For any aspiring NBA player, sometimes all it takes is an opportunity.
This will certainly be the case for the 29 prospects whose names will be called during the second round of the 2025 NBA draft.
In recent years, players selected in the second round of the NBA draft have evolved into some of the league`s most valuable, reliable, and productive individuals. Since the year 2000, fifteen players drafted in the second round have gone on to play in at least one All-Star Game, and ten have been named to an All-NBA team.
As the second day of the NBA draft is set to begin, it prompted us to consider the second-round picks who significantly outperformed expectations in the league after not being chosen in the initial round.
Here are some notable second-round selections in the NBA draft since 2000.
Jalen Brunson, 2018
Pick: No. 33
Drafted by: Dallas Mavericks
Brunson, a two-time Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year in high school, attended Villanova, where he won two NCAA national championships and earned National Player of the Year honors.
The New Brunswick, New Jersey, native averaged 14.4 points and 3.7 assists over three seasons with the Wildcats. Shortly after drafting Luka Doncic in the first round, the Mavericks picked Brunson in the second. His impact in Dallas gradually increased, culminating in the 2022 NBA playoffs, where he averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists before the Mavericks were eliminated in the Western Conference Finals by the Golden State Warriors.
Following the 2021-22 season, Brunson signed a four-year deal with the New York Knicks. He 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.
Nikola Jokic, 2014
Pick: No. 41
Drafted by: Denver Nuggets
Infamously drafted by the Nuggets during a Taco Bell commercial, the Serbian native from Sombor had a quiet introduction to the league. After being selected, Jokic spent another year playing overseas with his former Serbian team, Mega Vizura, the club he signed his first professional contract with when he was 17.
Jokic joined the Nuggets for the 2015-16 season, becoming a starter midway through. He averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds, securing a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.
Since his rookie season, `The Joker` has consistently averaged close to a triple-double in his regular-season career and has been named to an All-NBA team every season since 2019. Jokic won back-to-back MVP awards in 2021 and 2022 before helping Denver win their first championship in 2023, when he was named Western Conference Finals MVP and Finals MVP. He reclaimed the MVP trophy in 2024.
Draymond Green, 2012
Pick: No. 35
Drafted by: Golden State Warriors
Green averaged 10.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists during his four years with the Michigan State Spartans before being selected early in the second round by the Warriors.
The Warriors have reached the postseason in all but two seasons since Green was drafted. Green played a key role in Golden State`s NBA championships in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022 with his defensive efforts and playmaking, aiding in the franchise`s dynastic run. A nine-time All-Defensive team member and the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, Green has averaged 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in his NBA career.
Khris Middleton, 2012
Pick: No. 39
Drafted by: Detroit Pistons
In his three seasons with the Texas A&M Aggies, Middleton averaged 11.3 points and 4.6 rebounds before declaring for 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.
Once Middleton was traded to Milwaukee, he immediately made his presence felt and averaged in double figures. He was instrumental in helping the Bucks win an NBA title over the Phoenix Suns in 2021, where he averaged 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in the postseason.
Carlos Boozer, 2002
Pick: No. 35
Drafted by: 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 immediate impact, earning Rookie of the Year honors.
He was traded to the Utah Jazz before the 2004-05 season and spent six seasons there, 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, finishing with career averages of 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds.
Gilbert Arenas, 2001
Pick: No. 31
Drafted by: Golden State Warriors
Arenas played two seasons with the Arizona Wildcats, averaging 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 where 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 primary offensive anchor for the team.
