the 1997 draft

[jalbre6]

saw this on another board I go to, thought I might share.

What happens if the C's got the #1 pick in 1997?

Round 1 (fantasy)
Pick Team Name
1. BOS Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
2. VAN Chauncey Billups, Colorado
3. SA Tony Battie, Texas Tech
4. DEN Keith Van Horn, Utah
5. PHI Ron Mercer, Kentucky
6. BOS Antonio Daniels, Bowling Green
7. NJN Tim Thomas, Villanova
8. GSW Adonal Foyle, Colgate
9. TOR Tracy McGrady, Mount Zion Academy (NC)
10. MIL Danny Fortson, Cincinnati
11. SAC Tariq Abdul-Wahad, San Jose State
12. IND Austin Croshere, Providence
13. CLE Derek Anderson, Kentucky
14. LAC Maurice Taylor, Michigan
15. DAL Kelvin Cato, Iowa State
16. CLE Brevin Knight, Stanford
17. ORL Johnny Taylor, Tennessee-Chattanooga
18. POR Chris Anstey, Australia
19. DET Scot Pollard, Kansas
20. MIN Paul Grant, Wisconsin
21. NJN Anthony Parker, Bradley
22. ATL Ed Gray, California
23. SEA Bobby Jackson, Minnesota
24. HOU Rodrick Rhodes, Southern California
25. NYK John Thomas, Minnesota
26. MIA Charles Smith, New Mexico
27. UTA Jacque Vaughn, Kansas
28. CHI Keith Booth, Maryland

Round 1 (actual)
Pick Team Name
1. SAS Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
2. PHI Keith Van Horn, Utah
3. BOS Chauncey Billups, Colorado
4. VAN Antonio Daniels, Bowling Green
5. DEN Tony Battie, Texas Tech
6. BOS Ron Mercer, Kentucky
7. NJN Tim Thomas, Villanova
8. GSW Adonal Foyle, Colgate
9. TOR Tracy McGrady, Mount Zion Academy (NC)
10. MIL Danny Fortson, Cincinnati
11. SAC Tariq Abdul-Wahad, San Jose State
12. IND Austin Croshere, Providence
13. CLE Derek Anderson, Kentucky
14. LAC Maurice Taylor, Michigan
15. DAL Kelvin Cato, Iowa State
16. CLE Brevin Knight, Stanford
17. ORL Johnny Taylor, Tennessee-Chattanooga
18. POR Chris Anstey, Australia
19. DET Scot Pollard, Kansas
20. MIN Paul Grant, Wisconsin
21. NJN Anthony Parker, Bradley
22. ATL Ed Gray, California
23. SEA Bobby Jackson, Minnesota
24. HOU Rodrick Rhodes, Southern California
25. NYK John Thomas, Minnesota
26. MIA Charles Smith, New Mexico
27. UTA Jacque Vaughn, Kansas
28. CHI Keith Booth, Maryland

[timvp]

Actually, the Spurs top three players they wanted were Tim Duncan (of course), Chauncey Billups and Derek Anderson. If they would have gotten a top four pick, they probably would have gone with Billups or traded down and go with Anderson.

By now, Rick Pitino would be hailed the greatest coach ever if the Celtics would have gotten the first pick.

[MI21]

Round 1 (actual)
Pick Team Name
1. SAS Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
2. PHI Keith Van Horn, Utah
3. BOS Chauncey Billups, Colorado
4. VAN Antonio Daniels, Bowling Green
5. DEN Tony Battie, Texas Tech
6. BOS Ron Mercer, Kentucky
7. NJN Tim Thomas, Villanova
8. GSW Adonal Foyle, Colgate
9. TOR Tracy McGrady, Mount Zion Academy (NC)
10. MIL Danny Fortson, Cincinnati
11. SAC Tariq Abdul-Wahad, San Jose State
12. IND Austin Croshere, Providence
13. CLE Derek Anderson, Kentucky
14. LAC Maurice Taylor, Michigan
15. DAL Kelvin Cato, Iowa State
16. CLE Brevin Knight, Stanford
17. ORL Johnny Taylor, Tennessee-Chattanooga
18. POR Chris Anstey, Australia
19. DET Scot Pollard, Kansas
20. MIN Paul Grant, Wisconsin
21. NJN Anthony Parker, Bradley
22. ATL Ed Gray, California
23. SEA Bobby Jackson, Minnesota
24. HOU Rodrick Rhodes, Southern California
25. NYK John Thomas, Minnesota
26. MIA Charles Smith, New Mexico
27. UTA Jacque Vaughn, Kansas
28. CHI Keith Booth, Maryland

Spurs had 4 of the 13 lottery picks from that year, and 3 at the same time. Considering how low the values of the players were when the Spurs got them, what a "meh" draft.

[ShoogarBear]

By now, Rick Pitino would be hailed the greatest coach ever if the Celtics would have gotten the first pick.

Nah, somehow I could see Pitino still screwing it up. The man was a gimmick coach.

Plus, how much do you think Tim would have liked Boston?

Even the Boston Globe, in a June 2003 article, admitted that if the Celtics had drafted Duncan, he'd be playing in Orlando today.

[jalbre6]

I didn't post the rest of it because it was all crap. Basically a bunch of NE homers saying that with Duncan the Boston sports renaissance would be complete and another bunch of guys that said that Duncan would've left following his rookie deal's expiration. I guess they forgot that the Bruins suck.

[ShoogarBear]

Boston sports fans are the most self-centered, naval-gazing bunch of dildos on the planet. They think the whole world revolves around them, and screw everyone else. I know 'cause I lived there for 15 years.

Anyway, here's the beginning of the story that admitted that Duncan would have never lasted in Boston. Unfortunately, you need to pay to get the whole thing out of the archives:

LOTTERY BALLS TOOK A GREAT BOUNCE FOR DUNCAN, TOO
Published on June 3, 2003
Author(s): PETER MAY

Six years into a career that has produced one NBA championship, a Rookie of the Year award, two Most Valuable Player awards, five All-Star Game appearances, and six straight spots on the All-NBA first team, don't you think it's time to restate the obvious?Tim Duncan and San Antonio have been an ideal fit.To those of you still wondering how the Ping-Pong balls managed to deliver Duncan to San Antonio on that fateful May afternoon in 1997, be advised that there was some

Boston Globe archives

[Mr. Body]

I don't get that first list. It seems to be a re-draft. Is it a 'only knowing what we knew then' sort of thing? Cuz Tracy McGrady's the only other player in that draft really worth all that much, and no way wouldn't he go number two.

[Tek_XX]

Thank you JESUS

[Dex]

The Spurs == Franchise of Destiny

Landing David Robinson was luck. Landing Tim Duncan was a sign.

[waly.mg]

Probably the 1996 class was better:

10 All Stars and MALIK ROSE ¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡
1 MVP
And with 5 Candidates to MVP

1996 NBA Draft Board

Round 1

N Team Player, Position College
1 Philadelphia Allen Iverson G Georgetown All Star MVP 1st NBA Team
2 Toronto Marcus Camby F Massachusetts
3 Vancouver Shareef Abdur-Rahim F California All Star
4 Milwaukee Stephon Marbury G Georgia Tech All Star 3rd NBA Team
5 Minnesota Ray Allen G Connecticut All Star - MVP? 3rd NBA Team
6 Boston Antoine Walker F Kentucky All Star
7 L.A. Clippers Lorenzen Wright F Memphis
8 New Jersey Kerry Kittles G Villanova
9 Dallas Samaki Walker F Louisvile
10 Indiana Erick Dampier C Mississippi State
11 Golden State Todd Fuller C North Carolina State
12 Cleveland Vitaly Potapenko C Wright State
13 Charlotte Kobe Bryant G Lower Merion HS All Star MVP? 1st NBA Team
14 Sacramento Predrag Stojakovic F PAOK (Greece) All Star 2nd NBA Team
15 Phoenix Steve Nash G Santa Clara - All Star - MVP? 3rd NBA Team
16 Charlotte Tony Delk G Kentucky
17 Portland Jermaine O'Neal C Eau Claire HS - All Star - MVP? - 3rd NBA Team
18 New York John Wallace F Syracuse
19 New York Walter McCarty F Kentucky
20 Cleveland Zydrunas Ilgauskas C Atletas Kaunas (Lithuania) All Star
21 New York Dontae' Jones F Mississippi State
22 Vancouver Roy Rogers F Alabama
23 Denver Efthimios Rentzias C PAOK (Greece)
24 L.A. Lakers Derek Fisher G Arkansas-Little Rock
25 Utah Martin Muursepp F Kalev Tallinn (Estonia)
26 Detroit Jerome Williams F Georgetown
27 Orlando Brian Evans F Indiana
28 Atlanta Priest Lauderdale C Peristeri (Greece)
29 Chicago Travis Knight C Connecticut
Return to the top

Round 2

N Team Player, Position College
30 Houston Ot a Harrington F Georgetown
31 Philadelphia Mark Hendrickson F Washington State
32 Philadelphia Ryan Minor F Oklahoma
33 Milwaukee Moochie Norris G West Florida
34 Dallas Shawn Harvey G West Virginia State
35 Seattle Joseph Blair F Arizona
36 L.A. Clippers Doron Sheffer G Connecticut
37 Denver Jeff McInnis G North Carolina
38 Boston Steve Hamer C Tennessee
39 Phoenix Russ Millard F Iowa
40 Golden State Marcus Mann F Mississippi Valley St
41 Sacramento Jason Sasser F Texas Tech
42 Houston Randy Livingston G Louisiana State
43 Phoenix Ben Davis F Arizona
44 Charlotte Malik Rose F Drexel
45 Seattle Joe Vogel C Colorado State
46 Portland Marcus Brown G Murray State
47 Seattle Ron Riley G Arizona State
48 Philadelphia Jamie Feick F Michigan State
49 Orlando Amal McCaskill C Marquette
50 Houston Terrell Bell C Georgia
51 Vancouver Chris Robinson G Western Kentucky
52 Indiana Mark Pope C Kentucky
53 Milwaukee Jeff Nordgaard F Wisconsin-Green Bay
54 Utah Shandon Anderson F Georgia
55 Washington Ronnie Henderson G Louisiana State
56 Cleveland Reggie Geary G Arizona
57 Seattle Drew Barry G Georgia Tech
58 Dallas Darnell Robinson C Arkansas

[samikeyp]

By now, Rick Pitino would be hailed the greatest coach ever if the Celtics would have gotten the first pick.

And the Spurs would be in New Orleans.

[TNT21]

Damn, whatever happened to all of those names that don't even sound familiar?

[samikeyp]

Five former Spurs in this round. Six overall if you count Samaki in the 1st.

30 Houston Ot a Harrington F Georgetown
31 Philadelphia Mark Hendrickson F Washington State
32 Philadelphia Ryan Minor F Oklahoma
33 Milwaukee Moochie Norris G West Florida
34 Dallas Shawn Harvey G West Virginia State
35 Seattle Joseph Blair F Arizona
36 L.A. Clippers Doron Sheffer G Connecticut
37 Denver Jeff McInnis G North Carolina
38 Boston Steve Hamer C Tennessee
39 Phoenix Russ Millard F Iowa
40 Golden State Marcus Mann F Mississippi Valley St
41 Sacramento Jason Sasser F Texas Tech
42 Houston Randy Livingston G Louisiana State
43 Phoenix Ben Davis F Arizona
44 Charlotte Malik Rose F Drexel
45 Seattle Joe Vogel C Colorado State
46 Portland Marcus Brown G Murray State
47 Seattle Ron Riley G Arizona State
48 Philadelphia Jamie Feick F Michigan State
49 Orlando Amal McCaskill C Marquette
50 Houston Terrell Bell C Georgia
51 Vancouver Chris Robinson G Western Kentucky
52 Indiana Mark Pope C Kentucky
53 Milwaukee Jeff Nordgaard F Wisconsin-Green Bay
54 Utah Shandon Anderson F Georgia
55 Washington Ronnie Henderson G Louisiana State
56 Cleveland Reggie Geary G Arizona
57 Seattle Drew Barry G Georgia Tech
58 Dallas Darnell Robinson C Arkansas

[davi78239]

If the spurs had gone to new orleans, where would the hornets have moved to?

[samikeyp]

probably Nashville...maybe here, if they could have still passed the legislation for the SBC. The NBA might have also expanded here again providing the new arena would be built.

[skillz]

robinson in 87 duncan in 97 maybe we'll get a next great one in 07.

[jalbre6]

If the spurs had gone to new orleans, where would the hornets have moved to?

I'm sure mikey knows more about this than I do, but I was under the impression that the Hornets would have moved to St Louis.

Either that or the Grizzlies might have relo'ed here.

[davi78239]

Well, out of those two, I definitely would of taken the grizz over the horrible hornets.