The NBA Draft Class of 2003: Where are they now?

Every draft night is a very special night for the NBA because it leads to infusion of new blood in the league. But 2003 was arguably the best draft night the NBA would ever see as LeBron, Wade, Carmelo and Bosh were drafted on that same night. Almost all of the first round was filled with All-Star level players.

Who knew drafting of LeBron a.k.a the Kid from Akron would leave us to the day where we question if Michael Jordan really was the greatest to ever play? Who knew the fifth pick in the same draft, Dwyane Wade, would be considered one of the best two guards to ever play, only being bested by Kobe and MJ.

It is amazing to see this kind of star power in one NBA Draft and that being said let us look at 10 of the most successful players from the NBA Draft Class of 2003

#10 Mo Williams

This list will surprise you as it has the same number of second-round picks as there are first round picks. That being said, Mo Williams was drafted in the second round at #47 by the Utah Jazz.

Williams saw a lot of changes in scenery as he was traded quite a lot in his 13 seasons in the NBA. He has played with the Jazz, Bucks, Cavaliers, Clippers, Trailblazers and the Hornets. He became an All-Star for the only time in his career in 2009. He returned to the Cavaliers in 2015 where he won his first and only ring in the 2016 NBA Finals.

Williams, today at age 35, recently got appointed the assistant coach for Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball team which effectively ended his NBA playing career.

#9 James Jones

Drafted just 2 picks head of Kyle Korver, Jones was drafted in the second round at #49 by the Indiana Pacers.

JJ was never a part of a losing team, never missed the playoffs except in 2007-08 when he played for the Portland Trailblazers.

JJ is one of the many beneficiaries of being LeBron James' teammate, as LBJ and him have together been to seven straight NBA Finals from 2011-2017. Out of those seven appearances, JJ triumphed 3 times, 2 with the Miami Heat (2012, 2013) and 1 with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016)

After 14 seasons in the NBA as a player, Jones retired after 2016-17 season. Today, at 37 years old, James Jones is the Vice President of basketball operations for the Phoenix Suns.

#8 Kyle Korver

Kyle Korver was drafted in the late second round at #52 of 2003 NBA Draft, the fact that he still made this list speaks volumes about his game. Kyle was drafted by New Jersey Nets but the rights were bought by the 76ers for $125000.

Kyle was and will be the best 3-PT shooters in the league as he was the league leader for 3-PT% not only once, but a staggering 4 times (2009-10 (53.6%), 2013-14 (47.2%), 2014-15(49.2%), 2016-17(45.1%) ).

Kyle was selected for his only NBA All-Star appearance in 2015. If you feel that he is nice guy who only lets his game do his talking, well you are not alone as Kyle also won NBA Sportsmanship award which is a testament to his great fair play and ethical behaviour

If you catch LeBron James' eye and get him to ask his team to sign you, then you ARE special. Which is exactly what happened as Kyle was signed mid-season in 2017 by the Cleveland Cavaliers which is where he is now and where he made his only two NBA Finals appearances (2017, 2018).

#7 David West

When we tell you that round one of the 2003 draft was "All-Star"-studded, we mean even the backend of the draft because that's where David West was drafted at #18 overall. David began his career with New Orleans Hornets.

David West had an average career his first two seasons but it is in the next season in 2005-06 where he really shined and finished second in the race for the Most Improved Player award, just behind Boris Diaw.

Things took a turn for the better in the season 2007-08 and 2008-09 where he was selected for his only two All-Star appearances. In July of 2016, West joined the Warriors in which he battled the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017 and 2018 NBA Finals where the team triumphed for back-to-back Championships granting David West the 2 rings that he possesses today.

#6 Zaza Pachulia

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Turkish league champion (2001) and Turkish cup winner (2001-03), Zaza came to the NBA to win as well, drafted #42 by Orlando Magic in the 2003 NBA Draft.

Besides bounced around overseas and back into the league, there wasn't much to Zaza's game besides being a starting caliber center in the NBA.

Along with to and fro from the overseas to the NBA, Zaza got transferred from Magic to Bucks to Hawks to Bucks to Mavericks to now the Golden State Warriors where the big man peacefully resides.

Zaza's trade to the Warriors might be the only actual bright spot in his career as he went on to win back-to-back championships (2017, 2018) with the Warriors. He signed a 2.8 million dollar deal for one year for the 2016-17 season followed by his resigning next year in the 2017-2018 season for another one year deal worth 3.4 million dollars.

#5 Luke Walton

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Even though Luke wasn't drafted in the first round, he has made this list as one of the remarkable ones to come out of the 2003 NBA Draft. Walton entered the league after graduating from the University of Arizona where he also played for the Arizona Cardinals in 2003.

The 6'8 SF won two back-to-back titles with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons which is a great feat in itself BUT Luke also made a record with that by becoming the only father and son to have won multiple NBA Championships as his father, Hall of Famer Bill Walton was also a two-time NBA Champion. After his NBA playing career, came Luke's NBA coaching career. Luke started out as an assistant coach to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2011 and afterwards, he became assistant coach to the championship caliber Golden State Warriors from 2014 to 2016.

Now what happens when you are involved with a championship caliber group? You win a ring! and that is exactly what Luke did in 2015 when he had to take over for Steve Kerr who was out for a back surgery. Luke proved his worth as a coach after that incredible achievement and was hired by the Lakers to be the Head Coach, a position which Luke Walton lives to enjoy till this date.

#4 Chris Bosh

From being drafted 4th overall by the Toronto Raptors to searching for the feeling of being an NBA star again, CB4 has had quite a career. His career sort of came to an end two years ago when he got diagnosed with a serious condition of blood clots two times that later reached his lungs and before he knew it, it was too dangerous to keep playing.

Regardless, Bosh had an incredible 13 seasons with the league. Netting 2 back-to-back NBA Championships by being part of the Big 3 of Miami Heat, being on the 2003-04 All-Rookie First Team, 2006-07 All-NBA Second Team and being an 11x NBA All-Star.

Bosh still has an active contract with Miami Heat for the 2018-19 season in which he will earn 26.8 million dollars and off the court Chris Bosh is netting 1 million dollars in endorsements. Chris Bosh has made it really open that he plans to return to the league as on ESPN's First Take, Bosh said, "I've been in the gym. I can still play basketball. No, I'm not done yet. Yeah, I'm trying to come back."

#3 Carmelo Anthony

Declared the Most Outstanding Player by the NCAA for leading Syracuse Orange to their first only National Championship in just his freshman year, Melo raised a lot of eyebrows coming into the 2003 NBA Draft and got picked up 3rd overall by the Denver Nuggets. Who knew a kid from the Red Hook projects could wreak havoc among the best of the best.

Wreak havoc is exactly what Melo has done right from his rookie season as he was the Rookie of the Month for all six months in the West while fellow rookie LeBron James did exactly the same in the east. Carmelo, now looking forward to what will be his 16th season in the league has 2 All-NBA Second Team and 4 All-NBA Third Team selections, a 2013 Scoring champion title, and was in the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Melo signed with Jordan at the age of 19 for a 3.5 million a year shoe deal, since then Jordan has discontinued Melo signature line after 13 models which is the second highest after LeBron. Anthony earns about 34 million dollars a year with 7 million in endorsements and 27 million in salaries.

#2 Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade had a lot to prove, being one of the only four out of his college Marquette to be drafted in the first round. But Wade quickly turned out to be a gem but never quite had the spotlight in his rookie season as it was always on LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. Despite all that the rookie did score a spot on the All-NBA Rookie team.

D-Wade, now in the backend of his career is considered one of the greatest shooting guards of all time, only bested by Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Wade now has 3 Rings, 1 Finals MVP, 8 All-NBA Team selections and 3 All-NBA Defensive Team selections.

As far as sneaker deals go, Wade wanted to build his own legacy and the best way according to him was signing with a Chinese company Li Ning for 12 million dollars/year. D-Wade, now 36, ranks 42 in Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes in the world as he earns about 17.8 million in salaries and 14 million in the endorsement.

#1 LeBron James

Its every NBA player's dream to put a dent in the universe when they get drafted, but when you get people to question whether the greatest to ever do it was really the greatest to ever do it or not, you have put more than a dent in the universe. That is the question LeBron James made us ask ourselves right from his first season.

Oh, his first season in which he was Rookie Of The Year, some might even say LeBron should've made the All-Star game in his rookie season. Since being drafted LeBron has 4 MVPs, 3 Rings, 3 Finals MVPs, 14 All-NBA Team selections and 6 All-NBA Defensive Team selections. Try saying that without losing your breath.

LeBron is also the sixth highest paid player in league history and that's some of his on-court achievements. What is the next most important thing to an NBA player? that is easy, sneakers! Nike grasped LeBron right from the get-go and in 2015 offered him a lifetime deal worth more than a billion dollars. LeBron now sits in elite company with Cristiano Ronaldo as the only two players to have lifetime contracts with Nike.