NBA draft: Best-ever No. 40 picks, where Kings select in second round

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The 2019 NBA Draft is just one day away, which means despite the millions of mocks you've seen on the interwebs, we won't know truly who will go where until the draft concludes Thursday night.

Well maybe except Zion Williamson, we have a pretty good idea where he will land.

The Sacramento Kings have put in the work along with every other team in the league hosting a barrage of prospects for pre-draft workouts. The team's first pick will occur at the No. 40 slot -- so it's the perfect time to head down memory lane and revisit some of the best picks of all-time at that number.

George "Iceman" Gervin, SF, Suns, 1974

Before I touch on Gervin's impressive (understatement) list of achievements, imagine having Gary Payton say you were his childhood idol -- that's what Gervin gets to lead with before listing out everything he's done.

The No. 40 overall pick by the Phoenix Suns, Gervin elected to stay in the ABA and continue playing for the San Antonio Spurs. The ABA Spurs eventually would join the NBA as part of the 1976 merger. So the dude dominated in both leagues.

Before being inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996, Gervin was a 12-time All-Star selection, four-time scoring champ, seven-time All-NBA, and named to the ABA All-Time Team.

He earned his "Iceman" nickname due to his cool demeanor on the court no matter what was going on -- and his ability to never sweat.

Across his NBA career alone, he averaged 26.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Clifford Ray, C, Bulls, 1971

Clifford Ray did sweat, however, and not because he worked hard that one time rescuing a dolphin. Yes, that was a thing.

During his rookie year, Ray was named to the All-Rookie team with the Chicago Bulls, when he averaged seven points per game.

He has an NBA championship ring from the 1974-75 season with the Warriors, where he began a seven-year stint with the team. In those seven seasons, Ray boasted 7.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. 

He worked as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks in 1987 and was eventually hired in 2015 as a consultant by the Houston Rockets.

[RELATED: Best-ever No. 58 picks where Warriors select in second round]

Monta Ellis, G, Warriors, 2005

Steph Curry was seen sporting a Monta Ellis jersey recently, as a tribute to the Warriors' former guard. That was part of a theme for Curry and the Dubs all season long, as they bid adieu to Oracle Arena. It was a tribute in which Ellis himself appreciated

“I wanted to honor him and his story, coming out of high school and doing what he was able to do," Curry told the San Francisco Chronicle. "He was a fan (favorite) and a beloved guy. So it’s only right to have him on the last night.”

Ellis played in seven seasons with the Dubs. During that time, he averaged 19.6 points per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field. 

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