The Los Angeles Clippers have had a lot of highly-touted draft picks on account of being almost consistently terrible. Despite that, the last time the Clippers could boast an NBA Rookie of the Year was in 1983, when Terry Cummings earned the award. (The franchise was based in San Diego at that point.) Blake Griffin will be named the league's top rookie of 2011 on Wednesday, breaking the long stretch.
Blake Griffin To Become First Clipper To Win NBA Rookie Of The Year Award Since Terry Cummings
Griffin was the Clippers' third No. 1 overall pick since moving to L.A. in 1985, joining Danny Manning (1988) and Michael Olowokandi (1998). Cumming was the No. 2 pick in 1982; since then, the Clippers have had 12 top-five picks and 21 top-10 picks (in 27 years), but not a Rookie of the Year, until Griffin.
Many of the Clippers' picks who have been good -- Byron Scott, Tyson Chandler, Lamar Odom -- were traded and allowed to escape as free agents before becoming great. Others -- Olowakandi, Lamond Murray -- were just terrible.
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