"I played half of the league for me in the year of my draft," these four NBA players dared to say that

In the long history of the NBA, drafts are seen as a key opportunity for team reconstruction and rise. Whenever a talented No. 1 pick is about to enter the league, it will always trigger fierce competition among various teams, and even at the cost of "showing bad things". The following four players, in their draft year, almost half of the league fell into a "spreading frenzy".

Tim Duncan: The Spurs' savior, the league's darling

The name Tim Duncan is undoubtedly the focus of the focus. Duncan showed unparalleled basketball talent in college. His maturity, physical fitness and basketball IQ made him the "pride of heaven" at that time. Not only is he comprehensive in technology, he can make a comeback in the inside, but he can also become the team's defensive core with his outstanding defensive perception.

Before the draft, as many as 15 teams in the league were eyeing him. In order to win the No. 1 pick, these teams have started the "showing bad" mode. Among them, the Spurs' "showing bad" strategy is the most typical. The Spurs were ranked second in the West last season, but in the season before the Duncan draft, they plummeted and fell to the second-to-last in the West. In the end, they got the No. 1 pick as they wished and selected Duncan. In his rookie season, Duncan was selected for the All-Squad team and led the Spurs to win the first championship trophy in team history the following year. His arrival completely changed the fate of the Spurs and made the Spurs a powerful team in the league in the following 20 years. Duncan used his strength and loyalty to interpret what the team is. He not only won honors for the team on the field, but also became a symbol of the Spurs on the spiritual level.

LeBron James: Chosen Son, the Cavs' Glory

In 2003, LeBron James entered the NBA directly from high school, which was the absolute focus of the draft that year. James has become famous all over the United States in high school. His games are often broadcast across the United States, and his business value and basketball talent are widely recognized. His physical fitness, technical ability and basketball IQ make him look like a player born for the NBA.

In order to compete for James, the Cavaliers, Nuggets, Raptors and other teams have launched the "showing bad" strategy. That year, seven teams in the league had no more than 30 wins, and the Cavaliers only won 17, ranking last in the league. In the end, the Cavaliers successfully won the No. 1 pick and selected James.

James's joining made the Cavaliers quickly become a strong team in the Eastern Conference. His personal ability not only improved his data, but also brought great attention and commercial value to the team. In the early days of playing for the Cavaliers, he led the team to the finals and won the Cavaliers the first championship trophy in team history in 2016. His arrival completely changed the fate of the Cavaliers and made the city of Cleveland boil over because of him.

Wiggins: He is talented, but he is born at the wrong time

In 2014, Wiggins entered the NBA as the No. 1 pick, and his arrival also triggered a "bad" frenzy in the league. Wiggins is top-notch physically, and his speed, strength, bounce and coordination are all at the top of the NBA players. He was known as the next "Son of God" and attracted much attention before the draft.

In the draft year, as many as 8 teams in the league had a winning rate of less than 40%, and 5 of them had a winning rate of less than 30%. The Cavaliers successfully won Wiggins that year. However, fate is awesome. James announced his return to the Cavaliers in 2014. In order to quickly form a championship lineup, the Cavaliers chose to trade Wiggins to the Timberwolves in exchange for Kevin Love.

Although Wiggins gradually grew into an excellent player at the Timberwolves, his "health basketball" style and performance at critical moments have always made fans regret his talent. His career always seems to be moving forward with injuries and talent, failing to meet what people originally expected of him.

Wenban Yama: The future master, the Spurs' new hope

The 2023 NBA draft, Wenban Yama became the absolute focus. He is known as a once-in-a-century talented player for his unique height, arm span and basketball skills. Wenban Yama's height reaches 2.26 meters and his arm span reaches an astonishing 2.44 meters, which makes him like an insurmountable barrier on the court.

Before the draft, many teams such as the Spurs, Pistons, Trail Blazers, and Rockets chose to play badly in order to compete for Wenban Yama. One season before the draft, the Spurs sent away young star Murray and completely entered the reconstruction mode. They finally successfully won the No. 1 pick and selected Wenban Yama.

Rookie season, Wenban Yama showed extraordinary talent, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.6 blocks per game, successfully won the Best Rookie and ranked second in the Best Defensive Player, second only to Rudy Gobert. Although his ability to confrontation needs to be strengthened, he has shown comprehensive abilities in offense, frame protection and defense, and is expected to become an iconic figure in the league in the future. The stories of these four players not only show their personal basketball talent and potential, but also reflect the importance of the NBA draft for the team's future development. The "spreading" frenzy they triggered in the year of the draft has become a classic memory in the league. And their careers are like wonderful epics, waiting for us to continue to pay attention and write.