NBA: 10 Most Valued Current 2nd Round Picks

#3 Hassan Whiteside

The block party never ends when Whiteside is lurking

Picked 33rd in 2010 by the Sacramento Kings

From being a nobody in the league till 2014, Whiteside saw his star ascend when he was tipped as the player to lead the Miami Heat’s resurgence in the wake of Lebron’s departure. Over the last 3 seasons, he has consistently shown that he can be a franchise player by amassing a collection of sensational blocks.

Along with establishing his own personal no-fly zone near the Heat’s defensive rim, he has matured to develop into a legitimate inside threat in the offense also. He owns the seventh-highest Player Efficiency Rating (PER) in the league currently at 25.80.

Last season, the Heat pulled off an astonishing 30-11 run to close the second half of the season, with strong contributions from Whiteside and a cast of supporting players. If they are to build on last season’s finish and turn into the playoff threat in the East nobody wants to face, Whiteside must continue to provide not just the stellar numbers, but also a cool head and evidence of leadership.