Columnist re-picks 1996 NBA Draft

By Anthony Bonagura
Collegian Staff
April 25, 2007

“With the first pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select…”

This upcoming NBA Draft has been hyped up to be one of the greatest drafts in recent history, but nothing can compare to the 1996 NBA Draft. It truly says something when late first round picks that year are considered to be future Hall of Famers. It most certainly has to be a nauseating feeling for Vancouver Grizzlies scouts to look back in the archives at their draft board and realize they completely skipped over Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash with the third overall pick. Just years later, the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver to Memphis. Imagine where that team would be now if they drafted one of those two players instead of Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Obviously, scouts cannot tell if a player will make the NBA transition, but when they do, it can completely save a franchise.

This exact enigma gave me the idea to re-order the first ten picks of the 1996 NBA Draft. Disregarding my occasional biased opinion, I have reordered the draft strictly on what each player has achieved statistically. Travis Knight (career 3.4 ppg) has one more championship than Allen Iverson, but the comparison between careers is indisputable. Isiah Thomas (1996 Toronto Raptors GM) is probably still kicking himself.

1) Philadelphia — Allen Iverson—1996: 1st overall pick—Philadelphia’s 1996 pick: Allen Iverson

Career Stats: 27.9 ppg, 6.2 apg, 2001 NBA MVP

Stat-wise, Iverson was the single best pick out of this draft. He made an immediate impact for the 76ers and carried them on his shoulders to the 2001 NBA Finals. Unfortunately, for the ten-and-a-half seasons he played in Philadelphia, he was not complimented by any substantial talent.

2) Toronto — Kobe Bryant — 1996: 13th overall pick — Toronto’s 1996 pick: Marcus Camby

Career Stats: 24.6 ppg, 4.5 apg, Three-time NBA Champ

Bryant is one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history with three rings and an 81 point game to go along with his credibility. However, as great as he is, he has been said to be “uncoachable.” Don’t rely on him to make his teammates better.

3) Vancouver — Steve Nash — 1996: 15th overall pick — Grizzlies’ 1996 pick: Shareef Abdur-Rahim

Career Stats: 14.0 ppg, 7.6 apg, 2005 & 2006 NBA MVP

Nash is a reincarnated John Stockton, and an uptempo-type player who can move well in transition. He is a pass first, shoot second guard that makes everyone around him better. It took Nash a couple years to become consistent; nevertheless, he’s the top point guard right now.

4) Milwaukee – Ray Allen - 1996: 5th overall pick - Milwaukee’s 1996 pick: Ray Allen via trade with Minn.

Career Stats: 21.5 ppg, 3.9 apg, second all-time in three-pointers made

He has the prettiest jumpshot in the NBA and can score at will. He has been underrated his whole career because of playing in the two worst markets in the nation: Milwaukee and Seattle.

5) Minnesota – Stephon Marbury - 1996: 4th overall pick - Minnesota’s 1996 pick: Marbury via trade with Milw.

Career Stats: 19.9 ppg, 7.9 apg, two-time All-Star

Marbury is a solid 20 point, 10 assist guard that has been known to take some questionable ill-advised shots down the stretch. On paper, he is one of the best, but he fits in the category of players who just cannot win that “big game” for a franchise.

6) Boston – Jermaine O’Neal - 1996: 17th overall pick - Boston’s 1996 pick: Antoine Walker

Career Stats: 14.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2002 Most Improved Player

O’Neal is a great big man on both ends of the floor that has an admirable inside game. It took him four years to finally average double-figures in points, and he has never really shown that winning mentality (See Stephon Marbury).

7) Los Angeles Clippers – Antoine Walker - 1996: 6th overall pick - LA Clipper’s 1996 pick: Lorenzen Wright

Career Stats: 18.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, three-time All-Star

Walker is a six-foot-nine small forward who has exceptional passing abilities and who has been known to shoot the three. But, despite being such a great three-point shooter, his shot selection has been poor his entire career.

8) New Jersey – Peja Stojakovic - 1996: 14th overall pick - New Jersey’s 1996 pick: Kerry Kittles

Career Stats: 18.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, three-time All-Star

Stojakovic played two years in Europe after being drafted and then eventually entered the NBA in 1998. He is a phenomenal three point shooter who made his mark with the uptempo Sacramento Kings. However, he was (and still is) injury-prone.

9) Dallas – Zydrunas Ilgauskas - 1996: 20th overall pick - Dallas’ 1996 pick: Samaki Walker

Career Stats: 14.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, two-time All-Star

Ilgauskas takes up a lot of space in the paint and plays well in the post. He is a great rebounder, but a seemingly lackadaisical approach makes him look astoundingly slow.

10) Indiana – Shareef Abdur-Rahim - 1996: 3rd overall pick - Indiana’s 1996 pick: Erick Dampier

Career Stats: 18.2 ppg, 7.6 rpg, second youngest player to 5,000 points

Clearly, he is the most underrated player in this draft. Just based on his career statistics, Abdur-Rahim could easily move up a couple slots, but playing for Vancouver, Atlanta, Portland and Sacramento, there is no excuse not to put up those numbers.

Honorable Mention: Marcus Camby, Derek Fisher, Kerry Kittles, Erick Dampier and Walter McCarty.

bonaguraa1@lasalle.edu