One of the best Portland Trail Blazers picks of the past decade was Anfernee Simons, who was selected No. 24 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. Coming out of IMG Academy instead of taking a more traditional collegiate route, Simons was a relative unknown in how he would fare against higher competition.
The concerns surrounding Simons as a draft prospect, such as his frame and defensive limitations, still apply to his game as he enters his seventh season in the NBA. However, many NBA analysts underestimated just how significant Simons’ offensive impact would be for the Blazers.
Simons receives worst grade of any top-25 pick
Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo gave the Blazers' Simons pick a C- grade, which was tied with the Philadelphia 76ers No. 26 overall selection, Landry Shamet, for the worst grade in the first round.
Woo said this regarding Portland's draft-day decision: "This pick comes as a surprise and perhaps an attempt to preserve roster flexibility given that Portland's cap situation is so tight. He will be a long-term project and needs to spend time in the G League." Woo went on to say that the "pick may wind up as an unnecessary risk given the others on the board."
Woo also didn't like the Blazers' No. 7 selection of Shaedon Sharpe, giving them the worst grade of any top-20 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. To Woo's credit, in both situations, he questioned both guards' fit in the crowded Blazers backcourt more than their potential at the next level.