It is definitely a difficult task to pick the best NBA draft class ever. There are a lot of talented players in the league, and many of them have entered through the draft process. However, many draft classes have more stars than an average class. Many of these players led their teams to championships and dominated the league for more than a decade. In this article, we will tell you about some of the best NBA draft classes.
10. 2011
All-Stars: Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Isaiah Thomas, and Kemba Walker
The 2011 draft class was considered one of the most impressive and skillful in recent years. This draft included a ton of young basketball talent that would shape the league in the coming years. This draft was unique as well because it took place during the NBA lockout, resulting in an abbreviated season and limited preparation time for rookies. Despite this, many players turned out to be brilliant.
9. 1960
All-Stars: Oscar Robertson, Darrell Imhoff, Jerry West, Lenny Wilkens, and Lee Shaffer
This year’s draft was notable because it was the first draft in which players from college teams were eligible for selection. This expanded the talent pool and set the stage for future drafts. However, players who graduated were only eligible for the drafting process. Also, the league was in its early stages at the time, and many of the players from the draft class helped make it popular.
8. 1987
All-Stars: Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, Horace Grant, Reggie Lewis, Kevin Johnson, Reggie Miller, and Mark Jackson
This NBA Draft class included many future Hall of Famers like Reggie Miller, David Robinson, and Scottie Pippen. It featured several players who shaped the landscape of the NBA. Robinson was the first pick in the draft but did not play the first two years due to his Navy service. Despite this, he still remained one of the best big players of all time and also won two rings.
7. 1979
All-Stars: Magic Johnson, Sidney Moncrief, Jim Paxson, Bill Cartwright, Mark Eaton, Bill Laimbeer, James Donaldson, and Calvin Natt
There were several special players in the 1979 NBA draft class. Magic Johnson is without any doubt the greatest player ever from this draft, and many people even believed that this legend saved the NBA. This draft featured eight different All-Stars, making it one of the most significant drafts in league history.
6. 1998
All-Stars: Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Antawn Jamison, and Rashard Lewis
There were only five All-Stars in this NBA Draft, but most of them were celebrated superstars who garnered millions of fans during their careers. While the first pick was Michael Olowokandi, who is considered by most to be just a bust, the best player from the draft was Dirk Nowitzki. Another great player who spent a lot of time in the league was Paul Pierce, while Vince Carter was considered the most athletic player of all time.
5. 1970
All-Stars: Rudy Tomjanovich, Dave Cowens, Sam Lacey, Tiny Archibald, Dan Issel, John Johnson, Geoff Petrie, Charlie Scott, Bob Lanier, Pete Maravich, Calvin Murphy, Randy Smith
There were 12 All-Stars in the 1970 NBA draft class, which is an amazing feat. However, there were 239 players who got selected in the draft, but only 57 of them played in the NBA. The good part was that 21% of the players who stepped onto the NBA court became All-Stars, which is very impressive.
4. 2009
All-Stars: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, Jeff Teague, DeMar DeRozan, and Blake Griffin
There were only six All-Stars in this year’s draft, but Stephen Curry was one of them. Thanks to his amazing shooting skills, he completely changed the way teams play basketball. The Golden Boy not only changed basketball, but he has also been one of the most successful players in his draft class. Besides him, James Harden has also been impressive, despite never winning a championship ring.
3. 1996
All-Stars: Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O’Neal, Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Allen Iverson, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Antoine Walker, Peja Stojakovic, Stephon Marbury, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas
The 1996 NBA Draft class featured several players who went on to become legends of the game. The most notable of them was LA Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba spent his entire career with the Lakers and won five championship rings. In addition to Kobe, the draft also included many great guards like Allen Iverson and Ray Allen. A total of ten players from this draft became All-Stars.
2. 2003
All-Stars: LeBron James, David West, Mo Williams, Chris Bosh, Josh Howard, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Kyle Korver, and Chris Kaman
This NBA Draft class included many notable players who went on to dominate the league for decades. The most noteworthy of them is Lebron James, who was the first pick of the draft and is still in the league. James is in his 20th season and still playing at his best. The 2003 class also included Dwayne Wade, who is one of the best shooting guards of all time, and Carmelo Anthony, a deadly scorer.
1. 1984
All-Stars: Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Willis, Alvin Robertson, and Otis Thorpe
The 1984 draft class is the best because the greatest player of all time, Michael Jordan, was part of it. Jordan was the third pick in the draft, but he went on to become one of the most prominent players in the league. This also included several other players, like Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, and John Stockton, who became all-time greats.
Also Read:- Unstoppable: Most points by a single player in an NBA game
