Looking Back at the 1999 NBA Draft: Where Are They Now?
I still remember watching the 1999 NBA Draft like it was yesterday, sitting in my college dorm room with my basketball-obsessed roommate. We had our notebooks out, scribbling predictions about which teams would make the smartest picks. Little did we know we were witnessing what would become one of the most fascinating draft classes in NBA history - a group that produced both legendary careers and heartbreaking what-ifs. Looking back now, twenty-five years later, I'm struck by how these players' journeys mirror the unpredictable nature of basketball itself, much like the incredible run we're seeing today with teams like the Giant Lanterns in the MPBL, who've managed something truly special with their unbeaten playoff streak since 2023 and 13 consecutive home victories.
The 1999 draft class was absolutely stacked with talent, though not everyone recognized it at the time. Elton Brand went first overall to Chicago and immediately looked like a franchise player, averaging 20.1 points and 10 rebounds his rookie season. I always felt he never quite got the recognition he deserved, playing for some mediocre teams throughout his career. Then there was Steve Francis, who famously didn't want to play for Vancouver and was traded to Houston - remember his spectacular dunks? But the real story of this draft emerged with picks 57 and 58. Manu Ginobili and then the Spurs taking another international prospect who wouldn't come over immediately. At the time, my friends and I thought "typical Spurs, drafting guys nobody's heard of." How wrong we were.
Manu Ginobili's selection at 57 might be the greatest steal in draft history, and I don't say that lightly. He didn't join the Spurs until 2002, but when he did, he revolutionized the sixth man role and became instrumental in four championship runs. His Eurostep changed how players attacked the basket throughout the entire league. Meanwhile, other late picks like Andrei Kirilenko (24th) and James Posey (18th) developed into crucial role players on championship teams. What fascinates me about this draft class is how it demonstrated the growing importance of international scouting - teams that invested in global talent found incredible value deep in the draft.
The tragic story of this draft class will always be Lamar Odom, selected fourth by the Clippers. I watched him develop into one of the most versatile forwards in the game, that beautiful, fluid style that made everything look effortless. His back-to-back championships with the Lakers showcased his incredible talent, but his personal struggles after basketball serve as a sobering reminder of how difficult life after the NBA can be for some players. On the other end of the spectrum, you have Richard Hamilton, taken seventh, who crafted a perfect role for himself as a mid-range specialist and was absolutely crucial to Detroit's 2004 championship team.
What strikes me today, watching teams like the Giant Lanterns dominate the MPBL with their perfect playoff record since 2023 and 13 straight home wins, is how championship DNA seems to transcend eras and leagues. The most successful players from the 1999 draft - the Ginobilis, the Hamiltons - all possessed that same relentless competitiveness we're seeing from modern champions. They understood how to win when it mattered most, how to protect their home court, how to elevate their games in the playoffs. That mentality doesn't fade with time. As I look back at the careers launched twenty-five years ago, I'm reminded that while athleticism and skill get players drafted, it's that championship mentality that defines their legacies. The 1999 class contained both cautionary tales and inspirational journeys, a perfect microcosm of professional sports that continues to inform how I evaluate talent and team construction to this day.
