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• Your Rankings: Who were the best 1996 draft picks across the NBA, the NFL and MLB?

It was a simpler time in 1996. The Yankees were winning the World Series. Bruce Springsteen was touring the country. And the Florida Gators were marching toward a national championship behind a Heisman-winning quarterback. All right, so maybe we're not quite talking Dickensian London in terms of difference.

But 1996 was a long time ago in the sports world, as Allen Iverson can attest. If reports are true of interest from the Knicks, Iverson's NBA career might not be over; however, getting released by the Grizzlies after a disastrous three-game tenure is a long way from being the No. 1 overall pick out of Georgetown.

The 76ers got pretty good return on that selection, but as it turns out, 1996 was a good year for finding franchise talent. Granted, some picks didn't quite work out (Lorenzen Wright probably just had bad luck), but the year produced the likes of Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash in the NBA, Marvin Harrison and Ray Lewis in the NFL, and Jimmy Rollins in MLB. So as Iverson looks for work, where does he rank among products of 1996?

• Vote: Is Iverson better than anyone currently in Mike D'Antoni's backcourt?
• Tuesday Chat: NBA Insider Chad Ford on Iverson's future and more, 1 p.m. ET

Brandon (Gainesville, FL)

As bad as the Knicks are, do you see Donnie Walsh doing something to inject some life into the knicks. They can't afford to march this group out there game in and and game out. And as much experience as the younger guys need, they also can't afford to give the 2nd or 3rd pick in the draft to the Jazz. We know they're protecting the cap, does walsh do ANYTHING?

Chris Sheridan

Sadly, Brandon, Donnie is now having to defend his decision to take Jordan Hill over Brandon Jennings, and New Yorkers have already heard that Steve Alford-Reggie Miller tale one too many times. What the Knicks -- or more specifically, Walsh and Mike D'Antoni -- are fixated on right now is getting Eddy Curry back on the court and hoping he can produce a 12-14 game body of work that at least gets someone to consider trading for him. Curry remains the key to the treasure chest. If they move him, they can sign a second max free agent, or sign a max guy and keep David Lee. The focus is still on the summer of 2010, and this season is a sacrifice. Full transcript