Positives for Pelicans: Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone among fine players drafted 13th overall

So the New Orleans Pelicans did not move up in the NBA Draft lottery.

That is a bit unusual, given recent history.

That does not doom New Orleans to failure, not by a long shot.

Can you get a good player with the 13th overall pick?

History suggests that you can certainly do so.

The most notable players chosen at No. 13 are a pair of the very best players in NBA history.

Karl “The Mailman” Malone went to Utah out of Louisiana Tech at No. 13 in 1985. Malone became one of the top two or three power forwards in NBA history. A brilliant player.

Kobe Bryant was chosen 13th overall in 1996 out of Lower Merion High in Pennsylvania by Charlotte. Of course, the Hornets blew it and the Lakers ended up with a transcendent guard in NBA history.

Just Last year, Miami picked Kentucky’s Tyler Herro and he is in the playoffs playing very well, coming off of a very good rookie season. Herro has averaged 13.5 points while shooting 39 percent from 3-point range for the Heat, who are up 2-0 on Indiana in their playoff series.

Then, just look at who was No. 13 in 2017.

Does the name Donovan Mitchell excite you? He is a borderline superstar for Utah. In three seasons, Mitchell is averaging 22.7 points, four assists and 4.1 rebounds per contest and his team is in the playoffs, tied 1-1 with Denver. Mitchell was an All-Star this season.

In 2015, Phoenix selected Devin Booker at No. 13 and he has become a superb player, dynamic and his game continues to grow. Booker was one of the two best players in the NBA bubble in seeding games, leading the Suns to a perfect 9-0 mark, narrowly missing the playoffs. In five seasons, Booker is averaging 22.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.

Some other notable names to go at No. 13 include Kelly Olynyk, Zach LaVine, Markieff Morris, Thabo Sefolosha, Sebastian Telfair, Richard Jefferson, Courtney Alexander, Corey Maggette, Corliss Williamson, Dwayne Washington and Jalen Rose.

If you do your homework and are astute in your evaluations, you can hit with a contributor at No. 13 at worst and come up with a starter as a realistic goal. If you are truly good at what you do, the possibility of a star, even a superstar is not unrealistic selecting 13th. The names and numbers do not lie.