The second round of the NBA Draft is often where smart teams are separated from those constantly floundering in the lottery. Well-run franchises consistently find contributors, or even stars like Manu Ginobili or Draymond Green, in the wee hours of the draft. Poorly run franchises sell their second-round picks for cash, waste them on draft-and-stash Europeans who will never play in the NBA, or simply swing and miss year after year. There’s a science and magic to the second round, but year after year late draft choices make big plays that affect playoff games.
Every player that lasts until the second round will have a few clear knocks on his resumé. Teams that have found success in the draft are able to prioritize and define those flaws, leading to players who are able to thrive at the next level.
This year, there are many gems to be found well after the lottery picks have ended. These five players have a chance to be smart selections for any team:
1. Killian Tillie, Gonzaga
Tillie has two strikes against him – his age and his injury history. As a four-year player at Gonzaga, the French forward is already 22 years old. That can be a red flag if you’re discussing a player who hasn’t produced at a high level. Despite playing in crowded frontcourts his entire career at Gonzaga, Tillie has been the anchor of Mark Few’s defensive schemes and a key cog on the offensive end of the court. Tillie’s ability to score on the block and hit 44% of his 3-point attempts opened the court for so much of what the Zags were aiming to do.
That only happened when Tillie was on the court. He missed 22 games in the 2018-19 season and nine games in 2019-20 to injuries, leading to a disappointing back half of his career. If he had entered the draft after his sophomore year, he’d have been a first-round pick. Deep down, Tillie is still the same high IQ, high motor, versatile big man that teams once loved. If he can stay healthy, he clearly has value at the next level.
