NBA: 10 Most Valued Current 2nd Round Picks

#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.