The second round of the NBA draft has grown in prominence over the past several years. Since 1998, the list of second-rounders who have gone on to have productive NBA careers is pretty impressive. It includes six All-Stars -- Gilbert Arenas, Carlos Boozer, Manu Ginobili, Michael Redd, Rashard Lewis and Mehmet Okur -- and a number of other talented players, including Monta Ellis, Anderson Varejao, Mo Williams, Jason Kapono, Luke Walton, Kyle Korver, Luis Scola, Amir Johnson, Louis Williams, Brandon Bass, Ronny Turiaf, Paul Millsap and Craig Smith.
Last year, several second-rounders -- including Carl Landry, Ramon Sessions, Glen Davis and Marc Gasol -- showed that they have a promising future in the league.
And this year the draft is considered especially deep, so you might not want to turn off the TV after the first round.
31. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Miami)
DeVon Hardin | C | California
The Wolves need size, and Hardin is the most talented big man left on the board. He hasn't lived up to his potential yet, but in the second round you take a shot.
Kyle Weaver | PG | Washington State
The Sonics are high on Weaver, an athletic combo guard who can defend and slash to the basket. He's not a consistent scoring threat, but he fills the box score in just about every other way.
33. Portland Trail Blazers (via Memphis)
Nicolas Batum | SF | France
The Blazers will try to find a way to move up and get longtime Kevin Pritchard favorite Ante Tomic. But if they can't, they'll do backflips over Batum's slip into the second round. Concerns about the health of Batum's heart abound, but in the second round you don't hesitate to pull the trigger. If he's healthy, he'll be yet another great steal for Pritchard.
Nathan Jawai | PF | Australia
Jawai is another big body who can create space in the low post. He may return to Australia for a few years to keep developing before the Wolves decide to bring him over.
Jamont Gordon | SG | Mississippi State
Gordon is another sleeper. Strong and athletic, he just finds ways to make plays. I'm not sure he's a point guard, but he'll add some toughness and energy to the Clippers' backcourt.
36. Portland Trail Blazers (via New York)
D.J. White | PF | Indiana
The Blazers have lots of bigs, but few with the toughness or rebounding ability of White.
37. Milwaukee Bucks
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute | SF | UCLA
The Bucks want to keep adding toughness and Mbah a Moute has the potential to be an exceptional defender. He's not going to score a lot, but he can guard just about anyone.
Richard Hendrix | PF | Alabama
Hendrix isn't flashy, but he is tough in the paint, can rebound and has the potential to be a solid player off the bench for the Bobcats.
39. Chicago Bulls
Ryan Anderson | PF | California
The Bulls need big men who know how to score, and Anderson did that in spades in college.
40. New Jersey Nets
Damjan Rudez | SF | Croatia
Rudez is a big-time sleeper in the draft. He's a long, athletic forward who can really shoot the basketball. He's outplayed some of the top talent in the draft in recent workouts.
41. Indiana Pacers
George Hill | PG | IUPUI
The Pacers keep adding to their backcourt with a hometown hero. Hill's ability to play both the 1 and 2 will come in handy in Indiana.
42. Sacramento Kings (via Atlanta)
Nikola Pekovic | C | Serbia
He's a tough guy who uses brute strength to score and rebound in the paint. He'd go higher if it wasn't for his new deal with Panthanikos. He's making so much money in Europe now that a team will have to fork over a lot of cash to get him over to the States.
43. Sacramento Kings
Omer Asik | C | Turkey
On talent, Asik should be a late first-round prospect. Of all the 22-year-old international players, he's the guy teams covet. However, he's set to sign a five-year deal in Turkey with no NBA buyout, meaning it may be difficult-to-impossible to ever get him to the U.S.
44. Utah Jazz (via Philadelphia)
Trent Plaisted | C | BYU
Plaisted's athleticism, energy and toughness will be major assets in Utah. If he had a bigger offensive repertoire, he would go much higher.
45. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto)
Joey Dorsey | PF | Memphis
I'm not sure how Gregg Popovich will handle Dorsey's off-the-court stuff, but the Spurs need some toughness and athleticism in the paint. Dorsey can provide it.
46. Seattle SuperSonics (via Portland)
Goran Dragic | PG | Slovenia
Dragic is an athletic point guard who can really get to the basket. Of the international guys left on the board, he's the most ready to come over and contribute now.
Walter Sharpe | PF | UAB
This former blue-chip forward from Alabama struggled with grades and, believe it or not, narcolepsy during his college years, but the scouts -- and especially the Wizards -- are intrigued by his talent.
48. Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland)
Pat Calathes | SF | St. Joseph's
If Terry Porter elects to keep Mike D'Antoni's spirit alive in Phoenix, Calathes would be a good fit. The sweet-shooting point forward is still developing, but he has great potential.
Josh Duncan | SF | Xavier
An athletic forward from Xavier, Duncan can shoot the 3-pointer and run the floor.
50. Seattle SuperSonics (via Denver)
J.R. Giddens | SG | New Mexico
On talent, Giddens is one of the top 30 players in the draft. But his off-the-court antics have hurt his stock. He is starting to get his life back together and would be tough to pass on this late in the draft.
51. Dallas Mavericks
Malik Hairston | SG | Oregon
Hairston is solid in virtually every area of his game and is one of the few players left in the draft who could come in and contribute immediately.
52. Miami Heat (via Orlando)
Sonny Weems | SG | Arkansas
Weems scored as one of the most athletic wings in the draft during combine tests. He was never a dominant player in college, but he could turn into a nice role player in the pros.
53. Utah Jazz
Sean Singletary | PG | Virginia
The Virginia guard is a favorite of Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor. He's a talented scorer and distributor -- kind of in the Dee Brown model.
54. Houston Rockets
Shan Foster | SG | Vanderbilt
Foster is a lights-out shooter, but the rest of his game is a little one-dimensional.
55. Portland Trail Blazers (via Phoenix)
Mantas Kalnietis | PG | Lithuania
The athletic point guard from Lithuania hasn't had much playing time, but he seems to have all the physical skills you'd look for in a point guard down the road.
56. Seattle SuperSonics (via New Orleans)
Semih Erden | C | Turkey
The athletic center for Turkey is talented but can be a bit of a knucklehead at times. Still, at this point in the draft, he's a very good get.
Mike Taylor | PG | Iowa State
Taylor is one of the most athletic point guards in the draft. He's struggled to keep his nose clean, but the Spurs are one of the few teams that don't seem to have a problem in terms of discipline.
Davon Jefferson | SF | USC
Jefferson has so much talent; he just doesn't know how to use it. The Lakers can afford to spend some time with him and see if they can get his game up to snuff.
59. Detroit Pistons
Darnell Jackson | PF | Kansas
Jackson brings his hard hat to work everyday. That's what Joe Dumars loves.
60. Boston Celtics
Sasha Kaun | C | Kansas
The NBA champs draft the center of the NCAA champs. Kaun actually should be going higher, but he's got a big offer in Russia and it doesn't look like an NBA team can match. Still, if he develops down the road, he's worth the investment.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.