Pascal Siakam Went 27th Overall and This Wild Steal Has the Entire League Looking Dumb
Ten years ago, the NBA Draft dropped a class full of wild rides, huh? Seriously, thinking back on the 2016 draft, it's a perfect example of why you can never truly predict how careers will unfold. We had Ben Simmons going No. 1 overall, some picks that straight up bombed, but man, the absolute steals from that whole mess? They're still blowing my mind to this day!
From top picks that paid off big time, to the head-scratching misses, to the guys who just came out of nowhere, this class had it all. And as we look toward the 2026 NBA Draft, it's a good reminder that talent can be found anywhere. Let's dive into who really stood out, for better or worse, a decade later.
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The Guy Who Carried Boston
When you talk about the biggest star from the 2016 draft, it's gotta be Jaylen Brown, hands down. The Boston Celtics snagged him with the No. 3 pick, and he has just been a force. We're talking five NBA All-Star appearances and two All-NBA campaigns in both 2023 and 2026. This dude helped the Celtics win the NBA title in 2024, and he even nabbed NBA Finals MVP! Can you believe it?
During the 2025-26 season, with Jayson Tatum missing most of the year, Brown stepped up as Boston's 1A and had the best statistical season of his career, averaging a crazy 28.7 points. He was a legit MVP candidate and earned second-team All-NBA honors. There were even trade rumors linking him to the Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason, which tells you everything you need to know about his value.
The Steal That Blew Everyone's Minds
Okay, if you want a true "how did everyone miss this?" story, look no further than Pascal Siakam. The Toronto Raptors took him with the No. 27 pick in 2016, and he has been one of the most consistent and best players from the entire class. He won a title with the Raptors in just his third season, for crying out loud! Then, after being traded from Toronto, he helped the Indiana Pacers reach the NBA Finals in 2025, just over a year later. Siakam's got four NBA All-Star appearances and was even the league's Most Improved Player in 2019. This guy was a flat-out steal, period.
And get this: none of the big stars from this class even won Rookie of the Year. Nope, that went to Malcolm Brogdon, who the Milwaukee Bucks picked way down at No. 36 overall! Brogdon played nine seasons before retiring just before the 2025-26 campaign started. Talk about an unexpected start for an unassuming pick, huh?
The Bust Nobody Can Forget
Now, for the painful part. There's almost no debate about the biggest bust from the 2016 NBA Draft. That dishonor goes straight to Dragan Bender, who the Phoenix Suns took with the No. 4 overall pick. Oof. This guy played just 187 total games in the NBA over four years. Bender last played for the Warriors during the 2019-20 season, logging only a little over 21 minutes per game in a measly nine appearances. To make it even worse for Suns fans, the Denver Nuggets picked Jamal Murray just three spots after Bender. That's gotta sting, even a decade later!
What a wild ride that 2016 draft class was, huh? Ten years later, we're still talking about the hits, the misses, and those absolute steals that change everything. It just goes to show you, sometimes the biggest gems are hiding where you least expect them. What lessons are we taking into the 2026 NBA Draft? That's what I wanna know!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.