NBA Draft: Redrafting the 1996 NBA draft class

With the 1st overall pick, the Philadelphia 76ers select Kobe Bryant

Kobe dunks on Chris 'Birdman' Andersen

The Black Mamba is the second greatest shooting guard of all time, bar no one. With 18 All-Star game selections, 15 All-NBA team selections, 12 All-Defensive Team selections, an MVP trophy and 2 Finals MVP trophies in addition to 5 NBA titles, the Mamba is one of the most decorated players in league history.

He is the third-youngest player to ever play the game. declaring for the draft straight out of Lower Merion High School where he averaged an insane 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4 steals and 3.8 blocks: these numbers have never been matched by a high school player since. He impressed Jerry West in his workout with the Lakers so much that they agreed to trade Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for his draft rights, picking him up with the 13th pick.

Kobe made the All-Star game every season from his second one in the league. If not for an Achilles tear that basically sapped him of his explosiveness late in his 17th season in the league, he could legitimately have been an All-world player for a couple of years more, seeing that he was nicknamed 'Vino' for aging like fine wine that very season.

The 'Mamba Mentality' is something embraced by tons of talented young players in the league today. Kobe, above everything else, embodied a psychopathic competitive edge and toughness that few players in any sport have ever been able to match.