If there was a NBA Draft of all time, meaning every NBA Draft that happened so far combined into 1 big draft and every single player could go back in time to draft night...Who would your first pick be??? Remember NBA teams are built around a dominant big man...
Depends on the era. Maybe not so much for the 1st pick but it will definitely play a role in later picks.
It's too difficult. Especially if you go way back to Bill Russell(11 rings), who i have never seen play. I wouldn't know where to the other guys from that era.
I'd pick Jordan, then trade up my 2nd rounder with half my team to draft Hakeem. Then I'd trade the other half for the pick used to pick Magic. Then I'd sign two bums off the street. GREAT SUCCESS!
The way the league is officiated now, Chris Paul might have free reign to drive to the hoop against even all of the all-time greats. He'll just shoot free throws anytime someone breaths on him. Nevertheless, I would still pick centers ahead of any other position. Jordan never once faced an all-time great center in the playoffs (except Shaq in 95 when he wasn't fully back, but they still lost). My list would go 1. Kareem 2. Hakeem 3. Shaq Those old centers (Wilt/Russell) played in days where there simply weren't other men as tall as they were. Who knows what they could have done in today's game, but they surely would have had to work at least twice as hard on the practice court and the weight room, and it would have been much harder to avoid injuries. And when an argument degenerates to "yeah, well, if I'd put in as much time as you did I would have been better" I tend to give the benefit of the doubt to the people who actually accomplished it.
I dunno...I think the big man theory fails when you have a dominant SG like Jordan. You're wrong when you say Jordan never faced great centers in the playoffs too... Jordan swept Shaq in the 96 ECFs. Jordan beat Ewing like all the time...he's the main reason why Ewing never got a ring. Jordan dominated young Zo in the playoffs.
I'd probably take Magic also. Second choice would have to be Steve Novak though. He would be an All Star already if JVG had not ruined him his rookie season. Seriously, Magic, MJ and Kareem are my top 3 in that order.
Alright I am GM, I figure I have good chance at getting anybody that has ever played in NBA and it depends on where my draft spot is, because that will make a world of difference. Take a look at the NBA's Top 50 to see who will probably be gone in 1st two Rounds For the First Round (1 - 30): Since, alot of other post are saying MJ or MJ or Shaq or Dream or Kareem.... I am going to shoot for Wilt in 1st Round, best scorer in NBA history, one of the best defenders of all time, possibly greatest rebounder ever and the most dominant player. There is no way I can turn down Wilt, if he is on the board. Second Round (31 - 60): I figure players, like MJ, Larry, Magic, Barkley, Malone, Cousy, West, Stockton, Gervin, Lucas, Barry, and a number of the big men already off the board (top 12 centers). Most MVPs are off was lucky to get Wilt. More than half of the best players of the NBA's Top 50, along with Duncan, Kobe, Garnett, and Lebron. C - 12 PF - 6 SF - 4 SG - 8 PG - 5 But, guess who happens to still be on the board - Pete Maravich, Dave DeBusseche, Bill Sharman, Lenny Wilkens, Chris Webber, Adrian Dantley, Tiny Archibald, Calvin Murphy, Vince Carter, Bernard King, Gary Payton, Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, Scottie Pippen, and few other names. Just missed Clyde and team just past on Pete Maravich. I'm gonna take Pippen for his intangibles, I've already got a superstar, I don't really need another "superstar" or players who think they are, there is already a guy who averaged like 50 points in season on the team, so I really need much scoring. Need defense, versatility and passing....I'll take Pippen. 3rd Round (61 - 90): Can't believe this guy feel so low, but this is an All-Time Draft, but it is Kevin Johnson...the same one from Phoenix....the same 20 and 10 guy who didn't make to the all star game. It was between him and Tom Chambers, Dirk Nowitzki, Elton Brand, and few other obscure people like Dennis Rodman, Gail Goodrich, Cedric Maxwell, and way too many people to name. 4th Round (91 - 120): Easy, I take Yao Ming. He's still on the board and has been somewhat overlook, because they are alot of scorers in front of him. Sentimental pick though. 5th Round: Alot of multiple all-stars are gone, no HOF-caliber players left....so I definitely go for players who are pretty good, but not necessarily world beaters. We're not sure, we still need SG....let's see Theus, Sprewell, Davis, Jojo White, Toney, and Moncrief PF is an option, if we decide not to play two centers or one goes down with injury. Avaliable: Charles Oakley, Horace Grant, Dale Davis, Jason Williams, Shawn Kemp, and Chris Bosh. Hard choice. We need outside shooting, but Kemp is really skilled and very athletic PF. Shawn Kemp The Coach who decide to bring in..........will be.............................Rudy T. Late Round Picks (to round out the roster): Geoff Petrie Sam Cassell Joe Johnson (biggest steal) Charles Oakley Jeff Hornacek Terry Teagle (the cartoon character) haha
Classy. Modern treatment and medicine would have allowed him to play straight through. Besides, he was towards the end of his career when that happened and public perception forced him out more than physical limitations..
My top 10 (from '78 - when I first watched NBA basketball - present) Jordan Kobe Dream Magic Bird Kareem McHale Moses Dr. J KG Disclaimer - I never watched Russell, Wilt, The Big O, Cousey, Baylor, West, Petrie, Havlichek, etc. play other than highlights - thus my '78-present picks Honorable mention - Isiah, Barkley, Walton, Shaq, Reggie, Duncan However, if I had the top 5 picks and was building my ideal dream team I'd pick PG - Magic SG - Kobe C -Dream PF - KG SF - Bird
lets put a spin on it and say.. since the draft was introduced, i think in 1947 but i could be wrong, who were the best players to be picked at their positions in the draft. So for example, who was the best number 1 pick of all time, who was the best number 2, who was the best number 3 and so on. Eg. Jordan would have to be the best number 2 draft pick ever.. The best 57th draft pick of all time was Manu.. Was Hakeem the best number 1 pick of all time?...Od say Magic pips him. Etc. what can you guys come up with?
25. rockets - Baylor morey pulls a real steal at #25. baylor averaged 27 points and 13 rebounds for his career. falls to the late first round because he is undersized for todays game as a 6'5 forward. full first round mock: Spoiler 1. bulls - jordan how can they pass on drafting this guy a second time after he won 6 rings? look for the bobcats to try and move up here so jordan can draft himself. 2. heat - magic riley brings showtime to southbeach. 3. wolves - bird mchale's toug choice between post player he can tutor (jabbar, chamberlain) or former teammate in boston... he goes with his boston ties again, like in the KG trade. 4. sonics - jabbar the guy forced the ncaa to widen the lanes and eliminate dunking. all time leading scorer in nba history with 5 or 6 rings to boot. 5. grizzlies - kevin love seems like he's the only guy that will agree to work out for them. everyone else warns that if drafted, they will refuse to play there. 6. knicks - isaiah thomas just when they thought he was gone... d'antoni wants a PG who can push the tempo. 7. clippers - chamberlain his personality is perfect for LA, and baylor can't pass on him here. best player available. 8. bucks - russell shaq refused to work out for them, hoping to be drafted into a warmer climate. robertson was an option, but russels rings give him the edge. 9. bobcats - stockton all time assist and steal leader. perfet for larry browns 'play the right way' system. 10. nets - shaq shaq wanted a warm climate, but he gets to play close to his hometown in jersey/brooklyn. 11. pacers - duncan indiana loves bball, and duncan will bring a real workman like attitude that they will love. 12. kings - dream the maloofs would love this kind of excitement. 13. blazers - karl malone they wanted kobe but his agent is pushing for a bigger market. 14. warriors - kidd hometown guy can run nellies small ball. 15. suns - pippin kerr's plan of bringing in defense would be summed up with this pick. the rings they won together doesn't hurt either. 16. sixers - kobe kobe is back in his hometown, the sixers would love to boost their marketability. 17. raptors - robertson triple double machine and can play 3 positions. this is the kind of versatility colangelo is looking for. 18. wizards - erving the doctor would thrive in eddie jordans up tempo offense. 19. cavs - lebron hometown guy is the best player left. 20. nuggets - barkley perfect fit for all offense, no defense team. 21. nets - english with shaq in the post, the nets bring in one of the greatest all time scorers to compliment him on the wing. 22. magic - moses malone they have a history of drafting big, athletic, and raw talent wise. this pick fits right in. 23. jazz - lenny wilkens tough choice for sloan, between wilkens, and fraizer. he goes with one of the highest bball iq's of all time, over a more talented player. 24. sonics - gervin like the nets, they will pair one of the greatest all time scorers with one of the greatest post players. 25. rockets - Baylor morey pulls a real steal at #25. baylor averaged 27 points and 13 rebounds for his career. falls to the late first round because he is undersized for todays game as a 6'5 forward. 26. spurs - robinson they like to draft big. tough call between gilmore and robinson, but they are a loyal franchise. 27. hornets - pistol pete his game is the perfect fit for the city. 44ppg in college doesn't hurt either. 28. grizzlies - iverson on talent alone he could easily be a lotto pick, but his character has caused some concerns. 29. pistons - payton the glove can bring back the bad boy image dumars wants. 30. celtics - barry tough for the c's to pass on cousey and havlicek, but barry is the better player to build a franchise around.
You can't go against jordan. He played in a arguably the greatest era of NBA basketball and he dominated.
