Ranking The Ten Best NBA Drafts Of All Time

7. 1981

Hall of Famers: 1 (Isiah Thomas)

All Stars: 9 ( Tom Chambers, Mark Aguirre, Larry Nance, Rolando Blackmon, Buck Williams, Kelly Tripucka, Isiah Thomas, Danny Ainge, Steve Johnson)

Elite Starters: Orlando Woolridge (6th), Eddie Johnson (29th)

Busts: Danny Vranes (5th)

The quintessential  “winners” draft, with 7 players with multiple All Star appearances. Thomas is the lead dog with his two championships, 3 Finals, and 5 consecutive Conference Finals, but Aguirre and Blackmon led the Dallas Mavericks to a Conference Final in 1988.Chambers and Johnson anchored those entertaining Phoenix Suns teams of the late 80’s. Buck Williams was a 4 time All Star in New Jersey before settling in as an enforcer for the Portland Trailblazers who made two Finals. Danny Ainge was the 5th wheel of a Hall of Fame starting lineup with the Boston Celtics and was one of the NBA’s first great three point shooters.

6. 1970

Hall of Famers: 6 (Bob Lanier, Tiny Archibald, Pete Maravich, Dave Cowens, Calvin Murphy, Dan Issel)

All Stars:12 (Lanier, Archibald, Maravich, Murphy, Cowens, Charlie Scott, Rudy Tomjanovich, Geoff Petrie, Issel, Sam Lacey,Randy Smith, John Johnson)

Elite Starters: Jim McMillan

Busts:  Jim Ard (6th), George Johnson (10th), Jimmy Collins (11th)

On paper the 1970 draft has the most individual accolades of any draft in history. 6 of the first 7 picks made All Star teams. 6 Hall of Famers in the class, the most of any draft. 12 All Stars in a 17 team league? So why so low? 1970 marks the real beginning of the NBA-ABA wars as college stars Dan Issel and Charlie Scott bolted to the ABA, shocking the NBA. This fight for players led to a dilution of talent, that probably resulted in All Star appearances that might not have occurred in a league with a full complement of players.

Dave Cowens had the most impactful career, winning two titles with the Celtics and an MVP. Archibald was the NBA’s dominant point guard in the mid 70’s, once simultaneously leading the league in scoring and assists. He was a starter on the 1980-81 champion Boston Celtics. Bob Lanier and Pete Maravich were stellar but their teams never achieved much. In all, this collection of very good players was dwarfed in an era of Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Julius Erving.

5. 1987

Hall of Famers: 3 (David Robinson, Scottie Pippen, Reggie Miller)

All Stars: 7 (Robinson, Pippen, Miller, Mark Jackson, Kevin Johnson, Reggie Lewis, Horace Grant)

Elite Starters: Kenny Smith, Armon Gilliam, Derrick McKey

Busts: Dennis Hopson (3rd)

Robinson turned the Spurs into contenders every year, but he often struggled in the playoffs, most notably in the 1994-95 season when he won his lone MVP trophy. Pippen was the sidekick of the Bulls dynasty and was the best all around player of the 90’s. He’s the rare underrated Hall of Famer. Reggie Miller never compiled gaudy statistics but he led the Pacers to 6 Conference Finals and 1 Finals appearance. Mark Jackson retired 2nd all time in assists. Kevin Johnson was having a Hall of Fame worthy career before injuries derailed him in the mid 90’s. Reggie Lewis was similarly  having a promising career before his tragic death in 1993.