Redrafting the 2017 NBA Draft Class

Looking back at the 2017 NBA Draft class that was - in hindsight- relatively week in talent outside of 6 really good players.

2024 NBA Finals Champion Jayson Tatum is the clear No. 1 pick in this redraft, but the rest of the draft can leave a lot to debate.

A significant amount of top-picks did not work out very well for their teams, especially first overall pick Markelle Fultz.

There are a lot of quality role players and defensive specialists from 2017, none better than Derrick White.

In this redraft, five second-round picks would climb into the first-round, and four players who went undrafted would also find themselves in the mix.

2017 First Round Re-Draft

* - Pick was acquired via trade.

Jayson Tatum is the clear No. 1 pick thanks to leading the Boston Celtics to an NBA Championship in 2024. Tatum can do it all on a basketball court, and last season he averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell rises to the second overall pick. He has averaged 24.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game in his career, and has been one of the best scoring guards in the league since his arrival.

Lauri Markkanen and De'Aaron Fox go third and fourth, and have been great players in the NBA, but not good enough to lead their teams into playoff runs.

Picks five through nine are all great defensive players, and offer top role player performances for great teams. they include Derrick White, OG Anunoby, Jarrett Allen, and Josh hart.

White has become a star with the Boston Celtics, but does not dominate games like Tatum, or 2016 third overall pick Jaylen Brown.

Isaiah Hartenstein and Dillon Brooks rise up from the second round, and have also been good defenders and role players on their teams. Hartenstein was very important for the Oklahoma City Thunder's 2025 NBA Finals win.

Markelle Fultz, and Josh Jackson were huge misses within the top four of the draft, and both players are no longer in the league. Fultz had a short run, but struggled with injuries and confidence throughout his short career.

This class was not deep, and 5 of the players in this redraft are no longer in the NBA. The 30th pick would just be voided to save salary for someone from a different class.

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Charlie Zschau

• Boston Celtics
• Philadelphia 76ers
• Los Angeles Lakers
• Utah Jazz
• Phoenix Suns
• Sacramento Kings
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• San Antonio Spurs
• New York Knicks
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