David Schoenfield Grades Every NBA Draft...I Grade His Grades

When I found the David Schoenfield article on realigning the divisions in MLB, I also found an archive of other articles he has written that I would have usually covered here. I don't like to go too far into the past to get material for posts here, but when I was doing a search for David Schoenfield to see if he was from Canada or not, I ran into this column where he grades every NBA Draft since the lottery began and lists how the Top 10 would look if done again today. Naturally, I have a few issues with how he re-grades the Top 10 and how he grades each draft year based on the players taken. This list doesn't include the 2009 draft since it is really too early to tell and the actual draft had not happened yet when Schoenfield originally wrote this article.

By the way, I love evaluating NBA Drafts. I used to re-draft entire NBA Drafts from Pick #1 to the end of the draft when I was young. I had very few friends obviously.

How did we get here? Contrary to the beliefs of conspiracy theorists, the lottery system was not created to steer Patrick Ewing to the Knicks, who had gone 24-58 in the 1984-85 season. In fact, the system was voted in after the 1983-84 season (in which the Knicks had won 47 games and reached the conference semifinals) in reaction to the perception that the Houston Rockets had tanked down the stretch.

Of course as NBA teams have evolved through the years they don't even care that there is a lottery and they may not get the #1, #2, or #3 pick if the team stinks...teams will still tank. At least if a team is going to tank, make sure it is for the purpose of getting a good player.

The Hawks missed the playoffs but didn't win the lottery. They drew the No. 5 pick and bypassed future All-Stars such as Karl Malone, Chris Mullin and Joe Dumars to draft the forgettable Jon Koncak (4.5 points per game in his career). The Clippers, predictably, didn't win the lottery either. Drafting third, they made a pick that would pretty much define the next two-plus decades of the franchise: Benoit Benjamin, a big man of immense talent, but best remembered for once trying to enter a game wearing two left shoes.

In Benoit Benjamin's defense he wasn't that terrible of a pick by the Clippers. Yes, there were terrible players but Benjamin played in the NBA until 2000 and he wasn't all that bad when he did play for the Clippers.

1985 DRAFT IN REVIEW

The first lottery proved to be one of the best, with three future members of the original Dream Team (Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin, Karl Malone), quality All-Stars like Joe Dumars, championship role players like A.C. Green and Mario Elie, great durability (eight players with 1,000-plus career games) and the duo of Jon Koncak and Joe Kleine, the apparent inspiration for the movie "White Men Can't Jump." GRADE: A

This sets the bar for me on how David Schoenfield is grading these drafts. Three Hall of Fame players, one near-Hall of Fame player and several good role players give a draft an "A." Bad jokes are unfortunately also going to be present in this column.

How They'd Do It Now

6. Terry Porter, Wis.-Stevens Point (24th, Blazers)
7. A.C. Green, Oregon State (23rd, Lakers)
8. Charles Oakley
9. Xavier McDaniel
10. Wayman Tisdale

I realize he did not play on any NBA Title teams and his career was shorter compared to these other guys, but I think Wayman Tisdale should be higher up on the list if this draft was re-done. He should at least be ahead of A.C. Green. There was a time when he played in the NBA when Tisdale was a pretty good player, while A.C. Green was only a role player for pretty much his entire career.

1986 DRAFT IN REVIEW

Four of the top seven picks developed drug problems, the best player in the draft (Brad Daugherty) saw his career end at age 28 with back problems, and memorable flops like Kenny "Sky" Walker and Brad Sellers punctuated the list. The lone bright spot belonged to Cleveland, which picked three solid players in Daugherty, Ron Harper and Mark Price. GRADE: D-plus

A "D+" for this draft? It wasn't a great draft but it had 5 All-Stars and the flops were balanced out a little bit by the fact there was some great values in the 2nd round with Mark Price, Nate McMillan, Dennis Rodman, Kevin Duckworth, and Jeff Hornacek drafted there. Throw in the fact Drazen Petrovic was drafted in the 3rd round of this draft and it deserves better than a "D+." Yes, the lottery was absolutely terrible but the entire draft wasn't entirely terrible. This draft should have been a solid "C-" in my mind. Every draft has flops but there were key members to late 80's and early 90's playoff teams drafted in the 1986 draft.

How They'd Do It Now

4. Ron Harper
5. Mark Price, Georgia Tech (25th, Cavs)

Obviously we are valuing championships very highly if Harper is considered a better pick than Mark Price. What it doesn't explain is why David Schoenfield has John Salley behind Chuck Person. Price was a better player than Ron Harper, but yes, Harper was on more championship teams than Price. So if the criteria is "championships a player contributed to," then Harper should be above Price (I personally don't think that should be the criteria for a re-draft). Salley was on 4 NBA Championship teams so I think he either needs to move up past Person based on that or move off the Top 10 re-do list behind Petrovic or Johnny Dawkins.

Actually, no matter how the players are being evaluated, I think Mark Price should move ahead of Ron Harper.

1987 DRAFT IN REVIEW

David Schoenfield gives this draft an "A-." It's an almost mirror image of the 1985 draft in that there are 3 Hall of Fame players and 5 All-Stars who were drafted. I don't have a problem with the grade...but I do have a problem with his re-do list.

8. Derrick McKey
9. Armen Gilliam
10. Muggsy Bogues, Wake Forest (Bullets, 12th)

No Reggie Lewis? I realize the man died before he finished his career but if we are picking a list of where the players would be drafted if the draft was re-done, he would be above all 3 of these guys at least. These were good players, but Reggie Lewis had become a good second banana on a great playoff team. This opinion has nothing to do with the fact Reggie Lewis was my favorite Celtic...I don't think.

Which brings me to a quick story. I played a game of one-on-one with Reggie Lewis' 10 year old nephew when I was in college. Lewis' older nephew was being recruited by the school I attended and his young nephew wanted to play ball while his older brother went on the recruiting visit at the school, so he challenged me to a game of one-on-one. Here is how it went after I agreed to play him:

(Lewis' nephew) "Let's pick one player from the NBA we would pretend to be."

(Me) "Ok, I want to be Larry Bird or Reggie Lewis."

(Lewis' nephew) "I want to be Reggie Lewis."

(Me) "No, you can have whoever in the world you want, but those are the only two I want to be."

(Lewis' nephew) "He was my uncle."

(Me) "I don't believe that. Where did he go to high school?"

(Lewis' nephew) "Dunbar High School. He played with Muggsy Bogues. I am here because my brother is being recruited by your school."

(Me) "Oh."

He then proceeded to rattle off other information a 10 year old should not know about Reggie Lewis. Then I looked at his brother who looked enough like Reggie Lewis to make me believe this kid. Maybe he was scamming me but I still tell people that story (obviously) because I believe it. My point is that I would put Reggie Lewis REALLY high on the 1987 draft re-do list but I think he deserves to be in the Top 10 if the draft got re-done.

1989 DRAFT IN REVIEW

The first two picks flopped, but the Lakers pulled out one of the all-time draft gems: Vlade Divac with the 26th pick. After seven solid seasons with the Lakers, he was flipped for a high school kid named Kobe Bryant.

This really shouldn't have anything to do with whether Divac was a good pick or not. It is simple to play the "what-if" game with these players and say they are better picks based on who they eventually got traded for or something like that. This is also pretty stupid. I think Divac should be evaluated based on his own merits and not who he was eventually traded for.

GRADE: B-minus

No way. 8 of the top 10 picks were busts and there were some quality players but the 1st round is essentially just a list of busts. If the 1986 draft gets a "D+" then this draft is easily a "C-" based on the awfulness of some of these picks. Pervis Ellison, Danny Ferry, George McCloud, Randy White, and J.R. Reid being drafted in the lottery say this draft should be graded on the same tough scale the 1986 draft was. This was by all accounts a terrible draft and simply because Divac ended up getting traded to the Hornets for Bryant doesn't make it any better.

1991 DRAFT IN REVIEW

Only one player from this draft averaged 15 points per game in his career (Larry Johnson). Two of the best players -- Terrell Brandon and Steve Smith -- suffered injuries that hampered their careers. And Billy Owens sure looked like he had the total package. GRADE: C

How They'd Do It Now

1. Dikembe Mutombo
2. Steve Smith
3. Larry Johnson

I disagree. Larry Johnson would be chosen over Steve Smith if the draft was to be done over again. Sure he ended up being solely a three point shooter at the end of his career (due to back problems etc.), but early in his career he was one of the best players in the NBA. Come on, he was "Grandmama!"

9. Greg Anthony, UNLV (12th, Knicks)
10. Billy Owens

How about Darrell Armstrong in one of these spots...and not just because he was born in my hometown. He played in the league for 13 years and had a very quality span in the NBA from 1998 to 2004. Move Armstrong over Owens and Anthony.

1992 DRAFT IN REVIEW

The first two picks worked out. The rest of the draft? Not so much, although Christian Laettner was better than you realize, and Harold Miner had that awesome dunk contest. GRADE: B

I think this draft should get a B+. I know it feels like I am splitting hairs, but it's more of a B+ because this isn't as bad of a draft as you would all think. David Schoenfield ranks Jimmy Jackson as the #10 player if this draft was done over and that isn't too bad. When Jimmy Jackson is the 10th best player taken, that was a fairly quality draft.

I am pretty pumped about this draft and I honestly think it almost deserves an A-. I should probably calm down though, because it isn't that good of a draft and I know this subconsciously.

Worst pick: Harold Miner, Heat (12th).

I would have to go with Adam Keefe on this one. Atlanta passed up Latrell Sprewell, Robert Horry, Doug Christie, and P.J. Brown. At least Miner was a decent player but Adam Keefe was just useless.

1993 DRAFT IN REVIEW

How They'd Do It Now

This "how they'd do it now" is all jacked up.

3. Anfernee Hardaway
4. Vin Baker

In a seriousness, I would put Vin Baker over Anfernee Hardaway. Baker is a drunk and gained weight, but he was incredibly good for a while. Hardaway was a great player as well but I think Baker was better than Hardaway in each of their primes.

6. Bryon Russell, Long Beach St. (45th, Jazz)
7. Jamal Mashburn

Mashburn over Russell.

9. Shawn Bradley
10. Rodney Rogers

Two undrafted players, Bruce Bowen and David Wesley should be in the top 10 and I would possibly put one or both in place of Rodgers or Bradley. I like Shawn Bradley but he was a massive disappointment as the 2nd pick of the draft.

Worst pick: Calbert Cheaney, Bullets (6th).

Shawn Bradley is the winner here. Yes, Cheaney was a bad player but the 76ers passed up Hardaway and Mashburn as well as Houston, Sprewell, Cassell, and Van Exel, while the Bullets only passed up Houston, Sprewell, Cassell, and Van Exel.

1994 DRAFT IN REVIEW

This seems like a list of guys who put up OK numbers for bad teams (Glenn Robinson with the Bucks, Jalen Rose with the bad Bulls teams, Wesley Person with the pre-LeBron Cavs). Heck, Eric Piatkowski is seventh in this draft for career games played. GRADE: D-plus

Absolutely not. This is too low of a grade. This draft has one Hall of Fame player in Jason Kidd, one great player in Grant Hill, and regardless of whether these players put up good numbers on bad teams, it doesn't mean they are bad players. Jalen Rose was a key part of the Pacers playoff teams. Whether a player is high on a list for career games played or not doesn't necessarily indicate a player was good or not. I give this draft a "C-."

Worst pick: Sharone Wright, Sixers (6th).

No way. The Bucks had the chance to get Grant Hill or Jason Kidd and blew it, so I think any time a team takes a decent player but could have gotten a Hall of Fame player the original player was a bad pick. Sharone Wright is close to being the worst pick, I will admit that, but the Bucks could have changed their entire franchise with the choice of Jason Kidd and they didn't.

I think it is sad this draft was the one that ended up on "NBA Jam: Tournament Edition" because other than Grant Hill and Jason Kidd there wasn't too much to get excited about in regard to the rookies on that game.

1996 DRAFT IN REVIEW

Perhaps no team has pulled out more good players outside of the top-10 picks than the Lakers. In this draft, the Hornets drafted Kobe Bryant for L.A. with the 13th pick and traded him for Vlade Divac. The Lakers later added Arkansas Little-Rock guard Derek Fisher with the 24th pick. If you want to rank him ahead of Stephon Marbury, we won't argue. Oh, and a draft with four Hall of Famers rates a … GRADE: A

This draft was a definite "A+." I would almost call this the best lottery draft of all-time with the 1985 and 2003 draft being in contention as well for this title. Four Hall of Fame players and 11 All-Stars came from this draft.

How They'd Do It Now

Here is a list of players LEFT OUT of David Schoenfield's re-do of the 1996 NBA Draft.

Stephon Marbury, Derek Fisher and Kerry Kittles, Malik Rose. That's a pretty good draft, even if it feels a bit top-heavy.

Worst pick: Todd Fuller, Warriors (11th).

With all due respect to how bad Todd Fuller truly was, in a draft that had this many good players, I think the Clippers (go figure) pick of Lorenzen Wright #7 over Kobe Bryant, Peja, Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, Big Z, and Ben Wallace has to be the worst pick of the draft. It was the first pick that was a big miss and they passed over 2 Hall of Fame players.

This was a great draft.

1997 DRAFT IN REVIEW

This draft got a grade of "C" but it did also contain a man by the name of Marko Milic. He is not related to Darko Milic.

Other than that, this draft had big hits and some big misses. I would almost give this draft a "D." When Derek Anderson is the 6th best player in the draft...that can't be good.

How They'd Do It Now

10. Tony Battie

Battie over Austin Croshere or Anthony Parker? I don't know about this. Longevity aside, I may put one of those guys over Battie.

1998 DRAFT IN REVIEW

A draft with star talent at the top and excellent depth (17 players with career scoring averages in double digits). Of course, some of those double-digit scorers were one-dimensional gunners like Larry Hughes, Ricky Davis and Bonzi Wells. GRADE: B-plus

This draft has 2 Hall of Fame players and 6 All-Stars. I think the depth of this draft makes it better than a "B-." Though admittedly there isn't a bunch of great players there was a pretty deep field to choose from for teams and there were guys who ended up being head cases, like Hughes, Davis and Wells, but there were also guys who contributed to teams like Matt Harpring, Keon Clark, Rafer Alston, and Earl Boykins. I think it is a Grade "B" draft.

There are two ways to get a "B" draft for me. First, a draft where there are great players that come from the draft, or a top heavy draft, and the second way is for a draft to be deep with players that contribute in some fashion to a team while they are playing in the NBA. The draft may not quite have the talent base but a team choosing a player has a good chance of getting a contributor from the draft. I find the 1998 draft to be this way.

Except for Michael Olowokandi of course. He could never contribute because he sucked. What kind of center has a 43.5% career shooting percentage?

1999 DRAFT IN REVIEW

A draft deep with solid All-Star-caliber players. Meanwhile, the Knicks still await the debut of first-rounder Frederic Weis. GRADE: B

I actually agree with this grade of a "B." If this draft had a guy who could be considered a Hall of Fame-type guy then maybe I could bump up the grade a little bit. The draft does have a bunch of guys who are great contributors to teams and 9 All-Stars with guys who are almost All-Stars like Lamar Odom and Andre Miller (or were almost All-Stars at one time).

How They'd Do It Now

4. Andre Miller
7. Lamar Odom
8. Baron Davis
9. Andrei Kirilenko, Russia (24th, Jazz)
10. Ron Artest, St. John's (16th, Bulls)

Someone thinks very highly of Andre Miller. I like Andre Miller but I would almost draft him after all of these other guys. Miller is a good point guard but I don't know if he is any better than Baron Davis and I would probably take Lamar Odom over him as well.

Worst pick: Jonathan Bender, Pacers (5th).

I am going to defend this pick simply because injuries killed any shot he had of playing in the NBA. I would say the worst pick was Trajan Langdon. The Cavs passed over Maggette, Artest, Kirilenko, and Manu Ginobli. Langdon's only excuse for being bad in the NBA is that he went to Duke and was overvalued simply because of that. Bender at least had injuries to blame on his lack of production.

2000 DRAFT IN REVIEW

GRADE: F

There is no way I can argue with this grade. This was a terrible, terrible draft. Only three guys in this entire draft have ever made an All-Star team and the entire lottery is like a who's who of underachieving players and role players. Not surprisingly, the Clippers had 3 picks in this draft? Really why shouldn't they have three picks in the worst draft over the 25 years of the lottery? Yes, some of these guys are still in the NBA today, but that doesn't mean this wasn't a bad draft.

Worst pick: Marcus Fizer, Bulls (4th).

It's impossible to make a "worst pick" for this draft. Hell, I would almost go with Stromile Swift as the worst pick or any of the other picks behind him...but what were the other options for teams? There weren't any great players available.

2001 DRAFT IN REVIEW

The top 10 had more busts than an episode of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," but there were some good finds later in the draft. GRADE: C-plus

I actually agree with this grade. I thought David Schoenfield would underrate this class a little bit, but I think he did a good job actually (look at me being complimentary). On some days you could have me give this class a "B-" but I am not feeling that generous today.

How They'd Do It Now

3. Richard Jefferson, Arizona (Nets)
4. Joe Johnson

No way. Those two guys should be switched. I feel fooled by Richard Jefferson. I thought he was going to be a big piece to the Spurs this year but he hasn't fit in at all. I feel like he has been a sort of fraud, playing 2nd/3rd banana on some teams making me think he was a little bit better player than he truly was. I would rank Joe Johnson over Jefferson if the draft was done over again.

7. Tyson Chandler
8. Jason Richardson
10. Troy Murphy, Notre Dame (14th, Warriors)

No Gerald Wallace or no Zach Randolph? As much as I love Chandler and Jason Richardson I think I would draft Wallace over both of them. Maybe, depending on who you are, Randolph should sneak in over Murphy. I am not that person but I see how an argument could be made.

2002 DRAFT IN REVIEW

The biggest this problem this class has faced has been staying healthy, from Jay Williams' career-ending motorcycle crash to Dajuan Wagner needing his colon removed to ailments suffered by Yao Ming (93 games missed), Amare Stoudemire (140), Mike Dunleavy (75) and Nene (204). GRADE: C

I have to say, this class feels a bit like a "B-" or a "C+" to me. I know you as the reader may think I am overrating these classes, but let me explain. While this class doesn't have Hall of Fame players that came out of it and only has 4 guys who have ever been voted onto an All-Star team, I think it makes up for it in guys later in the draft who contributed.

I bump this draft up a grade for the following guys who contribute to their teams in the NBA, weren't among the Top 10 players if the draft was re-done and were found in the 2nd round or were completely undrafted:

Roger Mason Jr.
Matt Barnes
Darius Songalia
Rasual Butler
Juan Carlos Navarro
Reggie Evans
Udonis Haslem
Devin Brown
Smush Parker

The last four of those guys weren't drafted at all. Many of those guys represent better value than a team would expect to get as undrafted free agents or in the 2nd round. I think that bumps this draft up a slight notch in conjunction with the fact it wasn't a bad first round draft either.

2003 DRAFT IN REVIEW

No denying the greatness of the top four, and the depth that includes guys like Mickael Pietrus, Boris Diaw and Kyle Korver, but it seems like it will fall a bit short of the immortal 1984 draft (Jordan, Olajuwon, Barkley, Stockton, Alvin Robertson, Kevin Willis, Otis Thorpe, Sam Perkins, Jerome Kersey and Michael Cage's Jheri curl). GRADE: A

I think I am going to go ahead and go there in comparing this to the 1984 Draft. I think the 2003 draft is better. I don't think it is better when comparing player to player, but I think overall in regard to depth and quality of the players drafted, the 2003 draft was better.

Plus, no players from the 2003 NBA Draft have been arrested for sex-trafficking.

The Top 15 players from the 1984 NBA Draft:

1. Michael Jordan
2. Hakeem Olajuwon
3. Charles Barkley
4. John Stockton
5. Alvin Robertson
6. Kevin Willis
7. Otis Thorpe
8. Sam Perkins
9. Jerome Kersey
10. Michael Cage
11. Sam Bowie
12. Rick Carlisle
13. Eddie Lee Wilkins
14. Vern Fleming
15. Jay Humphries

See the drop off there?

Now for the Top 15 players of the 2003 NBA Draft (Schoenfield's Top 10 plus 5 other players):

1. LeBron James
2. Dwayne Wade
3. Carmelo Anthony
4. Chris Bosh
5. David West
6. Josh Howard
7. Kirk Hinrich
8. Leandra Barbosa
9. Mo Williams
10. Chris Kaman
11. Mickael Pietrus
12. Boris Diaw
13. Kendrick Perkins
14. Kyle Korver
15. Jason Kapono

Sure there is a drop-off, but that's leaving off guys like Marquis Daniels, Nick Collison, and Luke Ridnour. I didn't leave that many guys off the 1984 team. I think depth-wise the 2003 NBA Draft will end up being better. You could almost fill in the entire 1st round with players who have contributed to their NBA teams. That's a pretty good draft.

2004 DRAFT IN REVIEW

The Magic took the right guy in high schooler Dwight Howard, Luke Jackson proved to be one of the all-time top-10 busts, and if Robert Swift ever develops this grade will go up. GRADE: B-minus

I feel like I am overrating these draft classes...but I think this class is a solid "B." The following players also came from this class that aren't in Schoenfield's "do-over" Top 10:

J.R. Smith, Andris Biedrins, Delonte West, Anderson Varejao, Trevor Ariza, and it wasn't like Josh Childress stunk before he went overseas to play.

Worst pick: Shaun Livingston, Clippers (4th).

I have a hard time criticizing a team for drafting a player who had 2 serious injuries that were essentially out of his control. Rafael Araujo contributed nearly nothing to the Raptors and they passed over Iguodala, Jefferson, Josh Smith and Jameer Nelson.

Worst pick: Fran Vazquez, Magic (11th).

I will agree this was a bad pick, but who did the Magic pass over? David Lee, Monta Ellis, or Danny Granger? Both Milwaukee and Atlanta passed over two franchise changing players in Deron Williams and Chris Paul for guys who aren't bad, are solid 4th/5th starters. I think it is worse to pass over a couple franchise changing players in this situation.

2007 DRAFT IN REVIEW

Ready for some idiocy? You better be.

How They'd Do It Now

1. Kevin Durant
2. Al Horford
3. Thaddeus Young, Georgia Tech (12th, Sixers)

I think this is a little high for Thaddeus Young in a re-do of the draft.

4. Greg Oden

Absolutely not. I don't like to count injuries against players but the fact is we know he has been injured all the time, which is the entire point of a re-draft, and we know there are other players who haven't been injured who have played well in the NBA. Schoenfield thinks Oden would go 4th in the draft? Ahead of the following guys?

5. Marc Gasol, Spain (48th, Lakers)
6. Jeff Green

Height and potential counts for something but I don't know if it counts for that much honestly to take Oden over Green and (Not Pau) Gasol.

Knowing what we know now, I would probably take the next two players over Oden also.

7. Spencer Hawes
8. Al Thornton

Oden is not terrible, but he has been injured all the time when he played and when re-doing the draft that has to count for something.

9. Mike Conley
10. Ramon Sessions, Nevada (56th, Bucks)

Not Rodney Stuckey, Aaron Brooks or Wilson Chandler over these two guys? I would personally think about replacing Brooks at least over these two guys.

Worst pick: Greg Oden, Blazers (1st).

What? So the guy who David Schoenfield would pick 4th if the 2007 NBA draft was re-done is also his choice for the worst pick of the 2007 NBA Draft? This doesn't make sense. He can't have it both ways. Either Oden was a bad pick or he wasn't a bad pick.

I know it is hard to predict the future but if Oden wasn't a bad pick then I would go with Acie Law for the worst pick. It was a bad pick because it was supposed to make up for not drafting Chris Paul a few years earlier. Which goes to prove the current Hawks team is good despite the front office's ability to judge talent. If Oden was a bad pick then he wouldn't go 4th if the draft was re-done.

2008 DRAFT IN REVIEW

Derrick Rose led a terrific rookie season for this class, with O.J. Mayo, Eric Gordon and Michael Beasley showing the potential to develop into big-time scorers. GRADE: B

I think this draft has the ability to be an "A-" draft when all is said and done. J.J. Hickson is currently developing fairly well in Cleveland, Mareese Speights needs to start staying healthy, and George Hill and Nicholas Batum are also becoming solid contributors to their teams.

Even Cole Aldrich's predecessor and probable NBA equivalent got drafted in the 2nd round. Maybe CSKA Moscow will sign Aldrich after he busts in the NBA and he and Kaun can be a fearsome frontline for a few years overseas with CSKA Moscow! I am kidding, of course, Cole Aldrich is going to be the greatest center of all-time in the NBA.

Worst pick: Hey, we're not ready to write off Danilo Gallinari just yet. Check back in a few years.

How about Joe Alexander? Go ahead and say he is the worst pick and write him off because he hasn't done anything in the NBA and the Bucks passed over talented players for him.

It's a bit too early to judge the 2009 draft class (and Schoenfield wrote this article before the draft)...but I will judge them anyway.

How They'd Do It Now (without paying to which team is actually drafting and the needs of that team)

1. Tyreke Evans
2. Stephon Curry
3. Blake Griffin
4. Ricky Rubio
5. Johnny Flynn
6. DeJuan Blair
7. Ty Lawson
8. Omri Casspi
9. James Harden
10. Darren Collison

Best pick: Tyreke Evans
Worst pick (of the last 10 years): Hasheem Thabeet

I would like to go through each draft since 1985 and find a way to rank each player to determine which draft since the lottery was started was actually the best. That sounds like fun, but it also sounds like it is pretty time consuming. This sounds like something a professional journalist (is there such thing?) should do.

At this point I would rank the top 3 drafts since 1985 as the 2003, 1985, and 1996 drafts.