NBA: 10 Most Valued Current 2nd Round Picks

In one of the most competitive sporting leagues in the world - predicting the superstars of the future is an everyday business. General Managers will scheme, scouts will travel the world, owners will pump in millions of dollars and teams will tank unapologetically - all in the hopes of landing a player who can carry the franchise to glory on his shoulders. In this commotion of talent evaluation and calculated gambling, it is often the high draft picks who are the most highly prized; they tend to command big eyeballs and bigger contracts.

However, in sports, nothing beats a good underdog story. The fans are always willing to create a little extra poster space on their bedroom walls, to commemorate the deeds of the unheralded. In the NBA, once in a while, a special talent from the second tier often takes center-stage. In other words, a second-round draft pick (the embodiment of an underdog) decides to ensure that his name is not forgotten among the long list of athletes who have run the NBA race. In 2017, there are already a handful of second-round standouts from the years past, who have established their importance upon various teams. Without further ado, this is a ranking of the second round picks who shoulder the greatest responsibility during the current season.

Disclaimer - The views expressed in this article are those of the author and they do not necessarily represent the views of Sportskeeda

#10 Malcolm Brogdon

#13 Malcolm Brogdon should look to maintain leads obtained by Antetokounmpo

Picked 35th in 2016 by the Milwaukee Bucks

Other than a beautiful addition to your mantelpiece and undeniable bragging rights, what does a Rookie of the Year Award give you? Greater accountability on the team.

Brogdon's rookie season might have been the stuff of dreams; after all, he was the first second-round pick to win the Rookie of the Year award. He outshone any meager expectations the Bucks may have had when they drafted him early in the second round last year, by providing level-headed plays and a consistent scoring punch to support Giannis Antetokounmpo last season.

This season, he has increased his scoring by nearly 3 points-per-game while maintaining the same level of production in other areas. If the Bucks are really to be the team of the future in the east though, Brogdon must persevere to do even more of the heavy lifting. Milwaukee may have the services of Eric Bledsoe for now at the starting point guard spot, but Brogdon's size and composure present a great opportunity to fashion him as the leader of bench wrecking crews.

#9 Chandler Parsons

Can Parsons put his knee problems behind him?

Picked 38th in 2011 by the Houston Rockets

When you take home a superstar salary, fans expect you to deliver superstar performances. Unfortunately for Chandler Parsons in Memphis, he has been nowhere close to the big numbers after signing a 4-year, 94 million dollars contract in 2016. In a city that had the core of its ‘grit-n-grind’ philosophy depart in the offseason, finding new cornerstones on the team has become a priority.

Many fans in Memphis have already expressed their displeasure at the size of Parsons’ contract, but fail to understand that their ire should actually be directed at the management. Yet, after suffering a demoralizing 11-game slide, an injury to Mike Conley and clashes between Marc Gasol and David Fizdale, the Grizzlies will look to Parsons to play a part in steadying the ship.

His numbers are down in Memphis from previous seasons because of a minutes restriction due to injury, but expectations will continue to remain high for the small forward. If the Grizzlies are to avoid the lottery, Parsons must again morph into the player he once used to be.

#8 Manu Ginobili

Manu's craftiness is one of Pop's best crunchtime weapons

Picked 57th in 1999 by the San Antonio Spurs

The wizard from Argentina officially holds the title of the oldest second-round pick currently active in the NBA. One would assume that title gives you the privilege to sit back and dole out words of wisdom to younger teammates while they slug it out nightly on the hardwood. That lifestyle is not for Manu though!

With Kawhi Leonard out and Tony Parker returning diminished from injury, Ginobili has been proving that elder statesman is a role he can thrive in. His point and assist totals might be down from his career averages, but his leadership and awareness on court ensure that the Spurs remain a paragon of consistency. Although coach Popovich need not depend so heavily on his oldest player once his star is ready to return, you can be sure that Manu will open his bag of jaw-dropping tricks come playoff time.

#7 Isaiah Thomas

The Cavs have stockpiled a ton of fourth-quarter fireworks for the playoffs

Picked 60th in 2011 by the Sacramento Kings

Mighty I.T. or Mr. 4th Quarter - call him what you will but you can't deny his status in the league. If this article were written 3 weeks ago, he might be at the top of these rankings. However, LeBron James' dominance, Dwyane Wade's steady play, and a 13-game win streak have quelled the Cavaliers' fears for now.

But there is a reason fans are itching to see Thomas in the wine-and-gold uniform. He may be the smallest man in the league, but he definitely has the biggest chip on his shoulder - as his 'Pick ME Last Again" campaign in Boston demonstrates. After a rampaging 2016-17 season in which he left former General Managers banging their heads on a wall for trading him (we feel you, Ryan Mcdonough), Thomas unexpectedly arrived in Cleveland carrying both baggage and reputation.

While injuries have left him off the court until now, his playmaking will give the Cleveland Cavaliers an even scarier dimension once he returns. Can he help vault the King back to the throne? The world cannot wait to know!

#6 Trevor Ariza

Few role players have a bigger role to play than Ariza

Picked 43rd in 2004 by the New York Knicks

As one of the league's premier defensive minded journeymen, Trevor Ariza has carved an impressive niche for himself in Houston. In his fourth year with the James Harden led Rockets, Ariza brings tenacious defensive abilities to match his long-range sniper skills. In his sixteenth NBA season, Ariza still appears sprightly in his movements and fearsome in his lockdown mindset.

The Rockets will be pleased to note that he is shooting his best percentage ever from the free throw stripe (90%), and is also having his second best season ever from 3-point territory (38.2%). Although the Rockets have added two solid defenders in P. J. Tucker and Luc Mbah a Moute, they will depend on Ariza's experience and championship pedigree to finally have had a chance to dethrone the Golden State Warriors in the West.

#5 Lou Williams

Lou Williams is the main ingredient in Doc's instant offense recipe

Picked 45th in 2005 by the Philadelphia 76ers

Look no further for another journeyman whose prowess this season has been flying under the radar. After injuries to Blake Griffin, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Beverley and Milos Teodosic, Lou Williams has suddenly found himself co-starring with Austin Rivers in a Western Gunslingers movie. The Clippers will be leaning heavily on his offensive production to stay in the brutal playoff race that will unfold in the West.

However, Williams has shown in the past that scoring the ball comes naturally to him. This season, he's also flashing a degree of maturity by achieving career highs in scoring (18.9 points-per-game) and assisting his teammates (4.4 assists-per-game). If he does manage to take care of the ball better (2.7 turnovers-per-game), his heroics at this stage of the season might just be enough to help Doc Rivers stay in the playoff race until his stars return.

#4 Khris Middleton

Jason Kidd will be hoping #22Middleton can play Robin to Giannis

Picked 39th in 2012 by the Detroit Pistons

Khris Middleton features in a major role in the ‘swiss-army knife’ lineups trotted out by Jason Kidd in Milwaukee. At 6-feet 8-inches and weighing 234 pounds, he comes with premier length for a shooting guard. His size also allows the Bucks to maintain defensive versatility by switching across multiple positions.

However, Middleton’s contributions are most severely solicited on the other end of the floor. He has shown that he can be a top-notch scorer in the league, by flashing an array of nifty post moves coupled with a sweet shooting touch. He’s even broken out two 40 point games early this season and currently sits behind Antetokounmpo in the team’s scoring hierarchy. The key, however, is consistency.

Middleton has mailed in a few duds while trying to make a bigger splash this season, which has contributed to his averages dipping below the 20-points-per-game mark. Again, if the Greek Freak and the Bucks want to wrest the mantle of the East from the Cavs, they will need Middleton to be reliable on most nights as a second option.

#3 Hassan Whiteside

The block party never ends when Whiteside is lurking

Picked 33rd in 2010 by the Sacramento Kings

From being a nobody in the league till 2014, Whiteside saw his star ascend when he was tipped as the player to lead the Miami Heat’s resurgence in the wake of Lebron’s departure. Over the last 3 seasons, he has consistently shown that he can be a franchise player by amassing a collection of sensational blocks.

Along with establishing his own personal no-fly zone near the Heat’s defensive rim, he has matured to develop into a legitimate inside threat in the offense also. He owns the seventh-highest Player Efficiency Rating (PER) in the league currently at 25.80.

Last season, the Heat pulled off an astonishing 30-11 run to close the second half of the season, with strong contributions from Whiteside and a cast of supporting players. If they are to build on last season’s finish and turn into the playoff threat in the East nobody wants to face, Whiteside must continue to provide not just the stellar numbers, but also a cool head and evidence of leadership.

#2 Draymond Green

Will the Defensive Player of the Year be able to keep the Warriors motivated?

Picked 35th in 2012 by the Golden State Warriors

One would have to have been away from a television for the last 3 years if they assumed that Draymond Green does not have much work to do on a Warriors squad that has two former MVPs and Splash brother Klay Thompson.

As all 3 installments of the Cavs vs Warriors Finals series’ have proved, Green is the heart and soul of the 2- time NBA champions. Many still believe that it would have been ‘3-time NBA champion’ had the hard-nosed power forward not gotten himself suspended in Game 5. ESPN Rankings finally placed Green on their list of top 10 players for the season after he repeatedly showed that his defense and playmaking was integral to the Warriors’ historic offense.

Like Isaiah Thomas, Green feels very strongly about being picked in the second round in 2012. He can even rattle off the names of each of the players selected before him in the draft. Do not underestimate the burden shouldered by the Michigan product for Golden State. More often than not, the Warriors hopes live and die with Green’s ability to maintain his composure.

#1 Nikola Jokic

The Nuggets' aspirations rest on the Joker's creativity

Picked 41st in 2014 by the Denver Nuggets

At just 22 years of age, Nikola Jokic has single-handedly converted the Denver Nuggets into a legitimate playoff contender, and also one of the most enjoyable teams to watch. Fans in the mile-high city are bullish about the big Serbian because of his natural aptitude for the game. Adept at finding cutters with his highlight-reel dimes, he also pulls off a host of quirky offensive moves that completely disrupt opposing coaches’ careful defensive plans.

As a big man who can push the ball up the floor and nail 3s often, he is the fulcrum for Denver’s whirring offensive sets. Mike Malone, his coach, must be a happy man, for his star player is averaging in 15.5 points and a career-high 10.6 rebounds this season, with an impressive PER of 24.86 (10th in the league). Jokic’s struggles have come on the defensive end of the floor, where the big Serb is simply not mobile enough to deter players diving to the rim for easy buckets.

Denver’s current feel-good story has hit a roadblock because of Jokic’s ankle injury. If the Nuggets are to play past the first round of the playoffs, they will need their orchestra conductor to come back stronger and healthier. No other second-round pick is as valuable to their team as Nikola Jokic is to the Denver Nuggets.