There is a little less than 24 hours before the unofficial start to the 2018-19 NBA season. At 7:00 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT the NBA Draft airs, bringing in a new wave of young raw talent and kicking off what will prove to be an exciting offseason.
The Clippers hold the 12th and 13th picks in this year’s lottery and their Front Office, led by President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank, has been dedicated to seizing this opportunity and finding the prospects that will enable this team to have sustained success.
Excitement around the draft is running deep within the organization and its fans. Even though no one truly knows what will happen come Thursday, history seems to be giving the Clippers plenty to be excited about. As Team Consultant Jerry West says, “If you go through basketball today there [are] maybe four or five superstars…and some of them haven’t come from the top picks in the draft.”
So let’s take a look at some of the top sleepers in previous drafts, some of which landed all the way down at the 12th and 13th spots.
1972 | Julius Erving
Drafted12th
Career
4X MVP | 3X scoring titles
1985 | Karl Malone
Drafted13th
Career
2X NBA MVP | 14X All-Star
Previous year
John Stockton
1996 | Kobe Bryant
Drafted13th
Career
2X Finals MVP | 18X All-Star
Same year
Steve Nash
2011 | Kawhi Leonard
Drafted15th
Career
NBA Finals MVP | 2X All-Star
2013 | Giannis Antetokounmpo
Drafted15th
Career
2X All-Star
2015 | Devin Booker
Drafted13th
Career
NBA All-Rookie First Team
2017 | Donovan Mitchell
Drafted13th
Career
NBA All-Rookie First Team
With two lottery picks the Clippers hold a unique edge on their competition. Two top prospects means double the chances of landing an immediate impact player, or one that can shape the future of the franchise.