Top 10 Dallas Mavericks draft day pickups since 2000

2. Josh Howard

Another player who exceeded his draft day expectations was Josh Howard. The former Mav was selected by the Mavs with the 29th pick.

He started off his rookie season strong as he averaged 8.6 points per game and 5.5 rebounds. His performance earned him a spot on the NBA' All-Rookie Second Team.

Howard leaped his sophomore year when he became a primary starter for Dallas. That season, he averaged 12.6 points per game and shot 47.5 percent.

During the 2005-06 season, he became one of the team's top-scoring options. Howard helped the Mavs advance to their first-ever NBA Finals during the 2006 Playoffs.

Howard's best leap came the following season when he was named to the 2007 All-Star team. That year, he averaged 18.9 points per game and grabbed 6.8 rebounds.

The 6-foot-7 forward went on to play three seasons with the Mavericks before being traded. The team sent their former star to the Washington Wizards during the 2010 year.

In seven seasons with Dallas, he became a secondary option to Dirk Nowitzki and played a role in helping the Mavs continue to stay competitive.

If only Howard had stayed long enough to see the Mavs win their first NBA Championship.