Friday, September 25th, 2009 at 1:57 pm  |  84 responses

1995 NBA Draft Remix

Separating The Kid from the men.

by Jeff FoxKevin Garnett

The Kid might not have been the first to do it — Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby hold that honor — but Kevin Garnett was the most important prep-to-pro pick in NBA history. This is not because Garnett is the best player to ever play in the League straight from high school — Kobe Bean Bryant holds that distinction, with LeBron James fast on his heels — but instead it is because of what KG being selected in the 1995 meant to the League. Without Garnett being the trendsetter, would Kobe or Tracy McGrady skip college and enter the Draft in 1996 and 1997 respectively? Would LeBron enter the draft straight outta’ Akron a few years after that?  There’s a chance that all these players would have taken that route anyhow, but they all owe Garnett thanks for paving the way for them and making it easier.

Other than The Big Ticket entering the League, the 1995 Draft was pretty average. Some solid players heard their names called his year, but Garnett is the only one destined for the Hall of Fame.

1995 NBA Draft

Grade: B

All-Stars: 6 (Antonio McDyess, Jerry Stackhouse, Rasheed Wallace, Kevin Garnett, Theo Ratliff, Michael Finley)

Biggest Bust: Shawn Respert, Portland, pick No. 9 
Second Round Steal: Eric Snow, Milwaukee, pick No. 43
Winning Team (in the long run): Boston (Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace)
Career Scoring Leader: Kevin Garnett
Career Rebounding Leader: Kevin Garnett
Career Assist Leader: Damon Stoudamire

Pick No. 1 | Golden State Warriors
Actual Selection: Joe Smith
Draft 365 Remix: Kevin Garnett (5)

The greatest power forward of all-time? Not quite, but Kevin Garnett is definitely in the discussion with Duncan, Malone, Barkley, Pettit et al. A 12-time All-Star, ninRasheed Wallacee-time All-NBA team member, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, 10 All-Defensive team appearances, NBA champion — KG’s resume can go head-to-head with any player’s in the history of the game.

Pick No. 2 | Los Angeles Clippers
Actual Selection: Antonio McDyess
Draft 365 Remix: Rasheed Wallace (4)

Rasheed Wallace in the Hall of Fame? Probably not going to happen, but the man has had a fabulous career. Once he makes 18 more three-pointers he will join Cliff Robinson as the only members of the 1000-point, 1000-block club. He’s also proven that he can be a key contributor to a championship team. Yet, critics expect more out of him due to all the talent that he possesses. That is the cross you must bear when you are one of the most uniquely talented big men to ever play the game.

Pick No. 3 | Philadelphia 76ers
Actual Selection: Jerry Stackhouse
Draft 365 Remix: Michael Finley (21)

Michael Finley is one of those players who sort of flew under the radar during his career. Sure, he made two All-Star teams, but for five-straight years in Dallas he was good for 20-5-5, numbers that usually give a player entry into the “superstar” category.

Pick No. 4 | Washington Bullets
Actual Selection: Rasheed Wallace
Draft 365 Remix: Antonio McDyess (2)

Antonio McDyess’ career can easily be broken down into two parts: pre- and post-knee injury. Before he blew his knee out, he was an explosive, powerful player capable of 20 and 10 on the regular. After the injury, he has become a very dependable, yet pedestrian, role playing big man.

Pick No. 5 | Minnesota TimberwolvesJerry Stackhouse
Actual Selection: Kevin Garnett
Draft 365 Remix: Jerry Stackhouse (3)

Once dubbed “The Next Jordan,” Jerry Stackhouse never turned into much more than a high-scoring gunner. His ’00-01 season in Detroit pretty much summarized his career – he led the League in field goal attempts, free throws made, turnovers and point scored.

Pick No. 6 | Vancouver Grizzlies
Actual Selection: Bryant Reeves
Draft 365 Remix: Theo Ratliff (18)

The most amazing thing about Theo Ratliff’s career is not his All-Star appearance, or his multiple All-Defensive team selections or the fact that he led the NBA in blocks per game three times. No, the most amazing fact about Ratliff’s long career is, despite the NBA only having a 82-game schedule, Ratliff appeared in 85 regular season games in ’03-04.

Pick No. 7 | Toronto Raptors
Actual Selection: Damon Stoudamire
Draft 365 Remix: Damon Stoudamire (7)

This is the point in the 1995 Draft proceedings, which took place in Toronto, where the expansion Raptors fans filled the cavernous SkyDome with thunderous boos. The crowd wanted the Dinos to take Ed O’Bannon with pick No. 7. So when Damon Stoudemire’s name was called, they went ballistic. There’s a reason fans are fans and GMs are GMs.

Pick No. 8 | Portland Trailblazers
Actual Selection: Shawn Respert
Draft 365 Remix: Joe Smith (1)

Joe Smith actually has had a career that perfectly suits his name — plain, nothing out of the ordinary, solid. Meanwhile, Shawn Respert steals the biggest bust crown from off of Big Country Reeves head due to having a worse career, both in terms of length and quality of play.

Pick No. 9 | New Jersey Nets
Actual Selection: Ed O’Bannon
Draft 365 Remix: Kurt Thomas (10)

After leading the nation in scoring and rebounding at Texas Christian, much was expected out of Kurt Thomas in the pros. While he’s never been a star, he is still a solid, no nonsense big man with the scariest eyes in the League.

Pick No. 10 | Miami Heat
Actual Selection: Kurt Thomas
Draft 365 Remix: Brent Barry (15)

None of Rick Barry’s basketball-playing brood were able to top their dad’s accomplishments on the court, but Brent Barry came the closest. Probably best known for winning the 1996 Dunk Contest, Barry has had a solid career as a three-point bomber and dependable ball-handler.

Barely missed the Top 10 Remix: Corliss Williamson, Eric Snow, Bob Sura, Travis Best.

Next on the Remix: The best bad-shooting guard of all-time enters the League.

Read more of Jeff Fox at The Hoops Manifesto.

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  • Jukai Posted: Sep.25 at 2:00 pm
    Man. This draft sucks. I never realized that.

  • Ryne Nelson Posted: Sep.25 at 2:02 pm
    Jeff, I agree with the Remix, and I’d like to address your Garnett question… I truly believe KG entering the L from high school is overblown. Kobe would have done it the next year even if Garnett went to college, prep school or elsewhere. Sure KG’s credited for being the watershed draft pick, but there’s no doubt in my mind that, even if he stayed out of this draft, we’d still see the eventual HS overload of the early millennium.

  • Ryne Nelson Posted: Sep.25 at 2:09 pm
    Injuries docked the class big-time, but KG still makes it respectable, Jukai. Oh, and Sheed will be in the Hall when all is said and done.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.25 at 2:13 pm
    People forget just how good McDyess was before his injury. Man, he’s like a completely different player now.

  • niQ Posted: Sep.25 at 2:17 pm
    Before I read anything, I just have to say that picture of KG looks really lame.

  • niQ Posted: Sep.25 at 2:24 pm
    Ratliff appeared in 85 regular season games in ‘03-04…………How did that happen?

  • niQ Posted: Sep.25 at 2:30 pm
    Also, Mighty Mouse was dope back then. But amazingly, his only good (and best) seasons were in Toronto. Should’ve just stayed and waited for T-mac and VC.

  • Pic Posted: Sep.25 at 2:30 pm
    sheed NEEDS to be in the hall just so everybody can have the treat of listening to his speech

  • la huey Posted: Sep.25 at 2:59 pm
    @Pic, ‘Sheed would prolly just take to the podium and glare at the presenter until he was asked to leave

  • Moose Posted: Sep.25 at 3:12 pm
    . . . and I was born shortly thereafter.

  • JoeMaMa Posted: Sep.25 at 3:12 pm
    A note on Shawn Respert, which some may know:
    He didn’t live up to his potential, but look at the fact that towards the end of a poor rookie season, he found out he had stomach cancer. That he played through. Which caused rapid weight loss, from intensive radiation therapy. Most guys would’ve retired, but he didn’t even tell anyone!!! That’s HEART!
    That’ll seriously derail your career, especially in one that relies upon peak physical performance.
    Jeff, how could you put him as the biggest bust in light of that fact, especially with Ed O’Bannon in the draft?! Even without Respert’s health troubles I would’ve put O’Bannon in that slot!

  • Jeff Fox Posted: Sep.25 at 3:44 pm
    I either didn’t know or forgot about Respert’s health problems. Ratliff played 85 games due to a mid-season trade – 53 games with Atlanta, 32 with Portland.

  • [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jeff Fox and NBA Gossip . NBA Gossip said: 1995 NBA Draft Remix: Separating The Kid from the men. http://bit.ly/30yXSq [...]

  • Allenp Posted: Sep.25 at 4:12 pm
    Damn, I never heard that about Respert.

  • Wayno Posted: Sep.25 at 5:34 pm
    Stack and Dyess were both awesome players before they got hurt. Stack put up almost 30pph in the 00-01 season and Dyess was one of the most exciting PF’s in the game.

  • Brian Posted: Sep.25 at 5:56 pm
    I sick of these prima donna athletes using stomach cancer as an excuse.

  • YKnot Posted: Sep.25 at 5:58 pm
    Wish my boy Travis Best made it higher. Respert and Snow were the ish in college.

  • tealish Posted: Sep.25 at 6:15 pm
    “Rasheed Wallace in the Hall of Fame? Probably not”
    No, Jeff…the answer to that question is a resounding Hell Naw. To my memory, Rasheed Wallace is THE most consistently overrated player of all time.
    His career averages are 15/6.9
    His playoff numbers are even lower.
    He has never, not once, grabbed more than 8.2 rebs a game.
    I guess the 1000/1000 stat is an amusing stat to hold onto, but there’s a reason why you don’t see any great players, any HOFers, get that.

  • J-Ro Posted: Sep.25 at 6:39 pm
    Jeff, if KG would have gone to college for one year, then entered the NBA in 96′,and still had his stellar career, where would he rank in the 96 remix?

  • SEALion Posted: Sep.25 at 6:43 pm
    Rasheed busts Tim Duncan’s @$$ all the time, since their college days matter of fact. Respert used to shoot the lights out with that big elbow pad on at Mich St. I remember Calbert Cheaney balled in college like hell, and so did Lou Roe, but I would have to say Ed O’Bannon probably was the biggest “bust”. In college he was VERY good, like JaRon Rush’s game on steroids x 30.

  • jdn41 Posted: Sep.25 at 6:53 pm
    well since kg had a bad year last year and one year is suppose to ruin your career id put him somewhere between 7-9

  • Jeff Fox Posted: Sep.25 at 8:57 pm
    J-Ro – I’d put KG right behind Kobe in the 96 remix, ahead of Iverson.

  • Dave Posted: Sep.25 at 10:35 pm
    Man, people are always down on Ed O’Bannon. You have to remember his knee was so bad it was replaced with one taken FROM A DEAD MAN.
    Seriously. Dude has a zombie knee. Cut him some slack.

  • Gerard Himself Posted: Sep.25 at 10:56 pm
    The Ratliff stat, I love things like that – 85 games. I believe that Finley played in 83 games once. Of course I understand how it happened, but since it doesn’t happen quite often, it’s funny to me.

  • SEALion Posted: Sep.26 at 12:02 am
    OK then DAVE, what about Charles O’Bannon?

  • Enigmatic Posted: Sep.26 at 2:40 am
    This was the draft where my Bulls could’ve take Michael Finley with the 20th pick. He was still on the board, all the Bulls fans wanted him, he was a hometown-dude. But Jerry Krause instead chose Jason Caffey because he felt Finley would be too distracted playing in his hometown. Way to go, Crumbs. Thank God you weren’t the GM for the 2008 draft.

  • Enigmatic Posted: Sep.26 at 2:44 am
    Side note – sure, the Bulls turned out pretty good in the 95-96 season (if having the greatest NBA regular season record of all time and winning it all fits your definition of “pretty good”) but it still would’ve been nice to have Michael Finley on our squad, learning from that other Michael and Scottie, and maybe we could’ve had a nice little building block when the Bulls were broken up after the ’98 season. Assuming Krause wouldn’t have also gotten rid of Finley….I hate you, Crumbs.

  • Z Posted: Sep.26 at 2:49 am
    Oh HELL NAW. KG could NEVER carry a team to the finals by himself. There’s no way he’s ahead of AI, and I like KG. The problem with KG is that TD played in the same era as he did and is better than him in absolutely every facet of the game. He’s still HOF and transcendant and all that, though / If Sheed gets in the HOF, than the HOF is a joke. He has Juwan Howard’s numbers for god’s sake! And I don’t ever remember saying “wow, sheed stepped up in the clutch”, even when they won it all. I actually remember him more for messing things up and disappearing in the clutch vs LA when he was in POR. And last year’s efforts vs the Cavs? 6 and 6. That’s your HOF? Word.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.26 at 3:08 am
    Z: I’ll take KG anyday over Iverson. KG will do what it takes to win. Iverson will do what it takes to play like Allen Iverson.

  • Oli Posted: Sep.26 at 3:52 am
    @Jukai: is thit the reason that KG never went further than the first round until 03/04? seriously, i’d take kg over iverson also. but it’s close

  • davidR Posted: Sep.26 at 5:03 am
    gotta agree with oli. i know kg played in the west all those years, but his wolves never succeeded in the playoffs, despite his efforts. meanwhile, iverson’s sixers at least made it to the finals. of course, kg has a ring as a celtic though, so there’s also that.

  • David Posted: Sep.26 at 5:22 am
    Wayno – is that points per hour? ;) Jeff – any comment on Sports Illustrated’s review of the 2004 draft, complete with ‘how would they be picked now’ remixing? And I agree that O’Bannon was a bigger bust. Those brothers had so much hype before hitting the league and I can’t recall either of them sticking around for more than one or two seasons.

  • Wayno Posted: Sep.26 at 10:19 am
    So you’re telling me that if KG was leading a team in the WEAK AS H3LL east in 01, he wouldn’t have had a shot at the finals? Be serious now…He had to play in the same conference as Shaq and Tim Duncan, I think that’s a valid excuse to not win until he came to Boston. KG > AI 12 days a week.

  • Wayno Posted: Sep.26 at 10:20 am
    and co-sign Jukai @ 3:08.

  • Dave Posted: Sep.26 at 11:31 am
    @SEALion: Dude’s game was that of a dead man’s. Ha! Seriously, though, what point are you trying to make? You can’t judge Ed by Charles.

  • Dave Posted: Sep.26 at 11:35 am
    @Enigmatic – I’m pretty sure I saw a clip of Air and Finley going one-on-one when Finley was in HS, after he won some kind of competition for an afternoon with Jordan. I remember them playing a ridiculous game of horse, popping shots off the top of the backboard and the like. At the end of the clip they shake and Jordan says “Maybe see you in the NBA one day.” The idea the Bulls could have picked him at #20 made me think of that.
    Still, him seeing daylight behind Harper and Jordan was slim.

  • Z Posted: Sep.26 at 1:28 pm
    kg can’t carry a team on his back, fact. he can’t give you buckets after buckets in the clutch. he wouldn’t have done anything with the 01 sixers, he can’t score enough to be the main offensive guy of a contender. he didn’t do anything in minny until spree and cassell got there and he was more than happy to take a backseat to them in crunchtime. give the ball to kg on the block with less than 2 minutes to play and you’re getting a turnaround fadeaway j on the baseline. so yeah, AI > KG because AI gave you a fighting chance to contend even on a whack team. KG? you had to find excuses about why he was always out in the 1st round.

  • Wayno Posted: Sep.26 at 2:14 pm
    If AI had that Sixers team in the West he wouldn’t have gotten out of the first round either Z…hell, they’d be lucky to be a playoff team in the West, that’s how much better the west was during that time.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.26 at 5:20 pm
    Holy crap, are you guys joking? KG -has- a ring. KG is the only reason that team has a ring, because both Pierce AND Allen played so god damn awful in the first two rounds, and KG was the only constant. Yes, Pierce was the Finals MVP, but KG was the playoffs MVP by a LARGE margin.
    Allen Iverson doesn’t have a ring. No ring.
    And -JUST TO POINT IT OUT- Iverson never got out of the first round of the playoffs in the West either. Just reminding you.

  • Anony Mous Posted: Sep.26 at 5:28 pm
    KG is my idol. Guy works hard and shows his passion… In my opinion it’s a good thing he lets others take clutch shots, cause he knows that it gives the team a better ‘shot’(pun.. haha..) at winning. It shows his confidence in team play. He’s the reason the Celt’s play good D. Dude is top 4 best PF ever. You can’t really say Iverson is one of the 4 best SG ever.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.26 at 5:28 pm
    I mean, this is insane, KG has had just as much success in the post-season as Iverson has had. Iverson has played 71 games in the post season, losing in the first round many, many times. KG has had 73.
    KG averaged 21.6, 12.4, 4.4, 1.3, 1.6 to Iverson’s 29.7, 3.8, 6, 2, and 0. Iverson doesn’t exactly blow KG’s playoff accomplishments away.
    And yes, KG isn’t terribly effective in the clutch. If an NBA game was 24 seconds long, I’d take Iverson every day. Since an NBA game is 48 minutes, give me KG for my team, thanks.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.26 at 5:53 pm
    I really think this is why I bash Iverson so much. I listed the dude as the fourth/fifth best shooting guard of all time… and yet the dude is STILL overrated. Yes, getting to the NBA Finals with that god awful team is an amazing accomplishment, but it’s not Jordanesque. Look at who he had to go through!!!
    Phili beat out the Indian Pacers, lead by “super-star” Jalen Rose, and co-led by a 35-year-old immobile Reggie Miller and Jermaine O’Neal pre any type of offensive moves. The next best players were Travis Best and Austin Croshere.
    Then, they beat the massively overrated Toronto Raptors in a SEVEN GAME SERIES (!!!). The ONLY PLAYER THAT TEAM HAD WAS VINCE CARTER! Really! That series was Vince vs Iverson! The next best players on Toronto were ALVIN WILLIAMS AND ANTONIO DAVIS (the latter whom was having a blowout season with 13 points a game!). The team also featured the zombie bones of Charles Oakley and Morris “I made Kobe have a bad shooting night once in my life” Peterson. The only reason that the Raptors went anywhere as far as they did was because they were such an amazing rebounding team… so when they missed all their shots, they’d grab the rebound and get a second chance to miss all their shots. Fantastic, very talented.
    The final team Iverson had to go through to get to the Finals was the Bucks, whom ALSO took seven games (!!!). Who was on that team? Ray Allen. Yeah, that’s really it, much like Vince and AI, he was leading his team doing everything. Sam-I-Am provided SOME support for that team, and there was Glenn “Shoot first ask questions later” Robinson, who only scored (at times, he could also give you turnovers). If memory serves me, the only other notable members were Tim Thomas, Jason Caffrey, and “the other” Ervin Johnson. The Bucks also had Alston, Pryzbilla, and Redd, and together I think they averaged slightly over 700 minutes. For the entire reason and playoffs.
    So yes, it’s a miracle that Iverson got to the Finals by himself. But the teams he beat would not have made the PLAYOFFS in the West. He beat terrible teams.
    So let that accomplishment be buried.
    I’m still taking KG.

  • Z Posted: Sep.26 at 7:46 pm
    Juks, replace Iverson by KG on that god awful team in the god awful East that year and they don’t go to the Finals. They just don’t. KG needs to rely on others to get buckets when it matters, for that alone he can’t be the dude that carries a team. He needs way more help. Ivey at his peak needed solid role players around him to succeed. KG needs bonafide stars.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.26 at 8:12 pm
    Z, I agree. I,d say eastern conference finals. I’ll also say that if Iverson played for the Celts, they’d win nothing

  • tealish Posted: Sep.26 at 9:57 pm
    @Z: Agreed.
    @Jukai: Also agree.
    The two players have vastly different needs. KG needs someone else to be step up in the clutch. He`s not that dude.
    AI needs guys who aren`t big time, shot-taking players. He needs good, solid role players around him. I think that`s clear now.
    However with that said, there are too many guys I’d rather have than KG taking shots in the last 5 minutes of a close game, to have him over AI. At least in my books.
    His ring with the C`s compared to Ivy`s bare fingers makes this debatable.
    But pre-2008, I`m going with Iverson all day everyday.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.26 at 10:45 pm
    Tealish: who would you rather build a team around?

  • jdn41 Posted: Sep.26 at 11:06 pm
    my how the mighty have fallen…did everyone just forget that ALLEN FREAKING IVERSON was the greatest basketball player in the league wrecking anyone in his way for like a whole decade by himself iverson was a franchise by himself period. you could get two dudes from the local y, any old ass veteran from the nba and my 75 year old grandma playing center and iverson would still take them to the playoffs.

  • Shem Posted: Sep.26 at 11:41 pm
    you really cant compare iverson and kg im sure kg is more consistent and averaged 20 13.5 6.5 1 1 during his prime but iverson was the player that was more in control and took on more of the scoring load, both great players but very different styles

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.27 at 1:28 am
    Jukai, Reggie Miller was definitely NOT immobile. He made the gamewinning buzzerbeater in Game 1 against the Sixers. Then in Game 2 he scored 33 points in the first half. The Pacers also had a young Jermaine O’Neal and an All-Star caliber player in Jalen Rose.
    The Raptors were playing the best ball the franchise had ever seen. Carter was straight on fire and they took the Sixers to 7 games.
    Bucks had one of the best big 3′s in the league at the time. Say what you want about Glenn Robinson, but he was playing well at the time. Not to mention the fact that Ray Allen was shooting the daylights out from everywhere on the court.
    No, Kevin Garnett would not have been able to beat those teams by himself. I doubt he could have even gotten past the Raptors that year if he switched places with Iverson.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.27 at 1:33 am
    Also, it really depends when you ask who you would rather build a team around. Both guys need completely different styles of teammates around them. If I were making one of them the designated MAN on the team, then I’d choose Iverson. You’ve seen how bad the Timberwolves were with just Kevin Garnett carrying them. They had a few good runs with Spree and Hudson but that quickly faded.
    I’m sure if Iverson had Ray Allen and Paul Pierce on his team, he would have sacrificed his shots (not that he didn’t sacrifice in Detroit). I mean seriously, Hamilton and Stuckey?

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.27 at 1:35 am
    Don’t get me wrong, Hamilton and Stuckey are two very good players, but by sacrifice Michael Curry meant “sit on the bench for 2/3 of the game behind guys you are clearly better than, in a system that should have changed when we traded Chauncey Billups and let B. Wallace walk.”

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.27 at 1:36 am
    Still, I’m not saying Garnett is worse than Iverson.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.27 at 1:53 am
    Although I prefer Iverson and would rank him ahead of KG in a draft remix, if KG stayed a year in college. But he didn’t, which worked out for the best, and I don’t have to.

  • Dave Posted: Sep.27 at 1:54 am
    Clearly KG is a better roleplayer than AI – after all, he got a ring as the lockdown defender and second offensive option with the C’s.
    AI got nix as second option scorer on the Nuggets (big surprise) and as second/third/first/not sure on an abortion of a team with the Pistons (big surprise).
    Both got zero as #1 banana with inferior role-players beside them.
    What else is there to discuss on the topic?

  • tealish Posted: Sep.27 at 2:07 am
    @Jukai: It depends entirely on what complementary pieces are available for the reasons previously stated. That’s not a cop-out; it’s just the way it is.
    If you’re fortunate enough to be able to select a Paul Pierce and a Ray Allen with subsequent picks after your initial “franchise building” selection, then I’d go with KG over AI.
    But that’s not how it always goes.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.27 at 4:04 am
    Teddy: Look, you’re overplaying those teams. Of course, Vince Carter and Ray Allen were on fire. They were the only people on their team.
    Lemme describe the 2000 Philidelphia 76ers in the same way you described their opponents. They were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, having a Defensive Rating 5th in the league and holding their opponents to an amazing 90 points a game. They won 56 games (!!!). Not only did they have future Hall of Famer Mount Mutombo on their team, but Bell, Lynch, and Snow are all grade A defenders (the former even made a first all defensive team). This was a strong ass defensive team. Iverson could take as many shots as he wanted since the other team rarely scored.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.27 at 4:07 am
    Dave: Iverson was the first option on the Denver Nuggets. Also, that “abortion” you’re talking about made six straight conference final appearances. That’s not Iverson’s fault, but he certainly didn’t help.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.27 at 4:08 am
    Tealish: One could possibly argue that prime-KG would fit with more teams than prime-AI… you know, if one wanted to.

  • Dave Posted: Sep.27 at 10:32 am
    @Jukai: You’re right – Iverson didn’t help the Pistons make six straight CF appearances. He was on a different team, one that didn’t get there. Thanks for backing up my point… (?!)

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.27 at 12:40 pm
    Dave: Uh, no problem.

  • Bigi Posted: Sep.27 at 1:38 pm
    Minny,bring back THOSE jerzeys!!!

  • Z Posted: Sep.27 at 2:13 pm
    Building a contender around AI in his prime was easier to do because you only need to plug in role players around the max player. Minny’s problem was always that they needed gifted scorers (i.e. very expensive players) around the guy that was making 20 mil. To me, it’s hard to justify giving 20 mil to someone and you can’t even go to him when it matters at the end of games.

  • tealish Posted: Sep.27 at 6:13 pm
    @Jukai: You’re right, KG would fit in with more teams. But those teams would still go nowhere if there wasn’t someone else to go to down the stretch.
    @Z: Yep.

  • whooo! Posted: Sep.27 at 9:04 pm
    i find the KG vs AI debate pretty interesting since i never bothered comparing em. i always felt the ONLY 2 players AI could truly succeed wit were KG and Duncan, if he wanted a ring. no other combo would have worked out for him – not kobe, Shaq… nobody else. that said, the fact that these 2 are debatable should also eliminate any question of Duncan vs KG comparison. KG’s resume can go ahead to head with anyone, but the other #21 has an even more stellar resume, even before counting rings.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.27 at 10:16 pm
    Z: What are you talking about… There were plenty of ‘role players’ around Iverson and they got to the Finals once… then either got out the first round or missed the playoffs entirely. That’s so factually incorrect, it’s aggravating. Iverson needs highly skilled defensive players, specifically in the backcourt, who can take heat off him, and needs players who 100% do not need to work with the ball to score. It’s not “role players.” It’s defensive role players who work off the ball. Humongous difference.
    Whooo!: You’d say KG is better than Malone and Barkley? How so?

  • newjersey devil Posted: Sep.27 at 11:48 pm
    wasnt shawn kemp high school 2 pros? the o’bannon boys had high expectations goin in to the league

  • Shem Posted: Sep.27 at 11:54 pm
    KG is better then barkley and malone is close but hes better then barkley because in todays day, if you start a 6’5 pf (charles barkley) not only will your pgs be close to as tall as him (most pgs are 6’3-6’4) but you will get killed off the block and completely out rebounded. KG is a better passer rebounder and scorer then barkley so i guess that makes him better?

  • whooo! Posted: Sep.28 at 1:38 am
    Jukai, i definitely think Malone is better than KG when it comes down to the all-time rankings. it’s definitely TD 1st, Malone 2nd, and then unsure how the rest would fill out.

  • whooo! Posted: Sep.28 at 1:58 am
    and Sham, i don’t agree about the Barkley vs current players thing. Kidd and Deron Williams are considered BIG pg’s, and they’re 6’4 & 6’3 respectively – that is not ‘most’ pg’s by any means (Wade is 6’4). Charle was ike 6’7 in shoes (check his jail mugshot w/ the height chart). he was extremely quick, could handle the ball, and his jumping ability and size would still allow him to board – look at how Ben Wallace has been one of the most dominant big men on defense this generation, as an undersized pf.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.28 at 3:39 am
    Shem: While I’m not SAYING I’d rather have Barkley than Garnett (Garnett is a better rebounder, passer, and defender, but it’s not even close offensively— Barkley is MUCH MUCH better), I think you’re over emphasizing Barkley’s lack of height. Dude was 6’7, I don’t know why people believe he’s smaller (mug shot pretty much proved it. Dude probably slouched when he stood so people thought he was smaller than he really was) and Barkley had hops. I do not believe the league was significantly smaller back in the 90s– maybe by an inch. However, I’d say that the league that Barkley played in was far tougher (ie you’d get smacked around more) and that should relatively negate the height/athleticism difference in eras.
    Don’t make a mistake, Barkley would obliterate if he came into the league prime today.
    I’d agree though, it’s TD, Malone, Garnett, and Barkley. I guess McHale would round up my top five.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.28 at 3:41 am
    Actually, scratch McHale and throw in Elvin Hayes.

  • Shem Posted: Sep.28 at 10:11 am
    Barkley was 6’7 with shoes, and its not just j kidd and deron williams your also forgetting jose calderon, steve nash, chauncey billups, derrick rose, stevee blake and the list goes on. Just based on career stats their pretty even barkley averaged like 2 more pts, turned the ball over more, garnett had more blocks, even at steals, garnett had more assists, barkley prob averaged a lil more boards, shot a higher % but in todays nba barkley would get killed how would barkley matchup with 7 foot gasol or varejao its like posting up a sg. Top 5 pf of all time:
    1.TD 2. Bob Petit 3. Karl Malone 4. Elvin Hayes 5. Barkley (once again KG would be better if barkley played today)

  • CDef28 Posted: Sep.28 at 11:18 am
    Man I miss the Cliff Robinson days when he was with Detroit.

  • Allenp Posted: Sep.28 at 11:29 am
    Interesting convo.
    I wish KG and AI could have played on the same team in the their primes. Perfect combo. That dummy Marbury didn’t know that he had it good.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.28 at 11:50 am
    Shem the league wasn’t THAT small in the 90′s… There’s a reason Barkley was undersized. You seriously think all Power Forwards were 6’4-6’7? Barkley is better than KG.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Sep.28 at 11:55 am
    KG is way way WAY better at defense. I don’t think you can compare. I’ve always heard Barkley was a notorious slacker on defense.
    But I don’t think KG is a better rebounder than Barkley, when you compare stats. Barkley averaged 14.6 rebounds per game his third year in the league… Basketball Reference lists him at 6’6; that’s incredible.
    Also, Barkley’s scoring was way better than KG. 28 and 12 ain’t nothing to play with.

  • a_whiteman Posted: Sep.28 at 12:40 pm
    if you put kg on that 01 sixer team with dikembe mutombo helping him out down low, they probably would have still made at least the east finals, only because they had no guard play aside from iverson. But if you put iverson on the minnesota teams kg was on and they are hard pressed to even make the playoffs, let alone do anything once they got there.

  • Shem Posted: Sep.28 at 1:36 pm
    i realize the lg wasnt that small in the 80s and 90s but today, all pfs are about 7 feet. Varejao, Gasol, Nowitzki, Bosh, Okeafor, Duncan, Jamison, KG, Amare etc. and i do think barkley is better but i still do think that if barkley played today he d have trouble posting up, wouldnt get as many boards and would be put at sg or sf let me remind you he didnt have a stellar shot or chris paul like dribbles and @ Teddy the bear yes barkley did have those numbers but career wise he averaged 22 pts, 11 boards, 3 assts, 1.5 stls while KG’s career averages were 20 pts 11 boards 4 assts 1.5 stls and 1.5 blocks OH and he has a championship.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.28 at 3:15 pm
    Shem: Why are we talking about height? Let’s talk about defensive abilities. Nowitzki, Jamison, Amare, and Bosh are all under average defenders. Barkley would have a field day with them.
    Also, to note, Garnett is averaging less and less points every year. When it is all said and done, he will have averaged less than twenty points for his career.
    What’s odd is, I’m arguing Barkley is better than you think and I think Garnett is better in the scheme of things. You’re arguing Barkley is worse than we all think and you think he’s better than Garnett. Can someone explain this?

  • Allenp Posted: Sep.28 at 3:52 pm
    Jukai
    You’re an arrogant prick who likes arguing.
    See, I explained it.
    Nah, just joking, mostly, except for the part about arguing. You do enjoy arguing.

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.28 at 9:12 pm
    Allen: I mostly blame it on my Jewish heritage. The rest is the whole “white guy growing up in Dorchester” thing.

  • Shem Posted: Sep.28 at 10:25 pm
    Okay lets clear it up, i think barkley is a better player but i do think that if barkley played today he wouldnt be so great. No barkley wouldnt have a field day on all the forwards you named because a 6’5 guy cant post up bigs it just doesnt work. VC cant postup jamison. The already bad defensive barkley would get benched or put outta position when pau gasol is posting him up every game because all he has to do is drop it in the net. It doesnt matter it ll never get answered. Kudos to sir Charles wade barkley on having a great career while being undersized

  • Jukai Posted: Sep.29 at 12:50 am
    Barkley was six seven. There are pictures: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CDiaurQzElw/SjRhMD9ymmI/AAAAAAAABPQ/DtwDX9h7mqI/s400/charles-barkley.jpg

  • jcs14 Posted: Oct.23 at 11:58 pm
    The Wolves were actually gonna draft Stackhouse even if KG was still available, thank god he went 3rd

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