Rank this decade's NBA Drafts

[i nasmatic i]

For those that forgot

03
08 (it's early but I think this class is going to be awesome when it's all said and done)
04
01
05
02
06
07
00

 

[theprocessofbelief]

03 is so far above and beyond... rivals 96 for quality in the recent past, IMO.

 

[JD617]

I think we can all probably agree on:

1. '03
10. '09
edit: Actually no, that '00 draft was pretty awful.

 

[skip2myloon]

Anyone have that espn post, where they rank all the drafts?

 

[roc boy jada]

1. 2003
2. 2008
3. 2005
4. 2004
5. 2001
6. 2006
7. 2002
8. 2007
9. 2000

 

[slow motion g35]

Originally Posted by skip2myloon

Anyone have that espn post, where they rank all the drafts?

THE TOP TIER


1. 1999: The best draft of the past 20 seasons produced 13 star-caliber players (with a career average EWA of 5-plus), 9 All-Star selections, a 1999 rookie EWAtotal of 56.7 (meaning these guys contributed immediately) and an EWA combined average of 117.6 in the years since (which means they're still goingstrong). Highlights included Elton Brand, Baron Davis, Lamar Odom, Richard Hamilton and Shawn Marion in the top 10. But the draft was truly "made" byRon Artest at No. 16 and Manu Ginobili, perhaps the biggest steal of the modern draft era, at No. 57.

2. 1996: With 11 stars, 10 All-Stars, a rookie total EWA of 57.7 and a cumulative EWA average of 120.1, you can make a strong case for 1996 ahead of 1999. Butthere were some serious lottery misjudgments, including, inexplicably, Samaki Walker to Dallas at No. 9. Still, Kobe Bryant (No. 13), Peja Stojakovic (No. 14)and Steve Nash (No. 15) more than compensate for whatever it was Garry St. Jean was thinking when he grabbed Todd Fuller at No. 11.

3. 2004: Only three All-Star selections, but nine star-level players, including Josh Smith at No. 17 and Jameer Nelson at No. 20. Steal of the draft? TrevorAriza at No. 43. (Was Isiah Thomas better at the whole talent-evaluation thing than we remember? Actually, he was.)

4. 2008: Produced the second-best rookie-year EWA in the past 20 years (69.

. A strong top-five of Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo, Russell Westbrookand Kevin Love posted an average PER of 16.18. But depth was also key, with Brook Lopez at No. 10, Courtney Lee at No. 22 and George Hill at No. 26 all makingsolid first-year contributions.

5. 2001: A relatively weak first year for this crew (a rookie-year total EWA of just 36.4), and some high-profile botch jobs (Kwame Brown at No. 1, Eddy Curryat No. 4) leads you to forget how good the rest of this crew was. There were nine star-level performers here, including Pau Gasol, Joe Johnson, Gilbert Arenas,Jason Richardson, Mehmet Okur, Richard Jefferson, Zach Randolph, Gerald Wallace and a little NBA Finals MVP you may have heard of named Tony Parker, taken 28thby the brain trust in San Antonio, the best drafting team of the past 20 years.

THE NEXT BEST THING


6. 2003: A crazy-good top five, save for Darko Milicic, that included LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. The total EWA/year for thisgroup is tops in the past 20, at 124.0, but it thins after the Big 4. Only David West (taken 18th) and Josh Howard (what is it with the Texas teams findinggold at the end of the first round?) at 29th rise to star status.

7. 1998: Six stars, five All-Stars and a total EWA

 

[gtownballer23]

Originally Posted by Slow Motion G35


THE NEXT BEST THING


6. 2003: A crazy-good top five, save for Darko Milicic, that included LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. The total EWA/year for this group is tops in the past 20, at 124.0, but it thins after the Big 4. Only David West (taken 18th) and Josh Howard (what is it with the Texas teams finding gold at the end of the first round?) at 29th rise to star status.

 

[bhzmafia14]

Originally Posted by I NaSmatic I

For those that forgot

03
08 (it's early but I think this class is going to be awesome when it's all said and done)
04
01
05
02
06
07
00

I would have to probably go with that order. '09 just might go right below 2007.

 

[do be doo]

Originally Posted by Slow Motion G35

Originally Posted by skip2myloon

Anyone have that espn post, where they rank all the drafts?

THE TOP TIER


1. 1999: The best draft of the past 20 seasons produced 13 star-caliber players (with a career average EWA of 5-plus), 9 All-Star selections, a 1999 rookie EWA total of 56.7 (meaning these guys contributed immediately) and an EWA combined average of 117.6 in the years since (which means they're still going strong). Highlights included Elton Brand, Baron Davis, Lamar Odom, Richard Hamilton and Shawn Marion in the top 10. But the draft was truly "made" by Ron Artest at No. 16 and Manu Ginobili, perhaps the biggest steal of the modern draft era, at No. 57.

I just hope the spurs don't trade him...

 

[sooperhooper]

Fam did NOT just put the 99 draft class over 96

 

[wasps and asps]

i aint realize Mike Sweetney was in the 03 draft

[h1]Sofoklis Schortsanitis- did he ever play in the NBA?

[/h1]

 

[kixtension]

Josh Smith isn't a star-level player.