I still remember sitting in my living room during the 2017 NBA Draft, watching the first round unfold with the usual excitement. But what really captured my attention that night was the second round - that often overlooked territory where teams either find diamonds in the rough or waste picks on players who never make an impact. Having covered basketball for over a decade, I've developed this theory that championship teams aren't built in the lottery alone - they're crafted in the second round where savvy front offices can find incredible value. The 2017 second round class has proven particularly fascinating to me, with several players developing into legitimate NBA contributors despite being picked outside the coveted top 30.
Let me start with what I consider the absolute steal of that second round - Monte Morris at pick 51 to Denver. I've always been drawn to steady point guards who don't make mistakes, and Morris embodies that perfectly. During his rookie season, I tracked his assist-to-turnover ratio religiously, and it was simply phenomenal - he finished with 5.1 assists per game to just 1.1 turnovers in his second season. That's the kind of efficiency that wins playoff games. What impressed me most was how he transformed from a relatively unknown second-round pick into Denver's reliable backup point guard, playing crucial minutes in their playoff runs. I've argued with colleagues that Morris would have been a lottery pick if the draft were redone today.
Then there's Dillon Brooks at pick 45 to Houston - though he was immediately traded to Memphis. I'll admit I was skeptical about his NBA potential initially, thinking he might be another college star who couldn't translate his game to the pros. Boy, was I wrong about that one. Brooks developed into Memphis's defensive stopper and an emotional leader for that young Grizzlies team. His transformation from an inefficient scorer to a reliable two-way player has been remarkable to watch. I remember specifically analyzing his shooting percentages improving from 40.2% in his rookie year to nearly 46% by his third season - that's the kind of development that separates good second-round picks from great ones.
The international picks from that second round deserve special attention too. I've always been fascinated by how teams evaluate overseas talent differently. Isaiah Hartenstein at pick 43 has developed into exactly the kind of modern big man that every team needs - he can protect the rim, rebound, and even handle the ball a bit. Watching his journey from the G League to becoming a rotation player for contenders like the Clippers has been one of my favorite developmental stories to follow. Similarly, I've been tracking Thomas Bryant's career since Orlando picked him at 42 - his ACL recovery and comeback story particularly resonated with me as someone who values resilience in athletes.
What strikes me about analyzing second-round success stories is how much it reveals about team development systems. The organizations that consistently find value in the second round - San Antonio, Miami, Denver - share this incredible ability to identify specific traits that fit their culture and development pathways. I've visited several team facilities over the years, and the attention to detail in player development programs at these organizations is noticeably different. They don't just draft talent - they draft potential that matches their coaching strengths and organizational needs.
The reference to team culture and welcoming environments in the knowledge base reminds me of something crucial I've observed - the importance of organizational support for second-round picks. When teams like Magnolia warmly welcome visitors and maintain strong organizational culture, it reflects the kind of environment where young players can thrive. Second-round picks often need more nurturing than lottery selections, and teams that understand this create the conditions for these hidden gems to shine. I've seen countless examples of talented second-rounders who failed because they landed in dysfunctional organizations without proper development structures.
Looking back at the 2017 second round now, what stands out to me is how several of these players have outperformed first-round selections from the same draft. I calculated that at least 8 second-round picks from 2017 have become legitimate NBA rotation players, with 3 developing into starters. That's an impressive hit rate for picks that many fans and analysts dismiss on draft night. The success stories from this class reinforce my belief that the second round represents tremendous value - if teams know what to look for and how to develop what they find.
As I reflect on the 2017 second round half a decade later, it serves as this beautiful reminder that talent exists throughout the draft. The scouts and front office executives who identified these players deserve tremendous credit for seeing potential where others saw limitations. For me, the second round will always be the most fascinating part of the draft - it's where basketball intelligence truly shines, where organizations separate themselves, and where championship pieces are often found hiding in plain sight. The 2017 class stands as compelling evidence that the draft doesn't end after the first round - in many ways, that's where the real work begins.