NBA Draft History: Best Players Taken No. 21 Overall
May 28, 2025, 4:19 PM
Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives into Cody Williams #5 of the Utah Jazz (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – In addition to their top-five pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz are also slotted to select 21st overall courtesy of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Jazz acquired the 21st pick from Minnesota in 2022 in the Rudy Gobert blockbuster and three other first-round selections.
Related: Utah Jazz Draft Asset Tracker
Jazz History With 21st Overall NBA Draft Pick
The Jazz are no strangers to the 21st pick, having owned the selection five times in franchise history.
The team traded the pick on draft night in 2004 and 2013, while selecting Blue Edwards in 1989, Eric Murdock in 1991, and Grayson Allen in 2018.
Though the Jazz drafted well by landing three players who went on to have long, productive careers, Edwards, Murdock, and Allen aren’t among the best players ever selected 21st overall.
Who Are The Best NBA Players Selected With The 21st Pick?
Among the 64 players selected with the 21st pick in NBA history, only five have become All-Stars.
Most notably, Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics selected four-time All-Star Rajon Rondo with the 21st pick in 2006.
Rondo helped lead the Celtics to a championship as a rookie and led the league in assists three times before retiring in 2022.
Rajon Rondo will leave the Celtics having made a huge impact on both ends of the floor. pic.twitter.com/EXD3bypY5m
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 18, 2014
Tyrese Maxey is the most recent All-Star to be selected 21st overall.
In 2020, the Philadelphia 76ers hit a home run by landing Maxey, who earned the first of what is likely to be several All-Star nods in 2024.
The Phoenix Suns selected All-Star Michael Finley with the 21st pick in 1995.
The guard played 15 years in the NBA and earned back-to-back All-Star nods in 2000 and 2001 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks.
May 1, 2001: Michael Finley dunks on Karl Malone during Game 4 of the Mavericks’ first round playoff series with Utah.
Finley had 20 PTS/12 REB, Dirk Nowitzki scored 33 PTS and Steve Nash added 27 PTS in Dallas’ 107-77 win that tied the series. Malone scored 25 PTS for the Jazz. pic.twitter.com/ynQhRrlWqX
— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) May 1, 2024
The Suns also selected Jayson Williams with the 21st pick in 1990.
The forward played only 475 games in the NBA, but was named an All-Star in 1998 for the New Jersey Nets.
Billy Knight was the first-ever 21st pick to earn a trip to the All-Star game.
Knight was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the third pick of the second round (21st overall) and earned three All-Star nods during his 11-year NBA career.
Other Notable 21st Overall Picks
Though only five players have ever been named to an All-Star game as the 21st overall pick, several others have gone on to productive NBA careers.
Ricky Davis (1998), Boris Diaw (2003), and Darrin Collison (2009) were all high-level starters in their prime.
Related: Utah Jazz 2025 Draft Prospects
Ryan Anderson (2008), Morris Peterson (2000), Nate Robinson (2005), and Jon Barry (1992) also each played over 600 games in their careers and were important contributors on competitive rosters.
While most attention on draft night will go toward the Jazz’s top five selection, the 21st overall pick has yielded good players throughout the league’s history, and the team’s front office will be looking for a late first round steal.
The Draft will be held on June 25th and 26th.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
