The story of the fabled 1996 draft class began with Allen Iverson being selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. Almost two decades after, the fitting exclamation was made by Kobe Bryant back in April when he retired at Staples Center.
As good as that crop was, and like any other drafts, there were hits and misses. From the Cleveland Cavaliers selecting Vitaly Potapenko over Bryant, to the 76ers deciding to roll the dice on the character that was Iverson. Close to 20 colorful years have passed since this group of players first entered the NBA. As such, a redraft of the top 20 picks is only fitting as we recognize those who truly stood out.
An array of factors were considered here, such as the accolades, winning, longevity of competitiveness, and whatnot. So, it didn’t necessarily boil down to who had the better career or stats, but a combination of everything that was mentioned earlier. Each one of them compensated for the others, and the results are below. The list is in the order of where they should have been drafted.
Note: Ben Wallace isn’t included in the list, even though he started his career in the same year. The only caveat in his case was the fact that he went undrafted.
Click “Next” to start the gallery!
20 – Shandon Anderson, Cleveland Cavaliers
Original: 54th, UTA
Anderson played 10 years in the league which included stops in Utah, Houston, New York, and Miami. Prior to his “washed-up” years as a Heat, the 6’6” small forward played at least two years for each of his teams. His best individual season was in 1990-2000 where he averaged 12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals for the Rockets.
19 – Othella Harrington, New York Knicks
Original: 30th, HOU
He was the modern day “Big O”, but it wasn’t because of his play on the court. Still, the 6’9” power forward managed to last for 12 seasons which attests to his value even as a role player. His best year was in 1999-200 where he normed 13.1 points and 6.9 boards for the now-defunct Vancouver Grizzlies.
18 – Tony Delk, New York Knicks
Original: 16th, CHA
Tony Delk was a pure scorer. His size limited him because at 6’1”, he was never really known for being a distributor. But he provided decent scoring punch off the bench through a decade in the NBA. He is popular for dropping 53 points in one game back in January 2001 while playing for the Phoenix Suns.
17 – Jerome Williams, Portland Trail Blazers
Original: 26th, DET
Jerome Williams was never known to put up gaudy numbers through his nine-year career. His importance to the teams he played for went beyond the boxscore and Williams was aptly called “Junkyard Dog” for the way he played – scrappy and full of energy.
16 – Jeff McInnis, Charlotte Hornets
Original: 37th, DEN
The journeyman point guard played 12 years in the league, averaging double figures in points in six of those seasons. His best campaign was in 2001-2002 with the Los Angeles Clippers as he went on to average 14.6 points and 6.2 assists per game.
Click “Next” to see picks 15 to 11!
15 – Lorenzen Wright, Phoenix Suns
Original: 7th, LAC
The 6’11” big man was a significant piece for the Memphis Grizzlies when they started to become relevant. Wright played five years for the Grizzlies where he averaged 9.4 points and 7.1 rebounds. Unfortunately, Wright’s life came to a shocking end after being shot to death in 2010.
14 – Erick Dampier, Sacramento Kings
Original: 10th, IND
Having played in two cities for long tenures speaks a lot on the value of Erick Dampier as a team person. The 6’11” center was a Warrior and a Maverick for seven and six years, respectively. In 2003-2004, he averaged 12.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks for Golden State.
13 – Derek Fisher, Charlotte Hornets
Original: 24th, LAL
Derek Fisher’s name has been synonymous to winning. He was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers’ three-peat and back-to-back squads so there’s a lot of intangibles in the tough-as-nail point guard. To get some perspective on how valuable Derek Fisher was, dig this, he played 18 years in the NBA.
12 – Kerry Kittles, Cleveland Cavaliers
Original: 8th, NJN
Kerry Kittles’ NBA career was rather short-lived. But during his playing years, the 6’5” guard was very ideal for his position. He certainly had a knack for scoring, averaging 14.1 points over eight seasons, which include back-to-back finals appearances with the New Jersey Nets.
11 – Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Golden State Warriors
Original: 20th, CLE
Zydrunas Ilgauskas’ career owns a great story of trust and patience. Foot injuries gave him a slow start, but the Cleveland Cavaliers stuck beside him and their partnership resulted to multiple playoff appearances along with a couple of All-Star stints. His best year was in 2004-2005 where he normed 16.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks.
Click “Next” to see picks 10 to 6!
10 – Marcus Camby, Indiana Pacers
Original: 2nd, TOR
Marcus Camby was this draft class’ most menacing interior defender. He was the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year in the 2006-2007 season wherein he had averages of 11.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 3.3 blocks per game for the Denver Nuggets. He sits at number 12 in the all-time blocks leaderboard, above names such as Ben Wallace and Kevin Garnett.
9 – Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Dallas Mavericks
Original: 3rd, VAN
He was the Vancouver Grizzlies’ first bona-fide stud. Shareef Abdur-Rahim was one of the league’s most well-rounded power forwards during his prime as he was putting up solid to outstanding numbers across the board. He was a member of the 2000 US Olympic Team and an All-Star in 2002. Abdur-Rahim ended his career averaging 18.1 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steal per game.
8 – Antoine Walker, New Jersey Nets
Original: 6th, BOS
When Antoine Walker arrived in Beantown, Celtics hopefuls were rejuvenated as they got for themselves one player who can do a multitude of things on the court. True enough, Walker’s numbers were across the board. In fact, during the 2000-2001 season, his stats were 23.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.7 steals along with a couple of threes per game. He played in three All-Star games and also won a championship in 2006 with Miami.
7 – Stephon Marbury, LA Clippers
Original: 4th, MIL
Stephon Marbury may be a poster boy for too much talent gone to waste, but during his heyday, he was among the league’s top guards, averaging over 20 points and around eight assists for consecutive years. Call him a headcase, but he still lasted 13 years in the NBA, and most of them were prolific campaigns. Marbury owns two All-Star game appearances and an Olympic stint under his belt.
6 – Peja Stojakovic, Boston Celtics
Original: 14th, SAC
When talking about the best shooters in NBA history, Peja Stojakovic’s name will always be in the conversation. He was a major piece in perhaps the league’s best team that never won a title – the Sacramento Kings. At this point, he has made more three pointers in his entire career than Dirk Nowitzki. The three-time All-Star closed out his career with a bang, winning a title in Dallas.
Click “Next” to see picks 5 to 1!
5 – Jermaine O’Neal, Minnesota Timberwolves
Original: 17th, POR
Jermaine O’Neal might be a debatable pick over Stephon Marbury and Peja Stojakovic, but what the 6’11” center has going for him is the fact that, above his stats, he played in the postseason, in a big role, for multiple years. Plus, through his 18-year career, O’Neal was a consistent threat for opponents down the lane. He played in six All-Star games and finished 3rd in MVP voting back in 2003-2004.
4 – Ray Allen, Milwaukee Bucks
Original: 5th, MIN
Ray Allen went from competing in the dunk contest to becoming the league’s all-time leader in career three pointers. The metamorphosis was very laudable. From 1999 to 2007, Allen was scoring more than 20 points per game, until he decided to sacrifice his stats in order to win a championship in 2008 with Boston. His commitment to his craft and discipline is that of legend status that after 18 years in the league, plus two years of break, Ray Allen is potentially returning to play again. Stats, winning, awards, and longevity all enjoy a great balance in Allen’s career.
3 – Steve Nash, Vancouver Grizzlies
Original: 15th, PHO
Steve Nash was a transcendent player. When the league had no respect for small-ball, Nash took it upon himself and led the Phoenix Suns to becoming one of the NBA’s best and most exciting teams for a certain period. It didn’t matter who his teammates were, he always found a way to will his squad while making those around him much better. Topping it all off are two Most Valuable Player awards, and back-to-back at that.
2 – Allen Iverson, Toronto Raptors
Original: 1st, PHI
The NBA’s 2000-2001 MVP, Allen Iverson defied the odds every time he stepped on the floor. If this list was all about heart, he would have been a runaway number one. Being 6’0” was never an excuse for Iverson not to average 26.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 2.2 steals through a 14-year career. He also had four seasons wherein he scored at least 30 points per game.
1 – Kobe Bryant, Philadelphia 76ers
Original: 13th, CHA
To say that Kobe Bryant had a storybook career is an understatement. Among all players in this draft class, Bryant owns the top spot in terms of seasons played, All-Star appearances, NBA titles, All-NBA Defensive team and All-NBA First Team citations, number of haters, and the list goes on. No disrespect to Allen Iverson, but even though the talent gap wasn’t that significant, the longevity, accolades, milestones, and wins crush the competition. Oh, and 81 points.
Follow Us
Subscribe