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To bring the excitement of NBA All-Star 2016 to fans in Toronto – the first All-Star to be held outside of the U.S. – the NBA is bringing a lineup of both new and fan-favorite events to its midseason showcase.  Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. ET today on NBATickets.com and start at $15 CAD.

In advance of the 65th NBA All-Star Game, the league will offer a full schedule of open-to-the-public All-Star events, including its interactive fan event, NBA Centre Court, and All-Star classics like the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, NBA All-Star Practice and BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge.

Beginning Friday, Feb. 12, at 4 p.m. ET, NBA Centre Court at Enercare Centre will celebrate the game of basketball by offering activities, skills competitions and programming on more than 40 courts and baskets.  Fans will get a chance to participate in hands-on instructional clinics conducted by current and former NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League (NBA D-League) players, test their skills at the NBA Fan Combine, and meet and get free autographs from current and former players, mascots and dance teams.  The three-day event will also include an NBA All-Star Shop, offering a wide selection of merchandise.

At 7 p.m. ET on Friday, some of the hottest celebrities from film, television, music and sports will take the court for the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game at Ricoh Coliseum.  Later that evening, the league’s top rookies and sophomores will tip off the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge at Air Canada Centre at 9 p.m. ET.

On Saturday, Feb. 13, fans will get the chance to see the entire NBA All-Star squad during the NBA All-Star Practice at Ricoh Coliseum at 10:30 a.m. ET.  Following practice, basketball enthusiasts can watch the top NBA prospects from the NBA D-League compete in the NBA D-League All-Star Game presented by Kumho Tire at 2 p.m. ET.  The game is preceded by the NBA D-League Three-Point Contest, while the NBA D-League Slam Dunk presented by Verizon takes places during the game’s halftime break.

Sportsnet and TSN television networks will simulcast NBA All-Star 2016 broadcasts in Canada, in association with Turner Sports’ exclusive coverage on TNT in the United States and ESPN’s coverage of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game.  This marks the first time the two Canadian networks will simulcast NBA All-Star events domestically.

nba-all-star-celebrity-game-all-star-practice-bbva-compass-rising-stars-challenge-nba-centre-court-tickets-now-on-sale

NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, All-Star Practice, BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge & NBA Centre Court Tickets Now On Sale

NBA All-Star 2016 is coming to Toronto, and NBA Centre Court is one of the many ways fans can be a part of the excitement.  From Feb. 12 to 14, NBA Centre Court at Enercare Centre will celebrate the game of basketball and engage fans of all ages by offering activities, skills competitions and programming on more than 40 courts and baskets.  Tickets go on sale tomorrow on NBATickets.com and start at $15 CAD.

At NBA Centre Court, basketball aficionados looking to take their game to the next level can attend all-day, hands-on instructional clinics conducted by current and former NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League players.  NBA mascots, dance teams and dunk squads will entertain fans, and an NBA Fan Combine will give visitors a chance to see if they have what it takes to make it to the NBA by putting their speed, shooting and ballhandling skills to the test.  NBA Centre Court will also include an NBA All-Star Shop offering a wide selection of merchandise.

As part of All-Star’s celebration of basketball, NBA Centre Court will host special programming, including the NBA Cares Special Olympics Unified Sports® Basketball Game and Clinic on Saturday, Feb. 13 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.  The Unified Game will bring together NBA legends, current and former WNBA players and 12 Special Olympics All-Star athletes from across the world in a 40-minute exhibition game.  A clinic with Special Olympics youth athletes will follow the game.

NBA Centre Court dates and times are as follows.  For more information, follow @NBAAllStar on Twitter or visit NBATickets.com.  Fans can also be part of the conversation and share their NBA Centre Court experiences using #NBACentreCourt.

Friday, Feb. 12: 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 13: 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 14: 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

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NBA To Debut Interactive Basketball Fan Event At All-Star 2016

The Toronto Raptors announced Monday they will play host to preseason games in Vancouver and Montreal in October. They will face the Sacramento Kings at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Sunday, October 5 and the New York Knicks at Bell Centre in Montreal on Friday, October 24.

Tickets for the both games go on sale Saturday, June 14. In Vancouver, at ticketmaster.ca or call 1 (855) 985-5000. In Montreal, visit evenko.ca, call 1 (800) 310-2525 or in-person at Bell Centre box office.

The games are part of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) third annual NBA Canada Series, presented by Bell. The NBA Canada series, which tipped off for the first time in 2012 and continued last year with a game between the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves at Bell Centre, will once again celebrate basketball with live NBA action, interactive fan events and community outreach programs designed to further develop the game in Canada.  

“We are honoured to play host to the Kings and Knicks as part of NBA Canada Series,” said Masai Ujiri, President and General Manager of the Raptors. “Coming off an exciting 2013-14 season, we look forward to continuing to build our fan base across Canada.” 

This will be the Raptors’ second preseason visit to Vancouver. They downed the host Phoenix Suns, 129-78, on October 6, 2010 with 18,123 in attendance. 

The Raptors and Knicks played in front of a sold out Bell Centre (22,114) on October 22, 2010. The Raptors won 108-103. In the rematch, October 19, 2012, the Raptors defeated the Knicks, 107-88, before another capacity crowd of 22,114.

The Raptors have played preseason games in 11 Canadian cities outside of Toronto since 1995. In 2007, the team traveled to Rome, Italy and Madrid, Spain for NBA Europe Live. The Raptors also played the New Jersey Nets in the first NBA regular season games in London in 2011.

“We have recently seen huge growth in the number of Canadians playing at a high level in the NBA, and the Canada Series is one of our most important programs as it brings live NBA games to our fans outside of Toronto,” said Dan MacKenzie, Vice President and General Manager, NBA Canada.  “Thank you to Montreal and Vancouver for hosting this year’s series, which features two great matchups.”

“Our partnership with the NBA is part of Bell’s commitment to continue growing the game of basketball at all levels across Canada,” said Wade Oosterman, President of Bell Mobility and Residential Services, and Chief Brand Officer at Bell. “We look forward to bringing world-class basketball to more Canadians this fall with these two preseason Raptors games in Montreal and Vancouver.”

Seven Canadian players have been drafted into the NBA in the past three years, with eight currently featured on NBA rosters. The NBA BIG Tour visited five Canadian cities last September and October, offering BIG Talent and BIG Entertainment in local markets. 

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Raptors To Play Preseason Games In Vancouver & Montreal As Part Of NBA Canada Series

Video Links: DeAndre Kane | C.J. Fair | K.J. McDaniels | Kyle Anderson | DeAndre Daniels

After a series of workouts with players who could be second-round selections, the Toronto Raptors spent Thursday looking at some whocould be options with their first round pick later this month.

In a six-player workout that included UCLA’s Kyle Anderson and Clemson’s K.J. McDaniels, Raptors director of scouting Dan Tolzman talked about the disadvantages of drafting before the free agency period. The key is to treat each situation separately.

“I think the biggest thing is to not make draft decisions based on that, on your current roster and your current situations,” Tolzman said. “You keep it in the back of your head and you'll take it into account when you're drafting players but if the most talented guy or the highest guy on your list happens to be a position that you’re loaded up with you can work stuff out later. You can use all those guys as assets later.”

Although Toronto had a hugely successful 2013-2014 campaign, the front office knows they are more than one move away from becoming a championship-contending team. With three picks in the draft, including the 20th overall, there’s plenty of opportunity to address some of the gaps that need to be filled.

“I think the main thing for that is the position that we're picking,” Tolzman said. “I think at 20 the chances of you finding a guy that could be that one guy away are slim to none. To come in right away and do that, those guys aren't available at 20. Whether it’s the best player available or just the best player on your board, it could be totally different. If it fits with the culture of the team and the makeup of the locker room, and all of that stuff, in addition to him being a project, I think you roll the dice on a guy like that because you do have a little bit more of an opportunity to develop that person as your team builds on its own.”

While McDaniels is an interesting prospect because of his athleticism and ability to disrupt on defence, Anderson is intriguing because of his ability to play the point and create offence while standing 6-foot-9 and playing a below-the-rim game.

Anderson embraced the opportunity to talk with NBA coaches and general managers at his workouts. 

“It's half the game,” Anderson said. “You take in that information, what they had to tell you and you use it, you apply it. You want to keep that bridge. Later on down the line, in the NBA, if they don't draft you now they may want you later. Just have a good personality, and that's not a problem for me.”

Anderson spent time after the workout speaking with Raptors head coach Dwane Casey. Not surprisingly, Casey was giving him advice about the defensive end of the floor.

“One thing coach Casey taught me today is when on defence making the offence feel me,” Anderson said. “Whether that's getting up, being physical, whether it's using my hands, just using my advantage. Just being physical that's going to help me later on in the workouts.”

The roles Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler have played in their teams respective success is something teams will consider when looking at McDaniels throughout this process.

“You’re looking for guys who can come in and impact the game without needing the ball or without really needing a big role on the team,” Tolzman said. “And it’s guys like that where they kind of carve out a niche as a defensive-minded guy and then they improve all the other things and they become so much more well-rounded. And I think K.J.’s the same way. He can get on the floor because of his defence and, from there, who knows? The sky can be the limit with him because he does have all the athletic tools and ability on that side.”

The Alabama native has been leaning on Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe for support and advice leading up to the draft. While he has improved as an offensive player each year at Clemson, it’s his ability to affect the game without plays being run for him that intrigues scouts and team officials.

“When he first started he was pretty much just a high-wire, interior type guy,” Tolzman said. “This last year, he was all over the floor, did all different types of things offensively. I don’t know if he’s comfortable enough yet to come in and shoot the NBA three, but that’s definitely the type of thing where, as he gets more comfortable stretching his range out, he’ll absolutely be that type of guy.”

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Pre-Draft Workout: June 5th Recap

Holly MacKenzie

Wherever Melvin Ejim’s basketball career takes him next, he left his Wednesday workout with the Toronto Raptors having left an impression.

The 23 year-old, 6-foot-6 senior out of Iowa State had media and front office personnel alike talking about his maturity and approach. While most basketball fans will remember Ejim as the Canadian that dropped 48 points — a Big 12 record — in a game this season, the four-year senior was also named Big 12 Player of the Year before helping the Cyclones make it to the Sweet 16.

At the Air Canada Centre, Ejim wore a huge smile as he spoke about having the chance to show his skills to his hometown team.

“Growing up here in Toronto, I think anybody who played here would have a dream to work out for the Toronto Raptors,” Ejim said. “And even play here. It’s an amazing city. You’ve seen all the incredible support that we have here. It’s just been a great opportunity, and you can ask my family, they’re extremely excited for me just to be here and to be in this ideal situation. So I’m excited, I think I had a good workout and I had a great time here.”

Ejim knows that his impressive college resume doesn’t hold the same amount of weight in the world of professional sports where the right mix of athleticism, height and potential can make almost anything else disappear. Still, he’s confident he will be able to show teams why he’s worth the investment. He also believes his decision to stay at Iowa State and earn his degree  is helping him throughout this process.

“I think that I have…a level of maturity, a level of understanding, of task management and commitment that you have when you stay in school,” Ejim said. “And when you stay in school, it shows a lot of values and a lot of things that you do, not to say that these guys don’t necessarily have that, but I think that the fact that I’ve been in there for four years have taught me a lot of things, a lot of things that I can translate over to being a professional and being somebody playing in the NBA. I really think that it’s helped me, it’s prepared me on multiple fronts as an athlete and as a student, as a person, as a gentleman.”

Ejim’s taken advice from Steve Nash, Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg, college teammate Diante Garrett of the Jazz and high school teammate Will Barton of the Blazers.

Hoiberg spent four seasons working in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ front office and has grilled potential draftees in interviews. He knows what teams are looking for and is confident that the combination of Ejim’s on-court abilities and off-court intangibles will win out come draft night.

“Melvin gets it,” Hoiberg said. “He’s just such a smart kid. He was an absolute dream to coach. He was a guy I had for four years and he continued to get better and better every single year. He was everything you wanted in a student-athlete. Almost a 4.0 student, just such a great representative of our university. 

“For Melvin, the transition, the next process after going through four years of school is pretty easy for him. The biggest thing I talked to him about with this whole experience, not only on the court, but he has so many intangibles, to show those. Those communication skills, his ability to go out and be a great teammate whatever role is given to him, those are the things I talked to him about. Being in the position of a front office for four years, knowing some of those things those guys look for. Melvin has done a great job with that so far.”

Ejim’s interview with the media was the talk of Wednesday afternoon, but it was how he showed up for the workout that impressed Raptors staffers. 

“We were actually talking about Melvin earlier,” Tolzman said. “He came in [here dressed] in slacks and a nice button down shirt. He looked like he was coming to an interview and I think that clearly it resonates with us because this is a professional job interview for these guys. They're doing 20 of [these workouts] before the draft so they're trying to leave an impression and guys that approach it properly and they're prepared and they know what we're going to ask them and what they want to tell us, guys that come prepared [treat it] just like any other job interview. If you come ready and you know what you're looking to do it goes a long, long way.”

While Ejim has improved his scoring and shooting percentages each year, Tolzman singled out his efforts on the opposite end of the floor.

“His niche, in my opinion, will be as a defensive player,” Tolzman said. “He's a strong defender and I think the level of intensity he plays with bodes well for guys that focus on defence because when they give their all they impact the game somehow even if their shot's not there. That's just the way it goes.”

The Raptors have two second-round picks this year. Wherever Ejim ends up, the team won’t forget the charismatic forward who was raised in Toronto and grew up watching Vince Carter and the Raptors. Tolzman stressed the importance of in-person interviews and the lasting impact they can make on a player’s career down the line.

“At the Chicago combine we have a list of guys and you'll remember them from decades,” Tolzman said. “Just guys that you saw, they were impressive because of the way they approached it or guys that were unimpressive because of how they approached it. Without a question, it sticks with you.”

Hoiberg wasn’t surprised to hear that his senior had left people impressed with his poise.

“He’s got his head on straight,” Hoiberg said. “We’ve been fortunate to have really good kids [at Iowa State]. I’d put Melvin up there at the top. No doubt about it.”

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Ejim Makes An Impression

This weekend you can turn on your television to see Landry Fields looking a little different than usual. Participating in ABC’s new summer reality competition Sing Your Face Off, Fields will be taking on a different persona each week. In a recently released clip, Fields was dressed in red pants, wig and full makeup performing as Lionel Richie. On the phone from Los Angeles awaiting the airing of the show, Raptors.com caught up with Fields to talk about his side hustle.

Holly MacKenzie: How did you being on the show come about?

Landry Fields: When I played with the Knicks they had a fan night and at the latter part of the night the fans could ask questions to the guys that were there. It was me, Amar’e [Stoudemire], Melo [Carmelo Anthony], Jeremy [Lin], Jared Jeffries and Iman Shumpert. Somebody asked a question like, ‘Who is the best singer on the team?’ and Jared Jeffries, because he was always hearing me singing, said, ‘Landry sings the most.’ They pulled me up, made me sing something and it went to YouTube. The producers of the show saw the YouTube clip and they called my agent and asked if I’d be interested. I said sure and it happened literally right after the season, I had a few weeks off anyway so let’s try it. They Skype interviewed me, I had to sing some more and they said they wanted me on the show.

HM: What is it like now to see the clips so long afterward?

LF: It’s weird. You kind of forget about it, but before we went to playoffs, my agency called me and said, ‘Hey, the show is going to air May 31st,’ and I thought, ‘Oh great. If we’re playing at that time I don't want it to be a distraction.’ But obviously we didn’t make it that far. Then I kind of forgot about it, they brought it back up and I was looking at pictures from some of the weeks. There are some embarrassing photos, but it was fun to do.

HM: What was it like to deal with the wigs and makeup and all of that stuff?

LF: It was a long time sitting in chairs with prosthetics and makeup. There were voice lessons and choreography. On top of that, as the weeks went on for it I had to get back to my training routine for basketball so I was working out before filming and then I’d film and drive back to the same workout place and get another workout in. It was pretty long days but I made sure I kept up with basketball because that was still a huge part. I didn't want the show to take away from that at all.

HM: Was that your first experience with television outside of being on it playing basketball?

LF: Yes it was. Well, nah, in New York, one of my old teammates [Andy Rautins] and I had the Andy and Landry show, but that wasn’t nearly as big as this. This was kind of like a huge thing.

HM: Who is the best musical performer you’ve seen?

LF: Like a concert live? I’d probably say Beyoncé. She was incredible. She’s probably the best overall I’ve ever seen live.

HM: After going through all of the voice lessons and choreography what are your thoughts on performers like Beyoncé who get up and do that every night in front of thousands of people?

LF: Really, I have a much higher respect for them. It’s hard. I hadn’t been doing it long, obviously, but just going through it were some long days. To sing and dance and remember where you’re at on the stage performing, it was tough. Much higher respect for musical artists out there.

HM: Was the choreography the hardest part? Remembering that while you’re singing as well?

LF: Yeah. I think that was definitely the hardest because not only are you trying to sound good while you’re singing, you have to remember where you’re at on the stage, hit your marks during certain points during the song. You had to practice a lot to kind of make it like second nature.

HM: Are you expecting a lot of comments from your teammates/friends when it does air?

LF: Definitely. Especially some weeks I’m not so proud of. Yeah. When those come about, there'll be some comments from a lot of people.

HM: Who is the best singer on the team not including yourself?

HM: How would you sum up the experience as a whole?

LF: It was a lot of fun. It was something new, something out of the basketball element which, for a lot of guys, basketball doesn’t last forever. In fact, for nobody does it last forever. It was just something I wanted to do and try. It was a short while, it was perfect timing with the season ending and me having some downtime so I figured why not. Why not try it?

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Landry Fields On Singing His Face Off For New ABC Series

Related: Raptors Announce 2014 Pre-Draft Workout DatesVideo: Ennis | Bachynski | Masai Ujiri

Thursday morning marked the beginning of pre-draft workouts for Tyler Ennis. Kicking things off at home in Toronto was a pretty solid way to start. The 19-year-old one-and-done Syracuse point guard was pleased to take another step toward his dream of making it to the NBA in a gym he’s already familiar with.

It was just two years ago that Ennis was one of the youngest players participating in a Canada Basketball mini-camp that took place on the Toronto Raptors’ practice court, turning heads despite the fact he was heading into his senior year of high school.

“It felt like so long ago,” Ennis said. “To look back and see the people I was playing against and the position I’m in now, it’s a big jump for me. I feel like I’ve improved a lot and I’ve learned a lot along the way and I’ve had some fun along the way as well. I’ve pretty much enjoyed my time playing basketball for fun and I’m ready for the professional level now.”

Addressing the media who have watched him grow from precociously aware young player to one of the best in the NCAA this season was fun for Ennis.

“The whole process has been surreal,” Ennis said. “I don’t think it really hit me until the combine. Until I got there and you’re seeing all the NBA people and you have the paperwork. So I mean I think it kind of hit me a little bit late, but just going through process, I’m enjoying it right now.”

While the Raptors don’t expect Ennis to still be available when the 20th pick in the draft comes around — “I’d be surprised,” Toronto general manager Masai Ujiri said —  bringing him in for a workout was a no-brainer for the team that has been watching him for years.

“Fantastic kid,” Ujiri said. “Very straightforward. I was just talking about it with coach Casey. He just met him. We interviewed him in Chicago. Super kid. Very professional. Carries himself the right way.

“This is one of those deals where we could go to Syracuse as many times [as we want], it being close to here, drive up. I was fortunate to go to a couple practices, a couple games. You see his demeanour. I think he’ll make a good professional.”

That demeanour is among the first things mentioned when discussing Ennis’ game. Unfailingly poised, pressure rolls off the 19 year-old’s back with ease. Over the course of the season with the Orange, he proved time and again he isn’t afraid of the moment and relishes in the opportunity to have the ball in his hands at the end of the game.

“I’ve grown a lot,” Ennis said of the past year. “I think maturity and leadership is something that I had to pick up on early. Being a freshman point guard on a team that is coming off a Final Four was really big. I had to lead older guys and I think that prepared me for this level. As a point guard you have to be able to lead people. You gotta be able to learn on the fly but also being able to get the respect of your teammates and being able to lead them.”

For those unfamiliar with his skill set, Ennis said he modelled his game after Jason Kidd.

“A point guard who’s pass-first, a leader, a winner, and also being able to score the ball when the team needs him to,” Ennis said. “Right now I’d [also] say Tony Parker. I think we’re similar body styles. I think we’re both able to control the game and take over a game when our team needs us to.”

Because Ennis has been a fixture at Canadian basketball events over the years, Rowan Barrett, assistant general manager of the senior men’s program, has watched him develop into the player he is today.

“First of all Tyler is great, in terms of, just, his mind,” Barrett said. “He’s a very even-keeled young man. A great individual as well. People love him off the court, which is great. I think in a day and age where so many athletes, it can be a “me” generation, he’s actually not that. He’s the anthesis of that. He’s focused all the time on the court on doing the things it takes for the team to be successful. He’s not about his individual accolades or his statistics or whatever. Watching that and getting to see that while he was on our national team or when he was playing in the clubs or even watching at Syracuse, continuing to do whatever the team needs to be successful, is a tremendous sign of maturation for an athlete who is so young.”

Shortly after his workout with the team, Ennis posted a photo to his Instagram account that showed him in the Raptors locker room, picking up a We The North T-shirt. While this is just the first stop for the Brampton native, it was easy to see he was happy to go back to where it all began to tip off his pre-draft campaign.

“It’s an honour,” Ennis said. “It’s a great opportunity. To grow up watching the team and then be able to come in and work out for them, especially under the circumstances — it being my first workout — it’s just an honour for me to be here.”

In a year where there will be more than a couple of Canadian players to be drafted, Ennis was asked about the possibility of a Canadian being selected by the Raptors organization. Like so many others, Ennis pointed to the fan support shown during the team’s recent postseason appearance as a reason why Toronto would be a welcomed destination for any draft hopeful.

“I think it would be a great opportunity,” he said. “I think anybody that is lucky enough to play in Toronto, and with the fan support that was shown in the playoffs and the great organization that the Raptors have, I think anybody that gets drafted here is lucky. But to have a Canadian, it would be great for the city. I think everybody would get behind him, and I think it would just be a great opportunity.”

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Tyler Ennis Begins Pre-Draft Circuit At Home For Raptors

With a month until the 2014 Draft, speculation about the first overall pick is heating up. Predictions about how the lottery will shake out are changing daily. As we mentioned in Part 1 of our draft primer, there have been plenty of solid players selected with the 20th pick, which is where the Toronto Raptors will be drafting in the first round, barring a trade.

In the 19 years since the team’s inception, here’s a look at the best post-20th pick draft-day steals.

Michael Finley’s 15-year career started in Phoenix when he was drafted with the 21st overall pick. Finley would go on to be a two-time All-Star as a Maverick before winning an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs in 2007. Digging deeper into the 1995 draft shows that Eric Snow was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 43rd pick. Best known for joining Allen Iverson in the backcourt that faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2001 NBA Finals, Snow spent 13 years in the league.

In the same year that the Los Angeles Lakers set themselves up for the next two decades by trading for 17 year-old Kobe Bryant (after he was selected by Charlotte with the 13th pick), they used their 24th pick on a stocky point guard from Arkansas. 18 years later Bryant is one of the greatest to ever play the game, while 39 year-old Derek Fisher is trying to earn a sixth ring and help the Oklahoma City Thunder get to the Western Conference Finals.

Thanks to a verbal promise made to Mike Bibby’s mother, the Phoenix Suns selected Stephen Jackson with the 42nd pick in the 1997 draft. He wouldn’t make the Suns roster that year, though, and wouldn’t play his first minutes in the NBA until 2000. In Portland, the Trail Blazers drafted the point guard that would go on to become one of the most beloved players in Raptors history when they used the 47th pick on Alvin Williams.

When the Indiana Pacers selected 18-year-old Al Harrington with the 25th pick they likely had no idea he would still be playing 16 seasons later. The same could be said for Utah selecting Nazr Mohammed with the 29th pick. When the then-Seattle Supersonics selected Rashard Lewis with the 32nd pick everyone was just happy to see him finally get to leave the green room after he was expected to be selected in the lottery. After making more than $155 million in his career, Lewis is now enjoying the perks of playing alongside LeBron James in South Beach.

The San Antonio Spurs have made the rest of the league look like fools for various reasons for many years. The best example is probably when they used the 57th pick on Manu Ginobili. Today you can find Ginobili still partnered up with Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. The three-time NBA champion will go down in NBA history as one of the greatest shooting guards (and sixth men) of all-time.

With the 21st pick, the Raptors drafted Morris Peterson and a love affair between Peterson and the fans of Toronto began immediately. In Milwaukee, the Bucks were overjoyed to luck into the chance to select lefty shooter Michael Redd with the 43 pick. While knee injuries would force Redd into an early retirement, those who watched him at his peak know how special he was.

Once again the Spurs outsmarted everyone when they selected 18 year-old Tony Parker with the 28th pick. Three championships and a Finals MVP later, Parker will be a Hall off Famer when he retires. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Golden State Warriors drafted Gilbert Arenas with the 30th pick. Arenas immediately increased the league’s zaniness level and averaged 29 points per game at his peak.

Two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 34th overall pick in 2002. 12 seasons later, Boozer is waiting on Derrick Rose’s return to try to make a postseason run with the Bulls. In Memphis, the Grizzlies selected Matt Barnes with the 45th pick. He has been antagonizing his opponents ever since.

San Antonio selected Leandro Barbosa with the 28th pick and immediately sent him to the Phoenix Suns. The Brazilian Blur went on to win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award in 2007. The New Jersey Nets selected sharpshooter Kyle Korver with the 51st pick. In 2014, Korver set a record for most consecutive games with a three-point field goal made.

When the Boston Celtics drafted Tony Allen with the 25th pick, they couldn’t have predicted he’d spend the next 10 years as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. In New York, the Knicks grabbed Trevor Ariza with the 43rd pick. Ariza turned a solid two-year tenure in Los Angeles into a five-year, $34-million deal.

Golden State Warriors big man David Lee began his career in New York as the Knicks’ 30th pick. In Golden State, the Warriors selected Monta Ellis. In Detroit, the Pistons took a chance on high schooler Amir Johnson. Johnson would spend time in the D-League before being traded to the Raptors and becoming one of the NBA’s most underrated players.

There are always players who fall through the cracks, but 20 teams passing on Rajon Rondo before the Boston Celtics selected him with the 21st pick is a move 20 teams have revisited. While Paul Millsap hasn’t won an NBA Championship like Rondo, him being available when the Utah Jazz picked 47th seems incredible all the same. Meanwhile, in Memphis, Kyle Lowry was selected with the 24th overall pick. Establishing himself as one of the best point guards in the Eastern Conference this season, Lowry now looks like a ridiculous steal to find in the mid-20’s.

When the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol from the Grizzlies, they traded the rights to Gasol’s younger brother, Marc, to the Grizzlies. At the time, it seemed like Memphis got robbed. Seven years later, the younger Gasol brother has developed into one of the best big men in the game, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013.

When the then-Sonics selected big man Serge Ibaka with the 24th pick, he couldn’t speak English and many people didn’t know what to expect from him. Ibaka signed a four-year $49 million extension in 2012 when he was just 22 years old. Nicolas Batum and Geroge Hill went immediately after Ibaka. Hearing his name 34th was Miami Heat point guard, Mario Chalmers. Deep in the second round, San Antonio used the 45th pick to select Goran Dragic, the 2014 Most Improved Player.

The Chicago Bulls grabbed senior Taj Gibson out of USC with the 26th pick. The Spurs —seriously, is anyone better at using the draft than San Antonio? — took a chance on the ACL-less DeJaun Blair with the 37th pick. In Los Angeles, the Lakers used the No. 42 selection on Patrick Beverley, now a crucial piece for the Houston Rockets after playing overseas since being drafted.

Raptors reserve point guard Greivis Vasquez was selected 28th overall by the Grizzlies, while Landry Fields was a second-round pick for the Knicks at the 39th spot. Coming in directly after Fields was Lance Stephenson, who went to Indiana. When he isn’t riling LeBron James up during the postseason, Stephenson has been working on earning himself a big pay cheque this offseason.

With the final pick in the first round, the Chicago Bulls selected Jimmy Butler. He didn’t play much as a rookie, but as a sophomore Butler was lucky to get a minute to breathe during Chicago’s postseason series against the Miami Heat. Literally. With the 38th pick, the Houston Rockets took a chance on Chandler Parsons. Similarly to Butler with the Bulls, Parsons quickly proved himself to the Rockets and is now regarded as the biggest bargain in the entire league. While the 60th pick is often forgotten almost immediately after being selected, the Sacramento Kings hit a home run when they drafted Isaiah Thomas out of the University of Washington. Thomas has already proven himself to be the greatest 60th draft pick ever.

There were a handful of talented young players selected after the 20th pick in 2012 — Evan Fournier with the 20th pick by then-Denver general manager Masai Ujiri, Jared Sullinger with the 21st pick by Boston Celtics, Tony Wroten with the 25th pick by the Grizzlies, Miles Plumlee immediately after that by the Pacers, Draymond Green by the Golden State Warriors at 35— but no one was expecting Portland’s 40th pick, Will Barton, to play a key role in the team’s 2014 postseason run. A lanky swingman, the 6-foot-6 Barton weighs in at 174 pounds, but plays with a heart and fire as big as anyone in the league.

While the 2013 draft class has been considered one of the weakest in recent memory, outside of the lottery are some names that could be around for awhile to come. With the 21st pick, the Jazz selected big man Gorgui Dieng out of Louisville. Brooklyn used the 22nd pick to draft Mason Plumlee immediately after Dieng. Two picks later, the Knicks nabbed Tim Hardaway Jr. In the second round, point guard Nate Wolters was chosen with Washington’s 38th pick. After being flipped to Philadelphia and then Milwaukee in two separate draft-day trades, no one expected Wolters to start 31 games for the Bucks in his rookie season before breaking his hand.