History of NBA draft in Timeline
The NBA draft is an annual event held by the National Basketball Association (NBA) where teams select players who have declared eligibility to join the league. Established in 1947, the draft involves all 30 NBA teams, each receiving at least one pick across two rounds. College basketball players make up the largest portion of drafted athletes.
1947: Inception of the NBA Draft
The NBA Draft, an annual event where teams can draft eligible players, was first held in 1947.
1950: College Players Dominate the Draft
Since the draft's inception in 1950, college players have consistently been the primary source of talent.
1956: Introduction of Territorial Picks
The NBA introduced territorial picks in 1956, allowing teams to draft a player from their local area by forfeiting their first-round pick.
1960: 21 Rounds in the NBA Draft
Both the 1960 and 1968 NBA Drafts were marathons, extending for 21 rounds each.
1965: End of Territorial Picks
The use of territorial picks in the NBA Draft ended in 1965.
1966: The First Modern NBA Draft
With the elimination of territorial picks and the introduction of a coin flip for the first overall pick, the 1966 NBA Draft is considered the first modern draft.
1968: 21 Rounds in the NBA Draft
Both the 1960 and 1968 NBA Drafts were marathons, extending for 21 rounds each.
1971: Introduction of Conferences and Coin Flip
Starting in 1971, the NBA adopted a system where the worst team in each conference participated in a coin flip to decide the first overall draft pick.
1974: Standardization to 10 Draft Rounds
With the exception of 1977, the NBA Draft stabilized to 10 rounds in 1974.
1975: Darryl Dawkins Enters NBA Directly from High School
Darryl Dawkins's direct entry into the NBA from high school in 1975 marked a trend that would see limited repetition for nearly two decades.
1977: Eight-Round Draft
The 1977 NBA Draft was an exception to the prevailing 10-round format, featuring only eight rounds.
1978: Mychal Thompson Becomes First Foreign-Born Top Pick
Bahamian Mychal Thompson was selected first overall in the 1978 NBA Draft, marking the first time a foreign-born player achieved this distinction.
1980: NBA Draft Televised
The NBA Draft began its television broadcast in 1980, joining the NFL and NHL in showcasing the selection process to a wider audience.
1983: Manute Bol's Initial Ineligible Selection
Sudanese player Manute Bol's selection in the 1983 draft was deemed ineligible by the NBA.
1984: Hakeem Olajuwon Drafted First Overall
Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon was selected first overall in the 1984 NBA Draft, becoming another early example of a foreign-born player at the top of the draft.
1984: Notable NBA Draft Year
The 1984 NBA Draft is frequently cited as one of the best ever, highlighting the impact of certain draft classes on the league's history.
1984: USA Network's Coverage Ends
USA Network concluded its broadcast of the NBA Draft in 1984, marking the end of an era for the network's coverage of the event.
1985: Manute Bol Drafted Again
After his initial selection was deemed ineligible, Manute Bol was redrafted by the NBA in 1985.
1985: TBS Takes Over Coverage
TBS took over broadcasting the NBA Draft as part of its NBA on TBS package in 1985, ushering in a new era for the event's coverage.
1985: Reduction to Seven Draft Rounds
The 1985 NBA Draft saw a reduction in rounds, going down to seven.
1985: Introduction of the NBA Draft Lottery
The NBA introduced the draft lottery in 1985 to address concerns about teams deliberately losing games to secure a better draft pick.
1986: Draft Impacted by Drug Issues
The 1986 draft, while producing several notable players in later rounds, was unfortunately overshadowed by the drug-related death of second overall pick Len Bias and the impact of drug problems on several other first-round picks.
1989: Two-Round Draft Format Implemented
In 1989, the NBA Draft adopted a two-round format, a change from its previous multi-round structure.
1990: TNT Acquires Broadcasting Rights
The broadcast of the NBA Draft shifted to TNT in 1990 as part of the network's growing portfolio of NBA properties, further solidifying its presence in basketball coverage.
1995: Influx of High School Players
The period between 1995 and 2005 witnessed a surge in NBA teams drafting high school players who had just graduated.
1996: Notable NBA Draft Year
The 1996 NBA Draft is widely considered one of the best in league history, producing a remarkable pool of talent.
1997: Increased International Presence
The 1997 NBA Draft saw a significant rise in foreign-born players, with 11 international players selected. It is important to note that Tim Duncan, though born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is a U.S. citizen.
1998: Nigerian Michael Olowokandi Drafted First Overall
In 1998, Michael Olowokandi from Nigeria was selected first overall after playing college basketball at Pacific.
2000: Worst Draft in NBA History
The 2000 NBA Draft is often considered the worst in league history, with Sports Illustrated criticizing the first-round picks as a "horrible group of players."
2002: ESPN Secures Broadcasting Rights
ESPN acquired the rights to broadcast the NBA Draft from NBC in 2002, beginning its coverage in 2003 under the NBA on ESPN banner and continues to this day.
2002: Yao Ming Drafted First Overall
In a landmark moment for the NBA, the Houston Rockets selected Chinese player Yao Ming as the first overall pick in the 2002 draft, making him the first Asian player to achieve this feat.
2002: Yao Ming Makes History
The 2002 NBA draft marked a historic moment as Yao Ming became the first foreign player without U.S. college experience to be drafted first overall. This draft saw a surge in international players, with 17 drafted, highlighting the NBA's growing global appeal.
2002: Yao Ming's Impact on the NBA's Global Reach
Yao Ming's selection as the first overall pick in 2002 was a turning point for the NBA's international growth, particularly in China, where his popularity boosted the league's viewership and fanbase.
2003: ESPN Begins Broadcasting the Draft
ESPN commenced its broadcast of the NBA draft in 2003, bringing the event to a broader audience through its extensive sports network.
2003: Best NBA Draft in Recent History
The 2003 NBA Draft is widely regarded as the best in the past 25 years, notable for producing superstars such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and Chris Bosh.
July 2005: Implementation of Age Requirement
In July 2005, the NBA instituted an age requirement for the draft, barring high school seniors from entering directly.
2005: Milwaukee Bucks Select Andrew Bogut First Overall
The Milwaukee Bucks selected Andrew Bogut from Australia with the first overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.
2006: Andrea Bargnani Makes History
Breaking new ground, the Toronto Raptors drafted Andrea Bargnani from Italy first overall in 2006, making him the first European player to hold this distinction without prior U.S. college experience.
2006: Restriction on High School Players
Starting in 2006, high school players were no longer eligible to enter the NBA Draft directly after graduation.
2008: NBA TV Produces Coverage
NBA TV began producing its own coverage of the NBA Draft after coming under the purview of Turner Sports in 2008, expanding the event's reach and providing more in-depth coverage.
2009: Withdrawal Deadline for College Underclassmen
From 2009 to 2015, college underclassmen had until the day before the April signing period to withdraw from the NBA Draft and maintain their NCAA eligibility.
2011: Kyrie Irving Goes First Overall
The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Australian-born Kyrie Irving as the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, following his year at Duke University.
2013: Underwhelming Draft with Late Successes
Despite initially being considered underwhelming, the 2013 draft eventually produced All-Stars Victor Oladipo and Rudy Gobert, and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, proving that talent evaluation can be complex.
2013: International Players Dominate Top Pick
From 2013 to 2016, the NBA draft saw a consecutive streak of international players being selected as the No. 1 picks, demonstrating the increasing global talent pool in basketball.
2013: Anthony Bennett Becomes First Canadian Number One Pick
Making history, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Anthony Bennett, who played at UNLV, as the first overall pick in the 2013 draft, marking the first time a Canadian player achieved this milestone.
2014: Andrew Wiggins Drafted First Overall
The Cleveland Cavaliers made Andrew Wiggins the number one pick in the 2014 NBA draft.
2015: Withdrawal Deadline for College Underclassmen
From 2009 to 2015, college underclassmen had until the day before the April signing period to withdraw from the NBA Draft and maintain their NCAA eligibility.
2015: Satnam Singh Bhamara Drafted
Indian prospect Satnam Singh Bhamara was drafted in the second round in 2015, marking the first time a high school postgraduate exercised the option to enter the draft.
2015: Karl-Anthony Towns Makes History
The Minnesota Timberwolves selected Karl-Anthony Towns, a U.S.-born center with Dominican Republic citizenship, first overall in the 2015 draft, making him the first player of Dominican descent and the first Latin American to achieve this distinction.
2016: Changes to Draft Withdrawal Rules
Since 2016, players could enter and participate in the NBA Draft combine multiple times while retaining NCAA eligibility by withdrawing within 10 days after the mid-May combine.
2016: Thon Maker Drafted
South Sudanese-Australian prospect Thon Maker was drafted in the first round in 2016, further demonstrating the viability of high school postgraduates entering the draft.
2016: End of an Era
The 2016 NBA draft marked the end of a consecutive streak of international players being selected as the No. 1 pick, a trend that began in 2013.
2016: Ben Simmons Drafted First Overall
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Ben Simmons from Australia as the first overall pick in the 2016 draft.
2016: Thon Maker's Draft Eligibility
Thon Maker became eligible for the 2016 NBA Draft despite not attending college by taking a postgraduate year, making him technically one year removed from graduation.
2018: Expansion of the NBA Draft Lottery
The NBA Draft Lottery, introduced in 1985 to determine the draft order for non-playoff teams, expanded from covering the first three picks to the first four in 2018.
2018: Deandre Ayton Selected First Overall
The Phoenix Suns used their first ever number one pick to draft Deandre Ayton, a Bahamian center.
2018: Changes to Draft Lottery Odds
Until 2018, the NBA Draft Lottery odds were weighted, with the worst team having a 25% chance of the top pick. This changed in 2019, with the bottom three teams receiving equal odds.
2019: Changes to Draft Lottery Odds
Until 2018, the NBA Draft Lottery odds were weighted, with the worst team having a 25% chance of the top pick. This changed in 2019, with the bottom three teams receiving equal odds.
2021: Draft Broadcast on ABC
In a landmark moment, the NBA Draft was televised on broadcast television for the first time on ABC in 2021, making the event accessible to a significantly larger audience.
2023: Victor Wembanyama Drafted First Overall
In the 2023 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected Victor Wembanyama, making him the first French player to be drafted at No. 1. This selection also marked him as the second European player to hold this distinction without prior U.S. college experience.
