The all-time Big East NBA mock draft

No. 1 overall pick in 1996

1095-96 Georgetown stats (Sophomore): 25.0 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.4 steals per game (Lost in Elite Eight to UMass)

Iverson’s fit in today’s NBA is a constant source of debate. Yes, he was one of the best volume scorers we’ve ever seen, a player who could bend an entire defense to him despite being under 6-foot. Yes, he was a terrible outside shooter who thrived on volume and one-on-one scoring that gets shut down today. The concerns were enough for me to drop him out of the top five — however, he stays here because you can project some style changes that would come with placing him as a prospect into the modern game. Iverson had enough burst and court vision to be a successful pick-and-roll scorer, and he did more of that at Georgetown than he was asked to in the NBA. This may not have worked against his tendency to be a black hole, but it may have further explored his playmaking ability, which has been underrated.

Defensively, he still would have had issues due to size, and the answers aren’t as easy as “Find a tall guard and stick him next to A.I.” Modern defensive schemes would have probably forced his team to hide him on a weak wing threat, and even that is becoming increasingly difficult. The bonus here is that college Iverson was as tough and feisty as pro Iverson, and he at least wasn’t going to get beaten via lack of effort. Like Isaiah Thomas, there are issues Iverson would have to work around. There may have been no path to consistent 3-point shooting for him, and his defense would have been mediocre at best. But with his handles and athleticism, I’m voting that he still finds a way to be effective as a lead guard.