR: Paolo Banchero (1st, 2022) 3B: Franz Wagner (8th, 2021) 2B: Jalen Suggs (5th, 2021) 1B: Jonathan Isaac (6th, 2017) • Cole Anthony (15th, 2020) • Anthony Black (6th, 2023) • Tristan da Silva (18th, 2024) K: Mo Bamba (6th, 2018) • Wes Iwundu (33rd, 2018) • Melvin Frazier (35th, 2018) • Justin Jackson (43rd, 2018) • Chuma Okeke (16th, 2019) • Caleb Houstan (32nd, 2022) • Jett Howard (11th, 2023) The Magic have perennially picked one selection too late in the draft, often just missing elite prospects. But in back-to-back years Weltman dug himself out of a slump, taking Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero in successive drafts, forming the foundation of what should be a 50-win team this year. 9. Koby Altman, Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-) Draft picks: .444 OBP • 1.000 SLG • 1.444 OPS HR: Evan Mobley (3rd, 2021) 3B: Darius Garland (5th, 2019) 1B: Collin Sexton (8th, 2018) BB: Jaylon Tyson (20th, 2024) K: Dylan Windler (26th, 2019) • Kevin Porter Jr. (30th, 2019) • Isaac Okoro (5th, 2020) • Ochai Agbaji (14th, 2022) • Khalifa Diop (39th, 2022) Altman did not miss on his top-five picks, and the Cavaliers are benefiting from that power, as Evan Mobley and Darius Garland formed a partnership that was worthy of investing into Donovan Mitchell (and vice versa). Together they formed a 64-win team that unfortunately lost in the second round of the playoffs, but the East is shallow, and the Cavs are expected to be the cream of the crop again next season. There is hope in Cleveland again, as the Cavaliers will go as far as Mobley and Garland take them. 8. Sean Marks, Brooklyn Nets (2016-) Draft picks: .636 OBP • .875 SLG • 1.511 OPS 3B: Jarrett Allen (22nd, 2017) 2B: Nic Claxton (31st, 2019) 1B: Caris LeVert (20th, 2016) • Cam Thomas (27th, 2021) BB: Isaiah Whitehead (42nd, 2016) • Rodion Kurucs (40th, 2018) • Kessler Edwards (44th, 2021) K: Džanan Musa (29th, 2018) • Day'Ron Sharpe (29th, 2021) • Noah Clowney (21st, 2023) • Dariq Whitehead (22nd, 2023) Marks has done a decent job in the draft despite never having a pick higher than No. 20. That changed this year, when the Nets picked eighth (Egor Demin) before also selecting 19th (Nolan Traore), 22nd (Drake Powell), 26th (Ben Saraf) and 27th (Danny Wolf). That is a lot of at-bats for one summer. 7. Sam Presti, Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-) Draft picks: .514 OBP • 1.065 SLG • 1.579 OPS HR: Kevin Durant (2nd, 2007) • Russell Westbrook (4th, 2008) • James Harden (3rd, 2009) • Jalen Williams (12th, 2022) 3B: Serge Ibaka (24th, 2008) • Chet Holmgren (2nd, 2022) 2B: Reggie Jackson (24th, 2011) • Steven Adams (12th, 2013) • Cason Wallace (10th, 2023) 1B: Andre Roberson (26th, 2013) • Cameron Payne (14th, 2015) • Josh Giddey (6th, 2021) • Aaron Wiggins (55th, 2021) • Jaylin Williams (34th, 2022) BB: Hamidou Diallo (45th, 2018) • Ousmane Dieng (11th, 2022) • Nikola Topic (12th, 2024) • Ajay Mitchell (38th, 2024) K: D.J. White (29th, 2008) • Kyle Weaver (38th, 2008) • B.J. Mullens (24th, 2009) • Cole Aldrich (11th, 2010) • Tibor Pleiß (31st, 2010) • Perry Jones (28th, 2012) • Álex Abrines (32nd, 2013) • Grant Jerrett (40th, 2013) • Mitch McGary (21st, 2014) • Josh Huestis (29th, 2014) • Terrance Ferguson (21st, 2017) • Darius Bazley (23rd, 2019) • Aleksej Pokusevski (17th, 2020) • Vit Krejci (37th, 2020) • Tre Mann (18th, 2021) • Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (32nd, 2021) • Dillon Jones (26th, 2024) It is a thing of beauty looking at this stat sheet. Four home runs, including Jalen Williams, who, as the second-best player on a championship team, deserves that status. That run of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden will never be matched. But it just goes to show you: When you are in this business a long enough time, there are bound to be a lot of swings and misses, especially when you are so often selecting late in the first round. 6. Daryl Morey, Philadelphia 76ers (2020-) Draft picks: .682 OBP • .952 SLG • 1.634 OPS 3B: Tyrese Maxey (21st, 2020) 2B: Chandler Parsons (38th, 2011) • Clint Capela (25th, 2014) • Montrezl Harrell (32nd, 2015) • Jared McCain (16th, 2024) 1B: Aaron Brooks (26th, 2007) • Chase Budinger (44th, 2009) • Patrick Patterson (14th, 2010) • Marcus Morris (14th, 2011) • Donatas Motiejunas (20th, 2011) • Terrence Jones (18th, 2012) • Jeremy Lamb (12th, 2012) • Isaiah Hartenstein (43rd, 2017) • Paul Reed (58th, 2020) BB: Adem Bona (41st, 2024) K: Jermaine Taylor (32nd, 2009) • Sergio Llull (34th, 2009) • Royce White (16th, 2012) • Isaiah Canaan (34th, 2013) • Sam Dekker (18th, 2015) • Chinanu Onuaku (37th, 2016) • Jaden Springer (28th, 2021) (Morey served as general manager of the Houston Rockets from 2007-2020.) Morey does not get enough credit for his success in the draft, where, among others, he identified Tyrese Maxey, arguably the team's best player now (unfortunately). There's just not a lot of whiffs over a career as long as his. Even on the misses you can see the talent he was chasing. Smart guy, that Daryl Morey. 5. Tim Connelly, Minnesota Timberwolves (2022-) Draft picks: .652 OBP • 1.056 SLG • 1.708 OPS HR: Nikola Jokić (41st, 2014) • Jamal Murray (7th, 2016) 2B: Gary Harris (19th, 2014) • Jusuf Nurkić (16th, 2014) • Michael Porter Jr. (14th, 2018) 1B: Malik Beasley (19th, 2016) • Monte Morris (51st, 2017) • Jarred Vanderbilt (41st, 2018) • Rob Dillingham (8th, 2024) • Terrence Shannon Jr. (27th, 2024) BB: Juan Hernangómez (15th, 2016) • Vlatko Čančar (49th, 2017) • Bol Bol (44th, 2019) • Zeke Nnaji (22nd, 2020) • Jaylen Clark (53rd, 2023) K: Erick Green (46th, 2013) • Emmanuel Mudiay (7th, 2015) • Tyler Lydon (24th, 2017) • R.J. Hampton (24th, 2020) • Bones Hyland (26th, 2021) • Wendell Moore Jr. (26th, 2022) • Josh Minott (45th, 2022) • Leonard Miller (33rd, 2023) (Connelly served as general manager of the Denver Nuggets from 2013-2022.) That Jokić pick was so much of a grand slam, I think it's still going. Connelly identified a ton of talent in the draft for the Nuggets, including Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., or most of the core of Denver's 2023 championship team. Minnesota is hoping he can do the same for the Timberwolves, who could use some affordable talent on their books. Both Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon showed promise last season, and rookie Joan Beringer joins them this summer. The sooner any of them develops, the more we can accept the Wolves as legitimate title contenders. 4. Danny Ainge, Utah Jazz (2021-) Draft picks: .674 OBP • .1.147 SLG • 1.821 OPS HR: Rajon Rondo (21st, 2006) • Jaylen Brown (3rd, 2016) • Jayson Tatum (3rd, 2017) 3B: Al Jefferson (15th, 2004) • Marcus Smart (6th, 2014) 2B: Kendrick Perkins (27th, 2003) • Tony Allen (25th, 2004) • Avery Bradley (19th, 2010) • Terry Rozier (16th, 2015) • Robert Williams III (27th, 2018) • Walker Kessler (22nd, 2022) 1B: Delonte West (24th, 2004) • Ryan Gomes (50th, 2005) • Leon Powe (49th, 2006) • Glen Davis (35th, 2007) • Jared Sullinger (21st, 2012) • Kelly Olynyk (13th, 2013) • Semi Ojeleye (37th, 2017) • Grant Williams (22nd, 2019) • Payton Pritchard (26th, 2020) BB: Gerald Green (18th, 2005) • Guerschon Yabusele (16th, 2016) • Aaron Nesmith (14th, 2020) • Taylor Hendricks (9th, 2023) • Keyonte George (16th, 2023) • Brice Sensabaugh (28th, 2023) • Cody Williams (10th, 2024) • Isaiah Collier (29th, 2024) • Kyle Filipowski (32nd, 2024) K: Marcus Banks (13th, 2003) • Justin Reed (40th, 2004) • Gabe Pruitt (32nd, 2007) • J.R. Giddens (30th, 2008) • JaJuan Johnson (27th, 2011) • Fab Melo (22nd, 2012) • James Young (17th, 2014) • R.J. Hunter (28th, 2015) • Jordan Mickey (33rd, 2015) • Marcus Thornton (45th, 2015) • Ante Zizic (23rd, 2016) • Demetrius Jackson (45th, 2016) • Romeo Langford (14th, 2019) • Carsen Edwards (33rd, 2019) (Ainge served as general manager of the Boston Celtics from 2003-2021.) Another thing of beauty. Man, look at all that action. No wonder we called this The Danny Ainge System. He drafted players to two different championship teams in Boston and consistently raked for 20 seasons. There are a lot of recent draft picks hanging in the balance here as walks — from 2023 (Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh) to 2024 (Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski) — and that does not include this year's selections, Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. Two years from now, Ainge could have a very different score here — or an even better one, as he attempts to build a legacy in Utah. 3. Zach Kleiman, Memphis Grizzlies (2019-) Draft picks: .692 OBP • 1.154 SLG • 1.846 OPS HR: Ja Morant (2nd, 2019) 3B: Desmond Bane (30th, 2020) 2B: Santi Aldama (30th, 2021) 1B: Brandon Clarke (21st, 2019) • Xavier Tillman (35th, 2020) • Vince Williams Jr. (47th, 2022) • GG Jackson (45th, 2023) • Zach Edey (9th, 2024) • Jaylen Wells (39th, 2024) K: Ziaire Williams (10th, 2021) • Jake LaRavia (19th, 2022) • David Roddy (23rd, 2022) • Kennedy Chandler (38th, 2022) Ja Morant has come with ups and downs, but when he is healthy and engaged, he is the face of a 50-win team and an absolute superstar. He is a home run, even if anyone would have taken him with the No. 2 overall pick in 2019. You can only make the picks that are in front of you, and Morant was a good one. Kleiman has proven to be one of the league's best talent evaluators. Which is why it should have given Grizzlies fans great confidence when he proactively traded up for Cedric Coward at this year's No. 11 pick. If The Danny Ainge System has taught us anything, it's that there's a high likelihood Coward will be good. 2. Brian Wright, San Antonio Spurs (2019-) Draft picks: .636 OBP • .1.250 SLG • 1.886 OPS HR: Victor Wembanyama (1st, 2023) 3B: Stephon Castle (4th, 2024) 2B: Devin Vassell (11th, 2020) 1B: Jeremy Sochan (9th, 2022) BB: Tre Jones (41st, 2020) • Sidy Cissoko (44th, 2023) • Juan Núñez (36th, 2024) K: Joshua Primo (12th, 2021) • Joe Wieskamp (41st, 2021) • Malaki Branham (20th, 2022) • Blake Wesley (25th, 2022) It helps, of course, to luck into a generational superstar, and Victor Wembanyama is that. A No. 1 pick can make a general manager's career, as it can a coach. Just ask Gregg Popovich, who drafted Tim Duncan to the Spurs and reaped the rewards for a couple of decades. Wright's legacy will be written by Wembanyama. Popovich had to identify Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the draft, too, in order to build a dynasty. The Spurs will hope Wright found similar complementary stars from a rebuild, whether Stephon Castle builds on his Rookie of the Year campaign or one of this year's lottery picks, Dylan Harper or Carter Bryant, develops into a star. Wright has set San Antonio up for success. Bet on the Spurs in the coming years. 1. Rafael Stone, Houston Rockets (2020-) Draft picks: .700 OBP • 1.222 SLG • 1.922 OPS 3B: Alperen Şengün (16th, 2021) • Amen Thompson (4th, 2023) 2B: Jalen Green (2nd, 2021) 1B: KJ Martin (52nd, 2020) • Jabari Smith Jr. (3rd, 2022) • Tari Eason (17th, 2022) BB: Reed Sheppard (3rd, 2024) K: Usman Garuba (23rd, 2021) • Josh Christopher (24th, 2021) • Cam Whitmore (20th, 2023) There is a reason the Rockets were ready for Kevin Durant. Stone has drafted so well the Rockets have developed from what was a 17-win team when he took over to a 52-win No. 2 seed this past season — all on the backs of a handful of high-end draft picks, including All-Star center Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson, who at age 22 may be as likely to develop into a home run as anyone in the league right now. The Rockets were so good last season they decided they were one piece away from more serious title contention. They believed Jalen Green, their No. 2 overall pick in 2021, was not that one piece, so they flipped him for Durant, who could be the guy. It was a bet against Green's potential as a home run. Stone's draft record has benefited from four consecutive selections in the top five of the first round, though one of those picks, Reed Sheppard, remains a mystery. If Sheppard hits, there is a real chance that when we update this list a year or two from now, Stone's score could be even higher. As it is, he is the best around, and the Rockets are among the league's championship favorites as a direct result.
USA Today
28 minutes ago
- USA Today
2024-25 Thunder player grades: Ajay Mitchell
The calendar has flipped to August, which means we've officially hit the low point of the NBA cycle. The next couple of months are the driest part of the year. Everybody has headed to vacation and awaits training camp to kick off the 2025-26 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to enjoy their NBA championship. They had a historic 68-14 regular-season campaign that eventually led to the franchise's first title with a 2025 NBA Finals Game 7 win. They'll enter next season as a favorite to be a rare repeat winner. To reflect on their title run, Thunder Wire will conduct 2024-25 season grades for all 19 players who suited up for the squad at one point during the year. Thirteenth up is Ajay Mitchell, who had a promising start to his career despite injuries: 2024-25 statistics: Advanced stats: Significant Percentile Finishes: Contract: Thoughts: Being on a two-way deal to start the season, Mitchell was the rare player who never suited up in the G League. Instead, he loudly knocked on the door and forced the Thunder to play him from the start. The 23-year-old had a strong start to his rookie season that was eventually torpedoed by injury. The Thunder desperately needed another ball-handler. When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was off the floor, the offense plummeted. Mitchell helped it stay above water as the backup guard. A couple of months into the season, he was a staple in OKC's rotation. It didn't take long for Mitchell to surpass his draft spot. The second-round rookie gained rotation minutes on an NBA champion. He was a steady hand who could run the offense. He drove to the basket and was a good catch-and-shoot option. He helped Jalen Williams dominate on the bench lineup. Everything looked great for Mitchell. He was ready to contribute from the start. Isaiah Hartenstein campaigned for him to win Rookie of the Year. He was well on his way to getting converted to a standard contract. Then a toe turf injury sidelined him. Mitchell required surgery. He missed three months of the regular season. He managed to return before the playoffs started, but his rustiness and inexperience made it difficult for him to get serious minutes in the postseason. Instead, he was on the outside looking in with OKC's rotation. While the injury ruined any chances for rookie accolades, it was just a speed bump. The Thunder felt confident enough in Mitchell to convert him to a standard deal, anyway. They liked what they saw in his limited action. The 23-year-old showed he could fit the traditional backup point guard role. Moving Forward: It looks like the Thunder nailed another second-round pick. All the hoopla they went through to add Mitchell was worth it. They gave him a new contract this offseason to keep him around. He's had quite the journey from a two-way player to receiving NBA Finals minutes. Let's see if Mitchell can take the next step in his development. He showed some flashes of it at Summer League. He was the Thunder's top scorer by playing a drive-heavy brand of scoring. He'd get to the lane and either finish through traffic or go to the free-throw line. That looked promising. Especially if he can draw contact more often. Mitchell could also improve as a playmaker. The assist numbers weren't great. He was more of a score-first guard. But that type of improvement comes with time. No reason to think he won't be better at making reads with more reps in the future. The Thunder will need to figure out who their backup guard will be next season. Mitchell will certainly be in the mix. His main competition will be Nikola Topic. Those two young players will battle it out to see who's more ready to contribute right away and who needs more time to develop in the G League. Taking a guess, Mitchell looks to be the former. It makes sense, being three years older than Topic. He also has NBA experience on his side. It's a good problem to have, as the backup guard role was one of the Thunder's few weak spots last season. As the Thunder get more expensive, they will need players like Mitchell to step up as rotation players. He's a young player on a cheap contract who can continue to grow. At worst, he has a safe floor of being a bench player. OKC's roster is filled with guys who played above their draft status. He could be another example of that. Final Grade: B-minus
