In an alternate universe, where NBA draft picks more often prove prescient, Hasheem Thabeet, not James Harden, would be winning league MVP; O.J. Mayo, not Russell Westbrook, would average triple-doubles; Jonny Flynn, not Stephen Curry, would own three rings; Greg Oden, not Kevin Durant, might have joined that superteam; and Anthony Bennett, not Giannis Antetokounmpo, would be the next great superstar.
With more sophisticated data available than in decades past, teams should be getting better at drafting. Basic evolution, like how a PlayStation 4 puts a Sega Genesis to shame. That’s not the case.
Ahead of Thursday’s NBA draft, The Washington Post studied data from every draft in a 25-year span and found no indication that teams are beginning to decode this high-stakes puzzle.