The 3 Best NBA Draft Classes In The Modern Era In Order

In March, the Corona Virus forced the NBA to take an unexpected and unheard of hiatus. Now, it's been four months without basketball, and last week we passed the scheduled date for this years' NBA Draft. For a number of NBA fans, the off season is just as entertaining as the regular season, and we are missing it. As of now, the NBA is scheduled to return at the end of July, with the draft now taking place in October. So, while the world waits and waits and waits for professional sports to make their return, I look back on the best NBA Draft classes of all time.

Honorable Mention - 1987 NBA Draft

The 1987 draft just misses the cut as one of the three best draft classes ever because, while it was star-studded, it lacked that true superstar talent of the other classes. The '87 class was headlined by #1 overall pick David Robinson to the Spurs, who became a league MVP and two-time MVP there after serving in the Navy. Following Robinson, this class provided Hall-of-Fame wings Reggie Miller and Scottie Pippen. Besides the three Hall-of-Fame lottery picks this draft also produced three-time champion Horace Grant, 10,000 career assist club member Mark Jackson, and the shortest player ever/ Space Jam star Muggsy Bogues.

#3 - 2003 NBA Draft

I am sure we are all familiar with the 2003 NBA Draft. The top of this draft is as strong as any in history. #1 Pick Lebron James has a case for the best player of all time. #2 Pick Darko Millicic has a ring at least? Third overall pick Carmelo Anthony is a future Hall-of-Famer and one of the best isolation scorers in league history. Seven years after this draft, Lebron James teamed up with #4 pick and career 20 point per game scorer Chris Bosh, as well as the fifth overall pick, former Finals MVP, and a top-3 Shooting Guard of all time, Dwyane Wade. Together the "Big 3" would bring in 2 rings to each of the former top 5 picks. At the end of the day, the 2003 Draft class is slightly top heavy, which is why I can't place it in my top 2. However, it's impossible to not be impressed by a draft class that will provide a top 3 player of all time, four Hall-of-Famers, and one of the best sharpshooters ever, Kyle Korver.

#2 - 1996 NBA Draft

At first glance, it's hard to imagine a draft class performing better than the 1996 class. Three separate players from this class won MVP during their playing career. The first was #1 pick Allen Iverson in 2001 on his way to meet pick #13 Kobe Bryant in the Finals. Kobe won that matchup as well as four other Finals matchups, and he was the 3rd one to win MVP from this class. Steve Nash won back to back MVP awards in between Kobe and Iverson, and is considered one of the best Point Guards ever. The class of '96 brought us more than league MVP's. This class also gave us insane sharpshooters Ray Allen and Peja Stojakovic, and Defensive Players of the Year Marcus Camby and Jermaine O'neal. The '96 class had superstars, it was deep, it had a couple headcases.. cough cough Stephon Marbury. If it wasn't for the next class on this list, the 1996 NBA Draft class would be the penultimate draft class in NBA history.

#1 -1984 NBA Draft

The class of 1984 may not have the depth of 1987 or 1996, however the elite members of this class were so elite that they altered the history of the NBA forever. Only 5 players from this class made multiple All Star games, but four of them are some of the greatest of all time. The first pick in this class. Hakeem Olajuwon,set the tone of greatness quickly. Shortly after, the Goat, Michael Jordan was taken #3. By the end of the first round two more Hall-of-Famers, Chares Barkley and John Stockton, had been selected. Between these four players, three won MVP at some point, two won multiple championships, they made 23 All-Defensive teams, and won multiple scoring, rebounding, steals, assists and block titles. If their dominance hasn't sold you on the greatness of their class just yet, think about this. Between 2 players, Stockton, and Olajuwan, the all time assists, blocks, and steals records are taken, as well as Jordan ranking 4th in both steals and points for a career. From the tip of the 1985 season until 2004, this class nearly ran the league, and because of that, is now the most awarded draft class statistically of all time. Without a doubt, the stranglehold the class of '84 put on the league and now the record books makes it the best draft class in NBA history.