As for the sophomore class? The reviews are just as mixed. But, since there are several sophomores stories to consider, we'll only look at the first-round picks in the '90s.

Philadelphia took sophomores in back-to-back drafts, and plucked two future All-Stars, not to mention a future MVP, with the selections of Jerry Stackhouse (1995) and Iverson (1996). Then again, the first three players picked in 1995 were all sophomores who've turned into outstanding pros: Joe Smith, Antonio McDyess and Stackhouse. All told, the '95 and '96 drafts saw seven sophomores turn into lottery picks. Iverson and Smith were both No. 1 overall picks, while the '96 draft also saw Antoine Walker (No. 6), Lorenzen Wright (No. 7) and Samaki Walker (No. 9) chosen.

Boston, however, has had the most luck with sophomores. In 1997, Boston took sophomores Chauncey Billups (No. 3) and Ron Mercer (No. 5), and while neither is still with the team, both have become solid pros. Combine this pair with Walker, and the Celtics took a "chance" on three straight sophomores in the first round under the guidance of Rick Pitino.

But it isn't always such a slam dunk when it comes to the sophomores. Just look at the tale of two Dukies in 1998 ... Elton Brand and William Avery.

And as for the juniors, well why even try to single out a few cases when it seems everyone is leaving before their eligibility is up.

Freshmen

Success: Stephon Marbury		Mistake: Dermarr Johnson
In one season, Stephon Marbury took the Yellow Jackets to the NCAA Tournament and didn't disappoint when Minnesota made him the No. 5 pick in 1996. "He was ready to run a team immediately," said one NBA assistant general manager. "He made an impact when he entered the league and established himself as one of the 10 best point guards. He was an all-rookie and still is regarded as one of the top point guards in the NBA." Marbury's ability to run the point without hesitation and to make quick decisions gave the executiveutives confidence that he was ready to make the jump. "There was never really a doubt about it," said another NBA executives. Another Success Story Sharif Abdur-Rahim, Cal: Vancouver made him the No. 3 pick in 1996 and he immediately became their best talent. He still was when the Grizzlies were getting ready to move to Memphis before he was shipped to Atlanta in a pre-draft trade in June. "He was ready to be a scorer," said an NBA executives. "He went onto a bad team and established himself as a 20 and 10 guy, made one of the USA basketball teams and was one of the top scorers in the NBA the past five years." Abdur-Rahim's deep religious beliefs and his quiet nature seemed to help him make the transition to the NBA. He wasn't caught up in the posse mentality and thrived in a low-profile city.		DerMarr Johnson nearly bolted out of high school but then chose to honor a commitment to the Bearcats when he was at Maine Central Institute. What was the rush? He's barely been a factor at Atlanta and his lack of productivity in his rookie season prompted coach Lon Kruger and GM Pete Babcock to seriously look at the draft as a way to get veterans in a blockbuster trade rather than go down the path of waiting for a talent to someday blossom. "He still hasn't established a position for himself," said one NBA executive. "His body hasn't matured and his game hasn't matured yet either." Johnson was the sixth pick of the 2000 draft so he definitely got paid. But that doesn't mean he's ready. Another Early Mistake Ricky Davis, Iowa Charlotte picked Davis with the 21st overall pick of the 1998 draft and he is still in the NBA. But he has bounced around, been traded and hasn't made an impact. Would another season or two have helped Davis? The consensus is a resounding yes. "What he found out was that there is a lot more to just being athletic at the next level," said one NBA executive. "He played sparing minutes and could have used a few more years in college. He's still got to define his game more. It could be coming around for him in Cleveland, but it sure took a while." Davis' fundamentals and overall ball skills were the issue that dogged him.

Sophomores

Success: Elton Brand		Mistake: William Avery
Duke didn't win the 1999 championship, losing it to Connecticut, but Elton Brand did take home the player of the year trophy. What could he do for encore? Win it again and try and get Duke back to the title game. They would have a legit shot with then-juniors Shane Battier and Nate James and freshmen Jason Williams, Mike Dunleavy and Carlos Boozer. But he proved to be physically ready to bang in the league. He quickly became the focal point for Chicago and didn't disappoint as a top pick. "Now Elton is a 20 and 10 type guy for his second team in two years," one NBA executive said. "That's pretty good to be able to do that." Brand also was one of the elite players put on the U.S. Olympic team. His status as an impact player was almost immediately created. But there were others like him, players like Baron Davis who didn't have to continue in school to make an impact. Another Success Story Allen Iverson, Georgetown: The list of choices is a bit longer here and this one is obvious. Iverson was an offensive gem with the Hoyas and he was a natural No. 1 selection by the Sixers in the 1996 draft. He had that blockbuster potential in the package of a combo guard who could handle the ball, drive to the bucket and shoot long range. "Is there even a question here? I mean they guy was the leading scorer in the league, the MVP and obviously helped the economy in Philadelphia," said an NBA executive. "He's one of the stars that you actually go out and see in the league." Iverson could have stayed a Hoya longer, but he was one of those players who already had the game down and didn't need to go to school any longer to pursue his dream. He had a ready-made NBA game and as a No. 1 pick it was hard to argue against his decision.		Elton Brand probably should have gone, but William Avery definitely should have stayed at Duke after the 1998-99 season. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was probably bothered most by his departure more than the other two early entry players from Duke (Maggette and Brand) that season. Krzyzewski knew Avery wasn't nearly ready to make the jump, certainly not enough to be the 14th pick by Minnesota in the 2000 draft. "He's basically the third or fourth point guard on the Timberwolves," said a competing NBA executive. "He doesn't log quality minutes and doesn't seem like he's going to be ahead of Terrell Brandon or Chauncey Billups anytime soon. He's not a true point guard and doesn't have all the skills yet that a shooting point guard should have. He definitely would have benefited playing for Krzyzewski for another season." Avery could have been pushed in practice by Williams, which alone would have made him better. Another Early Mistake Corey Benjamin, Oregon State What was he thinking? It wasn't like Benjamin was exactly tearing up the Pac-10. He was doing fine but wasn't a make-or-break performer. He was the go-to player, sort of, on an OK team. "He was an athlete who couldn't score," said one NBA executive. "He didn't show any ability to score or pick up the triangle offense with the Bulls. He wasn't even a defensive specialist." The executive said Benjamin's game never translated into the NBA. "It's not just about dunking and running. He didn't even have good ball skills and now he's out of the league and wasn't even picked up for veteran camp." But the beauty of the salary structure is he was safe to get guaranteed money when Chicago picked him at No. 28 in the first round. But staying in school, at least another year, might have given him a chance to stick.

Juniors

Success: Vince Carter		Mistake: Robert Traylor
Vince Carter wasn't supposed to be such a big hit, that impact honor was supposedly destined for North Carolina teammate Antawn Jamison. But Carter rocketed to star status in Toronto once the Raptors swapped the fourth pick (Jamison) to the Warriors for Carter (the fifth pick) in the 1998 draft. He combined athleticism with a game. He had the smarts and the demeanor to make the transition work. He had already been in a subordinate role at Carolina to Jamison and was ready to be more assertive once he was out on his own. "He is, as everyone knows, one of the most marketable players in the league," one NBA executive said. "He has taken an expansion team and put them in position to make a deep run in the playoffs and be a title contender. Do you think he was ready?" No need to argue. Another Success Story Paul Pierce, Kansas There are so many other choices that could fit, players like Connecticut's Ray Allen, the above mentioned Jamison, Maryland's Steve Francis, Connecticut's Richard Hamilton or UNLV's Shawn Marion. But Pierce is proving with each game how ready he was to make the jump. He had ball skills for a big man, could put the ball on the floor, shoot deep shots and get to the basket. He had the long arms to be a decent defender and didn't mind going to the boards. He was mature when he left Kansas and had the demeanor to deal with a rebuilding situation in Boston when the Celtics got him as a steal at No. 10 in the 1998 draft. "He's simply one of the best scorers in the NBA," one NBA executive said. "He's one of the premier players in the league. Sure he could have stayed for his senior season but it wasn't a necessity."		The biggest thing Robert Traylor would have gained by staying for his senior season apparently was conditioning and commitment. He certainly wasn't worthy of being the sixth pick by Dallas in 1998. "He has never developed himself," said one NBA executive. "He had some moments his first year, but never established himself as a true four man, a guy could start. He's been with four teams, Milwaukee (Dallas traded him to the Bucks), Cleveland, Philadelphia and Charlotte. He's a bench player and hasn't developed even close to the picks around him like Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki, Vince Carter or Antwan Jamison." Traylor could have used that summer between his junior and senior seasons to become a dominating presence. Instead, he took a pass and he's still paying the price. Another Early Mistake Dontae Jones, Mississippi State There are other candidates like West Virginia's Gordon Malone or Florida State's Randall Jackson, but Jones clearly is a good choice in this category. Jones had his academic issues, and he basically led to an NCAA limit on summer school hours of only a few courses per session. He needed loads of hours, the word was over 30 to be eligible for Mississippi State after transferring from a junior college. He got them and helped lead the Bulldogs to the Final Four in 1996. Jones still was enough of a star in the Final Four to get picked No. 21 in the first round by New York in 1996. He was the classic case of a player riding a hot NCAA Tournament run into the NBA draft. But the reality was "he was a guy who never was able to make it," one NBA executive said. "He had the athletic ability to score, but not the NBA mentality of how to do it. He just never was able to stick."

Ron Buck is ESPN.com's men's college basketball editor. Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com.