Draft 2019 NBA List: Complete Player Rankings and Team Selections Analysis

2025-11-17 11:00

I still remember sitting in the draft war room back in 2019, surrounded by whiteboards filled with player names and statistics that would determine franchise trajectories for years to come. The energy was electric, but what struck me most was how medical reports often overshadowed raw talent during those critical decision-making hours. When I look back at the 2019 NBA draft class now, I can't help but think about Carlos's words that have stayed with me: "It was a bit complicated because of my injury. We had to figure out what would work for me." That statement perfectly captures the delicate dance teams performed between evaluating potential and managing risk that night.

Zion Williamson going first to New Orleans was the obvious choice, though I'll admit I had some concerns about his long-term durability even then. At 6'6" and 284 pounds with that explosive playing style, the physics simply didn't add up for a decade-long career. Still, watching him dominate at Duke—averaging 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds while shooting 68% from the field—made him impossible to pass up. What fascinated me more was the Ja Morant versus RJ Barrett debate at 2 and 3. Memphis took Morant, and I remember thinking they were making a mistake prioritizing his flash over Barrett's consistency. Shows what I know—Morant's 17.8 points and 7.3 assists in his first 15 games immediately proved me wrong, while Barrett struggled with efficiency, shooting just 40% from the field through his first month.

The middle of the first round is where things got really interesting from an analytical perspective. Teams were weighing medical reports like Carlos's against potential, and I saw several franchises make what I considered questionable decisions. Darius Garland at 5 to Cleveland despite playing only five games at Vanderbilt due to meniscus surgery? That seemed reckless at the time, though his 16.2 points per game as a rookie validated their risk tolerance. Meanwhile, I thought Jarrett Culver at 6 to Minnesota was a safer pick, but he never developed the shooting touch to justify his selection. The injury calculus became even more pronounced with players like Bol Bol, who slid to 44th despite top-10 talent because teams couldn't overlook his foot fracture history. I've always believed Miami got the steal of the draft at 13 with Tyler Herro—his 19.2 points per game in the bubble playoffs confirmed what I'd seen in his Kentucky tape, that special combination of confidence and skill that transcends draft position.

What many fans don't realize is how much behind-the-scenes medical evaluation influences these decisions. When Carlos described his injury situation as complicated, needing to "figure out what would work," he could have been speaking for dozens of prospects that year. Teams invested millions in proprietary medical analysis, with some even hiring specialized orthopedic consultants just for draft evaluation. I recall one team doctor telling me they had 87 different medical metrics for evaluating knee recovery alone. The Rui Hachimura selection at 9 by Washington exemplified this—his combination of size and skill was undeniable, but teams needed reassurance about his stress fracture history. Similarly, Matisse Thybulle's rise to 20th after Philadelphia traded up reflected how teams valued his defensive analytics—3.5 steals and 2.3 blocks per 40 minutes at Washington—over his limited offensive game.

Looking back four years later, the 2019 draft class has outperformed most expectations, producing multiple All-Stars and franchise cornerstones. Zion's health issues have proven more challenging than hoped, but when he plays, he's everything scouts dreamed of—averaging 25.8 points on 60% shooting for his career. Morant became the superstar I underestimated, leading Memphis to consistent playoff contention while averaging over 27 points per game in the 2022 postseason. What surprises me most in retrospect is how the late first round yielded such impactful players—Jordan Poole at 28 developing into a championship contributor, Keldon Johnson at 29 becoming a reliable starter. These successes highlight how much development systems matter beyond draft position.

The second round contained several players who've become crucial rotation pieces, proving that talent evaluation requires looking beyond immediate contributions. I was particularly high on Terance Mann, selected 48th by the Clippers—his athleticism and defensive versatility stood out to me even in a crowded draft class. His 39-point game in the 2021 playoffs to eliminate Utah demonstrated exactly the kind of unexpected impact that makes the draft so compelling. Similarly, I tracked Luguentz Dort's path from undrafted to starting lineup regular—his physical defense against James Harden in the 2020 playoffs showcased how organizations can develop raw talent into specialized weapons.

Reflecting on Carlos's words about navigating injury complications, I'm reminded that the draft represents just the beginning of these players' journeys. The real work begins afterward, with player development staff working to maximize each selection's potential while managing the health concerns that influenced their draft position. Four years later, the 2019 class has reshaped the league's landscape, with several picks becoming cornerstones of championship contenders. The successes and surprises reinforce what I've learned through years of draft analysis—that balancing analytics, medical evaluation, and instinct remains more art than science, with the most successful teams often being those who best understand how to develop the talent they select, regardless of draft position.