Effective centers were still very scarce at that time. Functional rim protection was a huge commodity and the league still allowed the traditional "enforcer" big man to exist. It's easy now to look at someone like Cherokee Parks at 12 and shake your head, but the era and style of play was simply different. Back then it was much easier for the refs to basically horse**** you on calls to extend series/keep games close/drive ratings/protect star players. What is said very little about the modern pace and space era is that the three point shot wasn't just an efficient shot, but it took refs out of the equation. You can phantom call contact or ignore it when back to the basket play was still common. It's just too hard for refs to **** you on a three point shot.

This was the last remnants of the Fab Five. Ray Jackson never got drafted and never played in the league. Jimmy King at least played a couple of seasons.

The really interesting story to me is Greg Ostertag. Finding a valuable center that late in that era was pretty damn hard. If he actually gave a **** and worked relentlessly, I still believe the Jazz would have gotten at least one ring. But he didn't give a ****. If he had a work ethic and displayed that all through his career and pre NBA, I think he could have been a late lottery pick given the era. This was a tough time for the league in that lots of big men knew they could stop giving a **** and get paid because there was such a shortage of them and no one to replace them.

On Kevin Garnett, the story that never seems to die is not the fight that nearly derailed him but how Farragut basically violated every ethical standard possible to get Kevin Garnett to graduate and appear to be college capable. The joke used to be look at the parking lot, find the teacher with the new car his salary can't afford and now you know who has Garnett as a student. So there's sports IQ, there's street smarts and then there are book smarts. In terms of book smarts, Garnett was the kind of guy who would sit on the TV and watch the couch. And thus never playing college ball was a major impact on his draft position. That Garnett was partially a defacto GM of the TWolves is hilarious in a painful way. I want Marko Jaric! I want Troy Hudson! Wait! Why can't I get any help on this team?

This was also an era when internet, cell phones and social media were not considered basic life necessities.

I remember when Juwan Howard got into the league and together with Jason Kidd became "Team Valtrex" Guys in OTHER SPORTS were told not to **** the basic road beef in Dallas because Kidd had carpet bombed the city. The Genghis Khan Of Simplex 2 tore through every city he called home. This might the only time in my life I could say I felt sorry for anyone in ****ing New Jersey. If social media existed back then like today, a lot of these old heroes would be completely horse ****ed.

Damon Stoudamire was sort of interesting in that for all of Zeke's failures, he actually wasn't a half bad drafter. He screwed up everything else though.

Matt Maloney IIRC had one of the highest Q ratings of a non drafted player ever. He became a last gasp starter for the Rockets after they gutted themselves to trade for Barkley. Women just liked to look at the guy. Barkley being Chuck would say, "I saw this guy naked in the shower and I don't see the big deal"

As for a redraft. Given what we know now, the top three picks would be Garnett, Rasheed Wallace then Michael Finley/Damon Stoudamire. Rick Brunson would probably be taken early 2nd round. Brunson was one of the hardest working players the league had ever seen. Proof that sometimes willpower overcomes lack of talent.

If this draft was in today's environment, John Amaechi would have been drafted in the 2nd round. David Stern wouldn't want the backlash from the perception that the league was going to bury him. While the public did not know back then, the entire league knew. Whatever they say in public, they all knew. No secrets in professional sports.

TripleThreat wrote:For context, part of the Joe Smith selection was the Latrell Sprewell choking incident. The Warriors wanted a clean cut player as a response to the situation.

Effective centers were still very scarce at that time. Functional rim protection was a huge commodity and the league still allowed the traditional "enforcer" big man to exist. It's easy now to look at someone like Cherokee Parks at 12 and shake your head, but the era and style of play was simply different. Back then it was much easier for the refs to basically horse**** you on calls to extend series/keep games close/drive ratings/protect star players. What is said very little about the modern pace and space era is that the three point shot wasn't just an efficient shot, but it took refs out of the equation. You can phantom call contact or ignore it when back to the basket play was still common. It's just too hard for refs to **** you on a three point shot.

This was the last remnants of the Fab Five. Ray Jackson never got drafted and never played in the league. Jimmy King at least played a couple of seasons.

The really interesting story to me is Greg Ostertag. Finding a valuable center that late in that era was pretty damn hard. If he actually gave a **** and worked relentlessly, I still believe the Jazz would have gotten at least one ring. But he didn't give a ****. If he had a work ethic and displayed that all through his career and pre NBA, I think he could have been a late lottery pick given the era. This was a tough time for the league in that lots of big men knew they could stop giving a **** and get paid because there was such a shortage of them and no one to replace them.

On Kevin Garnett, the story that never seems to die is not the fight that nearly derailed him but how Farragut basically violated every ethical standard possible to get Kevin Garnett to graduate and appear to be college capable. The joke used to be look at the parking lot, find the teacher with the new car his salary can't afford and now you know who has Garnett as a student. So there's sports IQ, there's street smarts and then there are book smarts. In terms of book smarts, Garnett was the kind of guy who would sit on the TV and watch the couch. And thus never playing college ball was a major impact on his draft position. That Garnett was partially a defacto GM of the TWolves is hilarious in a painful way. I want Marko Jaric! I want Troy Hudson! Wait! Why can't I get any help on this team?

This was also an era when internet, cell phones and social media were not considered basic life necessities.

I remember when Juwan Howard got into the league and together with Jason Kidd became "Team Valtrex" Guys in OTHER SPORTS were told not to **** the basic road beef in Dallas because Kidd had carpet bombed the city. The Genghis Khan Of Simplex 2 tore through every city he called home. This might the only time in my life I could say I felt sorry for anyone in ****ing New Jersey. If social media existed back then like today, a lot of these old heroes would be completely horse ****ed.

Damon Stoudamire was sort of interesting in that for all of Zeke's failures, he actually wasn't a half bad drafter. He screwed up everything else though.

Matt Maloney IIRC had one of the highest Q ratings of a non drafted player ever. He became a last gasp starter for the Rockets after they gutted themselves to trade for Barkley. Women just liked to look at the guy. Barkley being Chuck would say, "I saw this guy naked in the shower and I don't see the big deal"

As for a redraft. Given what we know now, the top three picks would be Garnett, Rasheed Wallace then Michael Finley/Damon Stoudamire. Rick Brunson would probably be taken early 2nd round. Brunson was one of the hardest working players the league had ever seen. Proof that sometimes willpower overcomes lack of talent.

If this draft was in today's environment, John Amaechi would have been drafted in the 2nd round. David Stern wouldn't want the backlash from the perception that the league was going to bury him. While the public did not know back then, the entire league knew. Whatever they say in public, they all knew. No secrets in professional sports.

Even in that context, the Parks pick was horrible. Grant Hill hated him and he had a terrible reputation for partying and not giving a eff. Bigger character risk that Boogie Cousins. I think I go Finley over over Dame 1.0. Stoudamire's offensive game wouldn't gone another level today, but his lack of switch abilities on defensive would be headache. Finley was the quintessential 3&D wing and you could plug him all over the court. It's close though. The other draft slots are pretty paint by numbers.