NBA Draft: Ranking every draft class from 1996-2020

Ranking NBA Draft classes from 1995-2020: 5. 2001

The 2001 Draft has one less All-Star than 1999 (eight) but boasts an astounding six All-NBA level performers. It is a draft that is often remembered for the Kwame Brown selection (do not tell him we mentioned that) but ignores the fact that the picks just after him both won championships and made All-NBA teams. Tyson Chandler was a Defensive Player of the Year and helped put the Dallas Mavericks over the top. Pau Gasol was the face of the Memphis Grizzlies before being shipped to the Los Angeles Lakers and winning multiple championships.

Further down the draft, Joe Johnson was an exceptional talent for the Phoenix Suns and Atlanta Hawks. Zach Randolph embodied the Grit’n’Grind era that followed Gasol’s tenure in Memphis. Gerald Wallace fueled a rare Charlotte Bobcats playoff appearance. Heck, Tony Parker went 28th in draft and was at times the best player on a dynastic team.

Gilbert Arenas and Mehmet Okur both went in the second round and made All-Star appearances. There was a time when Gilbert Arenas was one of the best and most popular players in the league. Shane Battier was never an All-Star but was the final piece for the Miami Heat to win back-to-back championships.

DeSagana Diop and Vladimir Radmanovic were starters on NBA Finals teams, for better or for worse. Richard Jefferson was for multiple teams and won a title with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Brian Scalabrine was a human victory cigar for a time. It was not the best class in history but it close to the top.