Drafts 1990-1995

1990

Very weak draft class this 1990 one. We get one of the best defensive point guards in league history in Gary Payton but very little after that. Another blow to the dynasty of the Bulls as Toni Kukoc is taken by the Nuggets. We have lots of dependable and reliable role players. Is that a good thing to say about a player?

Championship Builders: None

Biggest Jump: Cedric Ceballos from 48th to 7th

Pick Order. Picking Team --Player Selected ( Original position drafted)

1. Nets -- Gary Payton (2)

2. Sonics -- Derrick Coleman (1)

3. Nuggets -- Toni Kukoc (29)

4. Magic -- Kendal Gill (5)

5. Hornets -- Dennis Scott (4)

6. Twolves -- Antonio Davis (45)

7. Kings -- Cedric Ceballos (48)

8. Clippers -- Elden Campbell (27)

9. Heat -- Loy Vaught (13)

10. Hawks -- Bimbo Coles (40)

11.Warriors -- Tyrone Hill (11)

1991

Fourth straight weak year, in 4 years the biggest names selected have been Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp. Together they had like a 3 year window for the championship not exactly what would you call franchise names. In this class I’m torn between keeping Larry Johnson as the first choice and selecting Dikembe Mutombo first . LJ had a great run with the Hornets it was until he played with the Knicks that his production and value went down. His collection of injuries didn’t help him neither. In the other hand Dike was a helluva defender. He could easily be swatting a couple of shots per game right now at his 44 years old

Championship Builders: None

Biggest Jump: Rick Fox from 24^th to 7th.

Pick Order. Picking Team --Player Selected ( Original position drafted)

1. Hornets -- Larry Johnson (1)

2. Nets -- Dikembe Mutombo (4)

3. Kings -- Steve Smith (5)

4. Nuggets -- Kenny Anderson (2)

5. Heat -- Terrell Brandon (11)

6. Mavs -- Billy Owens (3)

7. Twolves -- Rick Fox (24)

8. Nuggers -- Stacey Augmon (9)

9. Hawks -- Bison Dele (10)

10. Magic -- Dale Davis (13)

11. Cavs -- Greg Anthony (11)

12. Knicks -- Luc Longley (7)

1992

Best class in the last 5 years. Not exactly a deep one but gave us two franchise centers and that’s a hard thing to find (Right, Blazers?). This class was headed by one of the top five centers of all time, Mr. Shaquille O’Neal, and one of top defenders at the center position Mr. Alonzo Mourning. Robert Horry is also in this class but not selected by the Houston Rockets, does he turns into Big Shot Rob without winning 2 rings in his first three years?

Fun fact here: 5 of these 12 picks were the original ones.

Championship Builders: Magic, Heat

Biggest Jump: P.J. Brown from 29^th to 10th.

Pick Order. Picking Team --Player Selected ( Original position drafted)

1. Magic -- Shaquille O’Neal (1)

2. Heat -- Alonzo Mourning (2)

3. Twolves -- Latrell Sprewell (24)

4. Mavs -- Jim Jackson (4)

5. Nuggets -- Robert Horry (11)

6. Bullets -- Tom Gugliotta (6)

7. Kings -- Laphonso Ellis (5)

8. Bucks -- Doug Christie (17)

9. Sixers -- Cleareance Weatherspoon (9)

10. Hawks -- P.J. Brown (29)

11. Rockets -- Anthony Peeler (15)

12. Heat -- Christian Laettner (3)

1993

For the third straight year the number one pick doesn’t change. CWebb is going to the Magic but Penny is headed to the city of brotherly love scratching the trade that got Penny in a Magic uniform. Now, who is a better fit to play alongside Shaq, Penny or CWebb? After that we got some players that had their share of 15 minutes of fame. Sam Cassell was drafted by the Mavs stripping the Rockets, for the second straight year, of a key component of their championship teams.

Championship Builders: Magic, Sixers

Biggest Jump: Nick Van Exel from 37th to 7th.

Pick Order. Picking Team --Player Selected ( Original position drafted)

1. Magic -- Chris Webber (1)

2. Sixers -- Arfenee Hardaway (3)

3. Warriors -- Allan Houston (11)

4. Mavs -- Sam Cassell (24)

5. Twolves -- Jamal Mashburn (4)

6. Bullets -- Vin Baker (8)

7. Kings -- Nick Van Exel (37)

8. Bucks -- Shawn Bradley (2)

1994

We get one future Hall of Farmer ( Kidd) and one guy that should had have a Hall of Fame career. I’m talking about Grant Hill. If you don’t remember him with the Pistons, let me tell you this guy was good! Injuries really did a number on this guy. A healthy Grant Hill would have really shift the power in the early 2000s. If he had been healthy while playing with a TMac in Orlando would had give the Magic a couple of players in the Jordan-Pippen mold. Only the Basketball Gods know if that would have worked...again…

Championship Builders: Bucks, Mavs

Biggest Jump: Jalen Rose from 13th to 3rd.

Pick Order. Picking Team --Player Selected ( Original position drafted)

1. Bucks -- Jason Kidd (2)

2. Mavs -- Grant Hill (3)

3. Pistons -- Jalen Rose (13)

4. Twolves -- Eddie Jones (10)

5. Bullets -- Glenn Robinson (1)

6. Sixers -- Juwan Howard (5)

7. Clippers --Briant Grant (8)

8. Kings -- Donyell Marshall (4)

1995

Deepest class since 1987. We have 4 quality players that could have been franchise players and two others that really had a chance (can u imagine the harm that Stoudamire would inflict on others playing with the current rules). I think at the end everything worked for the best as the selections went down in the real world. I rather had seen one good year of KG in Minessota than seeing him rotten away with the Warriors. I also have the gut feeling that Sheed enjoy being healthy in his early 20s unlike Blake Griffin, Antonio McDyess or Danny Manning. Just saying.

Championship Builders: Warriors

Biggest Jump: Michael Finley from 21^th to 3rd.

Pick Order. Picking Team --Player Selected ( Original position drafted)

1. Warriors -- Kevin Garnett (1)

2. Clippers -- Rasheed Wallace (4)

3. Sixers -- Michael Finley (21)

4. Bullets -- Antonio McDyess (2)

5. Twolves -- Jerry Stackhouse (3)

6. Grizzlies -- Damon Stoudamire (7)

7. Raptors -- Kurt Thomas (10)

8. Blazers -- Theo Ratliff (18)

9. Nets -- Joe Smith (1)