** FILE ** Commissioner David Stern welcomes Erick Dampier of Mississippi State to the NBA after he was chosen by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the NBA draft in this June 26, 1996 photo in East Rutherford, N.J. The 1996 draft, perhaps the strongers in league history, produced five players who were All-Stars this year. Four of them (Steve Nash, Allen Iverson, Ray Allen and Kobe Bryant) were All-NBA last season. Iverson and Nash have won MVP awards,and Nash and Bryant are among the leading candidates this season. Camby, taken behind Iverson with the second pick, was leading the league in rebounding early in the season before getting slowed by injuries.(AP Photo/Ron Frehm)