Dave Twardzik is one of the Orlando Magic's most experienced and knowledgeable basketball minds but once passed on selecting Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant in consecutive drafts.

Twardzik is now director of scouting for the Magic and was GM of the lowly Golden State Warriors from 1995-96.

In 1995, the teenage wave hadn?t yet arrived in the NBA and not many GM?s were using their pick to go with unproven youth.  Twardzik used the first overall pick to select Joe Smith of Maryland over the likes of Rasheed Wallace of North Carolina, Antonio McDyess of Alabama and Garnett of Farragut Academy of Chicago.

The Magic?s Pat Williams selected Moses Malone out of high school when he was the Sixers GM, but that was 20 years before Garnett appeared on the scene and the trend toward players without any college experience began again.  Bryant and Tracy McGrady followed to solidify the trend or perhaps to make it a permanent way of life in the NBA.  

In 1996, Twardzik chose Todd Fuller of North Carolina State over Bryant of Lower Merion (Pa.) High School.  But twelve other teams also passed on Bryant until the Charlotte Hornets selected him 13th and then traded him to the Lakers at what turns out to be a laughably low price.