Thanks to Mr. Research, we have some numbers for the Analytics before this NBA draft. We all know how much they love numbers. Back in the day – now close to being “long ago” — when the No. 1 pick of the NBA draft was more often than not a dominant big man, this was the kind of winning “bump” those teams received (the case of Patrick Ewing is interesting):
Boston Celtics improved 5 games after a half season with Bill Russell; then things got a lot, lot better.
Philadelphia improved 17 games with a rookie Wilt Chamberlain;
Milwaukee improved 29 games with Lew Alcindor;
Detroit Pistons improved 14 games with Bob Lanier;
Portland Trail Blazers improved 11 games with oft-injured Bill Walton;
Golden State Warriors improved 15 games with Joe Barry Carroll;
Houston Rockets improved 15 games after Yao Ming draft;
Orlando Magic improved 15 games with Dwight Howard.
Houston Rockets improved 15 games with Ralph Sampson;
Houston Rockets improved 19 games with Hakeem Olajuwon;
New York Knicks went from 24-58 to 23-59 to 24-58 with (oft-injured) Patrick Ewing … with a HEALTHY Ewing (and Bill Cartwright) Knicks improved 14 games in 1987-88;
San Antonio improved 35 games with David Robinson
Orlando Magic improved 17 games with Shaquille O’Neal
San Antonio Spurs improved 36 games with Tim Duncan (and a healthy David Robinson);
Houston Rockets improved 15 games after Yao Ming draft;
Orlando Magic improved 15 games with Dwight Howard.
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