The 2001 NBA Draft Class is one of the most talked-about in NBA history This is the draft that had multiple future All-Stars in one class, along with arguably the biggest bust in NBA history in Kwame Brown. Of course, Brown is making headlines in the news recently by firing back at critics who are bashing his career. It seems that Brown has had enough with the slander.
But looking back at the 2001 NBA Draft, it is clear which players will be in the top-5 and it is, unfortunately, true that Kwame Brown will fall a ton of spots before getting drafted.
Here is how the 2001 NBA Re-Draft looks like.
1. Washington Wizards
Original Pick: Kwame Brown
Re-Draft Pick: Tony Parker
It is crazy to think that Kwame Brown was drafted ahead of Tony Parker. Big men were valued back in the day much more than smaller guards who are not from America. But still, the Wizards would have been much better off with a future 6-time All-Star, 4-time NBA champion, and Finals MVP.
Parker benefited a lot from playing in a strong San Antonio Spurs system led by Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan, but the Frenchman was one of the best paint scorers in NBA history for a point guard and would have been the franchise player for the Wizards.
2. Los Angeles Clippers
Original Pick: Tyson Chandler
Re-Draft Pick: Pau Gasol
The Blazers missed out on Pau Gasol because the size and athleticism of Tyson Chandler were too much to pass up at the time. Or so it seemed because the Clippers would trade him to the Chicago Bulls. Had they drafted Pau Gasol, the Spanish star would have been their present and future.
Gasol would make 6 All-Star Teams, capture the Rookie of the Year, and would be a key piece of a Lakers team that won 2 straight NBA titles. The Clippers basked in mediocrity for many years but Gasol would have immediately solved that issue.
3. Atlanta Hawks
Original Pick: Joe Johnson
Re-Draft Pick: Joe Johnson
The Atlanta Hawks would have ended up with their star in Joe Johnson no matter what. Joe Johnson would have his best years with the Hawks, becoming one of the best scorers in the NBA and making 7 All-Star Teams (6 with Atlanta). Johnson was drafted 10th by the Boston Celtics and was traded to the Phoenix Suns in the same year.
Johnson is one of the best scorers in the history of the Hawks and the franchise would have done a great job grabbing him with the No. 3 pick and making him a player they build around. After all, Johnson was so good that in 2010 he made the All-NBA Third Team.
4. Chicago Bulls
Original Pick: Eddy Curry
Re-Draft Pick: Zach Randolph
Boy did the Chicago Bulls mess this one up. Instead of drafting the grit n’ grind star in Zach Randolph, they took a chance on a player who would go on to have some of the most frustrating weight issues in the history of basketball. Randolph would make 2 All-Star Teams and would average over 20 PPG for 7 seasons, while Curry would not last long in the league.
Many teams were interested in Curry because he looked bigger than Randolph and has promising post moves. But Randolph was clearly more skilled, could dominate the opponent at times, and would have been a building block for the Chicago Bulls.
5. Golden State Warriors
Original Pick: Jason Richardson
Re-Draft Pick: Gilbert Arenas
The Golden State Warriors made a solid pick by grabbing Jason Richardson, but they would have done better by drafting a superstar point guard in Gilbert Arenas. The problems with Arenas are well-documented and it is a shame he lacked seriousness in his career, but the point guard was sensational in his prime.
Arenas would make 3 All-Star and 3 All-NBA Teams in his career, and his no-look three-point shot would have brought the Warriors stadium down every time he did it. Richardson was a key part of the “We Believe” Warriors, but Arenas would have taken the team to the next level.
6. Memphis Grizzlies
Original Pick: Shane Battier
Re-Draft Pick: Jason Richardson
The Memphis Grizzlies should have taken Jason Richardson with the 6th overall pick in the draft. For years, the Grizzlies struggled to find any sort of perimeter shooting and guard play and Richardson was the best one in the draft at the time.
Richardson is one of the most explosive athletes in NBA history and would go on to have a successful NBA career which included back-to-back Dunk Contest victories in 2002 and 2003. Memphis could have used Richardson’s offensive firepower especially because they would end up with Pau Gasol anyways down the line.
7. New Jersey Nets
Original Pick: Eddie Griffin
Re-Draft Pick: Tyson Chandler
The Nets would have solid success in the 2000s thanks to the brilliant play of Jason Kidd (who would arrive from Phoenix a year later), but they could have used Chandler’s size and defensive ability in the paint during their playoff runs. Chandler would capture a Defensive Player of the Year Award and his impact for the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 was invaluable.
Chandler would have been the key driving force in the team on defense and the lobs from Kidd would have been difficult for opponents to handle. With Chandler and the arrival of Kidd, the Nets would have had a better shot against the Shaq and Kobe Lakers in 2002.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
Original Pick: DeSagana Diop
Re-Draft Pick: Richard Jefferson
As we approach the end of the top ten picks of the first round, the Cavaliers should have drafted Richard Jefferson. Jefferson would win an NBA title with the Cavaliers in 2016 as a 35-year old role player, but he was a much better player in his prime. Jefferson was a key part of the Nets franchise in the early 2000s as his scoring and size on the perimeter were a valuable part of his game. There is no doubt that he would have been a building block for the Cavaliers, who would have had a nice duo with Richardson and LeBron James.
9. Detroit Pistons
Original Pick: Rodney White
Re-Draft Pick: Shane Battier
The Pistons ended up with Rodney White, a role player who would only play 4 seasons and averaged 7.1 PPG. Instead, Detroit would have been better off with the best perimeter defender in the draft in Shane Battier. Battier was not a star, but he would make 2 All-Defensive Teams in his career and also make the All-Rookie Team by averaging 14.4 PPG in his first season in the league.
10. Boston Celtics
Original Pick: Joe Johnson
Re-Draft Pick: Gerald Wallace
The Celtics would have drafted and kept Gerald Wallace for the long run if the re-draft occurred. In actuality, Boston grabbed Johnson and traded him midway through his first season. Wallace would make an All-Star Team, make the All-Defensive Team in 2010, and develop into a star for the Charlotte Hornets. Boston could have used Wallace’s size and defensive traits although a prime Joe Johnson would have been better had they kept him.
11. Boston Celtics
Original Pick: Kedrick Brown
Re-Draft Pick: Samuel Dalembert
The Celtics would have continued their defensive direction by drafting a paint protector in Samuel Dalembert. The big man would average 7.8 RPG and 1.7 BPG over his career, and his pairing with Gerald Wallace would boost the team’s defense both on the perimeter and in the paint.
12. Seattle SuperSonics
Original Pick: Vladimir Radmanovic
Re-Draft Pick: Mehmet Okur
The SuperSonics decided that Radmanovic, 6’10” forward from Bosnia, was a perfect fit for them over a center who was not known for his defensive ability in Okur. But that was the wrong decision because Okur was an All-Star for the Utah Jazz and shot a career 37.5% from three over his career.
13. Houston Rockets
Original Pick: Richard Jefferson
Re-Draft Pick: Troy Murphy
With the 13th pick of the draft, the Rockets would have drafted Troy Murphy. Richard Jefferson would have been a steal for Houston had they kept him because he would develop into a dominant scorer with the Nets. But Troy Murphy is a solid pick at No. 13 since he was a 6’11” center who averaged a solid 10.8 PPG and 7.8 RPG over his career.
14. Golden State Warriors
Original Pick: Troy Murphy
Re-Draft Pick: Jamaal Tinsley
The Warriors ended up with Troy Murphy instead, as he played his first 6 seasons in the league with the franchise. His best season came in 2005 where he averaged 15.4 PPG and 10.8 RPG for the team. In the redraft, the Warriors would have selected Jamaal Tinsley, a backup playmaker who was a solid ball-handler.
15. Orlando Magic
Original Pick: Steven Hunter
Re-Draft Pick: Brendan Haywood
The Magic drafted backup center Steven Hunter with the No. 15 pick but they probably would have been better off with Brendan Haywood. Haywood had a long career as a backup but his impact for the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 cannot be ignored. Haywood was a massive center at 7’0” and 268 lbs, and his raw size came in use whenever he entered the game.
16. Charlotte Hornets
Original Pick: Kirk Haston
Re-Draft Pick: Bobby Simmons
With the No. 16 pick, the Hornets went for Kirk Haston, a forward who played a total of 27 games in his NBA career. Clearly the wrong choice, Bobby Simmons would have been a solid choice as he averaged 9.0 PPG over his career and won the Most Improved Player Award in 2005.
17. Toronto Raptors
Original Pick: Michael Bradley
Re-Draft Pick: Vladimir Radmanovic
The Raptors selected Michael Bradley, a big man who played 173 games in his career but only starting 13 of them. Bradley only played 11.7 MPG over his career, and the Raptors would have selected Radmanovic instead. Radmanovic averaged 8.0 PPG for his career and was mainly recognized for his days on the Lakers alongside Kobe Bryant.
18. Houston Rockets
Original Pick: Jason Collins
Re-Draft Pick: Earl Watson
Jason Collins was selected by the Rockets, although he never played a game for Houston. Instead, he played 8 seasons with the Nets (Brooklyn and New Jersey) and had a long career that spanned 13 total seasons.
19. Portland Trail Blazers
Original Pick: Zach Randolph
Re-Draft Pick: Eddy Curry
There is no way Randolph should have fallen outside of the top-5, and Portland lucked out with an All-Star forward who can score and rebound. Instead, the Trail Blazers will take Eddy Curry who famously struggled with his weight and did not reach anywhere close to his potential. Curry was solid when he was on the court, however, averaging 12.9 PPG and 5.2 RPG for his career.
20. Cleveland Cavaliers
Original Pick: Brendan Haywood
Re-Draft Pick: Kwame Brown
The Cavaliers would have drafted the No. 1 pick if the draft had the redraft occurred. Kwame Brown might be the most disrespected player in NBA history because of how he never reached his potential. Averaging 6.6 PPG and 5.5 RPG for his career, it is clear Brown never should have gone No. 1 but he would be a solid choice at No. 20.
21. Boston Celtics
Original Pick: Joseph Forte
Re-Draft Pick: Steven Hunter
The Boston Celtics would have been much better off with Hunter over Forte. Forte played 2 seasons, averaged 1.2 PPG, and never started a game. Instead, Hunter would have been chosen as a 7’0” center who could back up starting big man thanks to his raw size.
22. Orlando Magic
Original Pick: Jeryl Sasser
Re-Draft Pick: Trenton Hassell
Trenton Hassell is a much better selection for the Magic than Jeryl Sasser. Sasser only played 2 seasons for the Magic before he went out of the league, while Hassell played 9 seasons as a role player. Hassell averaged 5.8 PPG and had a decent mid-range jumper when he got a look at the rim.
23. Houston Rockets
Original Pick: Brandon Armstrong
Re-Draft Pick: Jason Collins
Armstrong never played for the Rockets, but played for the New Jersey Nets and averaged 2.2 PPG over his career. Instead, Jason Collins would have been selected as a big man who was mainly known for his off-court impact rather than on the court. Nonetheless, Collins stood 7’0” tall so his size helped him have a long-lasting career.
24. Utah Jazz
Original Pick: Raul Lopez
Re-Draft Pick: Jarron Collins
The Utah Jazz selected Raul Lopez, a 6’1” Spanish point guard who only lasted 2 seasons in the league. In the redraft, the Jazz would have gone for 6’11” center Jarron Collins (brother of Jason Collins) who played 10 seasons in the league and spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz.
25. Sacramento Kings
Original Pick: Gerald Wallace
Re-Draft Pick: Brian Scalabrine
The Kings ended up with a solid wing player who played 3 seasons with the franchise, but they would have drafted “The White Mamba” in the redraft. Scalabrine is mainly known for his social media attention as the ultimate meme player, but he is an NBA champion with the 2008 Celtics and he is known as a great locker room guy.
26. Philadelphia 76ers
Original Pick: Samuel Dalembert
Re-Draft Pick: DeSagana Diop
The 76ers got an excellent selection with Dalembert following all the way at the end of the first round of the draft. Dalembert was a solid defensive center who should have been drafted much higher but had the redraft occurred, DeSagana Diop would have been selected. Diop played 12 seasons in the league, playing benchwarmer minutes and averaging 2.0 PPG and 3.7 RPG.
27. Memphis Grizzlies
Original Pick: Jamaal Tinsley
Re-Draft Pick: Eddie Griffin
The Grizzlies got a solid selection with the No. 27 pick in Jamaal Tinsley although he played his first 7 seasons with the Indiana Pacers. Tinsely was a solid backup point guard who averaged 8.5 PPG and 6.1 APG for his career, mainly as a playmaker who could score on occasion. The Grizzlies would have ended up with Eddie Griffin, the man who was selected No. 7 in actuality.
28. San Antonio Spurs
Original Pick: Tony Parker
Re-Draft Pick: Rodney White
The San Antonio Spurs got the luckiest draw by grabbing Tony Parker with the No. 28 pick. Who would have thought Parker would turn out to win a Finals MVP and form a core with Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich for a Spurs dynasty. Had the re-draft occurred, the Spurs don't have their point guard and possibly have a different path to success.
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