NBA Draft: Redrafting the 1984 Draft Class
The draft class of 1984 has gone down as one of the most stacked in NBA history. It consists of 4 Hall of Famers, and possibly another candidate who was really unfortunate because of injuries. 7 All-Stars in total were drafted among the first 16 players, and most of the first round picks lasted beyond their rookie contract in the league - something that doesn't happen often in NBA history.
Having said that, some teams like the Trail Blazers, the Dallas Mavericks, the Washington Bullets and the Los Angeles Clippers messed up with their draft picks big time, and paid the price of lowered ceilings for years to come. The possibility of a Drexler/Jordan backcourt in Portland has been one of the biggest what-ifs in basketball history.
Looking back today, we attempt to redraft the 10 best players in the draft based on their peaks, career achievements and impact on the game. Without further ado, here goes our redraft of the 1984 draft class:
With the 10th pick, the Philadelphia 76ers select Vern Fleming
Vern Fleming was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the #18 overall pick in the 1984 draft. He played 11 years of his NBA career for the franchise, and was a crucial member of their guard rotation all through it barring the last, averaging over 19 minutes per game. He was relegated to a bench role from the 1990-91 season with the emergence of Mark Jackson, but was very much still in their long-term plans.
His best season was the 1987-88 campaign, when he averaged 13.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game. Fleming played out the final season of his career with the New Jersey Nets at the age of 34, averaging 3.3 assists per game in 22 minutes of playing time and giving valuable veteran experience to Jason Kidd.
Fleming ended with career averages of 11.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.