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Los Angeles Lakers: 5 greatest 22nd overall picks in NBA history

By Jason Reed

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 25: Jared Dudley #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 25, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 25: Jared Dudley #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on January 25, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

The Los Angeles Lakers have the 22nd overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. While most picks this late in the draft end up not having a huge impact, the Lakers are one of the best teams in the league in scouting talent late in the draft and developing that talent into a legitimate role player.

There are countless late Lakers draft picks that are currently scattered throughout the league, including Sixth Man of the Year, Jordan Clarkson.

It is fair to be optimistic that the Lakers will find a legitimate rotation player but if we listen to history we can conclude that the Lakers will not land a star. The history of the 22nd overall pick is not great. We decided to rank the five-best 22nd picks in NBA history.

The five greatest 22nd overall picks that the Los Angeles Lakers can look back on:

5. Kenneth Faried, 2011, Denver Nuggets

It was close for the fifth spot on this list but the man to ultimately get the honor was former Denver Nugget, Brooklyn Net and Houston Rocket, Kenneth Faried. Faried was drafted in 2011 and played through the 2018-19 season.

Faried was a solid rotation player throughout his career and logged decent minutes during his tenure with the Nuggets. Faried played in Denver through the 2017-18 season and in those seven seasons, he averaged 11.4 points and 8.2 rebounds in 24.9 minutes per game.

He was not a star in any right but he did give the Nuggets valuable minutes at the four. Faried was a guy who would consistently go out and get you 12-15 points and 8-10 rebounds a night and his consistency was one of his better traits.

He was a below-average defender and he could not space the floor as a four so he quickly got phased out of the NBA, playing his last NBA game before he was 30 years old.

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