All-Time NBA Franchise Draft

Jacob Robinson

We conducted a 12-team All-Time Franchise Draft. The rules were simple: Draft a starting-five, a bench and a head coach. Here are the final results, along with analysis from the Team Owner on why their team is the best out of the bunch:

Team 1, Abbas Dahodwala:

PG Damian Lillard SG Michael Jordan

SF Scottie Pippen

PF Dirk Nowitzki C Anthony Davis

Bench: Gary Payton, Luol Deng, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, Mitch Richmond

Head Coach: Erik Spoelstra

From the owner: “I have the best player to ever play the game. That's all.”

Team 2, Johnny McCurdy:

PG Walt Frazier

SG George Gervin

SF LeBron James

PF Moses Malone

C David Robinson

Bench: Russell Westbrook, Pete Maravich, Bernard King, Arvydas Sabonis, Sidney Moncrief

Head Coach: Chuck Daly

From the owner: “First, I have Lebron James. My team also has the most size and versatile defending with Walt Frazier being able to guard bigs and David Robinson able to switch on to guards I have no holes. I also have George Gervin who averaged over 26 a game and Moses Malone the greatest offensive rebounder of all time. I also have one of the greatest coaches of all time along with the explosiveness of Russ, Bernard king and pistol Pete off the bench along with the defense of Sidney Moncrief and scoring of Sabonis where he spent his prime as a perennial MVP in Europe.”

Team 3, Jack Dragon:

PG John Stockton

SG Kobe Bryant

SF Julius Erving

PF Elvin Hayes

C Patrick Ewing

Bench: Alex English, Kevin Johnson, Richard Hamilton, Tim Hardaway, Rasheed Wallace

Head Coach: K.C. Jones

From the owner: “My team is the best because Kobe is a duplicate of the guy who we all have been watching on Sunday night, and Doctor J's reverse fillay speaks for itself. Ewing was in Space Jam. Stockton all time assist leader. Elvin Hayes was a bucket. Alex English was a bucket. Kevin Johnson slept on. Rip Hamilton got his rings. Tim Hardaway with the crossover. KC Jones is goated. Rasheed getting thrown out for staring at the ref speaks for itself.”

Team 4, DJ Murrell:

PG Steve Nash

SG Dwayne Wade

SF Kawhi Leonard

PF Pau Gasol

C Shaquille O’Neal

Bench: Joe Dumars, Paul George, Rajon Rondo, Al Horford, Marc Gasol

Head Coach: Larry Brown

From the owner: “I feel my team is best because I have a lot of two way players and dynamic scorers. Shaq is the most dominant player in nba history. He can also protect the rim as well. Kawhi is a monster on both ends of the floor. Dwade the 3rd best shoot guard of all time can also get me a bucket when needed. Nash can command the floor and facilitate, and pau can stretch the floor with his shooting ability. Off the bench I got pg and joe dumars who can play both ends of the floor. Overall I think I have the best defensive team with the ability to put up numbers on the offensive end as well.”

Team 5, Charlie Bevins:

PG Isiah Thomas

SG Klay Thompson

SF Adrian Dantley

PF Kevin McHale

C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Bench: Kyle Korver, Dikembe Mutombo, Zion Williamson, Metta World Peace, Derrick Rose

Head coach: Steve Kerr

“The first couple rounds I wanted to go best player available- I was surprised Kareem fell that far and when I saw IT was available, I imagined him and Kareem running pick and rolls all day. After that I mostly went for need and who would be most fun to have on a team. I also love the idea of Thomas and Zion running the pick and roll. I also knew I needed some three point shooting so I went ahead and got one of the best three point shooters of all time in Klay and later doubled down with Korver.”

Team 6, Jacob Robinson:

PG Magic Johnson

SG Reggie Miller

SF Clyde Drexler

PF Kevin Garnett

C Robert Parish

Bench: John Havliceck, Chris Webber, Bob Cousy, Alonzo Mourning, David Thompson

Head Coach: Gregg Poppovich

From the Owner: “My team is led by the Greatest Point Guard and Head Coach in NBA History in Magic Johnson and Gregg Poppovich. Magic Johnson’s ability to run the floor as a facilitator is unmatched by any PG ever, and his length and height is unguardable by almost every Point Guard he’ll have to go against. Coach Pop has a tremendous resume and when separating himself from Phil Jackson, I’ll bring up this point: It’s more impressive that Poppovich won with the talent around him (Duncan, Kawhi, Tony Parker, Manu) than Phil Jackson winning with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Gregg Poppovich using Brent Barry and Bruce Bowen to win is harder than Phil Jackson having Scottie Pippen and Shaquille O’Neal. Reggie Miller is a top 3 shooter of all-time who gives me great scoring for his minutes. Kevin Garnett is the most physical and competitive player of all-time, who is arguably the greatest defender of all time. My height and physical presence (Johnson, Garnett, Mourning), combined with scoring (Drexler, Miller, Havlicek and Johnson) and Guard play makes my team unstoppable. Not to mention, I got great value at the Center position, taking Parish in the 8th round. Additionally, my bench would beat most starting lineups. I love having Chris Webber, Havlicek and Cousy come off the bench and absolutely dominate.”

Team 7, Julian Cheaney

PG Jason Kidd

SG Tracy McGrady

SF Luka Doncic

PF Charles Barkely

C Nikola Jokic

Bench: Amar’e Stoudemire, Brandon Ingram, Baron Davis, Bradley Beal, Willis Reed

Head Coach: Doc Rivers

From the owner: “Tmac/Kidd/Doncic/Beal/Ingram: Players that can score whenever they want at all three levels, not to mention that Kidd and Doncic can playmake easily, seeing as they're triple double machines.

Baron/Amar'e/Barkley: These three are extremely effective mid to close range. Amar'e and Barkley's physicality and athleticism especially hard to handle on both sides of the floor; I'd say it's comparable to two zions on the court and Baron is an athletic scoring point guard that will burn you off the dribble and is a great finisher at the rim but also has point guard vision allowing him to create for his teammates.

Jokic/Reed: Jokic isn't that athletic but he has a lowkey handle, great vision and creative ability to make up for it and can shoot the 3 well enough to make you think. Oh and he's 7ft tall. Reed is one of the best true centers ever so playing a two man game with him would be pretty effective.”

Team 8, Jakobi Hardy:

PG Jerry West

SG Manu Ginobili

SF Paul Pierce

PF Karl Malone

C Wilt Chamberlain

Bench: Rick Barry, Tony Parker, Kevin Love, Wes Unseld, Sam Jones

Head Coach: Phil Jackson

From the Owner: “My team is the best because I have the only guy in NBA history to score 100 points. I also have the best HC of all time in Phil Jackson. Along with the Truth. Also my starting shooting guard has one of the worst hairlines ever and has caught a bat in a live game.”

Team 9, Mohammed Rahman:

PG Allen Iverson

SG Ray Allen

SF Kevin Durant

PF Giannis Antetokounmpo

C Dwight Howard

Bench: Grant Hill, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Yao Ming, Jamaal Crawford

Head Coach: Doug Collins

From the owner: “My team is the best team because across my team I have:

All-Star selection: 60

All NBA selection: 38

Scoring champ: 8

Hall of famer: 4

NBA champion: 4

All-Star game mvp: 4

MVP: 3

Rookie of the year: 3

NBA finals mvp: 2

Sixth man of the year: 1”

Team 10, Sherod Herald:

PG Oscar Robertson

SG Elgin Baylor

SF Larry Bird

PF Dennis Rodman

C George Mikan

Bench: Kyrie Irving, Dan Issel, Bobby Jones, Earl Monroe, John Wall

Head Coach: Red Auerbach

From the owner: “My team is the best because they are all very well rounded so nobody is a liability on defense or offense and I have a height advantage on most teams with no player being shorter than 6'5 in my starting lineup and I have "Larry Legend".

Team 11, Tyron Ball:

PG Chris Paul SG Vince Carter

SF Carmelo Anthony

PF Tim Duncan

C Bill Russell

Bench: Draymond Green, Penny Hardaway, Ben Wallace, Andre Iguodala, Gilbert

Arenas

Head Coach: Pat Riley

From the owner: “My team is the best because I have the best PF of all time paired with a man who has the most rings of all time as my two bigs (17 rings just between those two). A PG who started the term "Point God". Followed by Melo & Vince. & a bench full of dogs that could even lock up some of the other team’s starters. Not to mention Pat Riley coaching.”

Team 12, Cade McCurdy:

PG Stephen Curry

SG James Harden

SF James Worthy PF Chris Bosh C Hakeem Olajuwon

Bench: Chris Mullin, Bill Walton, Dominique Wilkins, Shawn Marion, Chauncey Billups

Head Coach: Rick Carlisle

From the owner: “Every player on my team is either in or will be in the Hall of Fame upon retirement. The only two guys who can’t shoot threes are my centers, who make up for it by being two of the most dominant defensive players ever. My team can do anything: Harden-Olajuwon pick and roll, Curry-Bosh pick-and-pop, Walton playing and inside-out game hitting open men. The only bad defender is Curry, who makes up for it by being the greatest shooter ever. If teams go big we can match-up with Harden/Worthy/Marion/Bosh/Olajuwon, and if they go small we can blitz them with Billups/Curry/Mullin/Marion/Bosh. We’ve got a lineup of shooters combined with do-everything players like Bosh and Marion, centers who can hold their own against any big man, and guards who can torch guys off the dribble or from three. Additionally, everyone is a great locker room guy and we’ve got Chauncey Billups for defense if Curry/Harden are in too much trouble.”