Post by eric on Mar 23, 2016 10:17:06 GMT -6
The first McDonald's All American class was 1977. With b-r's help I tallied up the NBA careers of players to be so named and here are the results, where "WS/48" is the cumulative WS/48 of the class and "Good" is the number of players to play at least 2000 MP with at least .100 career WS/48:
The 1981 class features future Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin, as well as a strong contribution from future NCAA MOP Ed Pinckney. Interestingly the McDonald's MVP was none of these, and was co-awarded to Adrian Branch (career 1429 MP) and Aubrey Sherrod (0 MP).
The 2003 class is of course McDonald's MVP LeBron James but also features Chris Paul, and then Luol Deng, Brandon Bass, Kris Humphries, and Leon Powe.
The 1995 class has McDonald's MVP Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Stephon Marbury, Antawn Jamison, and Robert Traylor. As these names suggest it also has the second most total MP of any class with 291813. Most outright is the middling 2004 class with 292981, then third is way back to the middling 1979 class with 267541. The 2004 class mark will probably stand for awhile given they still have 11 active players to push it up.
The clear worst class is 1983, whose best player was Kenny Smith and was one of only two classes not to break 80,000 total career MP. In fact every class from 1982 to 1987 ranks in the bottom third of the sample for WS/48 (ignoring 2012-present for obvious reasons). If we look at a moving five year average we find three nadirs: 1985 (three years before our 1988 Bronze), 1992 (carried by pros), and 1999 (three years before our 2002 Sixth). Perhaps an important piece of the explanation for our international stumbles those years was simply that talent is not a constant, that it can vary from year to year, and we happened to have down years leading into those tournaments.
year WS/48 Good
2014 0.050 0
2013 0.067 1
2012 0.059 0
2011 0.091 2
2010 0.097 6
2009 0.094 4
2008 0.089 3
2007 0.112 7
2006 0.113 9
2005 0.104 6
2004 0.103 5
2003 0.145 6
2002 0.128 4
2001 0.104 3
2000 0.081 2
1999 0.094 3
1998 0.103 4
1997 0.108 6
1996 0.112 4
1995 0.139 8
1994 0.080 2
1993 0.092 1
1992 0.106 1
1991 0.089 2
1990 0.100 3
1989 0.113 2
1988 0.098 5
1987 0.085 3
1986 0.089 3
1985 0.085 1
1984 0.092 2
1983 0.075 1
1982 0.089 1
1981 0.150 4
1980 0.111 4
1979 0.105 8
1978 0.109 2
1977 0.128 3
year WS/48 Good
1981 0.150 4
2003 0.145 6
1995 0.139 8
2002 0.128 4
1977 0.128 3
2006 0.113 9
1989 0.113 2
1996 0.112 4
2007 0.112 7
1980 0.111 4
1978 0.109 2
1997 0.108 6
1992 0.106 1
1979 0.105 8
2001 0.104 3
2005 0.104 6
1998 0.103 4
2004 0.103 5
1990 0.100 3
1988 0.098 5
2010 0.097 6
2009 0.094 4
1999 0.094 3
1993 0.092 1
1984 0.092 2
2011 0.091 2
1991 0.089 2
1982 0.089 1
2008 0.089 3
1986 0.089 3
1985 0.085 1
1987 0.085 3
2000 0.081 2
1994 0.080 2
1983 0.075 1
2013 0.067 1
2012 0.059 0
2014 0.050 0The 1981 class features future Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Chris Mullin, as well as a strong contribution from future NCAA MOP Ed Pinckney. Interestingly the McDonald's MVP was none of these, and was co-awarded to Adrian Branch (career 1429 MP) and Aubrey Sherrod (0 MP).
The 2003 class is of course McDonald's MVP LeBron James but also features Chris Paul, and then Luol Deng, Brandon Bass, Kris Humphries, and Leon Powe.
The 1995 class has McDonald's MVP Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Stephon Marbury, Antawn Jamison, and Robert Traylor. As these names suggest it also has the second most total MP of any class with 291813. Most outright is the middling 2004 class with 292981, then third is way back to the middling 1979 class with 267541. The 2004 class mark will probably stand for awhile given they still have 11 active players to push it up.
The clear worst class is 1983, whose best player was Kenny Smith and was one of only two classes not to break 80,000 total career MP. In fact every class from 1982 to 1987 ranks in the bottom third of the sample for WS/48 (ignoring 2012-present for obvious reasons). If we look at a moving five year average we find three nadirs: 1985 (three years before our 1988 Bronze), 1992 (carried by pros), and 1999 (three years before our 2002 Sixth). Perhaps an important piece of the explanation for our international stumbles those years was simply that talent is not a constant, that it can vary from year to year, and we happened to have down years leading into those tournaments.
