2) That Short Guy From Gonzaga (1984)
Given his status as arguably the greatest pure point guard ever to hit the hardwood, it’s pretty hard to believe that even John Stockton himself was surprised when the Jazz picked him out of Gonzaga in the middle of the first round back in 1984.
At the time, though, it was a pretty unpopular decision. When NBA commissioner David Stern announced Stockton’s name on draft night, fans in Salt Lake City were less than impressed —
Nowadays, it’s unthinkable that he fell to No. 16. In what is heralded as the greatest draft class in NBA history, he should’ve been up in the Top 4 with the likes of Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley. In short order, he went from being Rickey Green’s back-up to one of the best players of his or any other generation.
To try to list all of his accomplishments here would be folly, but here’s a few of the fruits of Stockton’s two decades spent in a Jazz uniform —
- 10-time NBA All-Star and ’93 ASG MVP
- 11-time All-NBA selection
- Five-time All-Defensive team selection
- Nine-time league-leader in assists
- All-time leader in assists and steals
Next: No. 1