Re-Drafting the 2012 NBA Draft Class | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

21. Boston Celtics: Kyle O'Quinn

If we were drafting on quality of beard, O'Quinn would be in the lottery. But we're not, so he'll have to settle for going 21st, which is still a significant upgrade on reality (49th).

An intimidating force (again, the beard helps), O'Quinn's game doesn't quite square with his 6'9", 250-pound frame. Instead of bullying opponents inside, he loves long mid-rangers and might actually be most useful to an offense as a facilitator from the elbows. However, he's an overly ambitious passer. His elite assist percentage among bigs comes with a boatload of turnovers.

The stretch in his game has never extended beyond the arc, and O'Quinn isn't a particularly mobile or versatile defender. But he's one of only four players in this draft with career averages of at least 13.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per 36 minutes. Of course, he's never averaged more than 18.0 minutes per game in a season because nothing in his game warrants a first-unit role.

22. Boston Celtics: Dion Waiters

Take high usage and add a dollop of abysmal efficiency, and you've got Waiters' game.

Though it seems like a mistake to leave his 13.2 points per contest on the board this long, there may actually be a better argument for kicking him out of the first round altogether. Inconsistent focus, wildly fluctuating conditioning and (this year) conduct-based suspensions make it even harder to tolerate his ball-stopping and inefficient volume scoring.

But there just aren't many guards with the ability to generate their own looks quite like the 28-year-old veteran. Shot creation is a skill, and Waiters has it.

He's worth a flier this late.

23. Atlanta Hawks: Austin Rivers

We're punting on the numbers again as Rivers' minus-3.5 VORP is actually the worst of any player drafted in 2012. (Waiters is second-worst among players who stuck around long enough to play at least 400 games.)

With a negative BPM in every year of his career and shooting splits of 41.8/34.8/64.0, Rivers, like Waiters, is tough to sell as a worthwhile pick. He plays both ends hard, though, and there's just enough playmaking and spot-up shooting in his game to warrant consideration. Plus, his staccato ball-handling and funky floaters were ripe for comedic impression.

It's hard to score 15.1 points per game in the NBA, and Rivers did so, putting up that career-best average while starting 59 games for his dad's Clippers in 2017-18. That gets the job done at No. 23.

24. Cleveland Cavaliers: Tyler Zeller

Zeller is a palate cleanser after a pair of gunning guards.

Originally drafted by the Dallas Mavericks but shipped to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 7-foot center lasted seven seasons and was even a regular starter in three of them. He never bettered his 2014-15 campaign, marked by averages of 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds, and he was out of the league this year after logging just six games in 2018-19.

Athletically limited, Zeller was still a sound positional defender. His excellent hands made him a capable roll man on offense, though his best bet after the catch was usually to seek contact as he was short on lift and craft around the rim.

25. Memphis Grizzlies: Terrence Jones

Jones' last full season in the league was 2016-17, but he was a tantalizing talent before washing out. When he averaged 12.1 points, 6.9 boards and 1.3 blocks in 27.3 minutes per game as a 22-year-old in 2013-14, it seemed like there might be something special ahead.

The athletic lefty could run the floor, roll, cut and even put the ball on the deck for straight-line drives when defenders closed out too aggressively. Though never quite efficient enough to make them count (29.7 percent), Jones still averaged at least one three-point try per game in every year of his career.

Opportunistic work on the offensive glass and spectacular shot-blocking hinted at the production Jones could have generated if he'd summoned maximum effort all the time.

26. Indiana Pacers: Jared Sullinger

The skill was never in question, but Sullinger's weight operated as a governor on his production. Even while averaging double digits in three straight seasons with the Celtics from 2013-14 to 2015-16, Sullinger struggled to stay in playing shape. He admitted his exit from the NBA in 2017 had more to do with eating habits than lack of game.

At 6'9", the Ohio State product could hit a mid-range jumper, pass, back defenders down and thrive on the glass by leveraging his considerable heft. Among 2012 draftees who played at least 100 games, Sullinger ranks fourth with an 11.5 offensive rebound percentage.

27. Miami Heat: Miles Plumlee

Plumlee peaked in his second season, starting 79 games and averaging 8.1 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 51.7 percent from the field for the 2013-14 Phoenix Suns.

Lively and long, he could go get a lob at the square and finish on the catch with power. The 103 dunks he racked up in that stellar 2013-14 season were a career high. Waning bounce and a shrinking role prevented him from jamming more than 64 times in any subsequent year, and he was out of the league at 30 following the 2018-19 season.

28. Oklahoma City Thunder: Festus Ezeli

It was always about health for Ezeli, who played 78 games (41 starts) as a rookie for the Warriors but then missed the 2013-14 season entirely and logged just 92 more contests before multiple knee surgeries ended his career. When able to play, the 6'11" center absolutely looked the part of an imposing 5.

There were even times when his minutes were more exciting than those played by starter Andrew Bogut. Ezeli was a high-riser with the strength to finish over defenders. Though raw and prone to bungling passes, he played with force while earning the sort of fan-favorite status that always seems to attach itself to well-intentioned talents who just can't catch a break on the injury front.

His career per-36 averages of 10.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks hint at what could have been.

29. Chicago Bulls: Darius Miller

Miller has missed all of 2019-20 with a torn Achilles, but we should assume he'll get right back to striping threes when he returns. A pure shooting specialist, the 6'6" forward shot 41.1 percent from deep in 2017-18, then he upped his attempt rate and still hit 36.5 percent in 2018-19.

Though far from spectacular on D, Miller can survive well enough on that end to warrant a rotation role.

30. Golden State Warriors: Quincy Acy

Acy shoots threes, plays hard, offers up his share of highlights and doesn't kill his team on defense, which is enough to get the journeyman forward into the first round. Barely.

There's nothing glamorous about his game, but it's worth noting Acy has exactly as many win shares (8.7) as Waiters, who went several picks earlier. He's a fringe-rotation player, but his activity level produced a load of "where'd that come from?" swats and slams in his seven seasons.