Second-Rounders, Split Grades, and 6 Seconds Short ⏳
Sometimes greatness is obvious… other times, it comes in the second round, or 6 seconds shy of history.
Here are 3 things you need to know!
1️⃣ Second-Round Picks, First-Class Talent 💎
Sure, many #1 picks like LeBron James and Cooper Flagg go on to be stars. But the second round?
That’s where hidden gems shine.
Some second-rounders don’t just make rosters… they change franchises. Just ask the Warriors, Nuggets, and Knicks.
Draymond Green was the 35th pick in 2012. A little undersized, a little overlooked… but everything Golden State needed. Four championships later, he’s a 9-time All-Defensive player and along with Steph, the heartbeat of a dynasty.
Nikola Jokić went 41st in 2014… so quietly, a Taco Bell commercial was on TV when his name was announced!
🎥 Here’s what it looked like (watch the bottom!):
He didn’t start right away, and averaged just 10 points and 7 rebounds per game his rookie season. But once the Nuggets handed him the keys, “The Joker” unlocked something we’d never seen: a 3-time MVP who passes like a point guard, rebounds like a center, and just might be the smartest player in basketball.
Jalen Brunson was taken 33rd in 2018 by Dallas, just 30 picks after they selected Luka Dončić. Solid. Smart. But it wasn’t until his move to New York that he leveled up. With the Knicks, he’s become a franchise player… an All-Star, an MVP contender, and just 2 wins away from the NBA Finals this year.
Because in the NBA, it’s not where you're picked.
It’s what you do next.
2️⃣ Draft Grades Are In! 📝
So… who found the future stars and hidden gems in this year’s NBA Draft?
Every year, experts have a tradition of grading each team’s draft. A is awesome, F is… not so much. These aren’t predictions. They’re about value, fit, and whether teams made smart choices on draft night.
📈 Best Grades
Atlanta Hawks: A
They traded down 10 spots in Round 1, still got a top prospect, and picked up a future first-round pick… plus Kristaps Porziņģis in a separate trade with Boston. That’s a full-on upgrade.
Indiana Pacers: A
No picks in Round 1? No problem. Indy found 2 intriguing guards in Round 2 who might help right away with Haliburton recovering from his Achilles injury.
San Antonio Spurs: A
They drafted a top prospect named Dylan Harper at #2 and watched another highly-rated player fall right into their lap at #14. Add that to Victor Wembanyama, and the Spurs’ future just got brighter.
📉 Lowest Grades
New Orleans Pelicans: F
They paid a steep price in a trade to move up for a player named Derik Queen… when they might’ve been able to get him without the trade. If the 2026 pick they gave up turns into a star… ouch.
Memphis Grizzlies: C-
Another trade-up, another questionable value. Their picks have upside, but they gave up a lot to get there.
LA Clippers: C-
Their first-rounder was a late bloomer with red flags, and their second-rounder was more of the same.
🎤 Your turn: Would you rather stack up assets like the Brooklyn Nets and draft a lot of players to see who steps up… or trade up and take your shot on a single star?
When a team is ready to make its draft pick, it’s called “on the clock.” But the NBA Draft wasn’t the only clock we were watching yesterday…
3️⃣ Four Laps In Under Four Minutes? 🏃♀️
The idea of a person running a 4-minute mile used to seem impossible.
Then a medical student and amateur runner named Roger Bannister broke the barrier in 1954: 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds.
Fast forward 71 years… Faith Kipyegon is a 3-time Olympic champion from Kenya and the women’s world record holder in both the 1,500 meters and the mile. One of the greatest runners in history!
And yesterday she was chasing more history… trying to become the first woman ever to run a mile in under 4 minutes.
🎥 Take a deep breath and watch this!
SO CLOSE! She didn’t quite get under 4. But she came closer than any woman in history: 4:06.42, faster than her own world record.
Our favorite part? What Kipyegon said after in a message to her daughter and other kids around the world:
“It is possible to try everything and prove to the world that we are strong. Keep pushing.”
Because courage doesn’t always mean finishing first.
Sometimes, it just means starting the next lap.
💡 What We Learned Today 💡
Sometimes a second-rounder becomes an MVP.
Sometimes an “F” draft grade becomes a future Finals run.
And sometimes the most powerful statement comes after a record… isn’t broken.
See you tomorrow, Smallballers!
I’m keeping my eye on Aari McDonald, just picked up by the Fever; she’s already done some “shiny” things.
I missed Smallball while y’all were at the beach. Welcome back!