#1 Damian Lillard (2012 NBA Draft)
Damian Lillard needs no introduction. It would simply be a dream come true if the Phoenix Suns could land a player half as good as he is with the sixth pick.
Maybe we can offer a trade including the sixth pick to actually get him? No, the Blazers will never agree to that. They know what they have. Even if the Suns had been lucky enough to get the first overall pick, I don’t think Portland would ultimately have pulled the trigger.
He was named Rookie of the Year in 2013, netting 2.3 threes per game at a 36.8 percent clip while averaging 19 points and 6.5 assists per game. Dame showed right away that he was something special.
In his second season he was named to the All-NBA Third Team. He also has one All-NBA Second Team and one First Team selection and is a four-time All-Star. He’s currently playing in the Western Conference Finals as his next goal is ultimately a championship.
This is his seventh season in the league and he’s started all 549 regular season games he’s played in. He’s shooting 36.8 percent from downtown, making 2.7 triples and averaging 23.5 points and 6.3 assists per game thus far in his career.
He’s only 28 and has a long future ahead of him. Again, if the Suns can land a player with the sixth pick that is any where near Lillard’s caliber, it will be a blessing.
That wraps it up for my selections as the top players in NBA history (since the 1998 NBA Draft) selected with the sixth overall pick. Only time will tell what the Phoenix Suns get out of it.