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 | Charting the NBA draft ESPN.com Ever wonder if there's a secret to drafting quality NBA players? Everyone knows the best players usually go first, but that's not always the case. We broke down the key statistics for each of the first 30 picks from the 1984 draft to the 1997 draft. Below are the Production Averages of each pick (determined by summing a player's career scoring, rebounding and assist averages, and then averaging that figure among the 14 players selected with that pick). For a statistical breakdown of the best and worst players at each pick, click here.  A few observations: 1. The No. 1 picks were all good except for Pervis Ellison. There is a significant drop-off from No. 1 to No. 2, so teams who get the second prize in the draft lottery have a reason to pout. 2. No. 4s were pretty solid all years, with the lowest-rated being Antonio Daniels (1997) at 11.2. 3. No. 6s were relatively weak other than Antoine Walker and Tom Gugliotta. 4. There is a definite upswing from No. 12 to No. 13; No. 12 was weak outside of Mookie Blaylock, while No. 13 was helped out greatly by Karl Malone, Dale Davis and Kobe Bryant. 5. The No. 24 slot is an extremely lucky number in the lower third of the first round, posting numbers equal to the average No. 16 pick. Latrell Sprewell, Arvydas Sabonis, Terry Porter, Sam Cassell, Rick Fox, Brian Shaw and Derek Fisher were all No. 24 picks. However, Nos. 25 and 26 have been notoriously bad except for Mark Price (No. 25 in 1986) and Vlade Divac (No. 26 in 1989). 6. In picks below 30, the best players seem to fall between picks No. 45-48. That group includes No. 45 picks Hot Rod Williams (a 1985 pick who posted a career P.A. of 19.6) and Antonio Davis (1990/17.2), No. 46 picks Jeff Hornacek (1986/22.8) and Jerome Kersey (1984/17.9), No. 47 pick Vernon Maxwell (1988/19.3) and No. 48 pick Cedric Ceballos (1990/21.5). 7. The best draft year? Try 1992 -- at least for picks 1-30, with those players totaling a P.A. of 17.3. The first round was solid -- only five picks were not in double figures for Production Average. 8. One pattern we've seen: DO NOT draft big men as "projects," unless they're European -- and only on rare occasions!
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