Best NBA player of the late-90s generation?

by Patrick Ronald

  I was watching ESPN Classic this afternoon and I was stuck as a young Tim Duncan, of Wake Forest, battled against a young Stephon Marbury, of Georgia Tech, for an ACC Conference championship in 1996.

  For many of the people in my age group – this wasn’t too long ago.

  I was in sixth grade during this game and with the exception of the Bulls and some extreme superstars – these are some of the guys that defined my childhood and into the future.

  Maybe yours too.  So, I looked into it.

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  1995 NBA Draft

1)          Joe Smith                       Maryland

2)          Antonio McDyess          Alabama

3)          Jerry Stackhouse            UNC

4)          Rasheed Wallace            UNC

5)          Kevin Garnett                 

  Other names of the 1995 draft include Bryant Reeves, Damon Stoudamire, Brent Barry, Theo Ratliff and Eric Snow.

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  1996 NBA Draft

  1)            Allen Iverson                  Georgetown  

  2)            Marcus Camby               UMass

  3)            Shareef Abdur-Rahim     California

  4)            Stephon Marbury            Georgia Tech

  5)            Ray Allen                        UConn

  Other names of the 1996 draft include Antoine Walker, Kerry Kittles, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Jermaine O’Neal, Derek Fisher and Peja Stojakovic.

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 1997 NBA Draft

  1)            Tim Duncan                  Wake Forest 

  2)            Keith Van Horn            Utah

  3)            Chauncey Billups         Colorado

  4)            Antonio Daniels            Bowling Green

  5)            Tony Battie                    Texas Tech

  Other names of the 1997 draft include Ron Mercer, Tracy McGrady, Jacque Vaughn, Marc Jackson, Stephen Jackson and Austin Croshere.

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  1998 NBA Draft

  1)            Michael Olowokandi         Pacific

  2)            Mike Bibby                        Arizona

  3)            Raef LaFrentz                    Kansas

  4)            Antawn Jamison                 UNC

  5)            Vince Carter                       UNC

  Other names of the 1998 draft include Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Larry Hughes, Bonzi Wells, Cuttino Mobley, Rafer Alston, Al Harrington, Ricky Davis and Bryce Drew.

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  My point is – as a NBA fan I recognize so many of the names on these four lists.  Either from college, NBA, great clutch and blooper moments and even video games.

  There are so many other names, too.

  My question to you is who is THE BEST PLAYER (everything included) of this four-year span.

  I have mine narrowed down to Kobe and Tim Duncan, but those are the obvious.

  Who were the biggest busts?

  Who were the biggest surprises?

  Who do y'all got?