Kevin Garnett (photo. Gary Land)

Thirteen summers ago, no one knew quite what to do with Kevin Garnett. At 6-11 with a skill set that mirrored an elite two-guard, KG was clearly the best player in a national high school class that included Stephon Marbury, Vince Carter and Paul Pierce. But when the Farragut Academy (Chicago) senior threw his name into the NBA Draft pool, he went from can’t-miss college prospect to risky pro pick. Garnett was the first player to skip college for the League since Shawn Kemp in ‘89, and the first to truly jump directly from high school since Moses Malone 21 years earlier. (Kemp started out at the University of Kentucky in ‘88 but was kicked off the team before the season started, then went to a community college, where he also didn’t play, before entering the next year’s Draft.)

Garnett’s talent as a 19-year-old wasn’t in doubt, but there were understandable concerns about his maturity and ability to handle living a grown man’s life in a cut-throat industry. Isiah Thomas, at the time executive VP of the Raptors, said that if he drafted KG, he would enroll him in a local college and only allow the rookie to play in Toronto’s home games. (Two years later, Isiah picked high schooler Tracy McGrady and let him play a normal NBA season.)

Minnesota took Garnett at #5, after which his All-Rookie second team showing proved high schoolers could make it in the League. The floodgates were open at that point. Kobe Bryant and Jermaine O’Neal went pro in ‘96, T-Mac went the year after that, and from ‘95 until David Stern changed the eligibility requirements in ‘06, at least one high schooler was drafted every year.

Knowing then what we know now, where would Garnett go in the ‘95 Draft? Read the Draft Do-Over rules HERE if you’re unfamiliar; otherwise, here’s the 1995 Lottery do-over…

1. Golden State — Kevin Garnett, PF, Farragut Academy (Ill.)
With Tim Hardaway, Latrell Sprewell and Chris Mullin taking care of the offense, KG could cut his teeth while focusing on rebounding and playing D. His game-changing offensive skills would be icing, and eventually make the Warriors a contender.

2. L.A. Clippers — Jerry Stackhouse, SG, North Carolina
As bad as the Clips have been historically, ‘94-95 was one of their worst seasons as a franchise. Led by Loy Vaught, Lamond Murray and Pooh Richardson, L.A. finished 17-65 and gave up more than 105 points per game. With Stackhouse, who led the NBA in points-scored in ‘00-01, they could fill a need at the two and at least hope to trade buckets with teams they couldn’t guard.

3. Philadelphia — Rasheed Wallace, PF, North Carolina
Philly’s frontcourt was headlined by Shawn Bradley, Lottery bust Sharone Wright, and Clarence Weatherspoon, an undersized destitute man’s Charles Barkley. ‘Sheed would provide some toughness, attitude, scoring and defense, and Sixers coach John Lucas is someone who could possibly get through to Wallace and address his mental issues.

4. Washington — Michael Finley, SG/SF, Wisconsin
With Michigan’s Chris Webber and Juwan Howard up front, Indiana’s Calbert Cheaney on the wing and Michigan State’s Scott Skiles running the point, the Bullets (before the name change) would become the Big Ten region’s favorite pro team with Finley.

5. Minnesota — Antonio McDyess, PF, Alabama
If the Wolves were willing to gamble on Garnett to bolster their frontcourt, McDyess is a comparatively easy choice. Seeing as you can’t predict injuries, McDyess has otherwise been a 20-10 guy at his peak and is still an effective starter late in his career.

6. Vancouver — Joe Smith, PF, Maryland
With their first-ever pick in franchise history, the Grizzlies went big with “Big Country” Bryant Reeves. Given a do-over they wouldn’t do bad for themselves with Joe Smith, who was coming off a National Player of the Year campaign at Maryland and would go on to be a solid pro, a double-digit scorer who can pull down 7-9 boards a night.

7. Toronto — Damon Stoudamire, PG, Arizona
Also making their first-ever draft choice, the Raptors aimed to build their roster around a franchise point guard like their boss, Isiah Thomas. Stoudamire was a good pick back then and would still be the right choice now. He put up one of the best rookie seasons for a PG in modern history (19 ppg, 9.3 apg), averaged no less than 19 points and 8 assists in his three-year run with Toronto, and went on to lead some very good playoff teams in Portland.

8. Portland — Bryant Reeves, C, Oklahoma State
Despite losing Clyde Drexler in a mid-season trade to Houston, the ‘95 Blazers were still a playoff team who’d acquired Detroit’s first-round pick. Pretty set in their rotation but with an aging roster, they could afford to take the best player available or grab a project and let him develop. Big Country would give them depth behind Buck Williams, Cliff Robinson and starting center Chris Dudley, and he wasn’t as bad as you may have been told: Reeves averaged 16 points and 8 boards a night in his second and third seasons before injuries got in the way.

9. New Jersey — Brent Barry, SG/PG, Oregon State
The Nets had Kenny Anderson at the point, but their best two-guard was Rex Walters. Barry is an athlete (remember the ‘96 Dunk Contest) who can pass and shoot the three. He’s been a starting PG in his career, so he’d give N.J. some versatility in the backcourt.

10. Miami — Eric Snow, PG, Michigan State
Bimbo Coles and Khalid Reeves were serviceable point guards, but Snow has been a starting-caliber PG on two NBA Finals teams (Philly in ‘01, Cleveland in ‘07) and is one of the League’s better defenders at the position. And maybe hanging around Glen Rice would do something to help that jump shot.

11. Milwaukee — Theo Ratliff, C, Wyoming
The only centers on the Bucks’ roster were Marty Conlon and Alton Lister. Not even a small-ball, seven-seconds-or-less squad (which these Bucks weren’t) would leave themselves so weak in the middle.

12. Dallas — Kurt Thomas, C/PF, TCU
Considering they originally drafted Cherokee Parks at this spot, almost anyone would have been an upgrade. Thomas would be a perfect rebounder and screen-setter for the Jason Kidd-Jimmy Jackson-Jamal Mashburn Mavs.

13. Sacramento — Gary Trent, PF, Ohio
“The Shaq of the MAC” averaged 8.6 points and 4.5 boards in the League and was a solid role player on playoff teams in Portland and Minnesota. He’s still playing professionally in Greece.

OTHER NOTABLES: Bobby Sura, Greg Ostertag, Alan Henderson, Corliss Williamson, Eric Williams, Fred Hoiberg, Travis Best, Ed O’Bannon, Tyus Edney, Rick Brunson, Kevin Ollie, Shawn Respert, Randolph Childress, Donny Marshall, Cory Alexander, Cherokee Parks, Jason Caffey, Jerome “Pooh” Allen, Jimmy King, Lou Roe, Lawrence Moten.

DRAFT DO-OVERS: 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006