Friday, October 2nd, 2009 at 11:57 am  |  48 responses

1994 NBA Draft Remix

A Kidd, a Big Dog and “The Next Jordan” enter the League.

by Jeff FoxJason Kidd

This draft class shoulda coulda been so much more. Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson was one of the greatest players to ever play for Purdue, a scoring and rebounding machine. Jason Kidd was schooling NBA stars on the regular back when he was still in high school. And Grant Hill was going to be “The Next Jordan.” Add to the mix college standouts such as Donyell Marshall and Juwan Howard and the 1994 draft class looked like it was going to be something special.

Things didn’t quite play out like they were supposed to, however. Other than Jason Kidd, none of the other big names really quite reached their potential in the NBA, due to injuries or other issues. But any draft class with Jason Kidd in it is still a pretty special class. That said, its no surprise who ends up no. 1 on this remix.

1994 NBA Draft

Grade: B-

All-Stars: 5 (Glenn Robinson, Jason Kidd, Grant Hill, Juwan Howard, Eddie Jones)

Biggest Bust: Sharone Wright, Philadelphia, pick No. 6 
Second Round Steal: Vashon Lenard, Milwaukee, pick No. 46
Winning Team (in the long run): New Jersey (Jason Kidd)
Career Scoring Leader: Juwan Howard
Career Rebounding Leader: Jason Kidd
Career Assist Leader: Jason Kidd

Pick No. 1 | Milwaukee Bucks
Actual Selection: Glenn Robinson
Draft 365 Remix: Jason Kidd (2)

Jason Kidd is only 202 points shy of leading this draft class in career points, assists and rebounds. And early in this upcoming season, he’ll move ahead of Mark Jackson into second place on the NBA’s all-time assists list. With nine All-Star and All-Defensive team appearances and six All-NBA selections, Kidd is truly one of the best point guards of all-time. And, surprisingly for a guy who supposedly can’t shoot, he is also top-10 all-time in threes made.

Pick No. 2 | Dallas MavericksGrant Hill
Actual Selection: Jason Kidd
Draft 365 Remix: Grant Hill (3)

Oh, what could have been. If Grant Hill hadn’t been decimated with injuries, he very well could have been No. 1 on this remix. Before his body betrayed him, Hill was a devastating player for the Pistons. Is his seven All-Star and five All-NBA appearances enough to get him in the Hall of Fame?

Pick No. 3 | Detroit Pistons
Actual Selection: Grant Hill
Draft 365 Remix: Eddie Jones (10)

Shaq might bristle at this selection, but Eddie Jones was a terrific two-way player in his heyday. The lithe wing player had his best year in 2000 with Charlotte, leading the League in steals while also putting up 20-5-5 per night. His resume also boasts three All-Star and All-Defensive Team appearances and All-NBA honors for his big 2000 season.

Pick No. 4 | Minnesota Timberwolves
Actual Selection: Donyell Marshall
Draft 365 Remix: Glenn Robinson (1)

While it is easy now to say that Milwaukee blew it by taking Glen Robinson first overall instead of Jason Kidd, you can’t really fault them for doing so. Big Dog helped them get to 2001 Eastern Conference Finals, was good for 20 and 6 a night and made two All-Star teams. And the only player to score more points while wearing a Bucks jersey is some guy named Kareem.

Pick No. 5 | Washington Bullets
Actual Selection: Juwan Howard
Draft 365 Remix: Juwan Howard (5)

Juwan Howard wouldn’t exactly be your first guess when asked who is the leading scorer from the 1994 draft class, but lo and behold, Howard’s longevity has paid off. While he has never come close to topping his second season in the NBA, when he was an All-Star and All-NBA player, he was a consistently solid player for a decade.

Pick No. 6 | Philadelphia 76ersJalen Rose
Actual Selection: Sharone Wright
Draft 365 Remix: Jalen Rose (13)

Howard’s Fab Five Michigan teammate Jalen Rose also had himself a solid, if unspectacular, NBA career. Rose is another one of those players who you are surprised to hear never made an All-Star team. But his draft night suit was All-World.

Pick No. 7 | Los Angeles Clippers
Actual Selection: Lamond Murray
Draft 365 Remix: Donyell Marshall (4)

Never a star, Donyell Marshall was still a solid player, able to knock down the three, crash the boards and block shots. And Raptors fans will never forget March 13, 2005 when Marshall went 12-19 from long-range versus Philly.

Pick No. 8 | Sacramento Kings
Actual Selection: Brian Grant
Draft 365 Remix: Brian Grant (8)

Brian Grant was a tough, solid post player capable of getting you a double-double most nights. Best known for his long dreadlocks, sadly Grant is now bravely battling Parkinson’s Disease.

Pick No. 9 | Boston Celtics
Actual Selection: Eric Montross
Draft 365 Remix: Lamond Murray (7)

The lucky recipient of most of Jason Kidd’s passes while playing for the Cal Bears, Lamond Murray found scoring in the NBA a bit more difficult. The Celtics were widely criticized for selecting Eric Montross with pick No. 9 — sometimes the critics are right.

Pick No. 10 | Los Angeles Lakers
Actual Selection: Eddie Jones
Draft 365 Remix: Wesley Person (23)

Wesley Person was a chip off the old block, as he was a long-range gunner just like his big brother Chuck (both brothers hit more than 1000 three-pointers for their careers).  Little brother led the League in threes in 1997.

Barely missed the Top 10 Remix: Aaron McKie, Voshon Lenard, Eric Piatkowski, Howard Eisley.

Next on the Remix: So Mayce, Penny and a 7-6 Mormon walk into a bar…

Read more of Jeff Fox at The Hoops Manifesto.

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  • Danny T

    first!

  • Lakets

    2ndddd

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Good remix. I think you undersold Lamond Murray a little bit. He had a couple of years where he was solid scoring the ball in New Jersey if I’m not mistaken.

  • http://slamonline.com/ Ryne Nelson

    Besides checking all the fashion through the years, it’s pretty fun watching Stern’s hair get darker.

  • JoeMaMa

    Jeff,
    A great list. If there are any flaws, and I see just one, it’s that you didn’t call Eric Piatkowski “The Polish Rifle”. A lame name like that needs to be remembered.
    Eddie Jones, Voshon, Donyell, Robinson, Person…this draft had some amazing shooters!
    And the Polish Rifle.

  • LeoneL

    When is SLAM gonna give Brian Grant some serious love? Keep on fighting big guy.

  • http://www.bulls.com Enigmatic

    Damn, I had forget all about Eric Montross.

  • http://www.hoopsvibe.com/nba/overdribbling/index276.html chiqo

    voshon lenard, made popular by the guys on nba 2night. and i’ve officially shown my age now.

  • Sparker

    thin

  • UnRel

    Good ol’ eddie jones.. he was on team jordan.. i rocked his Swift 6 shoe in high school..

  • http://www.hoopsmanifesto.com Jeff Fox

    I’ve been watching Big Dog college highlights since I wrote this article. Loved watching the guy in college – he was one of those guys who made everything look easy/nonchalant.

  • http://slamonline.com Tzvi Twersky

    Way to keep the remixes coming, Jeff. Really like them. Oh, and the link to Caputo’s Sharone Wright Q and A was perfect.

  • http://slamonline.com/ niQ

    I would’ve swapped Jalen Rose for Juwan Howard. Other than that… OMG CELTICS PICK ERIC MONTROSS FOR THEIR NINETH PICK! ITS A MONTROSSITY!!! (Sorry, no one had mentioned that nick name yet. I just had to.)

  • http://slamonline.com/ niQ

    I meant to say ninth. But even writing that, it looks weird. Ever get that feeling where a simple word looks like it shouldn’t be spelt that way?

  • http://dillanleuyahoo.com Holy Baller

    No jokes about how hot Glenn Robinson’s wife is? I’m disappointed.

  • mookie

    curious to see how the 93 draft gets remixed. does Jr Rider crack the top ten? 2nd round picks van exel and muresan? how about an undrafted player… bowen.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com Moose

    I’m done commenting on SLAM remixes because this is before I was born…

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    The fact that Jalen Rose never played in an All-Star game is a shamockery. I freaking h@te when good players are underrated. Its complete and utter bullsh!t.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    I’m a fan of both, but Jalen Rose was quite a lot better than Eddie Jones. Jalen Rose should be third in this draft remix.
    Then its a toss-up between Jones and Juwan.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    You should also give Glenn Robinson some more credit. Say what you want about the Big Dog, but he was a consistent 20 ppg player who, incidentally, maintained a CAREER average of 20.1 ppg and 6.1 rpg, while playing forward at 6’7.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Actually Jeff, you ranked him at a decent spot and pretty much said everything I just did. Nevermind haha.

  • http://sevendeu2u.wordpress.com/ seven Deuce

    Eddie Jones over Glenn Robinson? Come on now.

  • http://www.twitter.com/Th3_R3al_Chris Young Chris MP3

    Penny Hardaway had Voshawn Lenard in his back pocket during that Miami-Orlando first round series in ’97

  • http://fdsjklf.com Jukai

    I hated Glenn Robinson hardcore. Dude was a Michael Redd clone. Hog the ball, shoot as many times as you could, try to do things you can’t and turn the ball over four times a game. Sure, dude was a stone cold killer. But a team player, he wasn’t.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Dave

    I’d take Eddie Jones over Big Dog, no question.

  • burnt_chicken

    “Career Assist Leader: Jason Kidd
    Career Rebounding Leader: Jason Kidd”

    freak stat of the week, freak athlete of a lifetime.

  • SEALion

    Jalen

  • http://www.another48minutes.com Gerard Himself

    not sure if I would’ve called Rose’s career “solid”, but he had his moments with the Pacers.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ PANAGIOTIS VASILOPOULOS

    Eddie Jones is one of my all-time favorites and his opening photo on the SLAM feature on the Rodman issue is a bball classic….In his first few years with the Lakers he was a highlight waiting to happen…the thing that i loved was the way he was going for his dunks or impressive lay-ups,not with power like Lebron or Josh but gliding smoothly through the air like a young M.J. I remember a game against San Antonio (rookie or second year) when he is going for 2 dunks against the whole Spurs defense(led by the admiral) and barely misses both of them. Both attempts had a lot of young M.J in them in the sense that he just took off around the foul line in traffic without thinking about the imposibility of attempt…if any of them had gone in it would have been all-time material. I wish i had the tape of this game….there is no player in today’s NBA flying with E.J’s smoothness, only young Kobe but not as silky as E.J….HILL over KIDD easily….

  • http://riccardo_walker@yahoo.com Blackrick

    Big Dog should be #3.Eddie Jones career was solid but outside of that 2000 season he was average to me.

  • Oli

    crazy how grant hill gets drafted 3rd overall, doesn’t play for 5 years and still ends up #2 on this remix. deservedly so, nonetheless!

  • Shem

    I think Jkidd 1st and then Jalen Rose then Eddie Jonees and then Hill. Jalen Rose was solid on the Pacers and the Raptors

  • http://fdsjklf.com Jukai

    Spanny: Could you explain why you’d take Hill over Kidd? I’m at a bit of a loss. Usually you’re pretty large on durability.

  • http://www.in-n-outnba.blogspot.com Lucas

    @Oli I completely agree, Hill used to be a beast so I guess that was enough.

  • http://www2.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/ PANAGIOTIS VASILOPOULOS

    @jukai…..:Hill’s game and body movement, just the silkiness of his movement (like Eddie Jones’) are some of the things that i love in this game….getting old, Eddie’s missed dunks on the random San Antonio game( that i will propably never see again in my life) are way more precious than Kidd’s superior career numbers….seriously though i think that Hill’s peak (that wasn’t as short as Penny’s) is slightly better than Kidd’s….

  • http://fdsjklf.com Jukai

    Of course Hill’s peak was better than Kidd’s. Hill’s peak was WAY better. He just didn’t only had about four or five good seasons, and couldn’t put together wins in them.
    Hill was downright Scottie Pippen like (better offense, worse defense) when he was on. But like, if I’m choosing from a draft (which is what the draft remix is about), I’m gonna choose the guy that wont break in the near future

  • http://www.hoopsmanifesto.com Jeff Fox

    The crazy thing about this list is, more than half of the guys on it are retired and Grant Hill isn’t one of them! The Suns training staff truly is the best in the business – that is why I expect Shaq to not do as well in Cleveland as he did in Phoenix – they won’t be able to keep him healthy.

  • http://slamon-line Big D

    B- for a grade is way too high. What an ugly draft class. D+ Jason Kidd and Big Dog the only real players in this mix. Grant Hill could have been great if it wasn’t for all the bocked surgeries, but JRose and Howard were only great on the Fab5.

  • oO

    @Jeff Fox, – I do think they will keep him healthy, just look at Z, they just have a little experience.
    And for that Draft. You must admit that Kidd was the most durable, that alone has to give him the topspot. Besides that he was the co-rookie of the year.
    Who else led his team out of this draft class to the finals as the man?
    Jalen was in the finals so was Juwan Howard, Big Dog got a ring with the spurs. Eddie got his with Miami. But nobody out of this dudes lead his team to the Finals like J Kidd did with New Jersey…

  • Chris Ujma

    despite my wealth of NBA knowledge (especially from the 90′s, when I was in my teenage statistical prime) this is the second remix where I have been stunned by one of the career leaders. I guess Mighty Mouse (’95) leading assists was just a historical oversight on my part, but Juwan Howard being the leading scorer left my jaw on the floor.
    More than Kidd? Than Big Dog? So that means if Howard was a Milwaukee Buck, he would be second all time on their scoring list? Wowwwwwwwwwww

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    ^ Behind one Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, nonetheless. Juwan could ball.

  • http://www.hoopsmanifesto.com Jeff Fox

    Howard being the scoring leader of this class shocked me also when I was doing the story. It won’t last for long – Kidd only needs 202 more points to get by him then Kidd will lead in points, assists and rebounds, which is amazing.

  • Shem

    J kidds career stats are 14 pts 9 assts and 7 boards 2 stls. Grant Hills are 18 pts 5 assts 6 boards and 1 stl. Not gonna lie its pretty close but i think id rather kidd because he was good longer and will probably be in the league longer while grant hill is on the verge of retiring. I first thought that j kidd was an easy pick over hill, but grant hill averaged 20+ pts with the pistons 5 straight years (his rookie year he averaged 19.9). So his first 6 yrs he was absolutely great and then of course the injury.

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  • DDB

    Aaron McKie wasn’t better than Wesley Person???

  • L

    Love those remixes. So many great talented guys that couldn’t reach their potential..Remember the “better than Mike!” cover..Well nice try Grant..Wesley Person was part of a crazy team in Phoenix w JKidd, Kevin Johnson, Rex Chapman, Danny Manning…L

  • Willie Simmons

    What folks forget is that the year before Geroge Karl arrived the Bucks were playing well before Glenn Robinson was hurt and loss for the season. He was having his best year and averaging 23.4 a game. Like some others I feel that he wasn’t given enough credit. He was moved from the 4 to the 3 in the pros and had to learn to guard more athletic and quicker players than he did in college. As it was he was one of the best perimeter shooters the league had ever seen and shot better with a hand in his face than anybody. He made tough shots look easy. he may have come off as aloof but like Kevin Garnett said…he was too real.

  • Vince

    When was rodman drafted?

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