NBA Draft: Ranking every draft class from 1996-2020

The NBA Draft always provides a level of hope. For many markets, the draft is the premier way to build the core of the champions of the next generation. However, not all draft classes are created equal.

This year’s draft is considered one of the best drafts in years, prompting the thought of which draft class has been the best? We will look back at the last 25 draft classes to determine where they rank as a whole.

In the last 25 years, there have been two of the draft classes considered the best of all time and possibly the worst. Where do they all rank?

The bulk of these rankings will be based on the accolades earned by the players involved. All-Star and All-NBA selections will be taken into consideration, as those are typically the qualifications to also make it into the Hall of Fame. For some of the more recent classes, we will have to project more than review what they have already done. It takes most normal players a few years to make the leap to All-Star or All-NBA level (Luka Doncic is the current exception to that rule).

There will also be some honorable mention players to put each class into perspective. Over the years many players have never earned the aforementioned accolades but were still more than capable of pushing teams over the top in title contention. We will only be looking at players who were actually drafted, as the best undrafted players of all time would be an entirely different discussion.

Now let’s get started.