14th picks have history of being quality players

MIAMI — No mat te r h ow many times you avoided wal k i ng under a l a dder, picked a four-leaf clover, rubbed a rabbit’s foot or just crossed your fingers, it did not work.

The Miami Heat could not overcome the 98.2 percent odds in Tuesday’s Draft Lottery and will pick 14th in the June 22 draft.

But all is not lost. Of the 63 players selected with the 14th pick in NBA draft history, one already has his spot in the Hall of Fame and one has his number hanging in the AmericanAirlines Arena rafters.

Tim Hardaway, the greatest point guard in Heat franchise history, was taken 14th overall by the Golden State Warriors in 1989. Hardaway, who played at Texas-El Paso, was traded to Miami in 1996 and along with Alonzo Mourning led the Heat to six consecutive playoff appearances. Hardaway was a five-time All-Star and six times voted to one of the top three allleague teams.

Finding another Hardaway would be huge. But finding a Hall of Famer like Clyde Drexler would be franchise-altering.

Yes, Drexler i s a member of the No. 14 club. He was taken in 1983 by Portland. He then carved out a Hall of Fame career with the Trail Blazers and Rockets, averaging 20.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 15 seasons, 10 of which he was an All-Star.

Drexler is the only player drafted 14th to average at least 20 points. Next in scoring is Hardaway at 17.7 per game and third is Peja Stojakovic, who averaged 17.0 points in 13 seasons, mostly with Sacramento. Stojakovic was drafted by the Kings in 1996 and was a three-time All-Star.

Hardaway is not the only p r o mi n e n t f o r mer He a t p l a y e r t o b e t a k e n 1 4 t h overall. Dan Majerle, who was drafted by the Suns in 1988 and signed with Miami in 1996, was part of five of those Heat playoff teams as Hardaway’s teammate. Majerle was a three-time All-Star.

Which brings us to our all-time team comprised of 14th overall picks (We are going small):