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The 2014 NBA Draft started with few surprises, as the year-long top two prospects (Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker) went one and two, respectively. An injured Joel Embiid was a mild surprise as the third spot due to concerns his health would cause a free fall, but his talent still had the move making some sense.
From there, however, the draft got a little dicey. From trades to reaches to steals, the 2014 NBA Draft was full of excitement. To try to digest it all, let’s break down the top five steals to see who was passed on and probably should have gone a little higher in this year’s draft:
1. Noah Vonleh, PF, Indiana (#9 to Charlotte Hornets)
Vonleh was still a top-10 pick and oddly joined former Indiana star Cody Zeller in Charlotte, but he could have gone quite a bit higher. Joel Embiid not falling at all (even though he probably should have) had something to do with Vonleh’s minor slide, while Michigan sharpshooter Nik Stauskas also went a little higher than expected. Ultimately, Vonleh’s draft stock was probably going to be flip-flopped one way or another with the athletic Aaron Gordon, who ended up being a mild surprise at 5th overall to the Utah Jazz. The more balanced and efficient player, Vonleh might arguably be the better value. Only time will tell, but for now it appears the Hornets got the steal here.
2. Gary Harris, SG, Michigan State (#19 to Denver Nuggets)
Neal was acquired in an odd fashion, as the Chicago Bulls held the 16th and 19th overall selections and traded them to Denver for the draft rights to sharpshooter Doug McDermott. Oddly enough, the Nuggets then went on to draft two quality players, one of which was another sharpshooter in Harris who could easily end up being much better than McDermott. While McDermott is the superior pure scorer and probably a better overall shooter, Harris offers decent size for the NBA two guard spot and is also a plus athlete. He’ll give the up-tempo Nuggets an elite outside shooter, as well as a boost in scoring. He’s already being referred to as the steal of the draft.
3. Rodney Hood, SF, Duke (#23 to Utah Jazz)
Hood surely isn’t the prospect teammate Jabari Parker is, but considering he was projected to go inside the lottery, it’s safe to say the Jazz landed a mega steal at the 23rd overall pick. Hood isn’t truly elite in any one area, but is a rock solid shooter with great size, length and solid overall athleticism. The Jazz really only have the aging Richard Jefferson at small forward (unless they play Gordon Hayward there full-time) so adding a talented small forward was a move they had to make eventually. Hood fits the bill and is easily one of the first round’s better value picks.
4. Kyle Anderson, SF, UCLA (#30 to San Antonio Spurs)
A one time lottery prospect, Kyle Anderson plummeted down draft boards due to a lack of explosiveness and elite athleticism. That was fine with the Spurs, who routinely pick foreign players they can groom or stash overseas, but couldn’t bring themselves to pass on Anderson. A remarkably versatile and efficient talent, Anderson can play multiple positions, is a high character player and brings excellent shooting to the table. He’ll learn from some of the greats in San Antonio as he adapts to the NBA game as a rookie.
5. Glenn Robinson III, SF, Michigan (#40 to Minnesota Timberwolves)
The only second round pick on this list, Glenn Robinson III could end up being the steal of the draft thanks to having legit first round talent. He’s a bit spotty as a shooter, but has proven to have a natural ability to put the ball in the hole, while his size and length is ideal for the NBA three spot. His athleticism is where he excites, however, as Glenn Robinson is a freak athlete who can run with the best of them. He has a great pedigree and good experience, as well, making him arguably the best second round pick of the night.
