Sports

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The players from Tim Duncan's 1997 NBA draft class

Scott Davis and Meredith Cash

Updated

2018-10-25T19:10:00Z

tim duncan rookie — Tim Duncan is clearly the best player from the 1997 draft, which featured a couple of All-Stars, role players, and several busts. LM Otero/AP

After the 2016 NBA season, Tim Duncan decided to retire from the NBA after 19 years.

Advertisement

At 40 years old, Duncan was the last player remaining from the 1997 draft class, and easily the best, as he'll go down as one of the best big men to play the game.

But what happened to the rest of the 1997 class?

It was a solid draft that produced several All-Stars, a few renowned role players, and, of course, a few busts.

Advertisement

Check out where they are today.

Advertisement

The Spurs took Tim Duncan with the No. 1 overall pick, setting up a 19-year run of dominance.

tim duncan 97

Duncan retired after 19 years and five championships with the Spurs, going down as one of the best players in NBA history.

tim duncan

Advertisement

The 76ers took Keith Van Horn with the second overall pick.

keith van horn 97

After a nine-year career in which he made $88 million, Van Horn founded one of the top girls' basketball programs in the country, which he now coaches.

keith van horn now

Sources: Basketball-Reference, Denver Post

Advertisement

The Celtics took Chauncey Billups with the third pick.

chauncey billups

Billups was a five-time All-Star during his 17-year career. Today, Billups works as an analyst on ESPN. He also plays for the Killer 3s in the BIG3 league.

chauncey billups now

Advertisement

The Vancouver Grizzlies took Antonio Daniels with the fourth pick.

antonio daniels 97

Daniels retired in 2011, and is now a Fox Sports Oklahoma studio analyst and a host of a Sirius XM basketball radio show

antonio daniels now

Advertisement

The Nuggets took Tony Battie with the fifth pick.

tony battie 97

After 14 years in the NBA, Battie retired and, as of 2014, was an analyst for the Orlando Magic.

tony battie

Advertisement

The Celtics also had the sixth pick and selected Ron Mercer.

ron mercer 97

Mercer played for eight teams in eight years. It's unclear what he currently does, though according to his Twitter, it seems he runs a basketball camp in Kentucky.

ron mercer now

Source: @rmercer33

Advertisement

The Nets took Tim Thomas with the seventh pick.

tim thomas

Thomas retired during the 2010 season as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, and now works with AAU basketball programs and coaches a high-school basketball team in California.

tim thomas now

Source: "Inside the Berger Shop" podcast

Advertisement

The Warriors took Adonal Foyle with the eighth pick.

adonal foyle

Foyle played 12 seasons and made over $63 million. He has written a book, "Winning the Money Game," and works with several charities.

adonal foyle

Sources: Basketball-Reference, AdonalFoyle.com

Advertisement

The Raptors took Tracy McGrady with the ninth pick.

tracy mcgrady 97

McGrady had a decorated career as a seven-time All-Star while leading the NBA in scoring twice. Today, he is an analyst on ESPN and NBA TV. He also took a role in the Orlando Magic front office in 2017.

tracy mcgrady now

Advertisement

The Bucks took Danny Fortson with the 10th pick.

danny fortson old

Fortson played on five teams in 10 years. He was recently inducted into the University of Cincinnati Athletics Hall of Fame.

danny fortson 07

Source: Cincinnati Enquirer

Advertisement

The Kings took Tariq Abdul-Wahad with the 10th pick.

Tariq Abdul Wahad

Abdul-Wahad played six years in the NBA. He was hired as a varsity basketball coach in San Jose, California, in 2013.

tariq abdul wahad now

Source: San Jose Mercury News

Advertisement

The Pacers took Austin Croshere with the 11th pick.

austin croshere

Croshere played 12 seasons in the NBA and is now an analyst for the Pacers.

austin croshere now

Advertisement

The Cavaliers took Derek Anderson with the 13th pick.

derek andersom 97

After 11 years in the NBA, Anderson has now written three books and claims to be a philanthropist, screenwriter, and producer.

derek anderson

Source: Stamina One

Advertisement

The Clippers took Maurice Taylor with the 14th pick.

maurice taylor 97

After nine years in the NBA, Taylor now seems to be involved in private equity.

maurice taylor now

Sources: LinkedIn, Corporation Wiki

Advertisement

The Mavericks took Kelvin Cato with the 15th pick.

kelvin cato 97

Cato retired in 2007 and as of 2013, owns an agricultural recycling center and a record label.

kelvin cato 2005

Source: Houston Chronicle

Advertisement

The Cavaliers took Brevin Knight with the 16th pick.

brevin knight

After 12 years in the NBA, Knight became a color commentator for Fox Sports Tennessee in 2010.

brevin knight now

Advertisement

The Magic took Johnny Taylor with the 17th pick.

johnny taylor 97

Taylor only played three seasons in the NBA. After several years playing overseas, he returned stateside and began running a basketball camp.

johnny taylor now

Source: Johnny Taylor's Youth Basketball Camp

Advertisement

The Blazers took Chris Anstey with the 18th pick.

chris anstey 97

Anstey only played three years in the NBA, but had a successful career in Australia and was the coach of Melbourne United until the 2014-15 season.

chris anstey now

Advertisement

The Pistons took Scot Pollard with the 19th pick.

scot pollard 97

Pollard played 11 seasons in the NBA, and was on the 32nd season of "Survivor" in 2016.

scot pollard now

Source: Inside Survivor

Advertisement

The Timberwolves took Paul Grant with the 20th pick.

paul grant

Grant only played 16 games in his two-year NBA career. He coached at MIT from 2007 to 2012.

paul grant now

Source: MIT Athletics

Advertisement

The Nets took Anthony Parker with the 21st pick.

anthony parker 97

Brother of WNBA superstar Candace Parker, the Naperville, Illinois native played nine years in the NBA before becoming a scout for the Orlando Magic in 2017.

anthony parker

Source: Real GM

Advertisement

The Hawks took Ed Gray with the 22nd pick.

ed gray 1

Gray played two seasons in the NBA. He was eventually traded to the Rockets in 1999, but he never played.

ed gray 2

Advertisement

The Sonics took Bobby Jackson with the 23rd pick.

bobby jackson 97

Jackson played 12 years in the NBA. He was named an assistant player development coach for the Sacramento Kings heading into the 2018-19 season.

bobby jackson now

Advertisement

The Rockets took Rodrick Rhodes with the 24th pick.

rodrick rhodes

Rhodes played three years in the NBA. He coached Cordia High School to a Kentucky state championship in 2016 before leaving to coach at Northwest Nazarene University.

rodrick rhodes now

Source: Kentucky.com

Advertisement

The Knicks took John Thomas with the 25th pick.

john thomas 97

Thomas played five years in the NBA, and became the National Manager of Training for Ultimate Hoops — an adult basketball league — in 2015.

john thomas now

Source: Ultimate Hoops

Advertisement

The Heat took Charles Smith with the 26th pick.

charles smith 97

Smith played five years in the NBA. He last played in Italy in 2011.

charles smith lottomatica

Advertisement

The Jazz took Jacque Vaughn with the 27th pick.

jacque vaughn

Vaughn played 12 years in the NBA. After coaching the Magic and working with the Spurs, Vaughn was hired as an assistant coach with the Nets.

jacque vaughn magic

Advertisement

The Bulls took Keith Booth with the 28th pick.

keith booth 98

Booth played two seasons in the NBA. He became an assistant coach for the men's basketball team at Loyola University Maryland in 2013.

keith booth now

Advertisement

BONUS: The Suns took Stephen Jackson with the 42nd pick.

stephen jackson nets

Jackson played 14 years in the NBA, making over $65 million. He now does commentary on ESPN. He also plays for the BIG3 Killer 3's alongside Chauncey Billups.

stephen jackson clippers

Source: Spotrac

Advertisement

Now see what happened to the picks who didn't work out:

Darko Milicic

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The biggest NBA Draft busts of all time >>

NBA

Advertisement

Jump to

Main content
Search
Account