When people talk about the greatest crops of rookies to ever hit the hardwood, the 1984, 1996, and 2003 classes usually hog the spotlight. It's understandable. You've got MJ, Kobe, and LeBron. But honestly, if you were a hoop head in the mid-90s, the 1994 NBA draft class felt like the actual future of the league. It was a weird, transitional time. Michael Jordan was busy chasing curveballs in Birmingham, leaving a massive power vacuum at the top of the NBA. The 1994 draft was supposed to provide the heirs to the throne.
It didn't quite go according to plan. Not exactly.
Instead of one singular GOAT, the 1994 NBA draft class gave us a collection of the most unique, specialized, and occasionally "what-if" talents to ever lace them up. You had a point forward who redefined versatility, a shooting guard with a post game better than most centers, and a slew of elite role players who ended up being the "glue" for championship dynasties. Looking back at it now, this class was basically a blueprint for the modern, positionless NBA we see today.
The Big Two: Kidd and Hill
The 1994 draft started with a bang. Or rather, a Co-Rookie of the Year trophy.
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Jason Kidd and Grant Hill were the undisputed stars of this group. Jason Kidd, taken second overall by the Dallas Mavericks, was a wizard. There is no other word for it. He didn't just pass the ball; he manipulated the entire geometry of the court. I remember watching those early "Three J's" years in Dallas with Kidd, Jim Jackson, and Jamal Mashburn. It was fast. It was chaotic. Kidd would grab a board and be at the other rim before the camera could pan over. He eventually finished his career second all-time in both assists and steals, which is just absurd.
Then there’s Grant Hill.
If you weren't there, it’s hard to explain how big Grant Hill was. He was "LeBron before LeBron" but with a smoother, more refined aesthetic. At Duke, he was a winner. In Detroit, he was a statistical monster. Hill was the first player since Oscar Robertson to lead his team in points, rebounds, and assists per game multiple times. He was the face of FILA, he was in Sprite commercials, and he was the leading All-Star vote-getter as a rookie. He beat out Jordan. Think about that.
The tragedy, of course, was the ankles. Hill’s career is one of the biggest "what-ifs" in sports history. Even with the devastating injuries that robbed him of his explosiveness, he still carved out a Hall of Fame career as a savvy veteran. That speaks to his IQ. But man, the 1994 version of Grant Hill? He was terrifying.
Big Dog and the Milwaukee Gamble
Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson went number one overall to the Milwaukee Bucks. Before he even stepped on the court, he made history by holding out for a 10-year, $68 million contract. That was unheard of back then. It actually helped trigger the rookie salary scale we have now.
Was he worth it?
Strictly as a bucket-getter, yeah, probably. Robinson had one of the most effortless mid-range jumpers I’ve ever seen. He was a 20-point-per-game scorer right out of the gate. But compared to the transformative impact of Kidd or Hill, Robinson felt like a throwback to a different era. He was a pure scorer in a class that was starting to move toward multi-tool players. He eventually got his ring with the Spurs in 2005, but his legacy is often overshadowed by the guys picked right after him.
Beyond the Top Three: The Depth of the 1994 NBA Draft Class
You can't talk about the 1994 NBA draft class without mentioning the guys who filled out the rosters of some of the greatest teams in history. This wasn't a top-heavy fluke. It was deep.
Take Juwan Howard at five. He was the first player to sign a $100 million contract. People clowned the Bullets (now Wizards) for it at the time, but Howard was a rock. He played 19 seasons. Nineteen! He was an All-Star, an All-NBA talent, and eventually a vital veteran presence for the Heat’s "Big Three" championship runs.
Then you have the specialists.
- Eddie Jones (No. 10): A defensive menace and a silky smooth SG who kept the Lakers relevant in the post-Magic, pre-Kobe era.
- Aaron McKie (No. 17): The ultimate Sixth Man. He was the heartbeat of that 2001 Sixers team that went to the Finals.
- Jalen Rose (No. 13): Part of the Fab Five, Rose brought "point forward" swagger to the Pacers. He was instrumental in pushing Jordan’s Bulls to the brink in '98.
And let's not forget the international influence. This was the year Brian Grant and Donyell Marshall came in—guys who would become the prototypical "stretch fours" or high-energy garbage men that every contender craved.
The Weirdness of Glenn Robinson’s Contract
Let's circle back to the money because it changed the league. The 1994 NBA draft class is the reason rookie contracts look the way they do today.
When Glenn Robinson demanded $100 million before playing a single second of professional basketball, the owners lost their minds. They saw the writing on the wall. If a rookie could command that kind of leverage, the entire financial structure of the NBA would collapse. By the 1995 draft, a rigid rookie scale was implemented.
In a way, the 1994 class was the last of the "Wild West" era. It was the last time a rookie had true market-value leverage. It’s a bit ironic that a class known for its unselfish playmakers like Kidd and Hill is also the one that sparked a labor revolution over cold, hard cash.
Why We Still Care About 1994
The impact of this class isn't just in the Hall of Fame. It’s in the coaching ranks and the front offices. Look around the league today. Juwan Howard spent years leading Michigan. Jason Kidd is coaching the Mavericks to Finals appearances. Ime Udoka (though not drafted in '94, he's of that era's mindset) and others reflect the grit of that mid-90s ball.
The 1994 NBA draft class represented a shift in how we value basketball players. It moved us away from the "dominant center" or "scoring guard" archetypes and toward the "do-everything" wings. Hill and Kidd proved that you could dominate a game without taking 30 shots. They proved that vision and versatility were just as valuable as a 40-inch vertical.
Actually, they both had 40-inch verticals too. That was the problem for everyone else.
Actionable Insights for Basketball Historians and Fans
If you're looking to truly understand the evolution of the modern game through the lens of the 1994 NBA draft class, here is how you should approach your research or viewing:
- Watch the 1994-95 All-Star Game: It’s a time capsule. See how quickly Hill and Kidd integrated themselves among legends like Hakeem, Barkley, and Pippen.
- Analyze the "Point Forward" Evolution: Compare Grant Hill’s 1996-97 season stats to LeBron James’s early years. The similarities in how they initiated the offense from the wing are striking and often overlooked.
- Study the Rookie Scale Shift: Research the 1995 Collective Bargaining Agreement. Understanding the "Big Dog" Robinson holdout is crucial for anyone interested in the business side of the NBA and why star rookies today are essentially on "discount" deals for their first four years.
- Revisit Jason Kidd’s Nets Years: While he was drafted in '94, his peak "generalship" happened in New Jersey. It shows the long-term ROI of picking a high-IQ floor general over a pure scorer.
The 1994 draft wasn't just about finding the next Michael Jordan. It was about diversifying what a superstar could look like. It gave us the grinders, the geniuses, and the guys who played the game the "right way" until their knees gave out. It remains one of the most influential collections of talent to ever grace the hardwood.