JellosJigglin wrote: Of course we care. The Lakers have found tons of talent in the 2nd round and undrafted.
Really?!? Well let's go down the list, shall we? Let's look at 2nd round picks (gotta be somewhere near 55, btw) for the last 25 years or so, and look at the gems we've uncovered.
2023 47th pick Mojove King....went straight to Ind (so wouldn't matter if good or not). I'm unable to find any stats on him with a quick search, but suffice to say he's not tearing it up, if he's even in the league.
2018 47th pick Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk.....Never heard of him. Looks like he played about 40 games for us, and was moved. He's now in Utah, where he's scoring 9.4 points a game.
2013 48th pick Ryan Kelly.....played his contract out with us, and then left the NBA with a 6.0 pts, 3.1 rebound, 1.3 ast stat line.
2012 60th pick Robert Sacre.....the party machine. Played his contract out, and was out of the NBA with 4.2points, 3.1 reb, 0.7 ast per game. I remember an interview with him where he talked about hanging out at playboy mansion too much, and partying. Just enjoyed being a Laker, but didnt really care about B-Ball. He sorta regretted not taking it more seriously.
2011 Interesting year: 41 Darius Morris - 45 Andrew Goudelock - 56 Chukwudiebere Maduabum (sent to Denver, so let's ignore) -58 Ater Majok. Some trade I forget about...but we had 3 2nd round picks (the 4th going to Den)... Morris played on several teams for 3-4 years...3.3pts, 1reb, 1.4 ast. Then Goudelock who played 49 games in NBA (looks like a couple years somewhere else) with 4.0 pts, 0.7reb, 0.5ast. No Info on Ater Majok...looks like he never even made it to the show...says he played for uconn.
2010 58th pick Derrick Caracter - 1 year with Lakers...41 games. 2.0pts, 1.0ast, 0.2ast
2009 42nd pick Patrick Beverley....AHA!!! you say. Well...not so fast. He was sent to Miami as part of deal. So MIAMI made a good pick....not us. We then went and grabbed Chinemelu Elonu with the 59th pick. I doubt your even reading this far....my point is made, so I'm not gonna dig up his stats. But I think we all know.
2008 58th pick Joe Crawford...played 2 games for us. That about sums that up.
2007 40th pick Sun Yue. I was hesitant to even count the 40th pick, as its 15 picks down...but there he is in all his glory. Played 10 games for us.
2007 48th pick Marc Gasol. <----- and there it is!!! The gem finally arrives. Of course he never played for the Lakers, but he was part of a trade that gave us Pau...and Marc went on to an incredible career...so I'll accept that one. Took us 18 years...but we finally have a gem deep into 2nd round.
2006 51st pick Cheikh Samb......yeah
2004 56th pick Marcus Douthit.
1998 45th pick Toby Baily.
1997 54th pick Paul Rogers
It goes on......You can thumb down into the early 90's and the 80's...I think my point is made. In 30-some years, we drafted Marc...and that was it. Otherwise, it's been absolute garbage for the Lakers with anyone over the 40th pick. So....now that your armed with facts, I'll ask you again: 55th pick....do we really care?
I used Basketballreference as my source for 99% of this.
PS...I'd rethink your idea on the 2nd round my guy. Even if I were to count anyone in the 2nd round, you can go back a good 30 years, and your really not gonna find much. Ronny Turiaf, Luke Walton, Max Christie...etc. You have Zubac at the 32nd pick (over 20 picks earlier than Bronny) and that's about it. Marc Gasol is really the only "Great" player the Lakers drafted in 2nd round this century. You have Nick Van Exel (32nd pick) in 1993.
