There were not a whole lot of sure thing prospects in the NBA's 2009 draft, so teams were left scrambling for the best projected talents with high ceilings.
For the Toronto Raptors, that meant taking the talented but unproven DeMar DeRozan with the ninth overall pick.
Right from the beginning, DeRozan was pegged as an unreal talent.
He started all four years in high school, and was constantly ranked as a top-five player in his age group.
DeRozan was a top prospect out of high school, sought out by nearly everyone in the country.
Growing up in Compton, he was already a USC fan, so it was pretty easy to commit to them once they showed interest.
Many scouts believed he would flourish right away for the PAC-10 school.
While he didn't play poorly, he never dominated the college game like some thought he would.
He would still average just under 14 points a game for the Trojans and helped them have a nice showing in the NIT by upping his average to over 19 in the postseason.
Toronto was looking to get athletic in the NBA draft, and they did just that when getting DeRozan.
One thing that can't be taught is athleticism, and the former McDonald's All-American and owner of a 45 inch vertical leap has it.
After just one USC season, some had doubts about him declaring for the draft.
While he did not make the point public right away, one of the main reasons he left school early was to help take care of his mother (she had recently been diagnosed with lupus).
The swingman has had an up and down rookie campaign.
While he has shown flashes of brilliance, he has to earn all his minutes for the team.
He's still amazing everyone with his athletic ability, and will get a chance to do it in front of the entire NBA during the dunk contest.
If DeMar DeRozan can hone his skills, he could be a very valuable NBA player down the road.
He has the skill set, now he just needs more seasoning.