Who Is The Best Player From The 2014 Draft Class?
Today I will be naming the best player from the 2014 NBA Draft Class.
Today I am continuing the series where I name the 3 best players from each draft class, and today we have the 2014 Draft Class.
#3 – Andrew Wiggins
Golden State Wariors – #1 Pick
Wiggins was selected #1 overall by the Cavaliers in 2014, but was traded to the Timberwolves immediately. In his first 3 years in the NBA, he made steady improvement until he was averaging 23.6 points during the 2016-17 season. Then he got paid a lot, and after that he fell off. In the two seasons that followed he only averaged 17 points after looking like he was going to be a 25 ppg scorer. This season with the Timberwolves and the Warriors have been a little bit of revival, but it is doubtful that he is ever going to go back to the early stages of his career.
This season Wiggins is averaging 21.8 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 44.7% from the field and 33% from 3.
Wiggins has lots of talent, but he just kind of stopped working. I don’t mean completely, but after he got paid he must have just started to relax instead of keep working. Wiggins is a solid 3 option on any team, and the Warriors will use him for that purpose. The Warriors will likely be contenders next season, and then we will see what Wiggins is really like when he is on a good, playoff bound team.
#2 – Zach Lavine
Chicago Bulls – #13 Pick
While Lavine did not start off fast, he has of late and that is why he is deserving of this #2 spot. Lavine was a solid player in his first two seasons in the NBA, and then he jumped to 18.9 points per game in the 2016-17 season. He of course was a great dunker, but now he was expanding into more than that. Then he tore his ACL and missed over half of his career season. He was traded to Chicago and in the 2017-18 season, he only played in 24 games. People were starting to wonder if he ever would be the same. Then the last two seasons, Lavine has been the star of the Bulls and he is one of the brightest stars in the NBA.
This season Lavine is averaging 25.5 points while shooting 45% from the field and 38.0% from 3.
Lavine’s best season to that point was cut shot by the ACL tear, but he has rebounded into a premier player in the NBA. While the Bulls remain the Bulls, Lavine is their star for the future and preventing any injuries Lavine could turn into an All-Star level player for Chicago.
#1 – Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers – #4 Pick
After being drafted, Embiid did not play in the NBA for his first two seasons because of injuries. In the 2016-17 season, Embiid played in 31 games and averaged 20.2 points. He got injured again, but in the limited playing time that he got to see him we saw something special. Since that season Embiid has been arguably the best center in the NBA, surely the most talented. Embiid has been criticized for most of his career, and sometimes his work-ethic is off, but one thing is for sure. He can play.
This season Embiid is averaging 23.4 points and 11.8 rebounds while shooting 47.4% from the field and 34.8% from 3.
While this season Embiid has fallen off from his 2018-19 season in which he averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds with 2 blocks, he has been a great paint force for the 76ers. If he can remain healthy and keep up his work-ethic, then he and his running mate Ben Simmons can take the 76ers to more deep playoff runs in the future
But, what do you think? Who are your top-3 players from the 2016 Draft Class? Other than Joel Embiid, who is the best player from this draft class? Leave all of your comments down below.
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