Re-Grading the Mavericks' Last 5 First-Round Picks

1. Etan Thomas, C/PF (2000 R1, P12): D-

It's safe to say that Etan Thomas's NBA career started on the wrong foot (pun intended). After being drafted 12th overall by the Mavericks in 2000, the former Syracuse big man missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a toe injury.

In fact, Thomas didn't even survive his first year in Dallas. The Mavericks sent the injury-plagued center to the Wizards as a part of an eight-player trade that saw Juwan Howard make his way to the Lone Star State. While moving a young player that early in his career can come back to bite some teams, that wasn't the case here.

Thomas went on to play 409 games in the NBA, but he rarely saw more than a bench role. He averaged only 17.9 minutes played for the three franchises he spent time with, resulting in 5.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and one block per game.

Since retiring over a decade ago, Thomas has worked hard to improve social issues in the United States. He's written a book about the connection between politics and sports and has even spoken out against police brutality.

It's great that Thomas is making an impact in the world, but it's still hard to love his selection even after 24 years. Players like Hedo Turkoglu, Eddie House, and Michael Redd were all drafted after him, revealing how much better off the Mavericks could've been had they gone with another option.

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