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History Recap for the NBA: Spring 1994 - Spring 2003

1994 Finals — Jordan and the Bulls meet the Spurs in an easy Finals sweep, besting the Spurs 4-0 to give Jordan his first title.

Summer 1994 — the Sacramento Kings win the 1st overall pick for the second year in a row, pairing Jason Kidd with Chris Webber. Grant Hill is selected 2nd by the Orlando Magic, becoming the franchise star.

The Runnin’ Rockets are broken up: Pippen is traded to the Bucks for Alonzo Mourning and picks, O’Neal is traded to the Nuggets for Jalen Rose, Chris Morris and picks, while Gary Payton is traded to the Nets for Mookie Blaylock and picks.

1995 Finals — The veteran Mavericks, led by Hakeem and Clyde Drexler, best the upstart Heat (a 7th seed that fought all the way to the Finals) in 7 games.

Summer 1995 — Kevin Garnett becomes the 1st overall pick, taken by the Spurs after a lost season (David Robinson missed 80 games), while the Blazers select Jerry Stackhouse 2nd.

1996 Finals — The Mavericks return to the Finals and best the Indiana Pacers (led by Jeff Hornacek, James Worthy, and Mark Jackson) in 7 games.

Summer 1996 — Allen Iverson is selected 1st overall by the Suns. The Wizards select Ray Allen 2nd, while Kobe Bryant is selected by the Pat Riley led Miami Heat 3rd. The Rockets select Peja Stojakovic and Ilgauskas in the late lottery, while Steve Nash is selected 10th overall by the Magic.

The Kings trade Chris Webber to the Knicks after a falling out with Jason Kidd.

Clyde Drexler retires from the NBA.

1997 Finals — The Lakers face the Bulls in a highly-anticipated Finals. Magic Johnson, Charles Barkely, and Dennis Rodman face off against Michael Jordan, Derek Harper, and Sam Perkins. The Lakers win in 7, with Barkley being named Finals MVP. Magic Johnson announces his retirement after the game.

Summer 1997 — Shaquille O’Neal becomes the biggest free agent (literally and figuratively) in NBA history after becoming the first drafted player to accept the RFA qualifying offer the summer before. O’Neal, publicly dissatisfied by Denver, signs with the Kings.

Jason Kidd is traded to the Celtics, dissatisfied with being bumped down to a second star with the arrival of Shaq.

Tim Duncan is drafted 1st overall by the Mavericks after a disastrous regular season. Houston trades Alonzo Mourning to the T’Wolves.

Tracy McGrady is selected 5th overall by the struggling Timberwolves

1998 Finals — The Spurs and Bulls meet in KGs first Finals appearance; this time Jordan comes through in 5 games, giving MJ his second title.

Summer 1998 — The top of the 1998 draft is filled with former Finals teams as the Lakers and Pacers both suffered injury filled, broken seasons. The Nets select Paul Pierce 1st while the Lakers select Vince Carter next. Dirk Nowitzki is selected by the Grizzlies 3rd.

1999 Finals — The Celtics are back in the Finals; led by the Jason Kidd, Boston faces off against former rival Shaquille O’Neal with the Kings. O’Neal and Kidd play a remarkable Finals, but the Kings pull it out in 7. O’Neal is named Finals MVP.

Summer 1999 — Patrick Ewing and the Knicks finalize a trade that sends Ewing to the Bulls for picks and players. After four years of failing to make the playoffs with Ewing, the Knicks are finally rebuilding.

In the 1999 NBA draft, Baron Davis is selected first by the Warriors followed by Steve Francis to the Rockets. Lamar Odom is selected by the Clippers while Richard Hamilton finds his way to Atlanta. Ron Artest ends up a Hornet.

Hakeem Olajuwon retires from the NBA.

2000 Finals — The Mavericks return to the Finals and face off against the Scottie Pippen led Milwaukee Bucks; the series is tied 2-2 after four games, but Pippen suffers another knee injury in Game 5. Dallas will win in 6.

Summer 2000 — The Warriors finish with the 1st overall pick after Baron Davis missed 76 games with a broken leg; the Warriors select Kenyon Martin first in an otherwise dreadful draft.

Lakers head coach Chuck Daly dies from a heart attack, leaving the Lakers adrift without a steady coaching voice. Dennis Rodman, in an apparent nervous breakdown, shows up to Lakers training camp in a wedding dress — Rodman will be released two weeks into the regular season, never to see an NBA roster again.

2001 Finals — The Spurs face off against the Bulls as KG. David Robinson, and Allan Houston face Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing. Jordan secures another ring, winning the series in 5, and retires after the Finals as Magic Johnson did before him — he finishes his career with 3 rings.

Patrick Ewing retires from the NBA, finishing his final year with an NBA title with the Bulls.


Summer 2001 — The Raptors select Pau Gasol 1st overall as the Sonics select Gilbert Arenas 2nd and the Knicks select Tyson Chandler 10th. Joe Johnson is selected 7th by the Sonics as well, while Zach Randolph is selected by the Pacers 11th.

Charles Barkley, the last member of the Lakers championship core, retires after an injury-plagued year. The Lakers will struggle going forward.

Veteran Karl Malone will sign with the Miami Heat in an attempt to get a ring before he retires.

2002 Finals — The Heat are back in the Finals for the first time since 1995 and face off against the Allen Iverson-led Suns; Phoenix and Miami engage in a 7 game series where the Suns lose in a heartbreaker Game 7 as Kobe Bryant hits the game-winner with 3 seconds left, giving Miami their first title.

Summer 2002 — The Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 1995, have landed the first overall pick and select Yao Ming from China to much fanfare. Jay Williams goes to Chicago second, Amare Stoudemire is selected by the Bucks third, Caron Butler to the Warriors 4th, and Carlos Boozer is selected 5th by the Clippers.

The Lakers will hire Phil Jackson as their new head coach after a year-long hiatus from coaching.

Scottie Pippen retires from the NBA after struggling to regain his previous form.

2003 Finals — The Heat return to the Finals and face off against the Shaq-led Sacramento Kings. Miami goes up 3-0 before dropping two straight to lead to a critical Game 6 in Miami, where the Heat watch Kobe Bryant drop 45-6-9, with a big 22-5-7 from Karl Malone, as the Heat win 129-109 and secure the franchise’s second title.


Summer 2003 — the starting point of our story …