Author Topic: Best prospects in the last 25 years  (Read 3664 times)

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Best prospects in the last 25 years
« on: January 05, 2018, 04:25:35 AM »

Offline Androslav

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My 10 (after I accidantaly deleted my inital, much more detailed post)

Lebron James
Tracy McGrady
Kevin Durant
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Kobe Bryant
Chris Webber
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Anthony Davis
Anfernee Hardaway

I meant this list not as who was hyped the most prior to NBA, or who had the best career. More in the sense of, pick a guy to start a franchise.

There are no right or wrong answers!
NOTE: Shaq is out :)
« Last Edit: January 06, 2018, 04:16:32 AM by Androslav »
"The joy of the balling under the rims."

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2018, 10:30:13 AM »

Offline droopdog7

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I think you’re doing it wrong.  How can a best prospect be picked 13th?  We need to look at the outlook BEFORE they played in the league.  To that end, clearly Lebron is at the top.  I would follow him with Oden probably, then probably Anthony Davis.  From there I would really need to think about it.  This is all assuming we’re not including Shaq, who I believe is just outside that 25 year range.  He would be second behind Lebron.

Speaking of which, I though this thread was going to be about Ayton.  As I was watching the AZ game last night, Walton called him the best prospect since Shaq.

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2018, 12:55:54 PM »

Offline Androslav

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At the right side of the players name is their actual pick, I've put it there to have as reference.
Regarding Shaq, '93 is the first/last year and Shaq was drafted as 1st in the '92.
If he was included, he would probably be 2nd to LBJ in my order as well.

Walton is eloquent, articulate, talkative, but also very liberal using some words :)
I didn't include this years prospects as the season is still young and some of them might never even see the NBA. Too many question marks, to side them beside these known greats with ease.

Here is a candle for Greg's NBA career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep8ewVzvld4
« Last Edit: January 05, 2018, 01:06:31 PM by Androslav »
"The joy of the balling under the rims."

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2018, 01:01:50 PM »

Offline Eja117

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This is an excellent question and it takes us back to the year 1992. I can't wait to do this

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2018, 01:11:45 PM »

Offline GetLucky

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I'm unsure of the criteria here, so I'll just list my top 5 players of the past 25 years that I would start a team with in the modern NBA:
LeBron
Durant
Garnett
Webber
Giannis

In that order. I love CWebb as much as anyone (he's my all-time favorite player), but Garnett's defense and switchability (as well as not-quite-as-good-but-comparable playmaking skills) gives him the edge for me. I do think that if CWebb was in his prime now, he'd be, far and away, the best big man in the league.

Random thing: I made a post about 4 years ago about how my ideal Celtics rebuild would emulate the Adelman Kings, complete with a motion offense, big men who can distribute from the high post, and rangy, interchangeable wing players who could run in transition and add excitement. Needless to say, I'm pretty happy with Brad Stevens' and Danny Ainge's vision for the team and how it is coming to fruition. I think the C's just need an elite, Webber-style 4 man to become a dynasty. I haven't seen enough of Bagley to determine if it's him. He seems a little less fluid and bouncy then Webber was at the same age.

EDIT: proof I'm not lying:
http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=73343.msg1728788#msg1728788
« Last Edit: January 05, 2018, 01:20:47 PM by GetLucky »

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2018, 01:38:27 PM »

Offline Roy H.

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This is an excellent question and it takes us back to the year 1992. I can't wait to do this

I think there have been two truly “can’t miss” prospects: Duncan and Lebron. Those two stand headand shoulders over everyone else as a prospect.

#3, based on pre-draft regard, might be Greg Oden.


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Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2018, 01:48:30 PM »

Offline Moranis

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I'm unsure of the criteria here, so I'll just list my top 5 players of the past 25 years that I would start a team with in the modern NBA:
LeBron
Durant
Garnett
Webber
Giannis

In that order. I love CWebb as much as anyone (he's my all-time favorite player), but Garnett's defense and switchability (as well as not-quite-as-good-but-comparable playmaking skills) gives him the edge for me. I do think that if CWebb was in his prime now, he'd be, far and away, the best big man in the league.

Random thing: I made a post about 4 years ago about how my ideal Celtics rebuild would emulate the Adelman Kings, complete with a motion offense, big men who can distribute from the high post, and rangy, interchangeable wing players who could run in transition and add excitement. Needless to say, I'm pretty happy with Brad Stevens' and Danny Ainge's vision for the team and how it is coming to fruition. I think the C's just need an elite, Webber-style 4 man to become a dynasty. I haven't seen enough of Bagley to determine if it's him. He seems a little less fluid and bouncy then Webber was at the same age.

EDIT: proof I'm not lying:
http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=73343.msg1728788#msg1728788
Duncan?
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #7 on: January 05, 2018, 01:59:25 PM »

Offline Moranis

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If you basically know that everyone will live up to their potential then James is obviously #1, but I don't get why Duncan wouldn't be #2 on everyone's list.  He is the greatest PF in league history and was an integral part (if not the most important part) of 5 separate title teams spanning nearly 20 years.  His teams won 50 games every single season of his career, except the 50 game season, and that includes a 66 game season.  The Spurs won 70% or better of their games 7 times during a span of 9 seasons took a 3 season respite and then reeled off 4 more 70% or better season, before a bad season of 67%, and his final season at 81.7%. 
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #8 on: January 05, 2018, 02:08:47 PM »

Offline johnnygreen

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If this list were to go back to 1992, then Shaq would clearly be #1. Don't forget, there was still some uncertainty with drafting a kid directly out of high school, as it relates to LeBron.

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2018, 02:27:22 PM »

Offline johnnygreen

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To me, this sounds like a draft of all the #1 overall picks from the past 25 years based on the criteria set forth. Off the top of my head, 1994 may be the exception, where Jason Kidd went 2nd and Grant Hill went 3rd.

Tim Duncan (1997)
LeBron James (2003)
Chris Webber (1993)
Derrick Rose (2008)
Allen Iverson (1996)
Anthony Davis (2012)
Glenn Robinson (1994)
Ben Simmons (2016)
Blake Griffin (2009)
Greg Oden (2007)

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2018, 02:47:01 PM »

Offline Androslav

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If you basically know that everyone will live up to their potential then James is obviously #1, but I don't get why Duncan wouldn't be #2 on everyone's list.  He is the greatest PF in league history and was an integral part (if not the most important part) of 5 separate title teams spanning nearly 20 years.  His teams won 50 games every single season of his career, except the 50 game season, and that includes a 66 game season.  The Spurs won 70% or better of their games 7 times during a span of 9 seasons took a 3 season respite and then reeled off 4 more 70% or better season, before a bad season of 67%, and his final season at 81.7%.

There is no right or wrong answer here and it is mostly fun driven.
I get what you are saying, we know how their career played out and order can be made more easily. But imagine this for an example:
swap Kobe and T-Mac. I know they are different draft classes, but stay with me.

T-Mac gets to LA, Shaq is there already molesting the whole league - 3 titles, boom, they don't fight like cat and mouse - boom 5 titles. T-Mamba mentality, best wing since Jordan...
Meanwhile Kobe is in Toronto, gets to a lesser basketball environment and no Diesel there of course. Team results are lacking in his first 4/5 years, maybe an All-star game or two, probably not as east had some shoe-ins at his position. He is having his own ideas of how things should be run, gets into a dispute with management (sounds familiar), trade happens and it all goes in a much different direction.

Or what if Duncan didn't have Pop by his side? Would he still be great? Yea, sure. 5 titles through 2 decades on one team? Not that probable. Pop gave him a huge boost and stability, perhaps more than any other coach would. What if he went to the worse medical staff in the league? Or if he is being coached by a guy that "logically" thinks he should always play 42 MPG as he is the best player on the floor? You want your best players on the floor.

There are million roads. Ping pong ball here, ping pong ball there - history would rewrite careers easily.
"The joy of the balling under the rims."

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #11 on: January 05, 2018, 03:09:29 PM »

Offline johnnygreen

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When voting for something like this, I think a posters age has an effect on the results. For instance, how could someone understand the hype around Tim Duncan, if they were only 5 years old at the time of the 1997 draft? I just turned 43 yesterday, and this 25 year window feels like it is right in my wheelhouse.

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2018, 03:11:46 PM »

Offline Androslav

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I'm unsure of the criteria here, so I'll just list my top 5 players of the past 25 years that I would start a team with in the modern NBA:
LeBron
Durant
Garnett
Webber
Giannis

In that order. I love CWebb as much as anyone (he's my all-time favorite player), but Garnett's defense and switchability (as well as not-quite-as-good-but-comparable playmaking skills) gives him the edge for me. I do think that if CWebb was in his prime now, he'd be, far and away, the best big man in the league.

Random thing: I made a post about 4 years ago about how my ideal Celtics rebuild would emulate the Adelman Kings, complete with a motion offense, big men who can distribute from the high post, and rangy, interchangeable wing players who could run in transition and add excitement. Needless to say, I'm pretty happy with Brad Stevens' and Danny Ainge's vision for the team and how it is coming to fruition. I think the C's just need an elite, Webber-style 4 man to become a dynasty. I haven't seen enough of Bagley to determine if it's him. He seems a little less fluid and bouncy then Webber was at the same age.

EDIT: proof I'm not lying:
http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=73343.msg1728788#msg1728788
You pretty much got your wish fullfilled :)
And then some more.

I liked Adelman too, especially during that Sacramento run.
However, I do resent him just one (but HUGE) thing. And that is benching my childhood idol Dražen "Amadeus" Petrović and treating him like some 3rd class merchandise. It was/is a crime against art to me. He left Mozart without a piano (read minutes).
Joking aside, other than that I like him, he bacame much more creative after that.
"The joy of the balling under the rims."

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2018, 03:20:07 PM »

Offline Moranis

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If you basically know that everyone will live up to their potential then James is obviously #1, but I don't get why Duncan wouldn't be #2 on everyone's list.  He is the greatest PF in league history and was an integral part (if not the most important part) of 5 separate title teams spanning nearly 20 years.  His teams won 50 games every single season of his career, except the 50 game season, and that includes a 66 game season.  The Spurs won 70% or better of their games 7 times during a span of 9 seasons took a 3 season respite and then reeled off 4 more 70% or better season, before a bad season of 67%, and his final season at 81.7%.

There is no right or wrong answer here and it is mostly fun driven.
I get what you are saying, we know how their career played out and order can be made more easily. But imagine this for an example:
swap Kobe and T-Mac. I know they are different draft classes, but stay with me.

T-Mac gets to LA, Shaq is there already molesting the whole league - 3 titles, boom, they don't fight like cat and mouse - boom 5 titles. T-Mamba mentality, best wing since Jordan...
Meanwhile Kobe is in Toronto, gets to a lesser basketball environment and no Diesel there of course. Team results are lacking in his first 4/5 years, maybe an All-star game or two, probably not as east had some shoe-ins at his position. He is having his own ideas of how things should be run, gets into a dispute with management (sounds familiar), trade happens and it all goes in a much different direction.

Or what if Duncan didn't have Pop by his side? Would he still be great? Yea, sure. 5 titles through 2 decades on one team? Not that probable. Pop gave him a huge boost and stability, perhaps more than any other coach would. What if he went to the worse medical staff in the league? Or if he is being coached by a guy that "logically" thinks he should always play 42 MPG as he is the best player on the floor? You want your best players on the floor.

There are million roads. Ping pong ball here, ping pong ball there - history would rewrite careers easily.
You can't just say boom 5 titles.  Shaq faded pretty quickly in Miami and I don't really think the Lakers win the 99-00 with TMac instead of Kobe on that team.  So the Lakers might in fact have won less titles.

of course, I really have no idea what this has to do with your question.  McGrady was no where near a top flight prospect entering the league, and his career wouldn't put him ahead of Bryant (or any other number of players). 
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: Best prospects in the last 25 years
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2018, 03:22:42 PM »

Offline Androslav

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I overwrote my inital post by accident. Bravo me  :-[
I sure wish some had quoted it.
Any moderator to perform a miracle?
« Last Edit: January 05, 2018, 03:30:09 PM by Androslav »
"The joy of the balling under the rims."