Will the 2018 NBA draft be the best ever?

[Fencer reregistered]

1960: Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, and 3 low-end HOFers.

By the way, has any team ever nailed a draft like the Celtics in 1956? There were 3 HoFers taken, and the Celtics got them all.

(Exception: Some weirdness wherein the Lakers drafted Baylor, he didn't report, and they redrafted him 2 years later at #1 overall. I'm guessing it was related to military service, but I didn't actually check.)

[Onlytimewilltel]

I’d go with 1984. Like someone else said, Hakeem, Jordan, Barkley, Stockton, thats tough to beat for top level talent.

[OkcSinceSGA]

So we have SGA and Luka who will finish 2nd and 3rd in MVP and are in a series for the WCF at 25 years old. Then Brunson is now crushing the East on his way to potentially an ECF in a completely transformed Knicks team. Brunson has lept over guys like Devin Booker IMO. MPJ is a 3rd option on a title winner. Divencenzo is a big time player in NY. Lots and lots of good to great role players. JJJ always a great player.

Is this still a crazy post by me?

[Kingdibs19]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

[OkcSinceSGA]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

It’s #2 to 1996. “Not close” is a joke. 2003 ended up being more top heavy but much less deep with high level role players than this. 1984 lol? Get the hell out. Sure Jordan and Hakeem but extremely shallow with high end talent otherwise.

[Kingdibs19]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

It’s #2 to 1996. “Not close” is a joke.

The star power in 2003 makes it not close. It has a top 2 player of all time. I know you love SGA since 2021 but him and Luka are not getting there so no it’s not even close.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

It’s #2 to 1996. “Not close” is a joke.

The star power in 2003 makes it not close. It has a top 2 player of all time. I know you love SGA but him and Luka are not getting there so no it’s not even close.

This draft is likely to turn out 5-7 hall of famers (first ballot probably if they continue on their trajectory). Luka finishes top 10 all time, SGA top 20. Brunson top 50 if he can do this another 5-7 years and make some deep runs isn’t out of the discussion. But what makes this draft special is the sheer volume of all star upside guys, HOF capable guys and high end role player starters.

I rank it 1996, 2018, 2003. Lebron/Bosh/Wade/Melo isn’t enough to offset the incredible edge in high end role players, and starters that the 2018 draft has. As it is the top end of Luka/SGA/Brunson/JJJ/Trae isn’t lagging too far behind in terms of career start.

[AleksandarN]

So we have SGA and Luka who will finish 2nd and 3rd in MVP and are in a series for the WCF at 25 years old. Then Brunson is now crushing the East on his way to potentially an ECF in a completely transformed Knicks team. Brunson has lept over guys like Devin Booker IMO. MPJ is a 3rd option on a title winner. Divencenzo is a big time player in NY. Lots and lots of good to great role players. JJJ always a great player.

Is this still a crazy post by me?

1970, 1984 and 1996 draft classes are laughing right now

[ViennaCeltic]

It’s #2 to 1996. “Not close” is a joke.

The star power in 2003 makes it not close. It has a top 2 player of all time. I know you love SGA but him and Luka are not getting there so no it’s not even close.

Dude stop. You literally threw in 1984 lol. Which has a top 2 player all time, top 10 ish in Hakeem, then mostly trash after that. I’ll give you projections.

did you start watching in 2021?
mostly trash in ´84?
or let me ask you differently - do you know who Charles Barkley and John Stockton are?

[OkcSinceSGA]

So we have SGA and Luka who will finish 2nd and 3rd in MVP and are in a series for the WCF at 25 years old. Then Brunson is now crushing the East on his way to potentially an ECF in a completely transformed Knicks team. Brunson has lept over guys like Devin Booker IMO. MPJ is a 3rd option on a title winner. Divencenzo is a big time player in NY. Lots and lots of good to great role players. JJJ always a great player.

Is this still a crazy post by me?

1970, 1984 and 1996 draft classes are laughing right now

If you’re only looking at a top 3-4 maybe. But if you look at the draft in total.. which is what I said in my OP.. 2018 is much better and deeper than 1970 and 1984.

[OkcSinceSGA]

The star power in 2003 makes it not close. It has a top 2 player of all time. I know you love SGA but him and Luka are not getting there so no it’s not even close.

Dude stop. You literally threw in 1984 lol. Which has a top 2 player all time, top 10 ish in Hakeem, then mostly trash after that. I’ll give you projections.

did you start watching in 2021?
mostly trash in ´84?
or let me ask you differently - do you know who Charles Barkley and John Stockton are?

Yes. Two great talents that never won anything meaningful. After the top 4 what argument does 1984 have? 2018 has an elite top 4-5 also (not as good) but way more depth of quality players.

[UcanUwill]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

Maybe I am stupid, bug who the hell is Walker? I dont remember Walker from this draft. Also, you have Trae too high.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Of the 60 players drafted in 2018 38 are in NBA rotations still (6 years in) and every year that they’ve been in the league.

For 1984.. 17 players had full careers. The rest mostly being out of the league within 3-5 years.

1996 had 27 guys that stuck around and weren’t out of the league in a few years or less

2003 had 30 guys that weren’t out of the league within a few years. Deeper in role players than I remember.

So yea, maybe 2018 is in the discussion for top 3. Still a historically good draft that can still move up (and has moved up a ton since 2021).

Upon further review and having forgotten initially that Barkley/Stockton were 1984 (for some reason I thought they were 82 or 83), I’d rank it

1996
2003
2018
1984

1984 is better up top, but much weaker from 5-60.

[bledredwine]

1984 Draft

Hakeem Olajuwon
Michael Jordan
Charles Barkley
John Stockton
Otis Thorpe
Sam Perkins
Kevin Willis
Michael Cage
Jerome Kersey
Alvin Robertson
Sam Bowie
Jay Humphries
Vern Fleming

Came in to double check that this was done.
It's hard to beat a top 3 center, top sg/goat, top 5 pg of all time... a top 5 PF....
2 in the top 10 and 4 total in the top 25
total of all time alongside excellent players like Thorpe who most here
probably have no idea was an all star for a year.

I knew it would be, but it never hurts to be safe.
Thanks for the 1970 mention as well, had no clue.

[OkcSinceSGA]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

Maybe I am stupid, bug who the hell is Walker? I dont remember Walker from this draft. Also, you have Trae too high.

Kemba?

[KayDee35]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

Maybe I am stupid, bug who the hell is Walker? I dont remember Walker from this draft. Also, you have Trae too high.

This guy?

[KGtabake]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

Maybe I am stupid, bug who the hell is Walker? I dont remember Walker from this draft. Also, you have Trae too high.

Kemba?

Lonnie Walker I guess.
Also DiVincenzo is top 10 on this draft. Ayton isn't.

[NY2k1]

I’ve thought it was since last year. Name just ONE draft that produced a GOAT candidate (Luka), 3 other future superstar level guys in (Trae, SGA, Ayton), multiple future all star, or high level starter guys like JJJ, Mikal Bridges, MPJ, Miles Bridges, Huerter.

Then you have about 5 other guys likely to be really good role players long term such as Divencenzo, Wendell Carter, Sexton, Walker etc.

I don’t see any argument for another draft TBH. That draft class has completely changed the future of the league for the next decade. This year Luka in the playoffs reminded people of young Jordan or Lebron. Ayton is emerging as a dominant star big in the playoffs.

Trae is dominating the playoffs. SGA took a leap to stardom this year. Everyone drafted pretty much is still playing on a team or has shown upside. Even guys like Okogie have looked really good at times.

STACKED.

Read on Twitter

Don't forget Jalen Brunson coming out of that draft class as well.

[brackdan70]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

It’s #2 to 1996. “Not close” is a joke. 2003 ended up being more top heavy but much less deep with high level role players than this. 1984 lol? Get the hell out. Sure Jordan and Hakeem but extremely shallow with high end talent otherwise.

Top 4 guys from 84 Jordan, Hakeem, Barkley Stockton. Jorden > Luka, Hakeem > SGA, Barkley > Brunson, Stockton >>>> Trae.

[Tor_Raps]

Let’s do a redraft.

1. Luka
2. SGA
3. Brunson
4. Trae Young
5. JJJ
6. Mikael Bridges
7. MPJ
8. Ayton
9. Walker
10. Miles Bridges

Great draft but not close to as good as 2003, 1996 or 1984

Maybe I am stupid, bug who the hell is Walker? I dont remember Walker from this draft. Also, you have Trae too high.

This guy?

Kemba was drafted in 2011 lol