All an NBA prospect needs is a chance.
That’ll be the case on Thursday, when 29 prospects hear their names called in the second round of the 2025 NBA draft (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Second-round picks in the NBA draft have developed into some of the league’s most valuable, reliable and productive players in recent years. Among players who were drafted in the second round since 2000, 15 have played in at least one All-Star Game and 10 made an All-NBA team, according to ESPN Research.
As Day 2 of the NBA draft prepares to tip off, that got us thinking about second-round picks who overachieved in the league after missing the first round.
Here are some notable second-round picks in the NBA draft since 2000.
Pick: No. 33
Team that drafted him: Dallas Mavericks
Brunson, a two-time Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year in high school, took his talents to Villanova, where he won two NCAA national championships along with National Player of the Year honors.
The New Brunswick, New Jersey, native averaged 14.4 points and 3.7 assists in three seasons with the Wildcats.
Shortly after drafting Luka Doncic in the first round, the Mavericks picked Brunson in the second round. His impact in Dallas gradually evolved, culminating in the 2022 NBA playoffs, where he averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists before the Mavs were eliminated in the Western Conference finals by the Golden State Warriors.
Brunson agreed to a four-year deal following the 2021-22 season with the New York Knicks and most recently led them to the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers. Brunson has earned consecutive All-Star appearances for the Knicks and finished fifth in MVP voting for the 2023-24 season.
Pick: No. 41
Team that drafted him: Denver Nuggets
Infamously drafted by the Nuggets during a Taco Bell commercial, the Sombor, Serbia, native had a quiet start in the league. After being selected, Jokic spent a year playing overseas with Serbian team Mega Vizura, the squad he signed his first professional contract with when he was 17.
Jokic joined the Nuggets in the 2015-16 season, becoming a starter midway through the season. He averaged 10 points and seven rebounds, earning him a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.
Following his rookie season, “The Joker” has averaged close to a triple-double in his regular-season career and has earned All-NBA honors each season since 2019.
Jokic won back-to-back MVP honors in 2021 and 2022 before helping Denver win its first championship in 2023, when he was named Western Conference finals MVP and Finals MVP. He reclaimed the MVP throne in 2024 and finished second in MVP voting this season after averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists.
Pick: No. 35
Team that drafted him: Golden State Warriors
Green averaged 10.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists in his four years with the Michigan State Spartans before getting selected early in the second round by the Warriors.
The Warriors have made the postseason in all but two seasons since Green was drafted. Green had a key role in Golden State winning the 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022 NBA championships with his defensive efforts and playmaking, aiding in the franchise’s dynastic run. A nine-time All-Defensive teamer and 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, Green has averaged 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists in his NBA career.
Pick: No. 39
Team that drafted him: Detroit Pistons
In his three seasons with the Texas A&M Aggies, Middleton averaged 11.3 points and 4.6 rebounds before entering his name into the draft. Middleton was drafted by the Pistons and played 27 games with Detroit — averaging 6.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists — before the Milwaukee Bucks acquired him in a sign-and-trade deal for Brandon Jennings.
Once Middleton was traded to Milwaukee, he immediately made a mark and averaged in double figures. He helped lead the Bucks to an NBA title over the Phoenix Suns in 2021, when he averaged 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists in the postseason.
He was traded to the Washington Wizards in February for Kyle Kuzma and averaged 10.7 points with Washington in the 2024-25 regular season.
Carlos Boozer, 2002
Pick: No. 35
Team that drafted him: Cleveland Cavaliers
Boozer played three seasons with the Duke Blue Devils, scoring in double figures — 14.9 points and 7.2 rebounds — and helping Duke win a national title in the 2000-01 campaign. He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and made an instant impact, earning Rookie of the Year honors.
He was traded to the Utah Jazz ahead of the 2004-05 season and spent six seasons with the Jazz — twice being named an All-Star and finishing in the top 15 for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. Boozer played 13 seasons in the league, averaging 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds.
Gilbert Arenas, 2001
Pick: No. 31
Team that drafted him: Golden State Warriors
Arenas played two seasons with the Arizona Wildcats, putting up 15.8 points per game before the Warriors selected him as the No. 31 pick. He earned the Most Improved Player award in 2003 after a breakout season — he averaged 18.3 points and 6.3 assists — before signing with the Washington Wizards in the offseason.
A three-time All-Star, “Agent Zero” spent eight seasons with Washington, serving as the anchor for its offense.
