Looking Back at the 2010 NBA Mock Draft: Where Are They Now?
2025-11-12 13:00
I still remember sitting in my dorm room with ESPN on in the background when the 2010 NBA Draft was unfolding. That night felt electric with possibility - John Wall going first to Washington seemed like a foregone conclusion, but beyond that first pick, the draft felt wide open. Looking back now with over a decade of perspective, what strikes me most about that draft class isn't just where these players ended up, but how their careers defied and sometimes confirmed our expectations in ways that continue to fascinate me as someone who's followed basketball religiously since the Jordan era.
The top five picks that year presented such a mixed bag of outcomes. John Wall, that explosive point guard from Kentucky, became exactly what we hoped he'd be - a five-time All-Star who averaged 19.1 points and 9.2 assists during his prime years in Washington. Right behind him, Evan Turner went to Philadelphia and carved out a solid if unspectacular 10-year career, while Derrick Favors became that reliable big man every contender needs. But the real story of that draft for me has always been about the players who either massively outperformed their draft position or never quite lived up to the hype. Paul George going tenth to Indiana was an absolute steal - nobody projected he'd become a six-time All-NBA selection and one of the league's premier two-way wings. Meanwhile, DeMarcus Cousins at fifth delivered on his talent but never found the team situation to translate individual brilliance into playoff success.
What's fascinating about analyzing drafts years later is noticing patterns that weren't apparent at the time. The 2010 draft produced several players who, much like the tennis matchup between Eala and Riera that split their previous meetings, had careers defined by these interesting dichotomies. Some players showed flashes of brilliance but couldn't maintain consistency, while others developed slowly before hitting their stride. Gordon Hayward at ninth overall perfectly embodies this - he needed three full seasons before breaking out, then became an All-Star in his fourth year, only to have his career trajectory altered by that devastating ankle injury in his Celtics debut. It reminds me that player development is rarely linear, and sometimes the most promising careers get derailed by factors completely beyond anyone's control.
The international players from this draft class particularly interest me because they often followed such different development paths. I've always been drawn to these cross-cultural basketball stories - players like Jonas Valančiūnas from Lithuania who went fifth overall and has quietly put together one of the most consistent big man careers of the past decade, or Greg Monroe who slipped to seventh but became that throwback post player who averaged 15.9 points and 9.9 rebounds in his best Detroit seasons. Then there's Hassan Whiteside, who went 33rd overall and bounced around before unexpectedly leading the NBA in blocks twice - proof that sometimes talent emerges in the most unexpected places.
When I think about the later picks from this draft, it's impossible not to marvel at the sheer unpredictability of it all. Avery Bradley at 19 became one of the best perimeter defenders of his generation, while Lance Stephenson at 40 gave us some of the most entertaining and occasionally baffling moments in recent memory. But the real diamond in the rough was undoubtedly Paul Millsap at 47 - a four-time All-Star who anchored some excellent Atlanta Hawks teams. I've always had a soft spot for these second-round success stories because they remind us that talent evaluation remains as much art as science, even with all our advanced analytics.
What stands out to me now, reflecting on this draft over a decade later, is how these careers have unfolded in ways that both confirm and challenge our initial assessments. John Wall's career, for instance, followed that arc we see with so many athletic guards - explosive prime years followed by injury struggles that limited his late-career impact. Meanwhile, players like George and Hayward developed skills nobody quite projected, transforming from athletic wings into complete offensive players. This evolution speaks to something I've come to appreciate more with each passing season - the importance of player development systems and finding the right organizational fit matters almost as much as raw talent.
The 2010 draft class has given us everything from MVPs to role players, from international stars to G-League success stories. As I look back, what strikes me is how these careers reflect the beautiful unpredictability of basketball itself. Some players peaked early, others developed late, and a few like Paul George continue to excel deep into their thirties. This class produced approximately 28 players who lasted at least five seasons in the league, with combined career earnings I'd estimate around $1.8 billion - though don't quote me on that exact figure. What matters more than the numbers is the legacy - this draft gave us franchise cornerstones, championship contributors, and cautionary tales all in one package. In many ways, studying this draft class has shaped how I evaluate young talent today, reminding me to balance statistical projections with that intangible quality of basketball character that often separates the good from the great.