NBA Draft: Ranking every draft class from 1996-2020

Ranking NBA Draft classes from 1995-2020: 19. 2014

If not for an injury in college, the number one pick in the 2014 draft would have likely been correctly chosen and changed the course of multiple franchises. Joel Embiid showed flashes of being a future MVP-level talent at Kansas but injuries knocked him out of the lineup. Andrew Wiggins has never quite lived up to that hype but he is a quality NBA starter. Throughout the draft, the class is improving.

Julius Randle was taken seventh overall and was named Most Improved Player this season while making his first All-Star and All-NBA appearance. Zach LaVine also made his first All-Star appearance and is a walking offense. However, the best player in the draft was selected all the way at 41.

Nikola Jokic was the MVP of the league this season and averaged a near triple-double as a center. He is the most skilled passing big man many have ever seen and he is still just getting started. Having two possible MVPs shows the depth of class that had two players at the top mostly bust.

Even more impressive is the number of players primed to take the next step. Spencer Dinwiddie is going to find a new team this summer and could take that All-Star step. Jerami Grant did just that this season and was only prevented from getting the accolade by virtue of being on the worst team in the conference (something that is never rewarded). Joe Harris is one of the best shooters in the league and a key for the Brooklyn Nets’ entire scheme. Bogdan Bogdanovic and Clint Capela have transformed the Hawks’ depth around Trae Young. Marcus Smart, Aaron Gordon, Jusuf Nurkic and the list goes on and on.