The 1996 NBA Draft was loaded with some seriously talented prospects. Guys like Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, and others came out of that draft and have gone on to have some Hall of Fame worthy careers. The Philadelphia 76ers held the number 1 pick in that draft and they selected a guy who also went on to have a helluva career.
The Sixers selected a certain 6-foot guard from Georgetown by the name of Allen Iverson who went on to average 26.7 points, make an All-Star game 11 times, and win an MVP award. All of that earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame after an amazing 14-year career.
The Athletic released a Power Ranking of all of the number 1 picks in the history of the game and Iverson came in as the 13th best player on the list:
Accolades: Rookie of the Year, All-Rookie, All-Star Game MVP (2x), All-Star (11x), MVP, All-NBA (1st team 3x, 2nd team 3x, 3rd team 1x), Hall of Fame
As dominant culturally as he was as a scorer. The Philadelphia 76ers catered to Allen Iverson in a way we hadn’t seen much of before. He was given the ball, surrounded with defenders, and told to go win them some ugly games. He grabbed an MVP with that style of play. He made All-NBA teams, and eventually the Hall of Fame. We can debate plenty whether Iverson would work in a modern era because of the efficiency topic and his poor defense despite good steals numbers. But Iverson terrified defenses from the moment he stepped on the court. Save the debates and just appreciate that he was an overwhelming basketball presence despite being tiny for an NBA player.
There is no doubt about Iverson’s place in NBA history. He has the respect of his peers and anybody who has watched the game of basketball. The notable players ranked ahead of him on the list are legends like Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Tim Duncan, and Lew Alcindor. [lawrence-related id=31446,31439,31413,31406]