The 2012 NBA Draft was widely regarded as a weak year by the outside world, with not too many potential new stars and not too many surprise options. However, over time, this year's draft has gradually shown its worth, with many players proving themselves in the league, some getting lucrative contracts, winning championships, and some becoming top stars in the league. Now, 11 years later, let's take a look back at this year's draft to see how far they've accomplished and how much money they've made.
First of all, we want to mention this year's top pick, Anthony Davis, or more commonly known as Bushy Eyebrows. Bushy is a gifted player who has shown amazing offensive and defensive abilities in college and is considered a super rookie to not miss. His performance in the league did not disappoint, he averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks per game in his seven seasons with the Pelicans, was named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive Team multiple times, won the title of block king 4 times, and was also selected as an All-Star 6 times. He was traded to the Lakers in 2019 to partner James and help the Lakers win a championship in 2020, his first championship. Bushy is the most successful player in the draft and the most profitable, with a total salary of $510 million, and he has a long career ahead of him, and his income will continue to increase.
Bushy Eyebrows is followed by this year's Rookie of the Year, Damian Lillard. Lillard is an excellent shooting guard who wasn't much of a hitter before the draft, but he averaged 19 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists per game in his first season with the Trail Blazers and easily won the Rookie of the Year trophy. Since then, he has also been a core player for the Trail Blazers, leading the team to the playoffs many times, and also hitting amazing key shots many times, known as the "Lore King". His individual abilities have also been recognized by the league, and he has been selected to the All-Star team seven times, selected to the All-Star team six times, and averaged 25 points, four rebounds and six assists per game in his career. Lillard is a loyal player who has remained with the Trail Blazers and has been reused by the team, and every time he renews his contract is a max contract, his current total salary has reached $450 million, and he is also one of the most lucrative players in this draft.
Another player who has made a lot of money is Bradley Beal, who is the star of this year's show and an excellent shooting guard. Beal has been the team's leading scorer throughout his career with the Wizards, his shooting ability and breakthrough ability are excellent, and he once formed one of the strongest backcourt combinations in the league with Wall. However, Beal's team results have not been great, he has only been a three-time All-Star, he has not been selected to the All-Star team, and his team has rarely made breakthroughs. However, Beal's individual ability has been recognized by the team, and each of his contract extensions is a max salary contract, and his current total salary has reached $430 million, making him one of the most profitable players in this draft.
In addition to these three superstars, there are some other outstanding players in this draft who have not made as much money but have their own achievements and accolades. For example, Draymond Green, who was the second-round pick of this year's class, is also an inspirational example. Throughout his career with the Warriors, he has been the soul of the team, his defensive and playmaking skills are top-notch, he is also the core leader of the team, helping the team win four championships, and he himself has been selected as a three-time All-Star, three-time All-Defensive Team selection, and one-time Defensive Player of the Year award. His total salary has reached $260 million, making him the most lucrative second-round pick in this draft.
There's also Harrison Barnes and Andre Drummond, both of whom are high-pick drafters and both are consistent players. Barnes is an excellent small forward, and when he was with the Warriors, he was a starter and a championship member of the team, and he later joined the Mavericks and became the team's leading scorer, and his total salary has reached $220 million. Drummond is a tough center, he's one of the best rebounders in the league, he's been the rebounding king four times, he's been a key player with the Pistons and Cavaliers, and his total salary has reached $150 million.
In short, the 2012 NBA Draft, although there were not many amazing picks, there were also many strong picks, and they all had their place and value in the league.
Can the Suns triumvirate join forces and fight again, can the Hornets stop the comeback Bill?
The Suns have good news
On December 30, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continues, and the Suns will face the Hornets at home. This game has special significance for the Suns, as their big three — Durant, Harden and Beal — will play together for the third time this season. According to the Suns' official injury report, Beal is in a state of being available to play and will return today.
Beal has been an important addition for the Suns this season, joining from the Wizards at the trade deadline to form the league's strongest Big Three with Durant and Harden. However, due to the impact of an ankle sprain, Beal played in just six games since joining, during which the Suns had a 4-2 record. In the six games that Beal missed, the Suns suffered three straight losses and are currently fourth in the West, five wins away from the first-place Warriors.
The power of the Sun's triumvirate should not be underestimated
The Suns posted photos of the Big Three training on social media, showing their confidence and anticipation for this game. According to statistics, this is the third time that the Suns' Big Three have combined this season, and the average data of the first two combinations per game were: Durant 32.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists, Harden 27.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 11.5 assists, and Beal 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists. The trio combined for 83.5 points per game, accounting for nearly half of the Suns' total scores.
The power of the Suns' Big Three should not be underestimated, and they can play a variety of combinations and variations on the offensive end, causing huge pressure and distress for opponents. Durant is one of the best scorers in the league, and he can shoot from any position without anyone being able to defend himself. Harden is one of the best ball-handlers in the league, and he can break through at any time without anyone stopping. Beal is one of the league's best shooters, and he can shoot from any angle without stopping anyone. The cooperation and tacit understanding of the three made the Suns' offense like a tiger with wings, and the opponent's defense like an abyss.
Can the Hornets stop the returning Beal?
The Hornets are one of the dark horses this season, currently sitting sixth in the East, with a young and dynamic roster. Their core player is All-Star guard Walker, who is averaging 25.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game this season, making him one of the league's best scorers. His partner is rookie guard LaMelo Ball, who is averaging 15.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game this season and is one of the league's most promising rookies. Their support player is forward Bridges, who is averaging 13.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game this season and is one of the league's most stunning dunks.
Whether the Hornets can stop the returning Beal will be key in this game. Their defensive strategy might be to have Walker and Ball take turns guarding Beal closely, limiting his space and pace as much as possible. Their offensive strategy might be to have Walker and Ball challenge the Suns' interior multiple times to create fouls and free throws as much as possible. Their conversion strategy could be to get Bridges to run and jump multiple times, trying to take advantage of the Suns' turnovers and counter-attacking opportunities.
Can the Suns win this game?
Whether or not the Suns can win this game will depend on the form and coordination of their Big Three. Their strength is their unrivalled firepower and variety on the offensive end, and their disadvantage is their lack of intensity and coordination on the defensive end. They will be aiming to regain the chemistry and confidence of the Big Three in this game, and their challenge will be to deal with the speed and energy of the Hornets in this game.
The result of this game may be a predictor of the direction of the Suns this season. If they can win this game, then they will be expected to re-emerge in the West and challenge the Warriors. If they can't win this game, then they risk continuing to slide in the West and be overtaken by other teams. Regardless, this match is worth looking forward to, as it will show two teams with very different styles, as well as two strong teams.
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