1984 is often regarded as the greatest draft class ever with Hakeem, Jordan, Barkley, and Stockton, but as far as solid quality top to bottom, 1996 will probably end up being better Iverson Shareef Abdur-Rahim Marbury Ray Allen Antoine Walker Kobe Peja Steve Nash Jermaine O'Neal Ilgauskas Throw in Othella Harrington and Shandon Anderson to round out the bench and Moochie as the towel/water boy, and you have an NBA dynasty in the making...
THe only people that I'd want from that class are Nash, Peja, Kobe, Allen, and O'neal. I think the 86' class still beats them.
Very good? yes. A higher quantity of all stars? maybe Probably greater? no way. Jordan >> Bryant, Iverson Olajuwon >>>>>> Ilgauskas Barkley >>>> Abdur Rahim Sam Perkins >> Antoine Walker Stockton >>>> Naash, Marbury Alvin Robertson = Allen, Peja Kevin Willis = Jermaine O'Neal Otis Thorpe >>> Harrington Jerome Kersey >>>> Shandon Anderson. crap >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Moochie MJ, Dream, Barkley , Stockton are all shoe-ins for the 50 greatest, of the 96'rs, maybe Bryant and Iverson have a shot. And I'm not even including possibly the greatest athlete of all from the 1984 Draft:
Disagree with these. And A-Train...on a talent alone basis, every GM in the league would take Camby over Anderson and Harrington combined.
Yeah Sam, that's convenient how you managed to condense Kobe, Iverson, Nash, Marbury, Peja, and Allen down to three people...
A-Train, I also said this: I don't disagree that the class of 1996 may have quantity, but class of 84 has a lot more quality. Btw, I do think Jordan has done more in the NBA than Kobe, Iverson, Nash, Marbury, Peja, and Allen combined anyway.
I think Alvin Robertson was possibly one of the greatest defensive players ever. Allen and Stojankovic are decent scorers, but I wouldn't qualify them as among the greatest offensive players ever. Willis was a force and an all star in the late 80's early 90's, I think he grabbed like 15 boards a game one season.
Personally, you can have your 'solid quality'. Give me Jordan, Hakeem, Barkley, and Stockton any day.
Right on. I don't see any combo of players from 96 beating those guys in their primes (you could even plug me in at SF). Those four players are arguably the best at their positions EVER!! How can you top that?
Disagree about Alvin, but not by a whole lot. He was a gambler; one of the best, but nevertheless, a gambler. Got beat more than more traditional, less flashy defenders like Dumars or Pressey. Don't get me wrong; talented, but not one of the greatest. Allen and Stojakovic are better players. Peja will recieve some MVP consideration this year, and Alvin never got a sniff. Allen has, I think, already been an All Star more than Robertson was, but I could be wrong about that. Not that that's the be all and end all, but I think it's not really all that close to either. Willis was very good, no doubt. But he was always limited, and I would suggest that O'Neal is already a better player than Willis was in his prime ( although it's close) and is still improving. He's the best big man in his conference, Willis never approached that stature. And Willis, although possessed of an extremely long career, didn;t actually have a very long prime.
oops... didn't read MacBeth's posts. what he said. except you know i'm gonna go out on a limb and say Walker is better than Perkins too. Walker is more versatile offensively AND has better rebouding numbers.
MacBeth: Rethinking it on Willis, yeah, I guess if O'Neal continues his current pace he will be better, I just think Willis is a bit underappreciated. A very good rebounder in his day. On Robertson, apples and oranges Yipengzhao, I don't know how much you have seen of Sam Perkins but he did more inn his NBA career to the same point than Walker has, IMO. Perkins took his team to the WCF, only to get run over by the Showtiime lakers, by 87 or 88 I think. I would say that Perkins and Walker are very similar offensively, but that Perkins absolutely blows Walker out of the water on defense. Always gave Olajuwon incredible fits, probably more so than any other player until Dream got old. He was one of, if not the best, defensive PF in the WC during his prime, IMO.
I think the 1999 draft class will end up making more noise than 1996. Steve Francis Lamar Odom Elton Brand Shawn Marion Baron Davis Ron Artest Kenny Thomas
These aren't doing too bad either. Richard Hamilton Corey Maggette Andrei Kirilenko Andre Miller Wally Szczerbiak
