Jazz missed mark in 1979 by taking Larry Knight with 20th pick News Orlando Magic

They can only hope their pick this year will be nothing like 1979, since Larry Knight never did play in the NBA . But if they hit the bull's eye when selecting No. 20 overall in Thursday night's NBA Draft, the Jazz may collect a prize as impressive as Jameer Nelson ?

the Orlando Magic point guard who became an NBA All-Star in his fifth NBA season out of St. Joe's. Not every pick at 20, however, thrives like Nelson from 2004 ? as the last 10 NBA drafts can attest. Last year's No. 20, French big man Alexis Ajinca, played both for Charlotte in the NBA and Sioux Falls of the D-League last season ? and has been criticized by his coach for being not nearly physical enough. Jason Smith (2007) missed all of last season with an ACL knee tear, Renaldo Balkman (2006) never has averaged more than 5.0 points per game, Julius Hodge (2005) got shot in 2006 and has played the two past seasons in Australia, Kareem Rush (2002) played for four teams over six NBA seasons and spent one in Lithuania, Speedy Claxton (2000) has battled knee issues, and Dion Glover (1999) lasted just more than five NBA seasons before embarking on a career overseas. A couple of others, though, proved to be about what you might expect at 20: Dahntay Jones (2003) has been a serviceable role player, while Brendan Haywood (2002) perhaps never lived up to expectations and missed most of last season with wrist surgery, but he did start for six seasons and has spent all eight with the same team, Washington. ?Tim Buckley