The 1996 NBA draft class brought out two future Hall of Famers and a ton of personality, but Slam Magazine didn’t know that when it took this iconic picture of the standout rookies ahead of their league debuts.
The 1996 NBA draft class had the best rookie photo EVER
Kobe, Nash, Ray Allen, Marcus Camby AND Stephon Marbury. This was perfect.
I’m not sure a rookie class picture will ever top this group of legends gathering in front of a brick wall looking like they’re about to play the meanest game of pickup ever.
That’s Kobe Bryant with the ball, and Stephon Marbury with his arms folded. Marcus Camby is towering over Marbury to his left, and crouching below is Ray Allen. Antoine Walker is on the outer right, Kerry Kittles is below Steve Nash, Shareef Abdur-Rahim is to Kobe’s right, and John Wallace, Jermaine O’Neal and Walter McCarty round out the featured members of the ‘96 draft class.
This is the only picture I could think of as the NBA took its group rookie picture for the class of 2017.
Will we speak of this highly touted class in the same regard?
Something tells me 10 or so years down the line we’ll be talking about Lonzo Ball getting to hold the ball instead of No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz.
Seriously, Fultz is NOT happy.
