When the Nuggets selected Evan Fournier in the 2012 NBA draft it sent minor shock-waves through the fan base. Almost immediately people started talking, gulp, Nikoloz Tskitishvili. The fear of another Skita is enough to gives Nuggets fans the creeps at the sign of any international player. While Fournier has already shaken a lot of the doubt that came on draft day, can anyone predict what the Nuggets will do with the 27th pick in the June 27th draft?

From 1988-2012 we can decipher a few trends. One is breaking down the draft by position, second is to see that 40-percent of the time the pick has been traded on draft day, and third is to look at the length of time the drafted players spent in the league. The last 25 selections that went 27th in the NBA draft can be broken down as follows:

PG 4
SG 4
SF 3
PF 11
C 3

Maybe the Nuggets will follow the trend above and select a power forward? While teams will gamble early in the first round on potential and hopeful star power, teams later in the draft will still have a nice selection of guys. As you will see below, the 27th pick may not have yielded a bonafide star, but the Nuggets could easily get a solid role player.

Year Player Pos Drafted by Traded to College Yrs in NBA Years
2012 Arnett Moultrie PF Heat 76ers Miss St. present
2011 JuJuan Johnson PF Nets Celtics Purdue present
2010 Jordan Crawford SG Nets Hawks Xavier present
2009 DeMarre Carroll SF Grizzlies Missouri present
2008 Darrell Arthur PF Hornets Grizzlies Kansas present
2007 Arron Afflalo SG Pistons UCLA present
2006 Sergio Rodriguez PG Suns Blazers Spain 2006-2010 4
2005 Linas Kleiza SF Blazers Nuggets Missouri present
2004 Sasha Vujacic SG Lakers Italy 2004-2011 7
2003 Kendrick Perkins C Grizzlies Celtics Ozen HS present
2002 Chris Jefferies SF Lakers Raptors Fresno St. 2002-2004 2
2001 Jamaal Tinsley PG Grizzlies Iowa St. present
2000 Primoz Brezec C Pacers Slovania 2001-2010 9
1999 Jumaine Jones SG Hawks 76ers Georgia 1999-2007 8
1998 Vladimir Stephania C Sonics Slovania 1998-2004 6
1997 Jacque Vaughn PG Jazz Kansas 1997-2009 12
1996 Brian Evans PF Magic Indiana 1996-1999 3
1995 Mario Bennett PF Suns ASU 1995-2000 5
1989-94 27th pick was the last of the first round.
1994 Brooks Thompson PG Magic Okie St. 1994-1998 4
1993 Malcolm Mackey PF Suns Geo Tech 1993-1994 1
1992 Byron Houston PF Bulls Okie St. 1992-1996 4
1991 Pete Chilcutt PF Kings UNC 1991-2000 9
1990 Elden Campbell PF Lakers Clemson 1990-2005 15
1989 Kenny Battle PF Pistons Suns N. Illinois 1989-1992 3
1988 the 27th pick was the second pick of the second round.
1988 Shelton Jones PF Spurs St. John’s 1988-1989 1

Of the guys above, Carroll, Afflalo, Kleiza, Thompson, and Battle have all spent time with the Nuggets, but Denver has not selected 27th over the past 25 years. Yes, Kleiza was likely a pick the Nuggets had the Blazers make for them, but it was still a trade.

Only three of the 25 picks (12-percent) washed out of the NBA within two seasons. The 13 guys who are not currently in the NBA and played more than two seasons averaged 6.8 years in the league.

What will the Nuggets do with the pick?

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