Miami Heat fans have a vigorous debate on the direction their beloved team should take this season and thereafter.
A look at the recent top-5 picks in the NBA Drafts from 2008 to 2017 reveals very few championship rings among the selections.
A Decade of NBA Lottery Picks
| YEAR | PICK | TEAM | PLAYER | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YEAR | PICK | TEAM | PLAYER | TOTAL |
| 2011 | 2 | MIN | Derrick Williams | 6 |
| 2015 | 1 | MIN | Karl-Anthony Towns | 6 |
| 2016 | 5 | MIN | Kris Dunn | 6 |
| 2008 | 3 | MIN | O.J. Mayo | 6 |
| 2009 | 5 | MIN | Ricky Rubio | 6 |
| 2010 | 4 | MIN | Wesley Johnson | 6 |
| 2014 | 1 | CLE | Andrew Wiggins | 5 |
| 2013 | 1 | CLE | Anthony Bennett | 5 |
| 2012 | 4 | CLE | Dion Waiters | 5 |
| 2011 | 1 | CLE | Kyrie Irving | 5 |
| 2011 | 4 | CLE | Tristan Thompson | 5 |
| 2016 | 1 | PHI | Ben Simmons | 5 |
| 2010 | 2 | PHI | Evan Turner | 5 |
| 2015 | 3 | PHI | Jahlil Okafor | 5 |
| 2014 | 3 | PHI | Joel Embiid | 5 |
| 2017 | 1 | PHI | Markelle Fultz | 5 |
| 2017 | 5 | SAC | De'Aaron Fox | 4 |
| 2010 | 5 | SAC | DeMarcus Cousins | 4 |
| 2012 | 5 | SAC | Thomas Robinson | 4 |
| 2009 | 4 | SAC | Tyreke Evans | 4 |
| 2016 | 2 | LAL | Brandon Ingram | 3 |
| 2015 | 2 | LAL | D'Angelo Russell | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 | LAL | Lonzo Ball | 3 |
| 2014 | 4 | ORL | Aaron Gordon | 3 |
| 2015 | 5 | ORL | Mario Hezonja | 3 |
| 2013 | 2 | ORL | Victor Oladipo | 3 |
| 2013 | 5 | PHO | Alex Len | 3 |
| 2016 | 4 | PHO | Dragan Bender | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 | PHO | Josh Jackson | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 | WAS | Bradley Beal | 3 |
| 2010 | 1 | WAS | John Wall | 3 |
| 2013 | 3 | WAS | Otto Porter | 3 |
| 2016 | 3 | BOS | Jaylen Brown | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 | BOS | Jayson Tatum | 2 |
| 2013 | 4 | CHA | Cody Zeller | 2 |
| 2012 | 2 | CHA | Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 | MEM | Hasheem Thabeet | 2 |
| 2008 | 5 | MEM | Kevin Love | 2 |
| 2009 | 3 | OKC | James Harden | 2 |
| 2008 | 4 | OKC | Russell Westbrook | 2 |
| 2014 | 5 | UTA | Dante Exum | 2 |
| 2011 | 3 | UTA | Enes Kanter | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 | CHI | Derrick Rose | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 | LAC | Blake Griffin | 1 |
| 2008 | 2 | MIA | Michael Beasley | 1 |
| 2014 | 2 | MIL | Jabari Parker | 1 |
| 2010 | 3 | NJN | Derrick Favors | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 | NOH | Anthony Davis | 1 |
| 2015 | 4 | NYK | Kristaps Porzingis | 1 |
| 2011 | 5 | TOR | Jonas Valanciunas | 1 |
Of the 13 teams with multiple top-5 picks only one team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, have any players with championship rings from the team that drafted them, i.e. Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson.
The Minnesota Timberwolves with 6, Philadelphia 76ers with 5, and Sacramento Kings with 4 picks each have yet to reach the NBA Finals in the last decade.
None of the players on teams with 3 picks each, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, or Washington Wizards have gone past their respective Conference Finals to see action in June.
The 50 players were each seen as top-5 talents in respective draft classes, and some achieved individual honors such as All-Star status in their careers.
For mysterious unexplained reasons the current crop of top-5 choices haven’t had the immense impact of prior selections such as Tim Duncan, LeBron James or Dwyane Wade.
Recently the concept of “tanking” to get the best young available talent has had mixed results in delivering a championship trophy for the home fans.
Perhaps the 76ers will deliver the goods, but a legacy isn’t built on what a team is going to do – it only counts when they actually bring home the prize.
Eight teams got three or more top-5 picks from 2008 to 2017, yet the Cavaliers alone won a championship in that span, while this season they are projected to receive another type of reward with their sixth lottery pick.
Whether the Miami should continue on their path to provide entertaining teams for their fans, or adopt a “process” route doesn’t have a definitive answer.
Judging from the list of players in the table above, the chances of immediate results may be very slim for teams at the bottom, especially when they are so bad it would take more than one teenager to help his team reach the NBA Finals.