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When buying basketball cards, most people search for the most valuable ones: the rookies. For example, if you buy a pack of cards, box of packs, or case of boxes from the year 1997-98, you ...

The Best NBA Draft Class of All Time: 1996 or 2003?

by Erik Mackay (Contributor)

26

4,791 reads

Opinion

June 05, 2008


When buying basketball cards, most people search for the most valuable ones: the rookies. 

For example, if you buy a pack of cards, box of packs, or case of boxes from the year 1997-98, you tend to look for Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, and Chauncey Billups cards, or from 1995-96, the Rasheed Wallace and Kevin Garnett ones.  

It is the 1996-97 and 2003-04 packs, boxes, and cases that seem impossible to purchase without spending a fortune because they are loaded with big name rookies. 

In 1996, most people did not think that Kobe Bryant would ever be all that he has become. 

Similarly, in 2003, a lot of people did not think LeBron James would ever reach the level he is at now. 

This is because when we look at an upcoming draft class, we see potential, and when we look back on rookie classes, we see accomplishment. 

It is very difficult to foresee who will become what down the road.  It would be easy if everyone amounted to his full potential.  If everyone amounted to his full potential, Michael Jordan would not have been drafted third overall. 

Some rookies are standouts from the get go and have an immediate impact, such as Rookie of the Year winners Allen Iverson and LeBron James.  For others, it does not work quite that way. 

Kobe Bryant spent one year as a novice before becoming a franchise player.  David West didn't become an All-Star caliber player until his fifth season. 

To make the best educated predictions of who will be what, we look mostly at previous performance, which usually provides pretty accurate results.  We also need to take into account that at the next level, things change.  It is similar for college scouting. 

There are some high school players that dominated for four years that never even start a game in college, as are there players who didn't even play on the team for four years in high school that become All-Americans in college.  This is what makes drafts and rookies so exciting.  You get to see who are the sleepers and who are the busts at the professional level.

The talent brought to the NBA by the 1996 and 2003 draft classes are both tremendous and compare quite closely.  Below is a comparison of the finest products produced from these two drafts and a conclusion explaining which one is the best draft class of all-time. 

It would not be fair to compare where the players are at today for both classes because most of the '96 class is well in their 30s and past their prime, so the '96 class is assessed based on the conclusion of the 2000-01 season, their fifth season, and the '03 class is assessed based on the completion of this past season (07-08), their fifth season.

 

96-1: KOBE BRYANT (Drafted 13th overall by Charlotte, traded to LA Lakers)- Very hardworking 6'7" shooting guard displayed excellent all-around game quickly rising to the NBA's elite.  Dropped a career high 28.5 points per game (Fourth in the NBA) in '00-'01, teaming up with Shaquille O'Neal to lead the Lakers to back to back NBA championships.

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26 comments Last one added 3 months ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Marcel Mansour about 1 year ago

    I think the 1996 Draft is the greatest because of Kobe, AI and Nash all being MVP winners. The 1984 draft is the second best with MJ, Barkley, Stockton, and Olajuwon. Finally, the 2003 draft is third with Lebron, Carmelo, Wade and Bosh.

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  2. rrro treoiwht about 1 year ago

    This is a ridiculous article. Any "greatest draft" discussion that doesn't even MENTION 1984 isn't worth crap. It had, by far, the most talent at the top: MJ, Olajuwon, Barkley, Stockton. What more needs to be said? 1996 had the most all-stars and was the deepest, but it comes down to those two. 2003 is a distant third.

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    • Erik Mackay about 1 year ago

      Think about it. Kobe, Jordan. Olajuwon, Iverson. Stockton, Nash. I dont see a blatantly obvious pick there. If we could actually match the generations easily, then it would be a comparison. 84 might have beat out 96 and 03 if you look at the top 4, but the top 15 or so, i dont think so.

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  3. dsasa sadas about 1 year ago

    Lame. Your comparing apples and oranges. The 1996 players have played for how much longer? Dumb comparison. There are some 03 players who may still have bright careers whereas the 1996ers are almost retired. How do you make this comparison Lamo!

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    • Erik Mackay about 1 year ago

      Dude...read the article. The 96 class was based solely on their first five years in the league. Hence the 96-01/03-08 theme going...

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  4. lala lolo about 1 year ago

    Funkin Moron

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  5. yourideasaredoodoo kook about 1 year ago

    You must not get paid for this analysis. Its obviously not ESPN or sports network quality you lame @ss wannabe bozo.

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  6. poop doop about 1 year ago

    nick collison is a lumberjack? really?

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  7. Dallas Wilson about 1 year ago

    Im just wondering why Carmelo Anthony is rated 8th on your list. He should be first or second on your list, only Lebron is close to the skill level of his. It's not his fault he wasn't put in an enviroment that encourages defense.

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    • Erik Mackay about 1 year ago

      That would make Walker first or second. Its more so about the comparison, the order is a general best to worst its not an accurate 1-17 list.

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  8. Ryan Welch about 1 year ago

    1984

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  9. Ryan Welch about 1 year ago

    1984

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  10. Marcel Mansour about 1 year ago

    Carmelo is a loser and will always be a loser. He is 4-19 in the playoffs in his career. He is only a good scorer. He is a below average passer, a bad defender, a bad leader and has a bad attitude. Lebron, Wade and Bosh are all much better than him. Carmelo is only good for your fantasy team.

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    • Erik Mackay about 1 year ago

      This is the NBA bro. Carmelo brought fans, marketing, and national attention to a team that went almost as unnoticed as the Vancouver Grizzlies. You will hear Steven A, Stuart Scott, and Jeff Van Gundy say it: If you are not going to win championships, you may as well make money. But i agree with you, as a player, he doesnt bring a whole lot to the table. Any by the way, hes a terrible fantasy player for that exact reason.

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  11. Michael Whittenberg about 1 year ago

    I agree with Ryan. You have to throw in the 1984 class before 2003.

    2003 was a good draft, but it's only been five years.

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    • Erik Mackay about 1 year ago

      Right, but i judged the 96 class based on where they stood after 00-01, the completion of their fifth season. 84 was a generation so long ago that it would be even more difficult to compare than 96 and 03.

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  12. adaDADA DADA about 1 year ago

    I am curious what had Anthony done that Walker hasn't done?

    Averaged over 20 points? Made it out of the first round ? Won an NBA title? Willed his team instead of sitting on the sidelines whining about the rest of his team?

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  13. Erik Mackay about 1 year ago

    Anthony brought a whole new look to his team. They built the team around him. He was drafted and then all of the sudden, people want to come to the games, people want to buy Nuggets jerseys, and people all over the nation want to see them on tv. As of very recent events, not so much, but his rookie season, the team went from being perennial losers to making the playoffs. Antoine Walker...well he tried. I have seen so much of Walker when he was in Boston, and he had his bright moments, but was never able to do much in the long run. He was very overrated in that perspective. He was a lot like Shareef Abdur-Rahim. He led the team his rookie year, and they finished with 16 wins. It wasn't until Paul Pierce was drafted that the Celtics slowly started to become a competitive franchise again. The Celtics were a give the ball to Pierce and if he cant score, Walker will throw up a 26 foot jumper. Pierce was the heart of the Celtics whenever they went anywhere. Carmelo had the help of who? Nene? Voshon Lenard? Carmelo is the franchise player, not Walker.

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  14. CommonSense 3 months ago

    How can you give the edge to Lebron over Kobe? Right off the bat, you lost all credibility with most.

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    • Erik Mackay 3 months ago

      I lost credibility for all who dont know how to read. In the article it clearly says, the 96 class was based of their first 5 years to make it fair for the 03's who havent had as much experience in the NBA. As of 2001, i dont think Kobe could top LeBron...im pretty sure Kobe wasn't even better than Shaq at the time.

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