NBA Draft: Michael Jordan and the Best Player from Each Draft Class Since 1980
Looking back through the draft classes of the past 30 years, it's amazing that the talent pool has been consistently able to spit out at least one superstar in almost every year's draft.
From 1980 through last year's draft, there have only been three years without a truly great player selected in the draft. That more than anything else should give this year's talent evaluators and fans alike something to get excited about.
So who will it be this year? Kyrie Irving? Derrick Williams? Enes Kanter? Kemba Walker? Jimmer Fredette? One of the other less talked about players?
Regardless of who it is, someone from the 2011 NBA Draft will soon join this elite club. And trust me, it's a club they all want to be a part of.
Journey back through time with me as we take a tour through the halls of that club.
1980: Kevin McHale (Boston Celtics)
1 of 32
Kevin McHale was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the No. 3 pick of the 1980 NBA Draft and then proceeded to play for that same team for all 13 years of his illustrious career.
During that time, McHale won three NBA Championships while earning a selection to seven different All-Star squads. Over the course of his career he averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
No one from 1980's draft class even comes close to challenging McHale for this spot.
1981: Isiah Thomas (Detroit Pistons)
2 of 32
With the No. 2 pick in the 1981 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons selected a talented point guard from Indiana named Isiah Thomas.
He ended up spending 13 years playing for them and eventually earned a spot in both the Hall of Fame and the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. Thomas was good enough to make 12-straight All-Star teams from 1982-1993 and won two championships during that span.
Thomas ended his career with per game averages of 19.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 9.3 assists.
Just like Kevin McHale in 1980, Isiah Thomas ran away with this spot.
1982: Dominique Wilkins (Utah Jazz)
3 of 32
The Human Highlight Film is known as one of the greatest dunkers that the game has ever seen, but he was much more than just that.
Dominique Wilkins was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the third pick of the 1982 NBA Draft but he was almost immediately traded to the Atlanta Hawks due to some cash flow problems. He spent 12 years with the Hawks before finishing his career by playing for the Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Orlando Magic.
The Hall of Famer was a nine-time All-Star, a NBA scoring champion and an absolute superstar who finished his career averaging 24.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Fellow Hall of Fame member James Worthy gave him a run for his money, but in the end, the former Georgia Bulldog won this spot.
1983: Clyde Drexler (Portland Trail Blazers)
4 of 32
Clyde the Glide parlayed a great collegiate career at Houston into a first-round draft selection when the Portland Trail Blazers picked him with the 14th pick of the first round in 1983.
Drexler won an NBA Championship in 1995 after he was traded away from the Trail Blazers to the Rockets midseason. He closed out his career with three seasons in Houston. During his storied career, Drexler made 10 All-Star teams and played well enough to be selected to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
He averaged 20.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game over the course of his years in the NBA.
This was another runaway as no one from the 1983 draft class had any hope of measuring up to Drexler.
1984: Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
5 of 32
It's only fitting that one of the best draft classes of all-time contains the game's all-time best player.
Michael Jordan was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the third pick of the draft, one selection after famous draft bust Sam Bowie.
You all know about the career of Air Jordan so I'll just give you a few quick highlights: six championships, five MVPs, 14 All-Star teams, 10 All-NBA First Teams and on and on.
In any other year, Hakeem Olajuwon, John Stockton and Charles Barkley would have a shot at being featured on one of these slides, but not this one.
1985: Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)
6 of 32
The Mailman had to wait to be drafted until after 12 other players had been selected, but he made sure that the Utah Jazz got the most out of their draft pick in 1985.
Karl Malone spent 18 seasons with the Jazz before finishing his career by going through what was essentially a swan song with the Los Angeles Lakers for one year. He won two MVPs during his career and was a 13-time All-Star, making 11 All-NBA First Teams in the process.
Plus he was a great defender. In fact, the only thing missing from Malone's resume is a ring. Had he not run into the Michael Jordan buzzsaw time and time again, Malone may very well have been remembered as one of the game's top five players of all-time.
Three other Hall of Famers, Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and Joe Dumars, were drafted this year, but none of their accomplishments measure up to Malone's.
1986: Dennis Rodman (Detroit Pistons)
7 of 32
Somehow, Dennis Rodman slipped all the way to the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft before the Detroit Pistons found a hidden gem with the 27th pick.
The Worm is one of the best defenders to play in a long time and is arguably the best rebounder from the forward position of all time. Rodman even managed to average 18.7 rebounds per game during the 1991-1992 season.
He ended up winning five NBA Championships, two with the Pistons and another three with the Chicago Bulls.
Rodman made seven All-NBA Defensive Teams and received numerous accolades throughout his career while thrilling the public with his ridiculously flamboyant behavior and hairstyles.
No one else comes close to matching Rodman from this year's draft class, but we'll never know what could have been. Drugs destroyed the career of Chris Washburn and the life of Len Bias while an automobile accident claimed Drazen Petrovic's future way too soon. Any of those three could have easily become the best player from the 1986 class.
1987: David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs)
8 of 32
The Admiral is not only the best player to emerge from the NBA's 1987 draft class, but he's also one of the best centers to ever play the game.
San Antonio selected David Robinson with the first overall pick in the draft and the Navy Midshipman rewarded the Spurs with 14 years of service.
During that time, he won an MVP award, two championships and numerous berths on exclusive award-based teams. Robinson was even one of the 50 players honored with a selection to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Now in the Hall of Fame, Robinson is one of just two players, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar being the other, to lead the league in scoring, rebounding and blocking at various points throughout his career. All in all, the center averaged 21.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.0 blocked shots per game.
Scottie Pippen was also selected in 1987, but the small forward wasn't quite good enough to dethrone the Admiral.
1988: Mitch Richmond (Golden State Warriors)
9 of 32
Possibly the worst player featured in this slideshow, Mitch Richmond is the headliner of one of the weakest draft classes in the history of the NBA. The main competitors for the 1988 crown are Anthony Mason, Dan Majerle, Hersey Hawkins, Rik Smits and Danny Manning, but none were quite as good as Richmond.
The shooting guard was drafted out of Kansas State by the Golden State Warriors with the fifth pick of the draft and he remained with the team for three years before moving on to play for the Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers.
Richmond won his only title in 2002 during his final season in the NBA when he played for the Lakers, although he averaged only four points per game and played just that many minutes during the entire postseason. He was however the Rookie of the Year in 1989 and ended up in six All-Star Games.
Over the course of his career, Richmond averaged 21.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
1989: Shawn Kemp (Seattle SuperSonics)
10 of 32
The Seattle SuperSonics were lucky to secure the services of one of the game's all-time best and most powerful dunkers when they selected Shawn Kemp with the 17th pick of the 1989 NBA Draft.
Kemp ended up playing for the SuperSonics from 1989 until 1997 before bouncing around between the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic as his career came to a close.
He made the All-Star team six times, primarily thanks to his thundering dunks that made the crowd leap to their collective feet time and time again. When his career ended in 2003, Kemp retired with averages of 14.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.
Unfortunately, those career numbers have to include the final three seasons, which saw him start just 63 games total. Without those years, Kemp would have averaged around 18 points and 10 rebounds per game, making him appear much more dominant than the real career averages do.
To win this spot, Kemp had to beat out both Glen Rice and Tim Hardaway, which is no easy feat.
1990: Gary Payton (Seattle SuperSonics)
11 of 32
The Seattle SuperSonics struck paydirt for the second-straight year when they drafted Gary Payton with the No. 2 pick in the 1990 NBA Draft.
Payton, a guard out of Oregon State, proved to be worth all the hype. The Glove was a great fit for the SuperSonics because he could do it all. In addition to his offensive prowess, Payton was good enough on defense to be remembered as one of the best stoppers at the guard position of all-time.
Payton finally won a title in Miami in 2006 after laboring away on nondescript teams for much of his career. After all, he did spend the first 13 seasons of his NBA life in Seattle.
One of the most complete players to ever touch a basketball, Payton averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game.
Derrick Coleman was Payton's primary competition for this spot and didn't pose much of a threat.
1991: Dikembe Mutombo (Denver Nuggets)
12 of 32
Of all the NBA players from the 1991 draft class that tried to scale Mt. Mutombo, Larry Johnson was closest, but not even he could reach the summit.
Dikembe Mutombo, the Zaire native drafted by the Denver Nuggets from Georgetown University, stands alone at the top of this pool of talent.
Mutombo became a legendary shot blocker during his time in the NBA and still remains one of the greatest defensive players to step onto the hardcourt. In fact, he trails only Hakeem Olajuwon on the career blocked shots list.
With the trademark finger waggle, Mutombo took the league by storm and didn't stop until he'd racked up four Defensive Player of the Year awards, eight All-Star selections and many other awards.
When he retired last year, Mutombo finished his career with lifetime averages of 9.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.
1992: Shaquille O'Neal (Orlando Magic)
13 of 32
Currently playing with the Boston Celtics, Shaquille O'Neal started the career that has seen him become the greatest center of the now-aging basketball generation when he was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first pick of the 1992 NBA Draft.
Between now and then, Shaq accumulated as many accolades as self-given nicknames. A four-time champion and three-time Finals MVP, Shaq won the MVP award once but was selected to 15 All-Star teams.
Almost everyone reading this knows about Shaq, so I'll cut to the chase. Even though his recent years are bringing his overall numbers down, the Big Aristotle is still averaging 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game.
Alonzo Mourning and Latrell Sprewell, the other notables of the 1992 class, may have shot free throws better and in some cases choked coaches better, but they have nothing on Shaq.
1993: Chris Webber (Orlando Magic)
14 of 32
In one of the more hard-fought contests of this slideshow, Chris Webber narrowly edged out Anfernee Hardaway for the title with Jamaal Mashburn and Vin Baker a little bit further behind. As you can tell, the 1993 draft class was good, just not great.
Webber was taken with the first pick of the draft by the Orlando Magic, but he was immediately traded to the Golden State Warriors where he spent just one year before departing for Washington. After playing for the Wizards and Bullets there, he moved on to the Sacrament Kings, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons before finishing his career in 2008 where he started it.
During that time span, he managed to make five All-NBA teams and five All-Star teams although, interestingly enough, the years of his selections do not overlap perfectly. Webber averaged 20.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game during his career.
1994: Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks)
15 of 32
And now we get to the players that are still playing at a high level. Amazingly, Jason Kidd is still an integral part of a Dallas Mavericks squad fighting for its playoff life.
Kidd was selected out of California by the Mavs with the second pick of the 1994 NBA Draft and almost immediately became a triple-double threat.
He's a 10-time NBA All-Star and a five-time All-NBA First Teamer. Kidd's 107 career triple-doubles place him behind only Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson on the all-time list. Doesn't that say it all?
Over the course of his career, Kidd has averaged 13.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game. The list of records that he has goes on and on.
All of these accomplishments give him an edge over Grant Hill and the rest of the challengers from that year.
1995: Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves)
16 of 32
It seems like forever ago that Kevin Garnett wore a Minnesota Timberwolves uniform instead of Celtic green. But the Timberwolves are the team that drafted him straight out of high school with the fifth pick of the 1995 NBA Draft and left him to toil on a mediocre team for the first 12 years of his career.
Garnett still managed to be named league MVP in 2004, right during the midst of his 14 All-Star selections. He's a great offensive player and an even better defender known for his unrelenting intensity.
The forward has yet to slow down and is averaging 19.5 points, 10.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game during his career.
Other candidates for this spot were Rasheed Wallace and that's about it.
1996: Kobe Bryant (Charlotte Hornets)
17 of 32
The closest thing we've seen to Michael Jordan in a long time, Kobe Bryant has dominated the NBA for quite some time now.
It all started when the Charlotte Hornets drafted Kobe at No. 13, immediately behind Vitaly Potapenko, and then traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he's remained to the present day.
What is there to say about Kobe that hasn't already been said? He's simply amazing, as his 13 All-Star selections indicate. Oh, he's also won five rings.
The 1996 draft class was one of the most stacked in history and has produced quite a few superstars. Allen Iverson, Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Steve Nash and Jermaine O'Neal would have had a chance to be a draft class highlight in many years, but not one that involves Kobe.
1997: Tim Duncan (San Antonio Spurs)
18 of 32
People often forget about him because of his quiet, unassuming personality, but Tim Duncan is unquestionably one of the top players to ever play basketball. And when I say top, I mean absolute upper echelon.
The San Antonio Spurs took Duncan with the top pick of the 1997 draft and haven't regretted the decision for even a single second. With the exception of the 1999 season, Duncan has made every All-Star team since 1998, giving him 13 selections in all.
He's made the All-NBA First Team nine times, won the MVP award twice and has enough rings for all his fingers on one hand but the thumb.
Duncan is averaging 20.6 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game for his career and is a lock for the Hall of Fame on the first ballot.
Sorry Chauncy Billups and Tracy McGrady. Better luck next time.
1998: Dirk Nowitzki (Milwaukee Bucks)
19 of 32
Of all the picks I had to make for this article, this is the one I struggled with the most. To be honest, I actually had to consult with some friends and debate a little before I could justify in my head the selection of Dirk Nowitzki over Paul Pierce and Vince Carter.
But it's the right decision. Nowitzki may not have a ring yet like Pierce, but he's one of the best players the game has ever seen. No one has ever been quite so versatile as the seven-foot tall German who's as capable at hitting a three as he is at slamming down a dunk.
He's averaging 23.0 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game at this point in his career and the end is not even close yet. Nowitzki has won one MVP award and been selected to appear in 10 All-Star games, but that number will only increase.
Pierce may be a better winner and Carter may have more raw talent, but Nowitzki blossomed into the best player. If I had to pick one player to build my team around back in 1998 and I knew exactly what they'd be like in their primes, I wouldn't hesitate before selecting the Maverick.
1999: Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs)
20 of 32
One of the biggest steals in the history of the NBA Draft, Manu Ginobili had to sit and bite his fingernails until the bitter end of the event because he wasn't picked until the San Antonio Spurs took a chance on him with the penultimate pick of the second and final round.
Since then, Manu has been an integral part of three championship-winning teams and has been picked to represent the Spurs on two different All-Star teams.
He's a do-everything guy that really brings the team together on every occasion. That can be seen in his career stats, which show that he's averaged 15.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
Elton Brand, Shawn Marion, Baron Davis and Ron Artest made this a pretty good draft class, but Ginobili remains the cream of the crop.
2000: Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks)
21 of 32
The 2000 draft class was one of the worst of all-time, as almost every player became a huge bust. Only three players (Kenyon Martin, Jamaal Magloire and Michael Redd) have been selected to an All-Star Game and only Redd has made an All-NBA Team.
Redd was selected with the 43rd pick of the draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and has spent his entire career with the team.
He was a part of the gold medal-winning national team at the 2008 Olympics but hasn't achieved the same kind of tournament-style success in the NBA. In fact, he's really just had to settle for putting up good numbers.
Redd is averaging 20.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game so far in his career.
2001: Pau Gasol (Atlanta Hawks)
22 of 32
Another very good but not great draft class managed to produce Gilbert Arenas, Gerald Wallace, Tony Parker, Joe Johnson and Pau Gasol among others, but the last one listed has managed to rise to the top of 2001 totem pole.
Gasol was drafted third overall by the Atlanta Hawks but was immediately traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. After toiling away there for seven years, he moved to the Los Angeles Lakers and has already won two NBA Championships.
The center is the premier offensive player at his position right now and does not look like he's declining at all right now. So far in his career, Gasol has managed to average 18.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
2002: Amar'e Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns)
23 of 32
This decision came down to the wire as Amar'e Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer were neck and neck for quite some time, but Stoudemire still reigns supreme. If you're curious, Yao Ming is in third place out of the 2002 draft class.
Stoudemire is loving New York right now, but he has spent the bulk of his career in Phoenix playing for the Suns, who drafted him at No. 9 back in 2002. With Steve Nash feeding him the ball in the low post, the bespectacled one has become a six-time All-Star and something tells me that he'll be named to quite a few more of those teams once Chris Paul makes his way to New York.
The big man only appears to be getting better, which is pretty scary since he's already averaging 21.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.
2003: LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)
24 of 32
The 2003 draft class produced LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and...Darko Milicic.
Clearly Milicic wasn't in contention here and Bosh was never strongly considered, but I have to admit that it did take me more than a quick second to decide on James over Wade.
In the end, the ridiculous potential and ability of The King won out. James has already won two MVP awards and has been to seven-straight All-Star teams. He's a scoring champion and a nightly threat for a triple-double. The only thing missing from LeBron's trophy shelf is a ring, and he could get one very soon.
When you're in the running for the greatest player of all-time (and don't get me wrong, MJ is still numero uno, but there could be a three-way discussion between James, Kobe and Jordan when they're all done), you're the top player in your draft class.
2004: Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)
25 of 32
The Orland Magic have a pretty good track record when it comes to taking centers with the No. 1 pick in a draft. First Shaquille O'Neal and then Dwight Howard.
Howard is no Shaq. Yet. But he has the potential to be as dominant when it's all said and done.
He's currently the best defensive player in the game and his offense is starting to catch up. Howard has racked up three-straight Defensive Player of the Year awards and five-straight All-Star selections.
His massive shoulders will carry the Magic for quite some time, unless of course he chooses to flee to the greener pastures of Los Angeles.
The 2004 draft class also produced Devin Harris and Andre Iguodala, but neither of them posed a serious threat to Superman.
2005: Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets)
26 of 32
Deron Williams and Chris Paul were selected back-to-back in the 2005 NBA Draft, one pick after the Atlanta Hawks should have taken either of them instead of Marvin Williams.
Since then, the two point guards are annually in the discussion about the league's best at that position. Right now, and over the course of his career, Paul wins that discussion.
As he's showing with his brutal dissection of the Los Angeles Lakers defense during the playoffs, Paul is the smartest guard in the NBA. He's also one of the most talented.
CP3 has made the last four All-Star teams and is one of the best thieves in NBA history. He set the all-time record for consecutive games with a steal when he strung together 108 from April of 2007 to December of 2008.
Paul also is the only player to lead the league in steals and assists for consecutive seasons and has joined Michael Jordan, Micheal Ray Robinson and Allen Iverson as the only players to lead the NBA in steals three times.
Paul is averaging 18.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 9.9 assists and 2.4 steals per game during his still-young career.
2006: Rajon Rondo (Phoenix Suns)
27 of 32
Producing more busts than stars, the 2006 draft class is one of the weakest in recent history. There are a good many quality players, but only Brandon Roy and Rajon Rondo have ever made an All-Star team.
Of the two, I thought Roy was better before this most recent season. Then Rondo proved once again that he's an elite point guard and Roy's knees proved that they couldn't handle the stress of an NBA schedule.
Rondo, who was picked out of Kentucky by the Phoenix Suns with the 21st pick and then immediately traded to the Celtics, is already a two-time All-Star and a great all-around player and leader.
While he's not a scorer, Rondo has still managed to average 10.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game thus far in his career. He's only going to get better.
Likewise, there is still time for LaMarcus Aldridge, Andrea Bargnani, Rudy Gay or Roy to catch and pass Rondo.
2007: Kevin Durant (Seattle SuperSonics)
28 of 32
Jeff Green, Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Carl Landry and others are all blossoming into good players, but none of them is even close to Kevin Durant's level.
Durant was drafted out of the University of Texas when the Seattle SuperSonics, now the Oklahoma City Thunder, selected him at No. 2.
He's already a two-time scoring champion and seems to be a virtual lock for the Hall of Fame if everything continues to progress correctly. Durant's Thunder also seemed poised to make deep playoff runs for each of the next few seasons.
Durant is quickly becoming one of the best players in the world. His averages of 25.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game are probably only going to get higher and higher as he continues to dominate the competition.
2008: Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)
29 of 32
There are plenty of quality players in the league thanks to the 2008 draft class, but Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose stand out above the rest right now.
Of that dominant trio, Rose is still head and shoulders above the other. Now in full bloom, the Chicago Bulls point guard, who was selected with the first pick of the draft, is a virtual lock to be named the league's MVP for the first time in just his third season.
Rose has yet to have a season without accolades and will continue to be decorated as long as he plays. He was the Rookie of the Year in his first season and an All-Star in each of the next two.
He's now averaging 20.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game throughout the duration of his very short career.
2009: Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers)
30 of 32
Even though Stephen Curry and the others got an extra year to prove themselves thanks to a certain troublesome knee, Blake Griffin showed in just one season that he has what it takes to be the best.
Griffin was a SportsCenter staple this past season en route to being named Rookie of the Year one year later than originally expected. Come on, it technically hasn't happened yet but we all know he's going to win that vote.
He's a dunking machine and a rebounding virtuoso and the sky appears to be the limit for the high-flying ex-Sooner. During his one season of action so far, Griffin averaged 22.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists. Scarily enough, his stats were improving for most of the year.
There is still plenty of time left in the careers of every player selected in 2009, but Griffin has a big head start now.
2010: John Wall (Washington Wizards)
31 of 32
If Blake Griffin had stayed healthy and been a rookie in 2009, John Wall would most likely have been the Rookie of the Year this past season.
The point guard from Kentucky was taken first in the last draft by the Washington Wizards and has thrilled fans with his blazing speed down the court and remarkable ability to feed alley-oops to JaVale McGee.
He averaged 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game during his first season at the sports highest level and that should be the floor when it comes to the 2011-2012 season.
2011: Kyrie Irving (?)
32 of 32
If I had to guess right now, I would say that Kyrie Irving will become the best NBA player selected in the upcoming 2011 NBA Draft.
The point guard from Duke is amazingly talented and was the best player in college basketball before he went down with a freak big toe injury. Even when he returned, he played quite well, leading the Blue Devils in scoring in his first game back.
Obviously it depends on the situation he's put in, but Irving has more potential than any other player in this year's draft class.
.jpg?w=480)
