As strong as Garnett, he was only selected with the fifth overall pick in the draft. Who were the four people before him? What were their achievements?

As one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history, Kevin Garnett has had a very legendary career, and his appearance also has very important historical significance, because it is his unparalleled talent that made many conservative NBA teams begin to pay more and more attention to high school players. This paved the way for Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, LeBron James and others to enter the NBA. However, when he entered the NBA that year, he was only selected with the fifth overall pick, so who were the players before him? What were their career achievements? Let’s find out below!

Joe Smith

Career statistics: 10.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1 assist

Draft pick: No. 1 pick

As the top pick of that rookie class Yuan, Joe Smith was once a talented star. He came from the University of Maryland. After being selected by the Warriors, he could contribute 15.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1.6 blocks in his rookie season. In the second year of his career, he also had an output of 18.7 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. If this performance is maintained, even if Smith cannot become an All-Star player, he will be able to secure a starting position on any team.

But he did exactly the opposite. After signing with the Timberwolves, they publicly signed multiple short-term contracts, but privately reached an agreement that they would get a multi-year contract. The outbreak of the "Yin Yang Contract" incident brought his credibility to the bottom. After that, Smith began to wander continuously. In 16 seasons in the NBA, he played for a total of 12 different teams, becoming one of the players with the most homeless teams in NBA history. Throughout his NBA career, he averaged only 10.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. Although he was the top pick in parallel imports, his downfall is shameful, and it was all his own fault.

Antonio McDyess

Career statistics: 12 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists

Draft pick: No. 2

The second pick that year was also a good big man, McDyess, the leading power forward from the University of Alabama. After being selected by the Nuggets, McDyess has already become a top power forward in the second year of his career, averaging 18.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. However, due to the team's poor record, he was traded. But soon, he was signed back by the Nuggets. In his fourth grade, his data increased to 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks. He was selected to the best third team of the year and became a figure who can be ranked among the best power forwards.

In addition, in the 2000-01 season, he was selected to the only All-Star team in his career with his data of 20.8 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. Unfortunately, just when his career was on the rise, McDyess suffered a serious knee injury and missed the entire 2002-03 season. Since then, at the age of 28, he has become an ordinary starter. But even so, he can still become a qualified rotation in the Pistons and Spurs. If there were no injuries, perhaps McDyess would have been able to achieve higher results.

Jerry Stackhouse

Career statistics: 16.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists

Draft pick: third overall

After that, it was that year The third overall pick, Stackhouse, who is regarded as the best defender of the year, is also from the University of North Carolina and is one of Michael Jordan's most proud juniors. He also showed good scoring ability in the NCAA, so Stackhouse was once regarded as Jordan's successor. After entering the NBA, he was able to contribute 20+4+3 level data in his first two seasons with the 76ers. However, due to the arrival of Allen Iverson, he failed to fight for power and was sent away by the team. Fortunately, after joining the Pistons, he got room to display, averaging more than 20 points per game for 4 consecutive seasons. In the 2000-01 season, he was able to score 29.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists. It was during his time with the Pistons that he was selected to two All-Star teams.

However, what is a bit embarrassing is that despite the gorgeous personal data, Stackhouse's team's record has been stagnant. Therefore, after the 2002-03 season, he gradually stepped down. Whether in the Mavericks, or later the Bucks and Heat, he could only play as a substitute sixth man. Generally speaking, he has abilities, but he is not the core of the team. He has played for 18 years and averaged 16.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game. He is worthy of his status as the top pick, but he has not reached the expected height, which is still a bit disappointing.

Rashid Wallace

Career statistics: 14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists

Draft pick: fourth overall

It must be said that the 1995 draft was indeed a feast for power forwards. In the top five picks alone, four outstanding No. 4 picks were selected. The fourth overall pick was "Roaring God" Wallace. Although he was selected by the Bullets, he was sent to the Trail Blazers after his rookie season. Here, he helped the Trail Blazers reach a peak in team history, especially in the 98-99 and 99-00 seasons. They entered the Western Conference Finals consecutively, putting a lot of pressure on the later champions, the Spurs and the Lakers. In several seasons with the Trail Blazers, he could steadily deliver 18+8+2-level data, his iconic straight-arm shooting and excellent defensive ability, making him selected to the All-Star team twice. However, he had a very bad temper at that time. He kept getting technical fouls on the court, and even acted recklessly off the court. He made the Blazers into a mess and was eventually kicked out..

However, Wallace later changed his ways and joined the Pistons in the 2003-04 season and became the last piece of the puzzle. In the playoffs, he averaged 13 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. He formed a brotherhood with Ben Wallace, successfully completed a dark horse counterattack, and defeated the invincible Lakers to win the championship. After that, Wallace had two All-Star experiences and helped the Pistons become the dominant player in the Eastern Conference. Overall, his career achievements are pretty good. He averaged 14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, and the bonus of the championship makes him worthy of the fourth pick.