The 33rd Pick’s Rise: "Limited Upside" in the Scouting Report

Rewind to draft night, 2018.

Jalen Brunson's name was not called until the 33rd overall pick (second round), by the Dallas Mavericks. His scouting report was almost cruel: "older for his class," "unathletic," "limited wingspan," "limited upside," "role-player ceiling." No one saw a future cornerstone.

But Brunson refused to let those labels define him. In three years at Dallas he honed his pick-and-roll, shooting and defense behind Luka; after leaving, he exploded in New York, climbing from rotation piece to All-Star to Finals MVP.

From the 33rd pick to Finals MVP is a distance no talent gap can explain — only eight years of accumulation. Brunson's rise is a reminder: a draft slot sets your start, never your finish.

Related Reading

For more Finals MVP breakdowns, see the Complete List of NBA Finals MVPs (1969–2026).