6. Jimmy Butler, 2011, 30th overall
As the 30th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, not much was expected when the Chicago Bulls drafted Jimmy Butler. However, Butler put in the work and it has all paid off. Butler became a full-time starter by his third season with the club and had managed to become an all-star by his fourth season.
After numerous runs with the Bulls in the playoffs, Butler eventually saw his time with Chicago play out. During the summer of 2017, Butler was traded to Minnesota where he played a season and a half before he was moved to Philadelphia. During the offseason, he elected to sign with the Heat which has birthed this new chapter in his career.
From the 30th pick in the draft, Butler has progressed into a superstar and a perennial all-star. He’s the lead man for the Heat and is helping usher the new era for Miami basketball. Butler is another one of the best underdog stories in recent NBA history.