The 10 flops drafted before … Nikola Jokic
41st choice of the 2014 Draft, Nikola Jokic has just been crowned MVP of the season in the NBA. The opportunity to recall 10 of the obscure players selected before the Serbian pivot, with much less success in the league.
10. DeAndre Daniels
Position in the Draft: 37th
Career averages: ///
Selected by Toronto after an encouraging junior year in the NCAA, and concluded with a title with UConn, DeAndre Daniels has in the end… never walked an NBA floor. He now plays for the Manawatu Jets, in New Zealand’s semi-professional league.
9. Jarnell Stokes
Position in the Draft: 35th
NBA career averages: 2.4 points, 1.4 rebound, 0.3 pass, 58.1% shooting
Also drafted after 3 years on the university circuit, Jarnell Stokes will only last for 3 seasons in the NBA. The time for him to accumulate 28 games under the colors of Memphis, Miami and Denver, to today wear the jersey of the Xinjiang Flying Tigers.
8. Cleanthony Early
Position in the Draft: 34th
NBA career averages: 4.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 34.6% shooting
Chosen by the Knicks after two quality seasons at Wichita State, Cleanthony Early did not stand out in the New York slump. After 56 games played in 2 years, including 9 tenure, the winger has wandered, before settling his bags … in Antibes for a few months.
7. Damien Inglis
Position in the Draft: 31st
NBA career averages: 1.8 point, 1.6 rebound, 0.5 pass, 35.1% shooting
Damien Inglis’ journey across the Atlantic will not last forever. Recovered by Milwaukee, the French interior will have played only 20 games there. Returning to France in recent years, he now occupies a prominent place in the rotation of AS Monaco Basket.
6. Josh Huestis
Position in the Draft: 29th
NBA career averages: 2.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 34.6% shooting
Well known to Thunder fans, Josh Huestis will have spent 3 seasons in the OKC franchise. After a 2017-18 exercise concluded with 69 appearances on the clock, the strong winger joined the G-League, then Bayern Munich. He recently returned to service with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
5. Jordan Adams
Position in the Draft: 22nd
NBA career averages: 3.2 points, 0.9 rebound, 0.6 assist, 40.2% shooting
Difficult to find a place in the backcourt of the Grizzlies, when it is occupied by Mike Conley, Tony Allen, Vince Carter, and other Courtney Lee. Jordan Adams can attest to this, he who now occupies the ranks of the Argentinian team of Club Comunicaciones, after 2 seasons in Memphis.
4. Mitch McGary
Position in the Draft: 21st
NBA career averages: 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists, 52.7% shooting
Clearly, Oklahoma City’s choices for this Draft will not have been the best in the history of the franchise. Confined at the end of the bench for two seasons, Mitch McGary was subsequently relegated to the G-League, before directing his career to… bowling.
3. Bruno Caboclo
Position in the Draft: 20th
NBA career averages: 4.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 40.3% shooting
His nickname « Brazilian Kevin Durant » quickly proved too much to bear. Still present in the league at the start of the season following inconclusive stints in Toronto, Sacramento and Memphis, Bruno Caboclo finally left Houston to join CSP Limoges in 2021.
2. James Young
Position in the Draft: 17th
NBA career averages: 2.3 points, 1.0 rebound, 0.3 pass, 36.7% shooting
Second choice of the Celtics after the draft of Marcus Smart in 6th position, James Young did not have the same success as the latter in Boston. 3 seasons and 89 game ends later, the full-back freelance in Philadelphia, and now fills the squad of Hapoel Tel Aviv.
1. Jabari Parker
Position in the Draft: 2nd
NBA career averages: 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 49.4% shooting
At first glance, Jabari Parker’s stats seem quite fair. However, as the 2nd pick of the 2014 vintage, the former Duke star never lived up to expectations. His promising debut at the Bucks was indeed ruined by injuries. It is therefore as a simple role player of the Celtics that he ended the 2020-21 season.
The teams that made these choices can now bite their fingers, having missed one of the greatest European talents in history in this Draft 2014.
