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kangaeru · 06-27-2005, 04:38 PM

1995 Lottery Picks

Pick Team Selection Our choice
Skinny

Golden State (Team)
Joe Smith (Actual pick)
Kevin Garnett (ESPN Pick) The most obvious no-brainer on this whole list, even more than LeBron James. Garnett is the only superstar from a draft with several good players and few great ones, but he lasted until the fifth pick because teams were wary of drafting a player straight out of high school. Thanks to him, that fear has vanished.

L.A. Clippers
Antonio McDyess
Rasheed Wallace Yes, the attitude in Portland was a problem. But even while 'Sheed was setting technical foul records and going out of his way not to post up smaller players, he was playing great D, scoring in the high teens and shooting a good percentage from the field. It's amazing that Wallace can rank this high while not coming close to using all his potential at the offensive end.

Philadelphia
Jerry Stackhouse
Antonio McDyess This was probably the best draft for power forwards in the past 20 years, and yet the Warriors got Joe Smith at No. 1. Go figure. McDyess had a higher peak than Wallace, but it's tough to rank him ahead when he a) missed nearly three years with injuries and b) is currently Wallace's backup.

Washington
Rasheed Wallace
Michael Finley Finley vs. McDyess is a tough call because Finley has been much more durable and has two All-Star trips to Dice's one. But two things weigh in McDyess' favor: His monster 1998-99 season (when the All-Star Game was cancelled by the lockout) and the fact that, right now, McDyess is again the better player.

Minnesota
Kevin Garnett
Jerry Stackhouse An outstanding scorer in his prime, Stackhouse's 29.8 per game average in 2000-01 is easily the best of any player from this draft. However, he has little defensive value, he's had a series of leg injuries and he's a career 41 percent shooter.

Vancouver
(Memphis)
Bryant Reeves
Damon Stoudamire It's kind of shocking to see players like Garnett, Wallace and McDyess and then realize that Mighty Mouse was the Rookie of the Year from this class, believe it or not, and the man he beat out wasn't even from this draft (Arvydas Sabonis, who came in second, was drafted nine years earlier).

Toronto
Damon Stoudamire
Brent Barry He's got a dunk title and a championship ring but amazingly has never won the 3-point contest. Actually, his shot deserted him for a couple seasons in mid-career, which is why he didn't become a full-time starter until he was 30.

Portland
Shawn Respert
Joe Smith He was one of the least productive No. 1 overall picks in history, but he still turned out to be a decent player. Smith's problem was that he was too lean to bang effectively against the meatier power forwards in the NBA, and it appears scouts overestimated his athleticism.

New Jersey
Ed O'Bannon
Theo Ratliff An amazing shot-blocker who led the league three times, Ratliff somehow was All-Defense only twice – and had to settle for second team each time. He'd rate higher if he did more offensively and on the boards, but his career averages of 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds make him a one-trick pony.

Miami
Kurt Thomas
Kurt Thomas The newest member of the Suns – assuming the Phoenix-New York trade goes through – missed two of his first three seasons with ankle injuries after leading the nation in scoring and rebounding in college. As a result, he didn't become a starter until his seventh season.

Milwaukee
Gary Trent
Corliss Williamson One of the first in a series of solid drafts by Sacramento in the mid-'90s, Williamson was the pawn the Kings eventually used to trade for Doug Christie. Big Nasty has been an effective scorer at either forward spot, earning the Sixth Man Award in Detroit in 2002.

Dallas
Cherokee Parks
Bob Sura Sura has had the misfortune of playing his best for horrible teams. He had a great year off the bench for a horrible Golden State team in 2001-02 and then came from nowhere to energize a moribund Hawks club in 2003-04.

Sacramento
Corliss Williamson
Alan Henderson Henderson won the league's Most Improved Player award in 1997-98 but couldn't shake the injury bug in subsequent seasons. The injuries started right after he signed a huge contract, which is one of many reasons the Hawks declined rapidly in the late '90s.

06-27-2005, 04:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
kangaeru Crazy Location: on the road to where I want to be...	1995 Lottery Picks Pick Team Selection Our choice Skinny Golden State (Team) Joe Smith (Actual pick) Kevin Garnett (ESPN Pick) The most obvious no-brainer on this whole list, even more than LeBron James. Garnett is the only superstar from a draft with several good players and few great ones, but he lasted until the fifth pick because teams were wary of drafting a player straight out of high school. Thanks to him, that fear has vanished. L.A. Clippers Antonio McDyess Rasheed Wallace Yes, the attitude in Portland was a problem. But even while 'Sheed was setting technical foul records and going out of his way not to post up smaller players, he was playing great D, scoring in the high teens and shooting a good percentage from the field. It's amazing that Wallace can rank this high while not coming close to using all his potential at the offensive end. Philadelphia Jerry Stackhouse Antonio McDyess This was probably the best draft for power forwards in the past 20 years, and yet the Warriors got Joe Smith at No. 1. Go figure. McDyess had a higher peak than Wallace, but it's tough to rank him ahead when he a) missed nearly three years with injuries and b) is currently Wallace's backup. Washington Rasheed Wallace Michael Finley Finley vs. McDyess is a tough call because Finley has been much more durable and has two All-Star trips to Dice's one. But two things weigh in McDyess' favor: His monster 1998-99 season (when the All-Star Game was cancelled by the lockout) and the fact that, right now, McDyess is again the better player. Minnesota Kevin Garnett Jerry Stackhouse An outstanding scorer in his prime, Stackhouse's 29.8 per game average in 2000-01 is easily the best of any player from this draft. However, he has little defensive value, he's had a series of leg injuries and he's a career 41 percent shooter. Vancouver (Memphis) Bryant Reeves Damon Stoudamire It's kind of shocking to see players like Garnett, Wallace and McDyess and then realize that Mighty Mouse was the Rookie of the Year from this class, believe it or not, and the man he beat out wasn't even from this draft (Arvydas Sabonis, who came in second, was drafted nine years earlier). Toronto Damon Stoudamire Brent Barry He's got a dunk title and a championship ring but amazingly has never won the 3-point contest. Actually, his shot deserted him for a couple seasons in mid-career, which is why he didn't become a full-time starter until he was 30. Portland Shawn Respert Joe Smith He was one of the least productive No. 1 overall picks in history, but he still turned out to be a decent player. Smith's problem was that he was too lean to bang effectively against the meatier power forwards in the NBA, and it appears scouts overestimated his athleticism. New Jersey Ed O'Bannon Theo Ratliff An amazing shot-blocker who led the league three times, Ratliff somehow was All-Defense only twice – and had to settle for second team each time. He'd rate higher if he did more offensively and on the boards, but his career averages of 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds make him a one-trick pony. Miami Kurt Thomas Kurt Thomas The newest member of the Suns – assuming the Phoenix-New York trade goes through – missed two of his first three seasons with ankle injuries after leading the nation in scoring and rebounding in college. As a result, he didn't become a starter until his seventh season. Milwaukee Gary Trent Corliss Williamson One of the first in a series of solid drafts by Sacramento in the mid-'90s, Williamson was the pawn the Kings eventually used to trade for Doug Christie. Big Nasty has been an effective scorer at either forward spot, earning the Sixth Man Award in Detroit in 2002. Dallas Cherokee Parks Bob Sura Sura has had the misfortune of playing his best for horrible teams. He had a great year off the bench for a horrible Golden State team in 2001-02 and then came from nowhere to energize a moribund Hawks club in 2003-04. Sacramento Corliss Williamson Alan Henderson Henderson won the league's Most Improved Player award in 1997-98 but couldn't shake the injury bug in subsequent seasons. The injuries started right after he signed a huge contract, which is one of many reasons the Hawks declined rapidly in the late '90s.