4) Danilo Gallinari: 2008 NBA Draft (New York Knicks)
Danilo Gallinari, aka The Rooster, slowly carved out a very solid NBA career to date. The Knicks’ drafted him 6th overall to pair him alongside new head coach Mike D’Antoni. D’Antoni and Gallinari’s father Vitorio were teammates in Italy.
Back injuries derailed Gallinari’s rookie season. However, he shined during his sophomore season as the team’s starting shooting guard with his ability to hit threes at a high percentage and get to the line at an efficient rate. His production in New York eventually led him to become the centerpiece in the Carmelo Anthony trade.
While with the Denver Nuggets, Gallinari began his transition from a wing player to a frontcourt threat as a stretch four. However, injuries – including a torn ACL, severely sprained ankle, and a groin injury – limited Gallinari during most of his tenure with the team. Despite the injuries, his efficiency over the years never wavered and he was able to parlay his production into a $34 million extension with the Nuggets in 2016 and a 3-year, $64 million contract with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017.
After an injury-filled 2017-18 season, Gallinari bounced back during his 2018-19 campaign with a career-high 19.8 points/game and 6.1 rebounds/game on 46% from the field and 43% from three. Outside of three-point percentage, all of those statistics represented career highs. Health is the main factor that’s limited Gallinari to date, but he’s been able to remain an efficient and valuable asset to every team he’s played for.