History of NBA draft in Timeline

The NBA Draft is an annual event where NBA teams select eligible players to join their organizations. Dating back to 1947, the draft now involves all 30 teams in the league, each having at least one pick over two rounds. Historically, college basketball players represent the majority of those drafted into the NBA.

1947: First NBA Draft

In 1947, the National Basketball Association (NBA) held its inaugural draft, an annual event where teams select eligible players to join their organizations.

1950: Collegiate Players Dominated NBA Draft

Since its inception in 1950, collegiate players dominated the NBA draft.

1956: Territorial Pick in NBA Draft

From 1956, teams could use a territorial pick in which they forfeited their first-round selection in order to choose a player from their immediate area. The player presumably had a strong local following to boost fan interest.

1960: NBA Draft Extends to 21 Rounds

In 1960, the NBA draft went as long as 21 rounds as teams selected players until they ran out of prospects.

1965: Territorial Pick in NBA Draft

Through 1965, teams could use a territorial pick in which they forfeited their first-round selection in order to choose a player from their immediate area. The player presumably had a strong local following to boost fan interest.

1966: Territorial Picks Eliminated; Coin Flip Introduced

In 1966, territorial picks were eliminated and replaced by a coin flip for the rights to first overall pick. The 1966 draft is considered the first modern NBA draft.

1968: NBA Draft Extends to 21 Rounds

In 1968, the NBA draft went as long as 21 rounds as teams selected players until they ran out of prospects.

1971: Coin Flip in Each Conference

Starting in 1971, the worst team in each conference flipped a coin to see who would receive the first pick in that year's upcoming draft.

1974: NBA Draft Stabilized at 10 Rounds

By 1974, the NBA draft had stabilized to 10 rounds. This remained consistent except for 1977.

1975: Darryl Dawkins in NBA Draft

In 1975, Darryl Dawkins was drafted to the NBA. After his drafting, not many high school players were drafted directly to the NBA in the 20 years that followed.

1977: NBA Draft Shortened to Eight Rounds

In 1977, the NBA draft was shortened to eight rounds following the addition of four former ABA teams joining the NBA via the ABA-NBA merger.

1978: Mychal Thompson First Foreign Player Drafted First Overall

In 1978, Bahamian Mychal Thompson became the first foreign player, in the sense of being a national of a country other than the U.S., to be chosen first overall in the draft.

1980: NBA Draft televised

In 1980, the NBA draft began being televised, coinciding with the NFL and NHL also televising their drafts.

1983: Manute Bol Drafted by the San Diego Clippers

In 1983, Manute Bol out of the Sudan was drafted in the 5th round by the San Diego Clippers; however, Bol's selection was later deemed ineligible by the NBA.

1984: Noted NBA Draft Year

1984 is one of the most noted NBA draft years.

1984: Hakeem Olajuwon Drafted First Overall

In 1984, Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon was drafted first overall. He would later gain U.S. citizenship.

1984: USA Network broadcast the NBA Draft

Until 1984, USA Network broadcast the NBA draft as part of its contract with the NBA.

1985: Manute Bol Drafted by NBA

In 1985, Manute Bol was drafted again by the NBA this time out of Division II University of Bridgeport as the 31st pick overall in the second round.

1985: NBA Draft Shortened to Seven Rounds

In 1985, the NBA draft was shortened to seven rounds.

1985: NBA Lottery Introduced

In 1985, the NBA introduced the lottery process in an attempt to counter accusations that certain teams were purposefully losing in order to gain a chance to participate in the annual coin flip.

1985: TBS broadcast the NBA Draft

Starting in 1985, TBS broadcast the NBA draft as part of its NBA on TBS package.

1986: 1986 NBA Draft

The draft of 1986 was also notable for the number of solid or outstanding players selected in later rounds, partly because of drug problems that claimed the life of second overall pick Len Bias and affected the careers of several other first-round picks.

1989: NBA Draft Limited to Two Rounds

From 1989 onward, the NBA drafts have been limited to two rounds per an agreement with the National Basketball Players Association.

1990: TNT took over the NBA Draft

In 1990, TNT took over the NBA draft as more NBA properties moved to the network (the NBA on TNT).

1995: NBA Teams Draft High School Standouts

From 1995, NBA teams drafted a slew of just-graduated high school standouts.

1996: Noted NBA Draft Year

1996 is one of the most noted NBA draft years.

1997: Tim Duncan Drafted

In 1997, Tim Duncan was drafted. Not counting Duncan, 11 international players were selected in the two rounds of the 1997 draft.

1998: Michael Olowokandi Drafted First Overall

In 1998, Nigerian Michael Olowokandi was drafted first overall, but like Duncan he had played college basketball, in his case at Pacific.

2000: 2000 NBA draft regarded as the worst in NBA history

In 2000, the NBA draft was considered the worst in NBA history, with Sports Illustrated describing its first round as a "horrible group of players".

2000: NBA 1st Overall Picks since 2000

The list of NBA 1st Overall Picks since 2000.

2001: Pau Gasol Drafted Third Overall

In 2001, Pau Gasol was the foreign player drafted highest in the draft, selected third overall by the Atlanta Hawks.

2002: ESPN acquired the rights to the NBA from NBC

In 2002, ESPN acquired the rights to the NBA from NBC.

2002: Yao Ming Drafted First Overall

In 2002, Yao Ming became the first foreign player without U.S. college experience to be selected number 1 overall. The 2002 draft produced 17 international players, with only three of them having U.S. college experience.

2002: International Players Picked First Overall in NBA Draft

In the 2002 NBA draft, international players were picked first overall.

2003: ESPN began broadcasting the NBA Draft

In 2003, ESPN began broadcasting the NBA draft with the NBA on ESPN.

2003: Impact of Yao Ming

In 2003, Hannah Beech wrote about how Yao Ming had single-handedly transformed his countrymen and the NBA grew into a worldwide product.

2003: 2003 NBA Draft

The 2003 NBA draft was noted for bringing several future superstars into the league, such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh.

July 2005: NBA Implements Age Requirement

In July 2005, the NBA implemented an age requirement which meant that high school seniors were no longer eligible for the NBA draft.

2005: Andrew Bogut Picked No. 1 Overall

In the 2005 NBA draft, the Milwaukee Bucks picked Andrew Bogut, from Australia by way of the University of Utah, No. 1 overall.

2006: High School Seniors Not Eligible for NBA Draft

In 2006, high school seniors were no longer eligible for the NBA draft because the NBA implemented an age requirement in July 2005.

2006: Andrea Bargnani Drafted No. 1 Overall

In the 2006 NBA draft, the Toronto Raptors drafted Andrea Bargnani from Italy, making him the second foreign player without U.S. college experience and the first European to be selected number 1 overall.

2008: NBA TV produced coverage of the NBA Draft

Since coming under the purview of Turner Sports since 2008, NBA TV has also produced its own coverage of the NBA Draft.

2009: College Underclassmen NBA Draft Withdrawal Deadline

From 2009, college underclassmen had until the day before the April signing period to withdraw their name from the draft and retain NCAA eligibility.

2011: Kyrie Irving Drafted No. 1 Overall

In the 2011 NBA draft, Australian born Kyrie Irving was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers after having played one year at Duke.

2013: 2013 NBA draft considered underwhelming

In 2013, the NBA draft was considered underwhelming, despite Victor Oladipo and Rudy Gobert eventually becoming All-Stars, and Giannis Antetokounmpo later becoming a two-time NBA MVP.

2013: Anthony Bennett Drafted No. 1 Overall

In the 2013 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Anthony Bennett, who played at UNLV, first overall and making Bennett the first Canadian to be drafted at No. 1.

2013: International Prospects as No. 1 Selections

The four drafts from 2013 held international prospects as No. 1 selections in their respective drafts before ending the run in 2017.

2014: Andrew Wiggins Drafted No. 1 Overall

In the 2014 NBA draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers, again picking No. 1, selected Canadian shooting guard/small forward Andrew Wiggins.

2015: Satnam Singh Bhamara Drafted

In 2015, Indian prospect Satnam Singh Bhamara was drafted in the second round. The league did allow draft eligibility for high school postgraduates, as long as they were at least one year removed from their high school graduation and were 19 years old by the time they entered the league.

2015: Karl-Anthony Towns Drafted No. 1 Overall

In the 2015 NBA draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected U.S.-born center Karl-Anthony Towns, also born with Dominican Republic citizenship by way of his mother, as the first player from the latter country and therefore the first Latin American to become the No. 1 selection, teaming up with Andrew Wiggins in the process.

2015: College Underclassmen NBA Draft Withdrawal Deadline

Through 2015, college underclassmen had until the day before the April signing period to withdraw their name from the draft and retain NCAA eligibility.

2016: Thon Maker Drafted

In 2016, South Sudanese–Australian prospect Thon Maker was drafted in the first round. The league did allow draft eligibility for high school postgraduates, as long as they were at least one year removed from their high school graduation and were 19 years old by the time they entered the league.

2016: Thon Maker eligible for NBA Draft

In 2016, Thon Maker was deemed eligible for the NBA draft despite not attending college because he undertook a postgraduate year, making him technically one year removed from high school graduation.

2016: Ben Simmons Drafted No. 1 Overall

In the 2016 NBA draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Australian forward Ben Simmons to be the No. 1 selection.

2016: NBA Draft Combine Withdrawal Rule Change

Since 2016, players could enter the draft and participate in the NBA draft combine multiple times and retain NCAA eligibility by withdrawing from the draft within 10 days after the end of the mid-May NBA draft combine.

2016: International Prospects as No. 1 Selections

The four drafts through 2016 held international prospects as No. 1 selections in their respective drafts before ending the run in 2017.

2017: End of International Prospects Run as No. 1 Selections

In 2017, the four drafts from 2013 to 2016 had all held international prospects as No. 1 selections in their respective drafts before ending the run.

2018: Deandre Ayton Drafted No. 1 Overall

In the 2018 NBA draft, the Phoenix Suns selected Bahamian center Deandre Ayton as their first ever No. 1 selection, with Ayton being the second Bahamian taken at No. 1 behind Mychal Thompson, and the third Caribbean-born player after Patrick Ewing and Thompson.

2018: NBA Lottery Covers First Four Picks

Until 2018, the NBA lottery covered the first three picks, after which it was increased to the first four picks.

2018: NBA Lottery Combination Distribution

Until 2018, the worst team in the NBA received 250 combinations in the lottery, the second worst getting 199, the third worst team 156, and so on. The first three draft picks were determined.

2019: NBA Lottery Combination Distribution

Starting in 2019, the three worst teams in the NBA each receive 140 combinations in the lottery, the fourth worst 125, and so on. Those three teams will have an equal chance of winning the top overall pick.

2021: NBA Draft televised on ABC

In 2021, the NBA draft was televised on broadcast television for the first time on ABC.

2023: Victor Wembanyama Drafted No. 1 Overall

In the 2023 NBA draft, the San Antonio Spurs selected Frenchman Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 selection, making him the first French player to be drafted at No.1.