Memphis Grizzlies: 15 best NBA Draft picks of all time

Kyle Lowry would rank no lower than top-five if this were based on players’ entire careers rather than strictly production with the Grizzlies.

No one really could have predicted what the baby-faced rookie in over-sized shorts pictured above would become, least of all the Grizzlies’ front office. Mike Conley was drafted in 2007 a year after Lowry and looked at as the team’s starting point guard of the future.

Conley is a better defensive player. Lowry’s had a little better scoring numbers since landing with the Toronto Raptors. Their numbers are very comparable and both are great team leaders. Not really a wrong choice between the two.

The Grizz took him with the 24th pick after two seasons at Villanova. A broken wrist that required surgery only 10 games into his rookie season slowed down the start of his career. He did however have a solid second season of 9.6 points and 3.6 assists per game.

Lowry was sent to the Houston Rockets late in the 2008-09 season where he spent three years before landing in Toronto. The Raptors was the team where he eventually became the perennial All-Star, 20 points/7 assists a night type of player we’ve seen for the last four years.

In spite of the fact that he’s forced to play 41 home games a year just feet from the most annoying sports fans in North America, the move to Toronto has worked out for Lowry.