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spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","","Greg Oden","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070331/070331_oden_vmed_6p.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Mike Segar", "Reuters", "298", "195", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will enter the NBA with enormous expectations, not only to dominate right away and sell tickets, but to win MVP awards and championships. And, in the case of the Sonics, who draft No. 2 overall, the player will also be looked upon to generate enough interest so that politicians and taxpayers will agree to fund the building of a new arena that will keep the team in Seattle. What pressure, right?
The hype surrounding the arrivals of Oden and Durant has been matched only once in the past decade (LeBron James in 2003). History, however, is dotted with highly touted rookies. Over the next 10 days, MSNBC.com contributor Bill Woten unveils the top 10 such can’t-miss superstars, including their first-season performance and impact, whether they wound up achieving true greatness, and more.";
spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","Kareem Abdul-Jabbar","Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's history book hit stands earlier this month","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/Newsweek/Components/Photos/mag/040607_Issue/040528_Kareem_vm.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Kathy Willens / AP", "", "263", "198", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "
Drafted: No. 1 overall in 1969 by Milwaukee Bucks.
Pre-NBA: Averaged 26.4 points, 15.5 rebounds and shot .639 from the field and was 88-2 in three seasons at UCLA, including three NCAA championships (1967-69).
First game: Posted 29 points and 12 rebounds in Bucks’ 119-110 victory vs. Detroit Pistons on Oct. 18, 1969.
Rookie season: Averaged 28.8 points, 14.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists, was Rookie of the Year and third in MVP voting.
Impact: The Bucks, who were 27-55 the year before as an expansion team, improved to 56-26 (\+29 wins). More than two decades before the NBA’s first draft lottery, the Bucks won their own kind of lottery: a coin flip with the Phoenix Suns for the first selection in 1969 -- still the single most important event in the franchise’s history. Abdul-Jabbar dominated from the first jump at center, finishing second in the league in scoring and third in rebounding while also triggering a phenomenal turnaround.
Teammate’s take: Jon McGlocklin says “Kareem was one of the few players that I can think of over the years who came in and you just knew would be a franchise player, one of the top-10 players ever.”
“Kareem was a great athlete, a 7-2 man who could move like a 6-5 man. And even though he was still working on a jumper and other moves, he already had the sky hook. His fluidity, his ability to run and jump and move, his length and his ability to get to the defensive end, those things were immediately obvious. His dominance coming in and his skills and abilities were obviously going to dominate the NBA. There was no question.”
“There’s a reason why you don’t see the hook today. Because it’s the most difficult shot in basketball to learn and perfect. And Kareem took the ball to its peak and then released it with his wrist. People can’t shoot it, and he made it as efficient as a jump shot.”
“He had an intellect and an intensity that went with his skills. To watch him intellectually as a player go around the league the first time and then the second time. What he learned one time around was remarkable. He was dominant right off the start and we played through him right away.”
Verdict: Abdul-Jabbar entered the NBA with the expectation to become one of the greatest players of all-time. Remarkable, but true. He stands as the poster-person for can’t-miss. Six MVP awards, six championships, 10 first-team All-NBA selections, five All-Defense selections, and the career scoring crown later, it’s safe to say he successfully earned “one of the greatest” status.";
spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","Larry Bird","","","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "
Drafted: No. 6 overall in 1978 by Boston Celtics.
Pre-NBA: Averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists and was 81-13 in three seasons at Indiana State University, including second-place finish in 1979 NCAA tournament.
First game: Posted 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Celtics’ 114-106 victory vs. Houston Rockets on Oct. 12, 1979.
Rookie season: Averaged 21.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.7 steals, was Rookie of the Year and fourth in MVP voting.
Impact:The Celtics were 29-53 the year before and improved to 61-21 (\+32 wins). In one of the club’s finest personnel decisions, Red Auerbach selected Bird, who had become draft eligible, after Bird’s junior season in college -- five teams drafting ahead of the Celtics in 1978 passed on Bird. And although he returned to school, the Celtics maintained his draft rights, knowing that the yearlong wait would be worth it. Not even they, however, knew how much as Bird led the team in scoring and rebounding and was second in assists.
Teammate’s take: Cedric Maxwell says “At first practices, guys are always looking each other over, wondering if this guy can play or this guy can’t. With Larry, we were thinking the same thing, ‘Let this guy prove himself.’ I was one of the first pros he played against, and I got a chance to see right away that he was going to be a very good player. And that went from being good, to great and so on. It wasn’t long before, ‘Wow, this guy can really help us.’”
“Most guys who are 6-9 from about 15-feet away, you pretty much keep your hands down anticipating a move. But Larry pulled up and took a jump shot. I was like, ‘OK, well, maybe I’ll just step up.’ And the closer I stepped up defensively, the further he was going out shooting.”
“There was just an unbelievable buzz with people wanting to see Larry play. And everybody got wrapped up in Bird mania. It was a great, great time for the team, the fans, everybody in the organization.”
“There wasn’t too much hazing at that time. But one funny thing was when he would fly coach. At the time we were flying commercial and we’d get our tickets by seniority, and sometimes there were no first-class seats left. So, we gave him enough razzing for that.”
Verdict: Bird was enlisted as the man to bring glory back to the NBA’s most-successful franchise. He not only succeeded -- leading the Celtics to three championships -- Bird also notched three MVP awards and nine first-team All-NBA selections. And to top it off, his rivalry with Magic Johnson helped the league achieve unprecedented popularity. A savior indeed.";
spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","Wilt Chamberlain","","","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "
Drafted: No. 3 overall in 1959 by Philadelphia Warriors.
Pre-NBA: Averaged 29.9 points and 18.3 rebounds and was 42-8 in two seasons at the University of Kansas, including second-place finish in 1957 NCAA title game. Played for the Harlem Globetrotters in 1959 for a reported $50,000, an astounding basketball salary at the time.
First NBA game: Posted 43 points and 28 rebounds in Warriors’ 118-109 win at New York Knicks on Oct. 24, 1959.
Rookie season: Averaged 37.6 points 27.0 rebounds, was Rookie of the Year and MVP.
Impact: The Warriors were 32-40 the year before and improved to 49-26 (\+17 wins). It took a shrewd move by owner Eddie Gottlieb to even land Chamberlain in the draft, which at the time allowed a team to claim a local college player in exchange for its first round pick (“territorial” draft rule). Gottlieb argued that since Kansas had no NBA team, and since Chamberlain played high school ball in Philadelphia, the Warriors held Chamberlain’s territorial rights. Chamberlain had a monster season, leading the league in both scoring and rebounding.
Teammate’s take: Vern Hatton says “We all knew right away that he was a special kind of player. He was extra, extra strong and talented. He could jump up and touch the top of the backboard when most everybody barely made it up to touch the rim. He could handle the ball and he was pretty fast too. We’d run wind sprints and if anybody beat him at all it might have been (point guard) Guy Rodgers, but Wilt Chamberlain was as fast as anybody on the team running the floor.”
“In fact, in my opinion, Bill Russell couldn’t carry Wilt Chamberlain’s jock strap. Bill keeps thinking he’s the greatest, but Wilt Chamberlain was the greatest individual offensive player that ever played the game.”
“I got really pretty mad at him one time. I was struggling to stay on the team, and I had a nice soft jump shot that I’d shoot from the top of the circle. But Wilt would jump and grab it and stuff it through (offensive goaltending wasn’t a rule at the time). I said, ‘Wilt, gosh, you got a big contract. I’d like to come back next year. So, would you please let me score a few points on my jump shot.’ He laughed and said, ‘I’ll let one or two go through.’”
“He exceeded all expectations as a player being able to score that many points. He put on quite a show. Sometimes even the other players would step back and ooh and aah.”
Verdict: The numbers are simply staggering: four MVP awards, seven times first-team All-NBA, two times All-Defense, seven times leading the league in scoring (including a record 50.4 average in 1962), 11 times in rebounding, once in assists, and two championships. Expected to dominate, Chamberlain was even better, becoming one of greatest basketball players of all-time. ";
spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","Tim Duncan","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050623/050623_duncan_vmed_10p.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Ronald Martinez", "Getty Images", "252", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "
Drafted; No. 1 overall in 1997 by San Antonio Spurs.
Pre-NBA: The 6-11 post player averaged 16.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists and was 97-31 in four seasons at Wake Forest.
First game: Posted 15 points and 10 rebounds in Spurs’ 107-96 victory at Denver Nuggets on Oct. 31, 1997.
Rookie season: Averaged 21.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.5 blocked shots and shot .549 from the field, was Rookie of the Year and fifth in MVP voting.
Impact: The Spurs were 20-62 the year before Duncan, then improved to 56-26. Having averaged nearly 59 wins from 1994-96, they certainly didn’t have the look of a lottery team. However, injuries to their two leading scorers -- David Robinson (back, foot ailments) missed 76 games and Sean Elliott (quadriceps) missed 43 -- triggered a 3-15 start in 1997 that got Bob Hill fired. San Antonio wound up with the third-worst record in the league and struck gold on a 21.4 percent chance at landing the top spot in the lottery.
Teammate’s take: Vinnie Del Negro says “With the guys coming back from injury and then adding a guy like Tim, you just knew that the sky would be the limit for the franchise.”
“You could just tell (Tim) was so far advanced for a rookie because he stayed in school for four years. He was very mature, very aware. And being easy-going, a good guy, and having such a great work ethic, he fit right into the mold of a Spur.”
“I just know how great a player David Robinson was, having played with him for six years. At the time, David could pretty much handle anybody he needed to handle defensively, and you could tell even early in training camp that it wasn’t easy for David just to guard Tim then. And then seeing Tim, with his footwork and skill level, score with up-and-unders and jump hooks on David, I didn’t see who was really going to stop him. You knew he was going to dominate.”
“The thing that I admire about Tim through all his success is that he hasn’t changed. He’s a real down-to-earth guy. He has this quiet personality, a go-about-your-business demeanor, but he’s really hungry to be great. And he’s fiery. He keeps his emotions intact, but that doesn’t mean he’s not an emotional guy.”
Verdict: Regardless of lofty expectations placed on Duncan upon his entrance in the NBA, the 31-year-old Duncan has exceeded them. In 10 NBA season, he has won two MVP awards, been named first-team All-NBA nine times, first-team All-Defense seven times, and won four championships.";
spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","Patrick Ewing","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070620/070620_ewing_vmed_4p.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Andrew D. Bernstein", "NBAE/Getty Images", "266", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "
Drafted: No. 1 overall in 1985 by New York Knicks.
Pre-NBA: Averaged 15.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.4 blocked shots and shot .620 from the field, and was 121-23 in four seasons at Georgetown University, including 1984 NCAA title and second-place finishes in 1982 and 1985.
First game: Posted 18 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots in Knicks’ 99-89 loss vs. Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 26, 1985.
Rookie season: Averaged 20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots and was Rookie of the Year.
Impact: The Knicks were 24-58 the year before and declined to 23-59 (-1 wins). Ewing is the only player on our list whose team did not improve during their rookie season. In fact, the Knicks opened the season 0-8. Ewing’s offense was a bit better than advertised, but his defense and rebounding -- although solid -- were not of the spectacular variety that many people had predicted based on his devastating success in college. His marquee meter, however, was quite high. As for producing a winner, that took more time.
Insider’s take: Trent Tucker says “It was the first draft lottery, and I remember exactly where I was at. I was in Miami, and when we got the No. 1 pick and could take Patrick Ewing I was so ecstatic because I knew basketball was back in New York City once again.”
“There was a lot of excitement, a lot of anticipation. Here’s a guy coming in as a rookie that was supposed to resurrect the entire franchise and put it on his shoulders. There was a lot of pressure that he had to carry. And we all know what he became — a Hall-of-Famer.”
“The biggest thing that stood out was his ability to shoot the basketball from the outside. At Georgetown, he was known more for great rebounding, a shot-blocker, a defensive player and someone who could score on the low block. But once he got to the NBA, his range from 15-to-20 feet was fantastic.”
“John Thompson did a very good job of preparing him for the big moments. He had been in big games before with Georgetown always playing deep into the NCAA tournament every year. He had a great teacher in John Thompson and that helped him deal with the pressure of New York City.”
Verdict: Try as he did, Ewing never won a championship, he didn’t win an MVP award and was only selected first-team All-NBA once. Fair or not, the hype created at Georgetown made Ewing the “Hoya Destroya.” And despite 11 NBA all-star nods and expected membership in basketball’s Hall of Fame, Ewing never came close to dominating the league.";
spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","LeBron James","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/031220/031220_cavJames_vmed_9p.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "John Gress", "REUTERS", "261", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "
Drafted: No. 1 overall in 2003 by Cleveland Cavaliers.
Pre-NBA: Averaged 25.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists and led St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (Akron, Ohio) to 101-6 four-year record, including three state championships (2000, 2001, 2003).
First game: Posted 25 points, six rebounds, nine assists and four steals in Cavaliers’ 106-92 loss at Sacramento Kings on Oct. 29, 2003.
Rookie season: Averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, was Rookie of the Year and ninth in MVP voting.
Impact: The Cavaliers were 17-65 the year before and improved to 35-47 (\+18 wins). In part due to a $90-million shoe contract that he signed with Nike even before his first game, James entered the league with the most fanfare since Patrick Ewing nearly two decades earlier. And he exceeded all expectations, especially given that he was 18 years old for the first two months of his rookie season. He set numerous rookie and “youngest-ever” records and made Cavaliers games one of the toughest tickets in every NBA city.
Verdict: It’s hard to believe, but James -- having just completed his fourth NBA season -- won’t turn 23 until Dec. 30. He just led the Cavs to their first NBA Finals, proved that he can deliver in the postseason, and continues to improve his game. He is well on his way to becoming one of the best players ever.";
spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","Magic Johnson","","","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
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Drafted: No. 1 overall in 1979 by Los Angeles Lakers.
Pre-NBA: Averaged 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.9 assists and was 51-11 in two seasons at Michigan State University, including a 1979 NCAA championship.
First game: Posted 26 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 103-102 victory vs. San Diego Clippers on Oct. 12, 1979.
Rookie season: Averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 2.4 steals.
Impact: The Lakers ere 47-35 the year before, improved to 60-22 (\+13 wins) and were NBA champions. From start to finish, Johnson’s flair for the dramatic was on full display. In his first game, an exuberant Johnson nearly choked Kareem Abdul-Jabbar during a celebration after Abdul-Jabbar drained a skyhook at the buzzer to beat the Clippers. Then, in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, with Abdul-Jabbar out (sprained ankle), Johnson started at center and delivered 42 rebounds, 15 rebounds and seven assists as the Lakers defeated the 76ers for the championship.
Insider’s take: Jim Chones says “My first impression of Magic was that he was happy. He was totally unassuming, yet he really lit up the room. And he had the ability already at that age to make people believe in themselves. You had to play with more energy because he was always energetic. Magic truly made you better. He was special. It wasn’t just his basketball. It’s just something about him that makes you feel good to be around him.”
“He had a great feel for the game, a tremendous ability to anticipate. His anticipation was flawless. He could see stuff before it happened. He was the best at that.”
“He made the game fun again. My career was dragging on. I played those five tough years in Cleveland as probably the smallest center in the league and they wore me out. About a week before the regular season, I came to Los Angeles with all that sunshine, and all they were talking about was this kid Magic. And I go into practice and he’s just leaving guys behind. He’s finding open people, making the game easy, going underneath and doing the dirty work, getting offensive rebounds, getting hit and putting it back in, and laughing and joking and singing a song all through practice. He truly loved the game and it was contagious.”
Verdict: Johnson is the only player on our list who won a title as a rookie. He added four more championships during his career, won three MVP awards and was named first-team All-NBA nine times. He always gave the Lakers what they needed most: sometimes points, other times rebounds, always assists. No question, he stands as one of the five best players of all-time.";
spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","Shaquille O'Neal","Shaquille O'Neal poses with Magic general manager Pat Williams after the 1993 NBA draft.","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070618/070618_shaq_vmed_6p.vmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Gary Bassing", "NBAE/Getty Images", "260", "198", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "
Drafted: No. 1 overall in 1992 by Orlando Magic.
Pre-NBA: Averaged 21.3 points, 13.5 rebounds and shot .610 from the field and was 64-29 in three seasons at Louisiana State University.
First game: Posted 12 points, 18 rebounds, three blocked shots and eight turnovers before fouling out in 32 minutes in Magic’s 110-100 victory vs. Miami Heat on Nov. 6, 1992.
Rookie season: Averaged 23.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, 3.5 blocked shots and shot .562 from the field, was Rookie of the Year and seventh in MVP voting.
Impact: The Magic were 21-61 the year before and improved to 41-41 (\+20 wins). O’Neal entered the NBA as the consensus No. 1 pick, prompting everyone to call the 1992 event “The Shaq Draft.” And O’Neal immediately imposed his force on the league with a display of youthful exuberance. To no surprise, his rebound, blocked shot, foul and turnover averages still stand as career-highs. With unparalleled power and charisma, O’Neal turned all of Orlando’s games into gotta-be-there shows.
Insider’s take: Pat Williams says “It was huge turning point for the franchise. The glow of our expansion years was beginning to fade. And then suddenly in ’92 we get that enormous jolt of hope and excitement and energy and enthusiasm. The minute we won the lottery, there was just a sense of hope and the future, and that great things were going to happen.”
“Shaq’s a big, overgrown kid. We got a visit from him right before the draft. He came with his father and younger brother, and we gave them a full tour of the city and our facilities. We had dinner with them that night with ownership. At our end of the table, Shaq and his younger brother, Jamal, ended up in a food fight. They were throwing food at each other. It reminded me of my own house. I remember asking (coach) Matt Guokas what his feelings were. He said, ‘I didn’t know what to do, whether I should scold them or send them both to their rooms.’”
“The physical size of the man is rather mind-blowing. When you see him for the first time, you’re thought is, ‘How can anybody be this big?’ And he had a great arsenal of physical tools. It was hard to imagine anybody that big, that huge, with that athleticism and that kind of agility. That combination is rare indeed.”
Verdict: O’Neal, now 35, recently completed his 15th NBA season -- a remarkable achievement for someone 7-foot-1 and, for the latter half of his career, in excess of 325 pounds. While it’s doubtful that he has another great season left in him, O’Neal’s place in the game is secure: one MVP award, eight first-team All-NBA selections and four championships.";
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spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "
Drafted: No. 1 overall in 1983 by Houston Rockets.
Pre-NBA: Averaged 16.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.5 blocked shots, shot .568 from the field (28.1 percent of field goals were dunks), and was 112-23 in four seasons at the University of Virginia, including 1980 NIT title and 1981 NCAA Final Four.
First game: Posted 18 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots in Rockets’ 106-100 victory vs. San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 29, 1983.
Rookie season: Averaged 21.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocked shots and was Rookie of Year.
Impact: The Rockets were 14-68 the year before and improved to 29-53 (\+15 wins). The hype machine was working overtime for Sampson, a three-time NCAA Player of the Year, a guy who, while in college, graced the cover of Sports Illustrated five times. He was seen not only as the Rockets’ savior, but someone who would revolutionize play from the center position for the next generation. His rookie season was very good, but certainly didn’t change the NBA.
Insider’s take: Carroll Dawson says “He could not only shoot from 20 feet, he loved to do it. We worked with him to get him closer to the bucket. He had the inside skills, a hook shot, a turnaround on the block, and he was just an awesome shot-blocker. He was athletic and quick for 7-4 and very skilled.”
“He was a quiet guy, but in college it was a freak show, where everybody stared at him at games and everywhere he went. When he got here, he had that protective wall around him because it was the only way he could survive. He was in the spotlight more than anybody who ever came into the league. Every game was like the Finals when he first started.”
“I’ve always defended Ralph because people remember what happened after he hurt his knee. He lost his quickness and he lost his vertical jumping ability quite a bit. It took him forever to turn around and change direction. That was a devastating knee injury. He gets a bad rap because that’s how people remember him. If you go back to the first four years, he was some player.”
“He had a great career ahead of him. And I’m always defending him when they say what a bust he was. That’s not true. First of all, he would have never lived up to what was expected of him because it was just too much. But he was turning into a great player.”
Verdict: In his first three years, Sampson averaged 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds and missed only three games. A knee injury cut short his fourth season, limited his ability, and the remainder of his brief career was disappointing. Even at his best, however, Sampson never approached greatness (top MVP finish was 10th) and he was quickly surpassed by teammate Hakeem Olajuwon.";
spt_draft_impact_players[i++] = new Array("","Bill Walton","","","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "");
spt_draft_impact_players[i-1].body = "
Drafted: No. 1 overall in 1974 by Portland Trail Blazers.
Pre-NBA: Averaged 20.3 points and 15.7 rebounds and led UCLA to an 86-4 three-year record, including NCAA titles in 1972 and 1973 and a third-place finish in 1974.
First game: Posted 18 points, 24 rebounds and five assists before fouling out in 46 minutes in the Trail Blazers’ 131-129 quadruple-overtime victory vs. Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 18, 1974.
Rookie season: Averaged 12.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.7 blocked shots in 35 games.
Impact: The Trail Blazers, who were 27-55 the year before, improved to 38-44 (\+11 wins). Walton’s rookie season was a harbinger of things to come: spectacular when healthy and on the floor, but far too often off the floor and injured. Skill-wise, he was everything as advertised, everything that hoop fans had witnessed at UCLA: a fine shooter, rebounder, and shot-blocker, and the game’s best passing big man. However, he missed more than half of Portland’s games as a rookie, an absence that surely cost the team a shot at the playoffs.
Verdict: The right pick, the right player, the wrong body. Walton simply couldn’t stay healthy. In a four-year span in the middle of his career, he played in only 14 of a possible 328 games. It all came together for Walton just three times: the 1977 championship, his MVP season in 1978, and a second championship as the sixth man with the Celtics in 1986."; // END editorial data