WBOB Original Reads

Celtics Draft: Pick #27 Has a History of NBA Success

6/21/2018

Kevin Aherne

Most experts agree that the top end of the 2018 NBA Draft is chock full of talent, especially in regard to big men. But the talent drops off significantly after five or six picks -- leaving role players and scraps for most of the league to fight over when the draft kicks off Thursday night.

The Celtics, coming off of their second consecutive trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, are slotted in the 27th position in the draft. While trade rumors have been tossed abound all spring, it's very likely that Danny Ainge will retain #27, and the player drafted will likely project to be nothing more than an NBA role player.

Or maybe not.

The 27th pick of the NBA Draft has an uncanny record of NBA success among players drafted in the back-end of the first round. Below, see the greatest players ever taken with the 27th pick.

2017: Kyle Kuzma

Drafted By: Brooklyn Nets (Traded to LA Lakers)
Current Team: LA Lakers
College: Utah
Career Stats (1 Season)
16.1 PPG | 6.3 REB | 1.8 AST

2015: Larry Nance Jr.

Drafted By: LA Lakers
Present Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
College: Wyoming
Career Stats (3 Seasons)
7.1 PPG | 5.9 REB | 1.2 AST

2014: Bogdan Bogdanovic

Drafted By: Phoenix Suns
Present Team: Sacramento Kings
College: N/A (Serbia)
Career Stats (1 Season)
11.8 PPG | 2.9 REB | 3.3 AST

2013: Rudy Gobert

Drafted By: Denver Nuggets (Traded to Utah Jazz)
Present Team: Utah Jazz
College: N/A (France)
Career Stats (5 Seasons)
10.0 PPG | 10.0 REB | 1.9 AST

Notable:

All-NBA Second Team (2017)
2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2017, 2018)
NBA blocks leader (2017)

2003: Kendrick Perkins

Drafted By: Memphis Grizzlies (Traded to Boston Celtics)
Present Team: Free Agent
College: N/A (Clifton J. Ozen High School (Beaumont, Texas))
Career Stats (16 Seasons)
5.4 PPG | 5.8 REB | 1.0 AST