Top 10 Loaded Draft Classes By One School

The 2010 NBA Draft is just ten days away and this year’s edition could make history. Five Kentucky players are poised to be drafted in the first round. No school has ever accomplished that feat. So when the clock strikes midnight and the dust settles, where will Kentucky’s 2010 class stand compared to others in the modern era (1980-present)? We rank the most loaded classes ever based on where they were drafted. – Scott Parry

10. 1998 North Carolina
Players drafted: (No. 4Antawn Jamison, No. 5 Vince Carter, No. 34 Shammond Williams)
After losing in the Final Four in 1998, three North Carolina stars left early for the NBA Draft. They were easily one of the most talented teams in the NCAA, led by two tremendous scorers. Golden State picked Antawn Jamison and got an electrifying scorer. Vince Carter was taken next by the Raptors, who became the new face of their franchise as a high-flying dunker. Unfortunately, he’s also known for choking in big games, quitting on the Raptors, and calling for a stretcher anytime someone stepped on his toe. Shammond Williams turned out to really be a “sham,” bouncing from the NBA to Europe primarily as a three-point shooter.

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9. 1992 Arkansas
Players Drafted: (No. 8 Todd Day, No. 22 Oliver Miller, No. 23 Lee Mayberry, No. 37 Isaiah Morris)
In the 1992 NCAA tournament, a talented, senior-laden Arkansas team bowed out in the 2nd round but supplied the ‘92 NBA Draft with a surplus of talent. The draft turned into Hog Heaven, headlined by the backcourt duo of Todd Day and Lee Mayberry – a.k.a. “MayDay.” Three Arkansas players were taken in the first round – only the fifth trio of teammates selected in the first round of the same NBA draft – and a fourth was taken in the second. Said Nolan Richardson: “I was watching TV last night and I stood there with my chest out.” Miller, meanwhile, apparently went straight to the drive through.

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8. 1991 UNLV
Players Drafted: (No. 1 Larry Johnson, No. 9 Stacey Augmon, No. 12 Greg Anthony, No. 29 George Ackles)
The 1991 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels were one of the greatest college basketball teams of all time. Facing their last chance for a title defense before NBA sanctions swallowed them up, UNLV almost did the unthinkable. Going 34-0 right up to the championship game, UNLV blew their perfect season in the Final Four against Duke. The prize piece of the team, Larry Johnson, turned pro, as pundits joked he was taking a pay cut to leave Vegas. Ackles was the second pick of the second round as UNLV just missed out on history again of being the first program to have four first round picks in the same draft.

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7. 2007 Ohio State
Players Drafted: (No. 1 Greg Oden, No. 4 Mike Conley Jr., No. 21 Daeqaun Cook)
Coming into the 2006 season, Thad Matta acquired one of the greatest recruiting classes in Ohio State basketball history dubbed “The Thad Five.” In a prelude to his NBA career, Oden was injured before even playing in a single game, and didn’t play until midway through the season. Once Oden finally arrived, Ohio State became unbeatable, making it to the 2007 NCAA finals. The “Thad Five” finally fell to an even better dream team from Florida and three out of Thad’s five jumped to the first round of the NBA draft. Oden was selected with the first overall pick and somehow made it to the podium without injury. Mike Conley Jr. went fourth to the Memphis Grizzlies while Daeqaun Cook went 21st to the 76ers and was traded to the Miami Heat. Thad Matta proceeded to cry himself to sleep after watching his dream team abandon ship.

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6. 1996 Kentucky
Players Drafted: (No. 6 Antoine Walker, No. 16 Tony Delk, No. 19 Walter McCarty, No. 52 Mark Pope)
Following the 1996 NCAA tournament, the NBA was prepared to get one of the biggest influxes of talent in history. The team that brought the most talent to the table was the Rick Pitino-led Kentucky Wildcats. Submitting three first-round picks of Antoine Walker, Tony Delk, and Walter McCarty as well as second rounder Mark Pope. Pitino didn’t lose any sleep over these losses, going back to the title game a year later.

Antoine Walker went sixth overall to the Boston Celtics for his great all-around talent for a big man. Antoine employed the “don’t think just shoot” approach at Boston, literally throwing the ball at the hoop every time he touched it. Tony Delk went to Charlotte with the 16th pick and was traded so often he may as well have lived in a van. Walter McCarty went to the Knicks with the 19th pick and was eventually traded to join Antoine Walker on the Celtics. He got to watch Antoine fire up shots from the bench for most of his career.

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5. 2007 Florida
Players Drafted: (No. 3 Al Horford, No. 7 Corey Brewer, No. 9 Joakim Noah, No. 41 Chris Richard, No. 52 Taurean Green)
After their 2006 championship, the talented Gators roster didn’t bail on their coach like most of the players on this list. They wanted to be the first team to win back-to-back titles with the same starting five. They accomplished their feat easily. After beating Ohio State in the championship, they also outdid them on draft day, sending five players to the draft and having three selected in the first round. Showing how talented this squad was, Richard was taken 41st overall despite being a back-up to Horford and Noah. Think Donovan misses these guys? He hasn’t won a tournament game since.

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4. 2006 UConn
Players Drafted: (No. 8 Rudy Gay, No. 12 Hilton Armstrong, No. 22 Marcus Williams, No. 23 Josh Boone)
Most known for falling to George Mason in the Big Dance, the 2006 UConn squad seemed to underachieve when it counted. Fortunately the NBA is all about “upside” and UConn had plenty of it. Rudy Gay was taken 8th overall by the Houston Rockets and then dished to the Memphis Grizzlies. Gay leads the Grizzlies in scoring and has been the only bright spot since the team gave Pau Gasol to the Lakers for pocket change. Hilton Armstrong went next, going 12th overall to the New Orleans Hornets. It’s not a good sign when you are being traded straight up for a 2016 draft pick, as Hilton was apparently as useful to New Orleans as a high school sophomore – Hilton was then waived by the Rockets.

Marcus Williams was taken 22nd overall by the New Jersey Nets. Notorious as a laptop thief, hopefully Marcus can finally afford one with his new Grizzlies contract, joining Hasheem Thabeet, Jeff Adrien, and Rudy Gay on the UConn-riddled team. The Nets really loved the Huskies, taking Josh Boone second in their back to back UConn selections. Boone has contributed in small doses for the worst team in the NBA but can now hopefully ride Jet Ski’s with the team’s new owner.

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3. 1999 Duke
Players drafted: (No. 1 Elton Brand, No. 11 Trajan Langdon, No. 13 Corey Maggette, No. 14 William Avery)
During the 1999 NCAA tournament, NBA teams watched Duke’s powerhouse ride to the finals with dropped jaws. Seemingly unstoppable, the Dookies tripped up in the finals vs. UConn but scouts didn’t seem to mind. The consensus seemed to be that NBA teams should just transplant Duke’s roster onto their own and start from scratch. Everyone pretty much attempted this, selecting four Duke players with the first 14 picks, setting an NBA record. Elton Brand was taken with the first overall pick by the Chicago Bulls and established himself as a dominant forward in the league, while Maggette has become a proven scorer. Langdon and Avery didn’t pan out in the NBA, but two for four ain’t bad when you’re talking about Duke draft picks.

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2. 2005 North Carolina
Players Drafted: (No. 2 Marvin Williams, No. 5 Raymond Felton, No. 13 Sean May, No. 14 Rashad McCants)
After winning the 2005 NCAA tournament, six Tar Heel stars headed to the draft, leaving coach Roy Williams in the dust. Joked Williams afterward: “I’d have been really mad at them if they’d gone pro and none of them had gotten drafted tonight.” That wasn’t a concern, as UNC became the first school ever to have four players selected in the lottery. Marvin Williams was selected 2nd overall by the Atlanta Hawks but is nothing more than a role player. Raymond Felton went next to the Bobcats and has brought his explosive quickness to their back court. May and McCants have essentially been injured for the past five years.

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1. 2010 Kentucky
Player draft projection: (No. 1 John Wall, No. 5 DeMarcus Cousins, No. 6 Patrick Patterson, No. 18 Daniel Orton and No. 25 Eric Bledsoe)
We know, we know. They haven’t actually been drafted yet. But we’re calling it early. This will be the most dominant class by one school based on where they are taken. Just look at its draft prospects. No school has ever fielded five first-round draft picks. Not only is that a distinct possibility according to many NBA mock drafts, but three of those players could go in the top five.

Consider this: Orton is projected as a top 20 pick despite averaging a measly 3.4 PPG and 3.3 RPG; it’s tough getting into the game when you’re sitting behind Cousins and Patterson. And Bledsoe is seen as a future star point guard despite not even playing the position last season to make accommodate John Wall.

It’s shocking Kentucky didn’t win the title but don’t worry, they’ll have plenty of dollar bills to wipe the tears from their eyes come next Thursday.