American Basketball Association draft
The American Basketball Association draft was held from 1967 to 1975. Generally speaking, the ABA's drafts were considered a lot looser in terms of structure for teams to make their player choices when compared to the rivaling NBA. So much so, in fact, that in 1973, the ABA would host four different drafts that essentially held the same type of purpose at various different points of the year, while in 1974, the ABA would not only host a draft for college-based players, but also a draft for NBA players to be taken by ABA teams as well. In addition to that, according to former Washington Caps and Virginia Squires head coach Al Bianchi, the ABA would host their drafts on the drop of a hat and if a team wanted someone even after their draft was officially over and done with, they'd put him on their draft list anyway, which would later influence the rivaling NBA draft system during the 1970s decade.[1] Due to the secretive nature of the league's early drafts alongside their looser structures, not much is known about the draft records of where certain players were selected in which round early on outside of who the #1 pick of each draft was. It wouldn't be until 1971 where the ABA would list out a proper ordering of rounds and teams in the draft systems they had, and even then, the ABA did not officially list out a proper draft list selection ordering of the 1972 draft for the first five rounds in particular, while the league showcased extra draft gimmicks in 1973 and 1974 alongside the actual ABA drafts done before having a simple draft similar to the NBA draft again (albeit with a bonus round added for two teams via outside circumstances) in 1975.
First overall picks
[edit]Year | Team | Player | Position | College |
---|---|---|---|---|
1967 | Indiana Pacers | Jimmy Walker | Shooting Guard | Providence College Friars |
1968 | Houston Mavericks | Elvin Hayes | Power Forward/Center | University of Houston Cougars |
1969 | New York Nets | Lew Alcindor | Center | UCLA Bruins |
1970 | New York Nets | Bob Lanier | Center | St. Bonaventure University Bonnies |
1971 | Utah Stars[2] | Jim McDaniels | Power Forward/Center | Western Kentucky Hilltoppers |
1972 | Virginia Squires | Bob McAdoo | Center/Power Forward | North Carolina Tar Heels |
1973 | San Diego Conquistadors | Dwight Lamar[a 1] | Point Guard | University of Southwestern Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns |
1974 | Virginia Squires | Tom McMillen[a 2] | Power Forward/Center | University of Maryland Terrapins |
1975 | Denver Nuggets | Marvin Webster | Center | Morgan State University Bears |
Notes
- ^ This pick was the #1 pick for what was considered the 1973 ABA Senior Draft (the official version of the main ABA draft that year), not the 1973 Special Circumstances Draft that happened months before the Senior Draft, the 1973 ABA Undergraduate Draft that was directly after the Senior Draft that officially connected to that aforementioned draft once the prior Senior Draft was done with, or even the 1973 Supplemental Draft that was done some time afterward that incidentally had more rounds by comparison to the other drafts during that year.
- ^ This pick was the #1 pick for the regular 1974 ABA Draft, not the subsequent 1974 ABA Draft of NBA Players.
Drafts
[edit]1967 ABA draft
[edit]No known record of which player was taken in which round outside of Jimmy Walker as the #1 pick by the Indiana Pacers was kept throughout the ABA's inaugural draft history. The reason for this was related to this draft being held in secret at the end of the league's three day long meetings held in Oakland, California (home of one of the founding ABA teams) on April 2. (Following that period of time, the team currently known now as the Denver Nuggets went by the initial name of the Denver Larks at the time (with ABA co-founder Dennis Murphy at one point thinking of expanding that team name to the Denver Lark Buntings instead of just having the team name stay as the Larks[3]) after previously ditching their original plans to play in Kansas City, Missouri due to a lack of suitable home arenas to play in before later changing their team name to the Denver Rockets before the start of the season due to ownership changes brought up by the newer owners from Denver's Ringsby Rocket Truck Lines company; the team currently known as the Brooklyn Nets initially went by the name of the New Jersey Freighters at first due to one of the owners also being the President of nearby Manhattan's ABC Freight Forwarding Company at the time before later becoming the New York Americans and then ultimately entered their inaugural season as the New Jersey Americans due to there being no suitable arenas in New York at the time for them; and the team that later became the Oakland Oaks to start out their ABA tenure originally started out as the Oakland Americans at the time before a dispute with the New Jersey later turned into a future New York franchise led to the Oakland franchise originally trying to change their team name to the Oakland Jacks (named after Jack London) before ultimately changing their name to the Oaks, which was kind of considered a homage to the previous incarnation of the team name held in the second version of the American Basketball League, but was more considered a homage to the Pacific Coast League baseball team of the same name instead.[4][5][6]) What is known, however, was that the Indiana Pacers won the ABA draft lottery and would select Jimmy Walker as the #1 pick in the process, with the second round being reversed in drafting order.[7] Likewise, the New Orleans Buccaneers would be the first team to complete a draft day trade in the ABA by making a deal with the Oakland Oaks, as well as select multiple multi-athlete players in Bob Seagren (an Olympiad pole vaulter) and Ron Widby (a football punter in the NFL) that year.[8] Any players that have a ‡ next to their names during this draft period mean that these players were selected for the ABA All-Time Team in 1997.




- Anaheim Amigos
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here):
- Darrell Hardy, University of Baylor (Sr.)
- Bob Krulish, University of the Pacific (Sr.)
- Bob Lewis, University of North Carolina (Sr.)
- Mike Lynn, UCLA (Jr.)
- Tom Workman, Seattle University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds:
- Jim Connelly, University of Virginia (Sr.)
- Denny Holman, Southern Methodist University (Sr.)
- Edgar Lacy, UCLA (Jr.)
- Les Powell, Utah State University (Sr.)
- Malkin Strong, Seattle University (Sr.)
- Gary Williams, Oklahoma State University (Sr.)
- Mike Wittman, University of Miami (Florida) (Sr.)
- Dallas Chaparrals
- First five rounds:
- #1. Matt Aitch, Michigan State University (Sr.)
- #2. Jim Burns, Northwestern University (Sr.)
- #3. Gary Gray, Oklahoma City University (Sr.)
- #4. Pat Riley, University of Kentucky (Sr.)
- #5. Jamie Thompson, Wichita State University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds:
- #6 Paul Brateris, Tennessee Wesleyan College (Sr.)
- #7 Jeff Fitch, East Texas State College (Sr.)
- #8 Ted Manning, North Carolina A&T State University (Sr.)
- #9 Duane Heckman, Dickinson College (Sr.)
- #10 Gilbert McDowell, Tennessee Wesleyan College (Sr.)
- #11 Jerry Southwood, Vanderbilt University (Sr.)
- #12 Tom Storm, Montana State University (Sr.)
It was later revealed by the Chaparrals' general manager at the time (and later, one-time future head coach) Max Williams that the draft ordering the team did that year was due to the team's original co-owner, Roland Speth (who later became the manager of The Monkees band), mistaking Williams' draft listing that he did in alphabetical order (with last names going from A-Z) as a list for the best possible talents being taken at hand as early as they could have done so.[9]
- Denver Larks/Lark Buntings/Rockets
- First five rounds:
- #1. Walt Frazier, Southern Illinois University (Sr.)
- #2. Nevil Shed, Texas Western College (Sr.)
- #3. Bob Rule, Colorado State University (Sr.)
- #4. Gary Keller, University of Florida (Sr.)
- #5. Byron Beck, University of Denver (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified for Denver):
- Rick Dean, University of Syracuse (Sr.)
- Vaughn Harper, University of Syracuse (So.)
- Neil Heskin, Georgetown University (Sr.)
- Dave Lattin, Texas Western College (Sr.)
- John Morrison, Canisius College (Sr.)
- Neil Roberts, Brigham Young University (Sr.)
- Bill Turner, University of Akron (Sr.)
- Houston Mavericks
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here):
- Bob Benfield, West Virginia University (Sr.)
- Tony Eatmon, Pan American College (Sr.)
- Bob Riedy, Duke University (Sr.)
- Frank Stronczek, American International College (Sr.)
- Keith Swagerty, University of the Pacific (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Don Carlos, Otterbein University (Sr.)
- Hal Hale, Utah State University (Sr.)
- Guy Manning, Prairie View A&M College of Texas (Sr.)
- Jim Monahan, University of Notre Dame (Sr.)
- Mike Nau, Oregon State University (Sr.)
- Jerry Pettway, Northwood Institute (Sr.)
- Dale Schlueter, Colorado State University (Sr.)
- Indiana Pacers
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Jimmy Walker, Providence College (Sr.)
- #2. Bob Netolicky, Drake University (Sr.)‡
- Charlie Beasley, Southern Methodist University (Sr.)
- Jim Dawson, University of Illinois (Sr.)
- Craig Dill, University of Michigan (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Frank Gaidjunes, Villanova University (Sr.)
- Jerry Jones, University of Iowa (Sr.)
- Ronald Kozlicki, Northwestern University (Sr.)
- Hubie Marshall, La Salle College (Sr.)
- Ed McKee, Rockhurst College (Sr.)
- Bill Russell, Indiana University (Sr.)
- Gene Washington, Michigan State University (Sr.)
- Kentucky Colonels
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Louie Dampier, University of Kentucky (Sr.)‡
- Clem Haskins, Western Kentucky University (Sr.)
- Dwight Smith, Western Kentucky University (Sr.)
- Bob Verga, Duke University (Sr.)
- Willie Wolters, Boston College (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Earl Beechum, Midwestern University (Sr.)
- Mel Cox, Central Washington State College (Sr.)
- Ken Gibbs, Vanderbilt University (Sr.)
- Pres Judy, Georgia Institute of Technology (Sr.)
- Randolph Mahaffey, Clemson University (Sr.)
- Gwendell McSwain, Valdosta State College (Sr.)
- John Smith, Kent State University (Sr.)
- Minnesota Muskies
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Mel Daniels, University of New Mexico (Sr.)‡
- Phil Jackson, University of North Dakota (Sr.)
- Bob Lloyd, Rutgers University (Sr.)
- Tim Powers, Creighton University (Sr.)
- Sam Smith, Kentucky Wesleyan College (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Al Clark, Eastern Kentucky University (Sr.)
- Gary Gregor, University of South Carolina (Jr.)
- Ervin Inniger, Indiana University (Sr.)
- Rich Jones, University of Illinois (Jr.)
- Lindberg Moody, South Carolina State College (Sr.)
- Errol Palmer, DePaul University (Sr.)
- Ron Perry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Sr.)
- New Jersey Freighters / New York/New Jersey Americans
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here):
- Sonny Dove, St. John's University (Sr.)
- Mal Graham, New York University (Sr.)
- Dick Pruett, Jacksonville University (Sr.)
- George Stone, Marshall University (Jr.)
- Bob Wolf, Marquette University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified for this primarily New Jersey-based team):
- Tim Edwards, Amherst College (Sr.)
- Dan Hansard, College of St. Thomas (Sr.)
- Frank Hollendoner, Georgetown University (Sr.)
- Harry Laurie, St. Peter's College (So.)
- New Orleans Buccaneers
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Jimmy Jones, Grambling College (Sr.)‡
- Robert Allen, Arkansas State College (Sr.)
- John Dickson, Arkansas State College (Sr.)
- Paul Long, Wake Forest University (Sr.)
- Ron Widby, University of Tennessee (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Al Andrews, Tulane University (Sr.)
- George Carter, St. Bonaventure University (Sr.)
- Carl Head, West Virginia University (Sr.)
- Allan Parris, University of Utah (Sr.)
- Jeff Ramsey, University of Florida (Sr.)
- Bob Seagren, University of Southern California (Sr.)
- Dexter Westbrook, Providence College (Sr.)
- Oakland Americans/Jacks/Oaks
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here):
- Wes Bialosuknia, University of Connecticut (Sr.)
- Gordy Harris, University of Washington (Sr.)
- Richie Moore, Hiram Scott College (Sr.)
- Al Salvadori, University of South Carolina (Sr.)
- Al Tucker, Oklahoma Baptist University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified for Oakland):
- Art Allen, Bethune–Cookman College (Sr.)
- Nate Branch, University of Nebraska (Sr.)
- Mike Davis, Virginia Union University (Sr.)
- Dave Fox, University of the Pacific (Sr.)
- Ron Franz, University of Kansas (Sr.)
- Bill Morgan, University of New Mexico (Sr.)
- Mal Pradd, Dillard University (Sr.)
- Pittsburgh Pipers
- First five rounds:
- #1. Earl Monroe, Winston-Salem Teachers College (Sr.)
- #2. Cliff Anderson, St. Joseph's College (Pennsylvania) (Sr.)
- #3. Craig Raymond, Brigham Young University (Sr.)
- #4. Trooper Washington, Cheyney State College (Sr.)
- #5. Barry Leibowitz, Long Island University (Brooklyn) (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Frank Card, South Carolina State University (Sr.)
- Ron Coleman, University of Missouri (Sr.)
- Chris Kefalos, Temple University (Sr.)
- Mike Riordan, Providence College (Sr.)
- John Schroeder, Ohio University (Sr.)
- Steve Sullivan, Georgetown University (Sr.)
- Jim Sutherland, Clemson University (Sr.)
1968 ABA draft
[edit]No known record of which player was taken in which round outside of Elvin Hayes as the #1 pick by the Houston Mavericks was kept throughout the ABA's second ever draft. The reason why this would be the case was due to it being held in secret, with an evaluation draft being conducted on March 9 in Louisville, Kentucky (home of the Kentucky Colonels) that supposedly lasted only four rounds instead of five rounds like it did the previous year (though likely was five rounds long),[10] followed by two different drafts of similar nature occurring on April 27 & May 5 in Los Angeles and Minneapolis, Minnesota (homes to two out of four relocated ABA franchises entering their upcoming season, with the latter location also being the original headquarters of the ABA at that time) for rounds 6-10 and rounds 11-15 respectively.[11] During this period of time, the Anaheim Amigos would officially change their franchise's name into the Los Angeles Stars,[12] with the Stars keeping the original picks that they had under the Amigos name. Following the conclusion of this draft period, the New Jersey Americans would return to an original plan of theirs with playing in New York by becoming the New York Nets for the rest of their ABA tenure (partially because the team owners didn't like the fans shortening the name to "Amerks" due to it sounding Communist to them and partially because the team wanted to continue the younger New York team tradition of having a short word ending with "ets" being the new franchise name similar to the Mets in the MLB and Jets of the then-AFL later turned NFL) following a failed permanent home move to New Jersey in relation to a forced disqualification for a playoff qualifying match at home against the Kentucky Colonels (though ironically, it'd have the team play in the same arena that initially disqualified them from playoff qualification last season on a more permanent basis (at least at first), but with new floor boards in place in order to avoid a repeat scenario like their last game of that inaugural season from occurring ever again),[5] while the Minnesota Muskies would move to Miami, Florida to become the Miami Floridians and the defending champion Pittsburgh Pipers would move to Minnesota to become the Minnesota Pipers (presumably in an attempt to have a home team nearby the ABA's headquarters).[13][14] Any players that have a ‡ next to their names during this draft period mean that these players were selected for the ABA All-Time Team in 1997. Interestingly enough, Larry Cannon of the Miami Floridians would be the only player from the ABA to make it to an All-ABA Team without also appearing in an ABA All-Star Game throughout his entire career in the league. This year's draft would also increase the number of overall rounds for the draft from 10 to 15 rounds, meaning an increase in selections occurred during this year as well. Not only that, this year's draft events would also begin the ABA's plans to merge with the rivaling NBA in what would eventually become the NBA–ABA merger.[15]


- Anaheim Amigos / Los Angeles Stars
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here for the Anaheim Amigos unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Larry Miller, University of North Carolina (Sr.)
- #2. Mervin Jackson, University of Utah (Sr.)
- Ed Johnson, Tennessee State University (Sr.)
- George Stone, Marshall University (Sr.)
- Michael Warren, UCLA (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified for the Los Angeles Stars):
- Carl Fuller, Bethune–Cookman University (Sr.)
- Ed Leggett, Rocky Mountain College (Sr.)
- Lou Shepherd, Southwest Missouri State College (Sr.)
- Bob Warren, Vanderbilt University (Sr.)
- Eldridge Webb, University of Tulsa (Sr.)
- Rick Adelman, Loyola University of Los Angeles (Sr.)
- Brian Brunkhorst, Marquette University (Sr.)
- Ben Foster, Pasadena City College (Sr.)
- Lloyd Higgins, Pasadena City College (Sr.)
- Phil Horns, University of Texas at El Paso (Sr.)
- Mike LaRoche, California Polytechnic State College (Sr.)
- Cary Smith, California State College at Los Angeles (Sr.)
- Dallas Chaparrals
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. John Smith Jr., Southern Colorado State College (Sr.)
- Shaler Halimon, Utah State University (Sr.)
- Rich Jones, Memphis State University (Jr.)
- Bob Lewis, South Carolina State College (Sr.)
- Jo Jo White, University of Kansas (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #6. Wally Anderzunas, University of Creighton (Jr.)
- #7. Glen Combs, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Sr.)
- Ron Boone, Idaho State University (Sr.)‡
- Charles "C.A." Core, Southeastern Louisiana College (Sr.)
- Roy Manning, Lane College (Sr.)
- Billy Arnold, University of Texas (Sr.)
- Gene Jones, University of Missouri (Sr.)
- Gene Littles, High Point College (Sr.)
- Mickey McCarty, Texas Christian University (Sr.)
- Alvin Pettit, Central Missouri State College (Sr.)
- Willie Worsley, University of Texas at El Paso (Sr.)
- Denver Rockets
- First five rounds:
- #1. Tom Boerwinkle, University of Tennessee (Sr.)
- #2. Walt Piatkowski, Bowling Green State University (Sr.)
- #3. Bill Hewitt, University of Southern California (Sr.)
- No fourth round pick this time around for Denver.
- #5. Butch Booker, Cheyney State College (Jr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Harry Hollines, University of Denver (Sr.)
- Charles Parks, Idaho State University (Sr.)
- Vernon Payne, Indiana University (Sr.)
- Willie Rogers, University of Oklahoma (Sr.)
- Glynn Saulters, Northeast Louisiana State College (Sr.)
- Ken Hall, Westminster College (Sr.)
- Melvin Jones, Albany State College (Sr.)
- Julius Keye, Alcorn A&M College (Sr.)
- Mickey Smith, Memphis State University (Sr.)
- Oscar Smith, Elizabeth City State College (Sr.)
- Houston Mavericks
- First five rounds:
- #1. Elvin Hayes, University of Houston (Sr.)
- #2. Don Chaney, University of Houston (Sr.)
- #3. Art Beatty, American University (Sr.)
- #4. John Ray Godfrey, Abilene Christian College (Sr.)
- #5. Aaron Sellers, Jackson State College (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Martin Baietti, Manhattan College (Sr.)
- Rich Dumas, Northeastern State College (Sr.)
- Calvin Martin, Texas Southern University (Sr.)
- Mike Nordholz, University of Alabama (Sr.)
- Dan Smith, Howard Payne College (Sr.)
- Sam Butler, Southern University (Sr.)
- Warren Chapman, Duke University (Sr.)
- Bill Gaines, East Texas State University (Sr.)
- Jim Jones, Beloit College (Sr.)
- Frank Standard, University of South Carolina (Sr.)
- Indiana Pacers
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Don May, University of Dayton (Sr.)
- #2. Mike Lewis, Duke University (Sr.)
- Don Dee, St. Mary of the Plains College (Sr.)
- Bob Quick, Xavier University (Sr.)
- Phil Wagner, Georgia Institute of Technology (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Dave Benedict, Central Washington State College (Sr.)
- Rudy Bogad, St. John's University (Sr.)
- Jerry Newsom, Indiana State University (Sr.)
- Rich Niemann, St. Louis University (Sr.)
- Jack Thompson, University of South Carolina (Sr.)
- Greg Cisson, Rider College (Sr.)
- Bobby Hooper, University of Dayton (Sr.)
- Butch Joyner, Indiana University (Sr.)
- Tom Neimeier, University of Evansville (Sr.)
- Kentucky Colonels
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Wes Unseld, University of Louisville (Sr.)
- #2. Wayne Chapman, Western Kentucky University (Sr.)
- Willie Davis, North Texas State University (Sr.)
- Al Dixon, Bowling Green State University (Sr.)
- Fred Foster, Miami University (Ohio) (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Joe Gallagher, Pembroke State College (Sr.)
- Joe Kennedy, North Texas State University (Sr.)
- Manny Leaks, Niagara University (Sr.)
- Gene Moore, St. Louis University (Sr.)
- Greg Smith, Western Kentucky University (Sr.)
- Booker Brown, Middle Tennessee State University (Sr.)
- Al Hairston, Bowling Green State University (Sr.)
- Thad Jaracz, University of Kentucky (Sr.)
- Reggie Lacefield, Western Michigan University (Sr.)
- Bob Zoretich, DePaul University (Sr.)
- Butch Kaufman, Western Kentucky University (Sr.)
- Kermit Meystedt, Southeast Missouri State College (Sr.)
- John Snipes, Elizabeth City State College (Sr.)
- Robert "Bo" Wyenandt, Vanderbilt University (Sr.)
- Minnesota Muskies
- First five rounds:
- #1. Don Sidle, University of Oklahoma (Sr.)
- #2. Dallas Thornton, Kentucky Wesleyan College (Sr.)
- #3. Ron Nelson, University of New Mexico (Sr.)
- #4. Tom Kondla, University of Minnesota (Sr.)
- #5. Dan Sparks, Weber State College (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Ken Barnett, University of Delaware (Sr.)
- Joe Franklin, University of Wisconsin (Sr.)
- Darryl Jones, St. Benedict's College (Sr.)
- Al Knott, Cedarville College (Sr.)
- Jerry Waugh, University of Northern Iowa (Sr.)
- Lyndall Conway, University of Albuquerque (Sr.)
- Jim Garza, Detroit Institute of Technology (Sr.)
- Willie Iverson, Central Michigan University (Sr.)
- Terry Porter, St. Cloud State University (Sr.)
- Jim Sterkin, University of Detroit (Sr.)
- New Jersey Americans
- First four rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Joe Allen, Bradley University (Sr.)
- Dick Cunningham, Murray State University (Sr.)
- Rodney Knowles, Davidson College (Sr.)
- Don Smith, Iowa State University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Steve Adelman, Boston College (Sr.)
- Eddie Biedenbach, North Carolina State University (Sr.)
- Ron Guziak, Duquesne University (Sr.)
- Pete O'Dea, St. Peter's College (Sr.)
- Bill Soens, University of Miami (Florida) (Sr.)
- Bill Butler, St. Bonaventure University (Sr.)
- John Chamberlain, C. W. Post College (Sr.)
- Tony Koski, Providence College (Sr.)
- Bill Langheld, Fordham University (Sr.)
- Art Stephenson, University of Rhode Island (Sr.)
- Harry Laurie, St. Peter's College (Sr.)
- New Orleans Buccaneers
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Charlie Paulk, Northeastern State College (Sr.)
- Mike Butler, Memphis State University (Sr.)
- Rich Johnson, Grambling College (Sr.)
- Ron Williams, West Virginia University (Sr.)
- Mark LaMoreaux, Lenoir–Rhyne College (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Charles Alford, East Carolina University (Sr.)
- Ted Campbell, North Carolina A&T State University (Sr.)
- Lee Davis, North Carolina Central University (Sr.)
- Dave Williams, Mississippi State University (Sr.)
- Jasper Wilson, Southern University (Sr.)
- Oakland Oaks
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Garfield Smith, Eastern Kentucky University (Sr.) [acquired via trade with New Orleans[16]]
- #2. Henry Logan, Western Carolina University (Sr.)
- Warren Armstrong, Wichita State University (Sr.)‡
- Jim Eakins, Brigham Young University (Sr.)
- Skip Harlicka, University of South Carolina (Sr.)
- Bonus pick #1 for Oakland: Bob Kauffman, Guilford College (Sr.)
- Bonus pick #2 for Oakland: Stuart Lantz, University of Nebraska (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Jim McKean, Washington State University (Sr.)
- Bud Ogden, Santa Clara University (Jr.)
- Richard "Rusty" Parker, University of Miami (Florida) (Sr.)
- Lloyd Peterson, Oregon State University (Sr.)
- John Q. Trapp, Nevada Southern University (Sr.)
- Russ Critchfield, University of California (Sr.)
- Hal Grant, Pepperdine College (Sr.)
- Art Harris, Stanford University (Sr.)
- Bryan Phillips, Valdosta State College (Sr.)
- Tony Sapit, Carroll College (Sr.)
- Pittsburgh Pipers
- First five rounds:
- #1. Bill Hosket Jr., Ohio State University (Sr.)
- #2. Nick Pino, Kansas State University (Sr.)
- #3. Sam Williams, University of Iowa (Sr.)
- #4. Dave Newmark, Columbia University (Sr.)
- #5. Larry Newbold, Long Island University (Brooklyn) (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Roger Bohnenstiel, University of Kansas (Sr.)
- Clarence Brookins, Temple University (Sr.)
- John Haarlow, Princeton University (Sr.)
- Keith Hochstein, College of the Holy Cross (Sr.)
- Jeff Ockel, University of Utah (Sr.)
- Willie Betts, Bradley University (Sr.)
- Bill Jones, Fairfield University (Sr.)
- Greg Morris, Cornell University (Sr.)
- Bob Redd, Marshall University (Sr.)
- Bill Tindall, University of Massachusetts (Sr.)
1969 ABA draft
[edit]No known record of which player was taken in which round outside of Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) as the #1 pick for his home area New York Nets and the Houston Mavericks (who would soon become the Carolina Cougars once the team officially entered the second day of the ABA draft[17]) selecting Neal Walk with the #2 overall pick under what was dubbed as "Operation Kingfish" at the time (similar to the opening results of the 1969 NBA draft) was kept throughout the ABA's third ever draft. The reason why that would be the case was because the ABA would host the first five rounds secretly on February 15 in Bloomington, Minnesota (the at the time home area of the Minnesota Pipers that was also nearby the ABA's headquarters at the time), with the following five rounds after that being completed on April 15 in Charlotte, North Carolina (around the same period of time the Houston Mavericks began their move to North Carolina to become the Carolina Cougars for their new home area). Additional rounds would be implemented later on, but a total of 10 official rounds with every team (with most teams utilizing additional rounds as well) had been completed that draft year, meaning this draft decreased the total amount of rounds and selections from the previous draft they did. Following the repeated failures of persuading talented star players like Lew Alcindor to choose the ABA over the rivaling NBA (with miscommunication from the ABA commissioner to Alcindor on the final amount the Nets would spend for him being the last straw), George Mikan would effectively resign from his position as the commissioner of the ABA.[18] Also following the draft's conclusion, the Minnesota Pipers would return to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the Pittsburgh Pipers once again and the new defending champion Oakland Oaks would move to Washington, D.C. to become the Washington Caps following the original Oaks' owner being saved from accidental bankruptcy by the new team owner.[14][6] On a more positive note, the time after this draft would also be notable for the Denver Rockets acquiring sophomore power forward Spencer Haywood, a Hall of Famer in his own right from the University of Detroit that would ultimately cause a greater influence upon the NBA draft system (in exchange for the Rockets forfeiting their own first round pick the following draft year) due to the newly created hardship exception made by interim commissioner and Houston Mavericks turned Carolina Cougars owner James Carson Gardner and the subsequent Spencer Haywood v. National Basketball Association case that would come up years later in relation to Haywood's unique situation that came from him being signed up by the ABA first.[19] Mack Calvin of the Los Angeles Stars would also be the only player from this draft to be selected onto the ABA All-Time Team many years later, meaning his name is the only player from this year to have a ‡ next to his name there.


- Dallas Chaparrals
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Tom Hagan, Vanderbilt University (Sr.)
- #2. Willie Brown, Middle Tennessee State University (Sr.)
- Bob Christian, Grambling College (Sr.) [acquired via trade with Denver]
- A. W. Holt, Jackson State College (Sr.) [acquired via trade with New York]
- Cliff Shegogg, Colorado State University (Jr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Butch Beard, University of Louisville (Sr.)
- Jake Ford, Maryland State College (Jr.)
- Jud Roberts, Atlanta Baptist College (Sr.)
- Ron Sanford, University of New Mexico (Sr.)
- Willie Scott, Alabama State College/University (Sr.)
- Fred Carter, Mount St. Mary's College (Sr.)
- Denver Rockets
- First five rounds:
- #1. Bob Presley, University of California (Sr.)
- #2. Bob Portman, Creighton University (Sr.)
- #3. Isiah "Ike" King, Hiram Scott College (Sr.)
- #4. Greg Wittman, Western Carolina University (Sr.)
- #4. Jerry King, University of Louisville (Sr.) [acquired via trade with Dallas]
- #5. Bob Tallent, George Washington University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds:
- #6. Elnardo Webster, St. Peter's College (Sr.)
- #7. Bill Justus, University of Tennessee (Sr.)
- #8. Larry Jeffries, Trinity University (Sr.)
- #9. Harry Hall, University of Wyoming (Sr.)
- #10. Jim Healey, Rockhurst College (Sr.)
- #11. Roy Hinton Jr., Central State University (Jr.)
- #12. Al Cueto, University of Tulsa (Sr.)
- Houston Mavericks / Carolina Cougars
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here for the Houston Mavericks unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Neal Walk, University of Florida (Sr.)
- #2. Steve Mix, Toledo University (Sr.)
- L. C. Bowen, Bradley University (Sr.)
- Steve Kuberski, Bradley University (Jr.)
- Mel Coleman, Stout State University (Sr.)
- Bonus Pick: Jesse Price, Millikin University (Sr.) [acquired via trade]
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified for the Carolina Cougars):
- Howie Dickenman, Central Connecticut State University (Sr.)
- Gene Ford, Western Michigan University (Sr.)
- Gene Littles, High Point College (Sr.)
- Jack Stenner, University of Missouri–St. Louis (Sr.)
- Justus Thigpen, Weber State College (Sr.)
- Phil Argento, University of Kentucky (Sr.)
- Rudy Bennett, New York Institute of Technology (Sr.)
- Indiana Pacers
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Willie McCarter, Drake University (Sr.)
- #2. Dick Grubar, University of North Carolina (Sr.)
- Tony Masiello, Canisius College (Sr.)
- Bob Arnzen, University of Notre Dame (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #6. Bill DeHeer, Indiana University (Sr.)
- #7. Dave Golden, Duke University (Sr.)
- #8. Billy Keller, Purdue University (Sr.)
- Gerald McKee, Ohio University (Sr.)
- Ron Peret, Texas A&M University (Sr.)
- John Jamerson, Fairmount State College (Sr.)
- Jim Stephenson, University of Maine (Sr.)
- Kentucky Colonels
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Dave Scholz, University of Illinois (Sr.)
- #2. Herm Gilliam, Purdue University (Sr.)
- Bob Dandridge, Norfolk Polytechnic College (Sr.)
- Mike Grosso, University of Louisville (Jr.)
- Gene Williams, Kansas State University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Chris Ellis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Sr.)
- Dick Garrett, Southern Illinois University (Sr.)
- Willie Norwood, Alcorn A&M College (Sr.)
- Dan Sadlier, University of Dayton (Sr.)
- Bobby Washington, Eastern Kentucky University (Sr.)
- Doug Brittelle, Rutgers University (Sr.)
- Gary Major, Duquesne University (Sr.)
- Los Angeles Stars
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Simmie Hill, West Texas State University (Sr.)
- #2. Bingo Smith, University of Tulsa (Sr.)
- #2. Ted Weirman, Washington State University (Sr.) [bonus pick acquired in trade from Denver via Dallas]
- Johnny Baum, Temple University (Sr.)
- Dennis Stewart, University of Michigan (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Mack Calvin, University of Southern California (Sr.)‡
- Mike Davis, Colorado State University (Sr.)
- Roger Moller, Westmar College (Sr.)
- Dan Obrovac, University of Dayton (Sr.)
- Lee Winfield, North Texas State University (Sr.)
- Vince Fritz, Oregon State University (Sr.)
- Floyd Kerr, Colorado State University (Sr.)
- Miami Floridians
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Bill Bunting, University of North Carolina (Sr.)
- #1. Larry Cannon, La Salle College (Sr.) [bonus pick acquired via trade with Indiana back when the team was in Minnesota]
- Bob Greacen, Rutgers University (Sr.)
- Johnny Jones, Villanova University (Sr.)
- Wil Jones, Albany State College (Sr.)
- Jim Smith, Northern Illinois University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Johnnie Allen,[20] Bethune–Cookman College (Sr.)
- John Faircloth, Biscayne College (Sr.)
- Luther Green, Long Island University (Brooklyn) (Sr.)
- Larry Lewis, Saint Francis College (Sr.)
- Lynn Shackelford, UCLA (Sr.)
- Ed Szczesny, La Salle College (Sr.)
- Minnesota Pipers
- First three rounds:
- #1. Luther Rackley, Xavier University (Sr.)
- #2. Bob Whitmore, University of Notre Dame (Sr.)
- #3. George Thompson, Marquette University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Charles Bonaparte, Norfolk Polytechnic College (Sr.)
- Charlie Hentz, Arkansas AM&N College (Sr.)
- Wilbur Kirkland, Cheyney State College (Sr.)
- Lee Lafayette, Michigan State University (Sr.)
- Kari Liimo, Brigham Young University (Sr.)
- Mike Davis, Virginia Union University (Sr.)
- Bill English, Winston-Salem State University (Sr.)
- Richard Tyler, Cheyney State College (Sr.)
- New Orleans Buccaneers
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Franklin "Rusty" Clark, University of North Carolina (Sr.)
- #2. Skeeter Swift, East Tennessee State University (Sr.)
- John Arthurs, Tulane University (Sr.)
- Dave Nash, University of Kansas (Sr.)
- Willie Taylor, LeMoyne–Owen College (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Sam Little, Delta State College (Sr.)
- Charley Powell, Loyola University (New Orleans) (Sr.)
- James Wyatt, Northwestern State College of Louisiana (Sr.)
- New York Nets
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Lew Alcindor, UCLA (Sr.)
- #2. Terry Driscoll, Boston College (Sr.)
- Rick Roberson, University of Cincinnati (Sr.)
- Ed Siudut, College of the Holy Cross (Sr.)
- Chris Thomforde, Princeton University (Sr.)
- Bonus Pick: Norm Van Lier, Saint Francis College (Sr.) [acquired via trade]
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Billy Evans, Boston College (Sr.)
- Tom Haggerty, Brandeis University (Sr.)
- Rob Washington, University of Tulsa (Sr.)
- Jeff Claypool, Grove City College (Sr.)
- Marvin Lewis, Southampton College, Long Island University (Sr.)
- Oakland Oaks
- First five rounds (each round is not specified here unless stated otherwise):
- #1. Jack Gillespie, Montana State University (Sr.)
- #2. Ron Taylor, University of Southern California (Sr.)
- Lamar Green, Morehead State University (Sr.)
- Don Griffin, Stanford University (Sr.)
- Eddie Mast, Temple University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Bill Bowes, Elon College (Sr.)
- Joe Cromer, Temple University (Sr.)
- Lloyd Kerr, Colorado State University (Sr.)
- Ken Spain, University of Houston (Sr.)
- George Tinsley, Kentucky Wesleyan College (Sr.)
- James Johnson, University of Wisconsin (Sr.)
- Ron Teixeria, College of the Holy Cross (Sr.)
1970 ABA draft
[edit]No official known record of which player was taken in which round outside of Bob Lanier as the #1 territorial-based pick of the New York Nets was kept throughout the ABA's fourth ever draft. However, there would at least be a known record for the first three rounds for each and every team.[21] Despite that point, the ABA would hold this draft's first eight rounds at its earliest date yet on January 22 in Indianapolis (home of the Indiana Pacers), while the second half of the draft (which would go from rounds 9-17 this year, though teams would only go up as far as 15 or 16 rounds for this year's draft) would be held on March 15 in their new headquarters within New York (also the home area of the New York Nets). This draft would see the ABA become more successful in persuading young talents to join the ABA instead of the rivaling NBA, as well as showcase the most rounds in an ABA draft yet. However, it would also showcase the league's still ever-growing signs of instability from within after the draft ended with many teams moving around and/or changing names in order to become more regional with their fanbases by the Dallas Chaparrals renaming themselves to the Texas Chaparrals in an attempt for their franchise to be more regional for the entire state of Texas following the Houston Mavericks' previous move to North Carolina to become the Carolina Cougars,[22] the runner-up Los Angeles Stars moving to Utah for the rest of their tenure to become the Utah Stars,[12] the Miami Floridians being renamed to just "The Floridians" in a unique attempt to have the team represent all of Florida,[13] the New Orleans Buccaneers briefly being renamed to the Louisiana Buccaneers in order to represent all of Louisiana before newer ownership changed hands and led to them moving to Memphis, Tennessee in order to become the Memphis Pros,[23] the Pittsburgh Pipers briefly changed their team name to the Pittsburgh Pioneers before lawsuit threats by both Point Park College and a different "Name That Team" contestant named Angela Weaver via the winning essay entry done by Don Seymour supposedly using twice as much words allowed in that contest's 25 word limit forced them into creating the Pittsburgh Condors name that they'd use for the rest of their existence,[14][24][25] and the Washington Caps moving to the nearby state of Virginia to become the Virginia Squires partially due to safety concerns related to the area they played in also being involved with the 1968 race riots and partially due to the team hearing rumors of an NBA–ABA merger coming about,[6] which ultimately got delayed by six years due to the Oscar Robertson v. National Basketball Association antitrust lawsuit.[26] Any players that have a ‡ next to their names during this draft period mean that these players were selected for the ABA All-Time Team in 1997.



- Carolina Cougars
- First five rounds:
- Round 1, Pick 1: Pete Maravich, Louisiana State University (Sr.)
- Round 2, Pick 4: Bob Lienhard, University of Georgia (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 3: Gary Freeman, Oregon State University (Sr.) [acquired via trade from Washington]
- #4. Greg McDivit, Ohio University (Sr.)
- #5. Vann Williford, North Carolina State University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Paul Adams Jr., Central Washington State College (Sr.)
- Carl Johnson, Gustavus Adolphus College (Sr.)
- Earnie Killum, John B. Stetson University (Sr.)
- Wayne Sokolowski, Ashland College (Sr.)
- Don Adams, Northwestern University (Sr.)
- Narvis Anderson, Stephen F. Austin State University (Sr.)
- John Fultz, University of Rhode Island (Sr.)
- Chuck Lloyd, Yankton College (Sr.)
- Jim Signorile, New York University (Sr.)
- Dallas Chaparrals
- First five rounds:
- Round 1, Pick 2: Bobby Croft, University of Tennessee (Sr.)
- Round 2, Pick 8: Emmanuel Cannon,[27] Grambling College (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 6: John Johnson, University of Iowa (Sr.)
- #4. Nate Archibald, University of Texas at El Paso (Sr.)
- #5. Joe Hamilton, North Texas State University (Sr.)
- Bonus #5 pick at hand: Stan Love, University of Oregon (Jr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Michael Bernard, Kentucky State College (Sr.)
- Bill Cain, Iowa State University (Sr.)
- Randall Caussey, McMurry College (Sr.)
- Al Henry, University of Wisconsin (Sr.)
- Steve Patterson, UCLA (Jr.)
- Glenn Vidnovic,[28] University of Iowa (Sr.)
- Paul Brown, Arkansas Polytechnic College (Sr.)
- Ron Pitts, Wiley College (Sr.)
- Denver Rockets
- First five rounds:
- Forfeited official first round pick due to them signing Spencer Haywood‡ last year.
- Round 2, Pick 6: John Vallely, UCLA (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 7: Greg Hyder, Eastern New Mexico University (Sr.)
- #4. Bob St. Pierre, Hanover College (Sr.)
- #5. Greg Daust, University of Missouri–St. Louis (So.)[29]
- Bonus #5 pick at hand: Dan Hester, Louisiana State University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds:
- #6. John Marren, Manhattan College (Sr.)
- Bonus #6 pick at hand: Larry Mikan, University of Minnesota (Sr.)
- #7. Joe McBride, Augusta College (Sr.)
- #8. Ron Becker, University of New Mexico (Sr.)
- #9. Jim Penix, Bowling Green State University (Sr.)
- #10. Mike Price, University of Illinois (Sr.)
- #11. Ken Warzynski, DePaul University (Sr.)
- #12. Fred Taylor, Pan American College (Sr.)
- Indiana Pacers
- First five rounds:
- Round 1, Pick 3: Rick Mount, Purdue University (Sr.)
- Round 2, Pick 11: Dennis Awtrey, Santa Clara University (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 10: Joe Hamilton, North Texas State University (Sr.) [acquired via trade from Kentucky]
- #4. Vince Fritz, Oregon State University (Sr.)
- #5. Surry Oliver, Stephen F. Austin State University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Don Curnutt, University of Miami (Florida) (Sr.)
- Rick Erickson, Washington State University (Sr.)
- Billy Jones, Louisiana College (Sr.)
- Jerry Kroll, Davidson College (Sr.)
- Bob Riley, Mount St. Mary's College (Sr.)
- Heyward Dotson, Columbia University (Sr.)
- Mickey Foster, University of Arizona (Sr.)
- Seabern Hill, Arizona State University (Sr.)
- Ted Hillary, Saint Joseph's College (Indiana) (Sr.)
- Jeff Sewell, Marquette University (Sr.)
- Kentucky Colonels
- First five rounds:
- Round 1, Pick 4: Dan Issel, University of Kentucky (Sr.)‡
- Round 2, Pick 10: Claude Virden, Murray State University (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 8: Mike Pratt, University of Kentucky (Sr.)
- #4. Pete Cross, University of San Francisco (Sr.)
- #5. Howard Wright, Austin Peay State University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Joe Bergman, Creighton University (Jr.)
- Mike Casey, University of Kentucky (Jr.)
- Tom Rose, Northern Michigan University (Sr.)
- Charlie Wallace, Oklahoma City University (Sr.)
- Al Williams, Drake University (Sr.)
- Doug "Skip" Hess, University of Toledo (Jr.)[30]
- Perry Wallace, Vanderbilt University (Sr.)
- Lou West, Seattle University (Sr.)
- Willie Woods, Eastern Kentucky University (Sr.)
- Los Angeles Stars
- First five rounds:
- Round 1, Pick 5: Dave Cowens, Florida State University (Sr.)
- Round 2, Pick 5: Jim McMillian, Columbia University (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 5: Dave Sorenson, Ohio State University (Sr.) [acquired via trade from New Orleans]
- #4. Carl Ashley, University of Wyoming (Sr.)
- Bonus #4 pick at hand: Jimmy Collins, New Mexico State University (Sr.)
- #5. Fred Davis, Howard Payne College (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Stan Dodds, University of Wyoming (Sr.)
- Virgle Fredrick, Drury College (Sr.)
- Ralph Ogden, Santa Clara University (Sr.)
- Cisco Oliver, Elizabeth City State University (Sr.)
- Bill Stricker, University of the Pacific (Sr.)
- Kevin Wilson, Ashland College (Sr.)
- Bruce Chapman, UNLV (Sr.)
- Denis Clark, Springfield College (Jr.)[31]
- Ron Knight, California State College at Los Angeles (Sr.)
- Robert Moore, Central State University (Sr.)
- Lou Small, UNLV (Sr.)
- Miami Floridians
- First three rounds:
- Round 1, Pick 9: Rudy Tomjanovich, University of Michigan (Sr.) [acquired via trade from Los Angeles]
- Round 2, Pick 1: John Hummer, Princeton University (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 1: Sam Robinson, California State College at Long Beach (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Clarence Ellis, Albany State College (Sr.)
- Levi Fontaine, Maryland State College (Sr.)
- Walt Gilmore, Fort Valley State College (Sr.)
- John McKinney, Norfolk State College (Sr.)
- Fran O'Hanlon, Villanova University (Sr.)
- Dan Sager, Kentucky State College (Sr.)
- Gary Zeller, Drake University (Sr.)
- Rubin Daniels, Cheyney State College (Sr.)
- New Orleans Buccaneers
- First five rounds:
- Round 1, Pick 6: Sam Lacey, New Mexico State University (Sr.)
- Round 2, Pick 9: Wendell Ladner, University of Southern Mississippi (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 9: George E. Johnson, Stephen F. Austin State University (Sr.)
- #4. Gar Heard, University of Oklahoma (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Charles Bishop, Louisiana Polytechnic Institute (Sr.)
- Coby Dietrick, San Jose State College (Sr.)
- George T. Johnson, Dillard University (Sr.)
- Robert "Bob" Mabry, Rio Grande College (Sr.)
- Marv Winkler, University of Southwestern Louisiana (Sr.)
- Ron Coleman, University of Mississippi (Sr.)
- Frank Lorthridge, Pan American College (Jr.)
- Andrew Owens, University of Florida (Sr.)
- New York Nets
- First five rounds:
- Round 1, #1. Territorial Pick: Bob Lanier, St. Bonaventure University (Sr.)
- Round 2, Pick 3: Geoff Petrie, Princeton University (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 2: Jim Ard, University of Cincinnati (Sr.)
- #4. Doug Cook, Davidson College (Sr.)
- #5. Jim Hayes, Boston University (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Joe DePre, St. John's University (Sr.)
- Harvey Marlatt, Eastern Michigan University (Sr.)
- Rod McIntyre, Jacksonville University (Sr.)
- Carlton Poole, Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science (Sr.)
- Ollie Taylor, University of Houston (Sr.)
- Dale Kelley, Northwestern University (Sr.)
- Ken Macklin,[32] Florida State University (Sr.)
- Erwin Polnick, Stephen F. Austin State University (Sr.)
- Mike Switzer, University of Texas at El Paso (Sr.)
- Jerry Venable, Kansas State University (Sr.)
- Pittsburgh Pipers
- First five rounds:
- Round 1, Pick 7: Mike Maloy, Davidson College (Sr.)
- Round 2, Pick 2: Calvin Murphy, Niagara University (Sr.)
- Round 3, Pick 11: Rex Morgan, Jacksonville University (Sr.)
- #4. Vic Bartolome, Oregon State University (Sr.)
- Bonus #4 pick at hand: Don Ogletree, University of Cincinnati (Sr.)
- #5. George Janky, University of Dayton (Sr.)
- Bonus #5 pick at hand: Cornell Warner, Jackson State College (Sr.)
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Lou Herndon, Jackson State College (Sr.)
- Lavern Howard, Grambling College (Sr.)
- Bill Jankans, California State College at Long Beach (Sr.)
- Robert Kornegay, Hampton Institute (Sr.)
- Boyd Lynch, Eastern Kentucky University (Sr.)
- Willie Watson, Oklahoma City University (Sr.)
- Jim Wilson, Cheyney State College (Sr.)
- Bill Zopf, Duquesne University (Sr.)
- Washington Caps
- First five rounds:
- Round 1, Pick 8: Charlie Scott, University of North Carolina (Sr.)‡
- Round 2, Pick 7: Greg Howard, Brill Cagliari (Italy)
- Round 3, Pick 4: George Irvine, University of Washington (Sr.)
- #4. James Gilbert, Adams State College (Sr.)
- #5. Billy Paultz, St. John's University (Sr.)‡
- Extra Rounds (each round is not specified):
- Tommy Carter, Paul Quinn College (Sr.)
- Tom Everette, Carson–Newman College (Sr.)
- Curtis Perry, Southwest Missouri State College (Sr.)
- Paul Ruffner, Brigham Young University (Sr.)
- Will Teague, Youngstown State University (Sr.)
- Charles Bloodworth, Northwestern State College of Louisiana (Sr.)
- Leon Edmonds, Portland State University (Sr.)[33]
- Andy Jennings, Alderson-Broaddus College (Sr.)
- George Jerman, Western New England College (Fr.)[34]
- Scott Warner, Brigham Young University (Sr.)
1971 ABA draft
[edit]This draft would be the first ABA draft to have a known record of who got selected where in the ABA beyond just the fact that Jim McDaniels was the #1 pick by the eventual champion Utah Stars from a trade involving the temporarily rebranded Texas Chaparrals, who later returned to their Dallas Chaparrals name (though they're now known as the San Antonio Spurs in more modern times) during this year following the draft,[22] according to "The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts". Not only that, but the ABA would also host the most rounds ever in one draft by this point in time with a grand total of twenty rounds officially being set this year. The first three rounds would be completed on January 22-23 at Greensboro, North Carolina (specifically, rounds one and two would be done on the 22nd alongside parts of round three, while round three was officially completed on the 23rd at the general home area of the Carolina Cougars), while the rest of the rounds starting from the fourth round onward would all be completed on March 15 in New York (which would be where the rest of the ABA's major drafts were held at going forward). The ABA would later rule that three of the players that the Virginia Squires drafted in Tom Riker, Jim Chones, and Barry Parkhill were actually ineligible underclassmen due to the original conditions that the ABA had to uphold in order to allow the initially planned NBA–ABA merger to happen in the first place despite the Denver Rockets keeping their own first round selection (the second of three straight first round picks that they had acquired via trades) of Ralph Simpson at hand (though the Squires would later get Parkhill back onto their team eventually),[35] while the Indiana Pacers essentially pranked the rest of the league by selecting a nonexistent player named "Slick Pinkham" from DePauw University as the official last pick of the 1971 ABA draft; Slick Pinkham was a portmanteau of head coach (and former point guard) Bobby "Slick" Leonard and team owner Dick Tinkham, who actually did attend DePauw University and played basketball for them there (likely at point guard) back when he was a student.[36] Outside of the Texas Chaparrals returning to their Dallas Chaparrals name after the regular ABA draft ended,[22] no changes involving ABA teams would occur after this draft year, which would make it the most stable draft year in the ABA yet. Also following the draft were the initial plans of the NBA–ABA merger that would have seen every ABA team join the NBA except for the Virginia Squires (the reason for their exclusion related to them being too close of proximity to the Baltimore Bullets, now Washington Wizards, which would have forced them to either move yet again in order to join the NBA or fold operations altogether) starting by May 1971 before the Oscar Robertson v. National Basketball Association antitrust lawsuit ruined that merger plan entirely.[26]
Pos. | G | F | C |
Position | Guard | Forward | Center |
- 1: ^ Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- 2: ‡ Denotes player who has been selected for the ABA All-Time Team
- 3: * Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-ABA Team
- 4: + Ddenotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game
- 5: # Denotes player who never appeared in either an ABA or NBA regular season or playoff game
- 6: ~ Denotes player who has been selected as the ABA's Rookie of the Year




Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | Nationality | Team | School/Club team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Jim McDaniels+ | PF/C | ![]() | Utah Stars (from Texas)[35] | Western Kentucky (Sr.) |
1 | 2 | Elmore Smith | C | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Kentucky State (Sr.) |
1 | 3 | Howard Porter | PF/SF | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Villanova (Sr.) |
1 | 4 | Cliff Meely | PF | ![]() | Denver Rockets (from The Floridians)[35] | Colorado (Sr.) |
1 | 5 | Ralph Simpson+ | SG/SF | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Michigan State (Jr.) |
1 | 6 | Ken Durrett | PF | ![]() | Denver Rockets (from New York via Virginia)[35] | La Salle (Sr.) |
1 | 7 | Randy Denton | C | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Duke (Sr.) |
1 | 8 | Willie Sojourner | C/PF | ![]() | Virginia Squires (from Indiana via Kentucky)[35] | Weber State (Sr.) |
1 | 9 | Artis Gilmore~^‡ | C | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Jacksonville (Sr.) |
1 | 10 | Stan Love | PF | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals (from Utah)[35] | Oregon (Sr.) |
1 | 11 | Dana Lewis# | C | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Tulsa (Sr.) |
2 | 12 | Sidney Wicks | PF | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | UCLA (Sr.) |
2 | 13 | Levi Wyatt# | F | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Alcorn A&M College (Sr.) |
2 | 14 | Rich Yunkus | PF/C | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Georgia Tech (Sr.) |
2 | 15 | Marv Roberts | PF/C | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Utah State (Sr.) |
2 | 16 | Willie Long | SF/PF | ![]() | The Floridians | New Mexico (Sr.) |
2 | 17 | Charlie Davis | PG | ![]() | New York Nets | Wake Forest (Sr.) |
2 | 18 | Bob Kissane# | F | ![]() | New York Nets (from Virginia)[35] | Holy Cross (Sr.) |
2 | 19 | Darnell Hillman | PF/C | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | San Jose State (Sr.) |
2 | 20 | Jake Ford# | SG | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Western Kentucky (Sr.) |
2 | 21 | Roger Brown+ | C | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals (from Utah)[35] | Kansas (Sr.) |
2 | 22 | Garry Nelson# | C | ![]() | Utah Stars | Duquesne (Sr.) |
3 | 23 | Gregg Northington# | C | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Alabama State (Sr.) |
3 | 24 | Austin Carr | SG | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Notre Dame (Sr.) |
3 | 25 | John Mengelt | SG | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Auburn (Sr.) |
3 | 26 | John Roche | PG | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | South Carolina (Sr.) |
3 | 27 | Mike Newlin | SG | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Utah (Sr.) |
3 | 28 | Jimmy O'Brien# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Boston College (Sr.) |
3 | 29 | Walt Szczerbiak | SF | ![]() ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | George Washington (Sr.) |
3 | 30 | Thorpe Weber# | F | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Vanderbilt (Sr.) |
3 | 31 | Ted McClain+ | PG/SG | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Tennessee State (Sr.) |
3 | 32 | Rick Fisher | PF | ![]() | Utah Stars | Colorado State (Sr.) |
3 | 33 | Marvin Stewart# | G | ![]() | New York Nets | Nebraska (Sr.) |
4 | 34 | Gene Phillips | SG | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | SMU (Sr.) |
4 | 35 | Al Smith | PG | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Bradley (Sr.) |
4 | 36 | Bill Smith# | C | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors (from Carolina)[35] | Syracuse (Sr.) |
4 | 37 | Tom Owens | C/PF | ![]() | Memphis Pros (from The Floridians)[35] | South Carolina (Sr.) |
4 | 38 | Bubba Jones# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Ashland (Sr.) |
4 | 39 | Amos Thomas# | SG/SF | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Southwestern State (Sr.) |
4 | 40 | Dick Gibbs | SF | ![]() | New York Nets | UTEP (Sr.) |
4 | 41 | Fred Brown | PG/SG | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Iowa (Sr.) |
4 | 42 | Dana Pagett | G | ![]() | Virginia Squires | USC (Sr.) |
4 | 43 | Jim Cleamons | PG/SG | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Ohio State (Sr.) |
4 | 44 | Mo Layton | PG | ![]() | Utah Stars | USC (Sr.) |
5 | 45 | Collis Jones | SF/PF | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Notre Dame (Sr.) |
5 | 46 | Dave Robisch | C/PF | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Kansas (Sr.) |
5 | 47 | Luke Adams# | F | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Lamar State (Sr.) |
5 | 48 | Rich Rinaldi | G | ![]() | The Floridians | Saint Peter's (Sr.) |
5 | 49 | Mike Jordan# | F | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Savannah State (Sr.) |
5 | 50 | Kennedy McIntosh | PF | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Eastern Michigan (Sr.) |
5 | 51 | Glen Summors# | F | ![]() | New York Nets | Gannon College (Jr.) |
5 | 52 | Mike Gale | PG/SG | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Elizabeth City State (Sr.) |
5 | 53 | Tom Riker | C/PF | ![]() | Virginia Squires | South Carolina (Jr.) |
5 | 54 | Clarence Glover | SF | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Western Kentucky (Sr.) |
5 | 55 | Lee Dedmon# | F | ![]() | Utah Stars | North Carolina (Sr.) |
6 | 56 | George Trapp | PF/C | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Cal State Long Beach (Sr.) |
6 | 57 | William Graham# | F | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Kentucky State (Sr.) |
6 | 58 | Ron Rippetoe# | G | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | David Lipscomb College (Sr.) |
6 | 59 | Larry Holliday# | G | ![]() | The Floridians | Oregon (Sr.) |
6 | 60 | Barry Nelson | C | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Duquesne (Sr.) |
6 | 61 | Fred Hilton | SG | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Grambling (Sr.) |
6 | 62 | Matt Necaise# | F | ![]() | New York Nets | William Carey College (Sr.) |
6 | 63 | Jim Welch# | G | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Houston (Sr.) |
6 | 64 | Barry Parkhill | SG | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Virginia (So.) |
6 | 65 | Jeff Halliburton | SG | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Drake (Sr.) |
6 | 66 | Bobby Fields | G | ![]() | Utah Stars | La Salle (Sr.) |
7 | 67 | Sterling Quant# | PF | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Central State (Sr.) |
7 | 68 | Ken Gardner | SF | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Utah (Sr.) |
7 | 69 | Ed Kemp# | F | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Adams State (Sr.) |
7 | 70 | Greg Starrick# | G | ![]() | The Floridians | Southern Illinois (Sr.) |
7 | 71 | John Sutter# | F | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Tulane (Sr.) |
7 | 72 | Loyd King | SG | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Virginia Tech (Sr.) |
7 | 73 | Odis Allison | SF | ![]() | New York Nets | UNLV (Sr.) |
7 | 74 | Larry Steele | SG/SF | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Kentucky (Sr.) |
7 | 75 | Clifford Ray | C/PF | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Oklahoma (Sr.) |
7 | 76 | Dean Meminger | PG | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Marquette (Sr.) |
7 | 77 | Erwin Johnson# | F | ![]() | Utah Stars | Augusta (Sr.) |
8 | 78 | Curtis Rowe | PF | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | UCLA (Sr.) |
8 | 79 | Tyrone Marioneaux# | C | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Loyola (New Orleans) (Sr.) |
8 | 80 | Kenneth Davis# | PG | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Georgetown College (KY) (Sr.) |
8 | 81 | Tom Lee# | F | ![]() | The Floridians | Arizona (Sr.) |
8 | 82 | Charlie Yelverton | SG/SF | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Fordham (Sr.) |
8 | 83 | James Douglas# | G | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Memphis State (Sr.) |
8 | 84 | John Duncan# | F | ![]() | New York Nets | Kentucky Wesleyan (Sr.) |
8 | 85 | Clarence Sherrod# | G | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Wisconsin (Sr.) |
8 | 86 | Bill Gerry# | F | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Virginia (Sr.) |
8 | 87 | Vic Bartolome# | G | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | UCLA (Sr.) |
8 | 88 | Jim Day# | F | ![]() | Utah Stars | Morehead State (Sr.) |
9 | 89 | Jimmie Guymon# | G | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Eastern New Mexico (Sr.) |
9 | 90 | Mike Childress# | C | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Colorado State (Sr.) |
9 | 91 | Dave Wohl | PG | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Pennsylvania (Sr.) |
9 | 92 | Jim Haderlein# | F | ![]() | The Floridians | Loyola Los Angeles (Sr.) |
9 | 93 | Vincent White# | F | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Savannah State (Sr.) |
9 | 94 | Henry Smith# | F | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Missouri (Sr.) |
9 | 95 | Jarrett Durham | F | ![]() | New York Nets | Duquesne (Sr.) |
9 | 96 | Mike O'Brien# | F | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Saint Leo (Sr.) |
9 | 97 | Jim Chones | C/PF | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Marquette (Jr.) |
9 | 98 | Tom Crosswhite# | F | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Dayton (Sr.) |
9 | 99 | Willie Humes# | G | ![]() | Utah Stars | Idaho State (Sr.) |
10 | 100 | Gene Knoll# | G | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Texas Tech (Sr.) |
10 | 101 | George Faerber#[38] | F | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Purdue (Sr.) |
10 | 102 | Ken Mayfield | SG | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Tuskegee (Sr.) |
10 | 103 | Doug Rex# | F | ![]() | The Floridians | UC Santa Barbara (Sr.) |
10 | 104 | James Fleming# | F | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Alcorn A&M College (Sr.) |
10 | 105 | Jim Gregory# | F | ![]() | Memphis Pros | East Carolina (Sr.) |
10 | 106 | Eric Hill# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors (from New York)[35] | Minnesota (Sr.) |
10 | 107 | Larry Saunders# | F | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Duke (Sr.) |
10 | 108 | Gil McGregor | PF | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Wake Forest (Sr.) |
10 | 109 | Larry Weatherford# | G | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Purdue (Sr.) |
10 | 110 | Jake Jones | SG | ![]() | Utah Stars | Assumption College (Sr.) |
11 | 111 | Al Shumate#[39] | SF | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | North Texas State (Sr.) |
11 | 112 | John Ribock# | F | ![]() | Denver Rockets | South Carolina (Sr.) |
11 | 113 | Bobby McKenney#[40] | C | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Pepperdine (Sr.) |
11 | 114 | Gerald Lockett# | F | ![]() | The Floridians | Arkansas AM&N College (Sr.) |
11 | 115 | Rayford McCambry# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Miles College (Sr.) |
11 | 116 | Danny Davis# | F | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Henderson State (Sr.) |
11 | 117 | Bill Warner# | G | ![]() | New York Nets | Arizona (Sr.) |
11 | 118 | Sid Catlett | F | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Notre Dame (Sr.) |
11 | 119 | Héctor Blondet# | F | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Murray State (Sr.) |
11 | 120 | Jim England# | G | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Tennessee (Sr.) |
11 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
12 | 121 | Willie Hart# | C | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Grambling (So.)[41] |
12 | 122 | Gary Brell# | F | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Marquette (Sr.) |
12 | 123 | Craig Love# | F | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Ohio (Sr.) |
12 | 124 | Will Allen | F | ![]() | The Floridians | Miami (FL) (Sr.) |
12 | 125 | Isaiah Wilson | SG | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Baltimore (Sr.) |
12 | 126 | Gary Reist# | G | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Rice (Sr.) |
12 | 127 | Blaine Henry# | G | ![]() | New York Nets | Marshall (Sr.) |
12 | 128 | Jim Dinwiddie# | G | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Kentucky (Sr.) |
12 | 129 | Luis Grillo#[42] | PG | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Sunbury Mercuries (EBA)[43] |
12 | 130 | Jeff Smith# | F | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | New Mexico State (Jr.) |
12 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
13 | 131 | Goo Kennedy | PF/C | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | TCU (Sr.) |
13 | 132 | Glen Richgels# | C | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Wisconsin (Sr.) |
13 | 133 | Bob Wenzel# | G | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Rutgers (Sr.) |
13 | 134 | Jackie Ridgle | SG | ![]() | The Floridians | California (Sr.) |
13 | 135 | Ray Greene# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | California State (Pennsylvania) (Sr.) |
13 | 136 | Edward Hoskins# | SF | ![]() | Memphis Pros | LeMoyne–Owen (Sr.) |
13 | 137 | Don Ward# | G | ![]() | New York Nets | Colgate (Sr.) |
13 | 138 | Pierre Russell | SG | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Kansas (Sr.) |
13 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
13 | 139 | Rick Katherman# | F | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Duke (Sr.) |
13 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
14 | 140 | Bill Brickhouse# | G | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Montana State (Sr.) |
14 | 141 | Jerry Hyder# | G | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Eastern New Mexico (Sr.) |
14 | 142 | Ron Dorsey | SF | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Tennessee State (Sr.) |
14 | 143 | Pembrook Burrows# | C | ![]() | The Floridians | Jacksonville (Sr.) |
14 | 144 | Gene Mumford# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Scranton (Sr.) |
14 | 145 | Ken Riley# | F | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Middle Tennessee (Sr.) |
14 | 146 | Skip Young# | G | ![]() | New York Nets | Florida State (Sr.) |
14 | 147 | Jerome Perry# | G | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Western Kentucky (Sr.) |
14 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
14 | 148 | Clarence Smith# | F | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Villanova (Sr.) |
14 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
15 | 149 | William Chatmon# | F | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Baylor (Sr.) |
15 | 150 | David Hall# | C/PF | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Kansas State (Jr.) |
15 | 151 | Hank Commodore# | G | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Northwestern State (Sr.) |
15 | 152 | Ken May# | F | ![]() | The Floridians | Dayton (Sr.) |
15 | 153 | Lee McCullough# | F | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Indiana (Pennsylvania) (Sr.) |
15 | 154 | Rod Behrens# | PF | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Samford (Sr.)[44][45] |
15 | 155 | Phillip Sisk#[46] | G | ![]() | New York Nets | Georgia Southern (Sr.) |
15 | 156 | Willie Cherry# | F | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Denver (Sr.) |
15 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
15 | 157 | Rich Walker# | G | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Bowling Green (Sr.) |
15 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
16 | 158 | Harry Taylor# | G/F | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Los Angeles Baptist (Sr.) |
16 | 159 | Richard Dixon# | G | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Loyola Los Angeles (Sr.) |
16 | 160 | Frank Lorthridge# | C/PF | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Pan American (Sr.) |
16 | 161 | Wayman Terrell# | PF/C | ![]() | The Floridians | Oklahoma Baptist (Sr.) |
16 | 162 | Russell Golden# | F | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Jacksonville (Jr.) |
16 | 163 | Don Johnson# | F | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Tennessee (Sr.) |
16 | 164 | Brian Mahoney | SG | ![]() | New York Nets | Manhattan (Sr.) |
16 | Kentucky Colonels (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
16 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
16 | 165 | Tom Bush# | C | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Drake (Sr.) |
16 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
17 | 166 | Dan McGhee# | PF/C | ![]() | Texas Chaparrals | Howard Payne (Sr.)[47] |
17 | 167 | David Walls Jr.#[48] | PF/C | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Jackson State (Sr.) |
17 | 168 | Dan Fife# | G | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Michigan (Sr.) |
17 | 169 | Bill Drozdiak# | F | ![]() | The Floridians | Oregon (Sr.) |
17 | 170 | Harry James# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Montclair State (Sr.)[49] |
17 | 171 | Haywood Hill# | SG/SF | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Oral Roberts (Sr.) |
17 | 172 | Ollie Shannon# | G | ![]() | New York Nets | Minnesota (Sr.) |
17 | Kentucky Colonels (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
17 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
17 | 173 | Jim Irving# | G | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Saint Louis (Sr.) |
17 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
18 | Texas Chaparrals (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
18 | 174 | Paul Botts# | G | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Central Michigan (Sr.) |
18 | 175 | Cliff Harris# | F | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Hardin–Simmons (Sr.) |
18 | 176 | Eddie Myers# | C | ![]() | The Floridians | Arizona (Sr.) |
18 | 177 | John Novey# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Mount St. Mary's (Sr.) |
18 | 178 | Reggie Wood# | F | ![]() | Memphis Pros | College of Steubenville (Sr.) |
18 | 179 | Bob Doyle# | SG | ![]() | New York Nets | UTEP (Sr.) |
18 | Kentucky Colonels (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
18 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
18 | 180 | Bob Bissant# | G | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Loyola (New Orleans) (Sr.) |
18 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | Texas Chaparrals (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | 181 | Ron Smith# | C | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Wichita State (Sr.) |
19 | 182 | Steve Bilsky# | PG | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Pennsylvania (Sr.) |
19 | 183 | Steve Sims# | SG | ![]() | The Floridians | Pepperdine (Sr.) |
19 | Pittsburgh Condors (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | 184 | Billy Barnes# | PF/C | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Southern State (Sr.)[50] |
19 | 185 | Calvin Oliver# | F | ![]() | New York Nets | Pan American (Sr.) |
19 | Kentucky Colonels (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
19 | 186 | Rudy Benjamin# | G | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Michigan State (Sr.) |
19 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | Texas Chaparrals (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | 187 | Bobby Jones# | G | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Drake (Sr.) |
20 | Carolina Cougars (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | 188 | Pat Biber# | F | ![]() | The Floridians | Tampa (Sr.)[51] |
20 | Pittsburgh Condors (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | 189 | Allan Dalton#[52] | G | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Suffolk (Sr.) |
20 | 190 | Greg Cluess# | C/PF | ![]() | New York Nets | St. John's (Jr.) |
20 | Kentucky Colonels (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | Virginia Squires (Passed up on using this selection.) | |||||
20 | 191 | Slick Pinkham# | PG | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | DePauw ("Sr.") |
20 | Utah Stars (Passed up on using this selection.) |
1971 ABA special circumstances draft
[edit]The ABA would also host a "Special Circumstances" Draft later in the year on September 10, 1971 in Memphis, Tennessee (home of the Memphis Pros and the last time the ABA would ever host a draft event outside of their new headquarters in New York) as a response to the (at the time) recently implemented "NBA Hardship Draft" that the NBA was forced to utilize following the results of the Spencer Haywood v. National Basketball Association 1971 Supreme Court case. Unlike the NBA's "Hardship Draft", which saw six players enter that specific draft for the first time ever (though only five of those players would get drafted), the ABA's "Special Circumstances Draft" only saw three players from that special draft get selected there: Duquesne University's Mickey Davis for the Denver Rockets in the second round, the University of California's Phil Chenier for the Carolina Cougars in the second round, and North Carolina State University's Ed Leftwich for the New York Nets in the fourth round; no players were selected during the first or third rounds in question for that event (though technically speaking, Mickey Davis would be considered the #1 pick of the Special Circumstances Draft that year).[53] It is unknown how many players that the ABA had considered eligible for this particular draft were actually available during the time it happened. Nevertheless, there were no drafted choices in either the first round or the third round, meaning the listing below, including what the year in college at the time of the selection for these players, is as such.
- Round 2, Pick 1 (#1): Mickey Davis, Duquesne University (Jr.)
- Round 2, Pick 2 (#2): Phil Chenier, University of California (Jr.)
- Round 4, Pick 1 (#3): Ed Leftwich, North Carolina State University (Jr.)
1972 ABA draft
[edit]Please note, this year's draft does not include six rounds of the July 13 dispersal draft involving two former ABA teams that existed or an expansion draft for the San Diego Conquistadors (who took Mike Barrett from the Virginia Squires as their first pick in that draft) that took place after the dispersal draft to replace one of those defunct teams in question, meaning this draft would not have the San Diego team involved.[54][55] Once again, the ABA planned on getting a head start on the rivaling NBA by starting their first five rounds of the draft on March 2 (with ordering based on records from February 20, though with the Pittsburgh Condors and Memphis Pros alternating between themselves on who has the first selection and who has the second selection in each round), while the rest of the draft (which would be twenty rounds long similar to the previous year's draft, albeit with a lesser overall number of selections due to multiple teams being confirmed to forfeit selections in this year's draft for various reasons) would finish up over a month later on April 12 up in New York. However, this draft would also be the first draft to allow each team to select a college underclassman to join their team within the first five rounds of the draft, which drew some ire and criticisms at the time amongst not just the NCAA, but also numerous college coaches as well. This allowed teams to select some special talented players like future Hall of Famers Bob McAdoo and Bill Walton, as well as players like Doug Collins and freshman David Brent being drafted earlier than the NBA had anticipated them being available, though most of those guys either returned to college or went to the NBA anyway in the case of Bob McAdoo. Unfortunately, the recording of who got selected where during the first five rounds in particular is not well known for this particular year, meaning some information for the earlier rounds is more scattershot and a bit messier to record by comparison to the later rounds, weirdly enough, although we do at least know the general draft ordering for the teams that selected players this year.[54][55][56] As such, the listing of the first five rounds in particular might not be 100% accurate information by comparison to the rest of the draft here. In any case, following the conclusion of this draft year, both "The Floridians" and the Pittsburgh Condors would declare themselves as defunct operations going forward (thus leading to only the aforementioned San Diego Conquistadors replacing just one of those two teams going forward[57]), while the Memphis Pros decided to change their team name to the Memphis Tams (Tams being an acronym for the three states the franchise wanted to get on a regional basis in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi) entering the upcoming season.[23]
Pos. | G | F | C |
Position | Guard | Forward | Center |
- 1: ^ Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- 2: ‡ Denotes player who has been selected for the ABA All-Time Team
- 3: * Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-ABA Team
- 4: + Ddenotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game
- 5: # Denotes player who never appeared in either an ABA or NBA regular season or playoff game
- 6: ~ Denotes player who has been selected as the ABA's Rookie of the Year







Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | Nationality | Team | School/Club team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Bob McAdoo^ | C | ![]() | Virginia Squires (from Pittsburgh)[56] | North Carolina (Jr.) |
1 | Memphis Pros (forfeited #2 pick due to them acquiring Larry Cannon from the Denver Rockets[56]) | |||||
1 | 2 | Tom Riker | C/PF | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | South Carolina (Sr.) |
1 | 3 | Bud Stallworth | SG/SF | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Kansas (Sr.) |
1 | 4 | Dwight Davis | PF | ![]() | The Floridians | Houston (Sr.) |
1 | New York Nets (forfeited #5 pick due to them signing Jim Chones, a player previously drafted by the Virginia Squires last year that got invalidated due to draft stipulations at the time[56]) | |||||
1 | 5 | LaRue Martin | C | ![]() | Dallas Chaparrals | Loyola (Chicago) (Sr.) |
1 | 6 | Paul Stovall | SF | ![]() | Denver Rockets (from Indiana)[56] | Arizona State (Sr.) |
1 | Virginia Squires (forfeited what would have been the #7 pick due to them signing Julius Erving‡ last year after the previous draft ended[56]) | |||||
1 | Utah Stars (forfeited what would have been the new #7 pick due to them signing Jimmy Jones‡ from the Memphis Pros[56]) | |||||
1 | 7 | Corky Calhoun | SF | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Duke (Sr.) |
2 | 8 | David Brent# | C/PF | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Jacksonville (Fr.) |
2 | 9 | John Gianelli | C/PF | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Pacific (Sr.) |
2 | 10 | Dennis Wuycik | SF | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | North Carolina (Sr.) |
2 | 11 | Claude Terry | SG/SF | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Stanford (Sr.) |
2 | 12 | Mike Stewart# | C | ![]() | The Floridians | Santa Clara (Jr.) |
2 | 13 | Bill Chamberlain | SF | ![]() | New York Nets | North Carolina (Sr.) |
2 | 14 | Mike Ratliff | C | ![]() | Dallas Chaparrals | Wisconsin–Eau Claire (Sr.) |
2 | 15 | Chris Ford | SG | ![]() | Utah Stars | Villanova (Sr.) |
2 | 16 | Russ Lee | SG/SF | ![]() | Memphis Pros (acquired via trade of some sort (probably from Kentucky)) | Marshall (Sr.) |
3 | 17 | Chuck Terry | SF | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Long Beach State (Sr.) |
3 | 18 | Jim Price | PG | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Louisville (Sr.) |
3 | 19 | Brian Taylor~* | PG | ![]() | New York Nets (acquired via trade of some sort (probably from Carolina)) | Princeton (Sr.) |
3 | 20 | Paul Westphal^ | PG/SG | ![]() | Denver Rockets | USC (Sr.) |
3 | 21 | Scott English | SF | ![]() | The Floridians | UTEP (Sr.) |
3 | 22 | Joby Wright | PF/C | ![]() | New York Nets (from The Floridians via New York)[56] | Indiana (Sr.) |
3 | 23 | Bob Morse# | SF/PF | ![]() | Dallas Chaparrals | Pennsylvania (Sr.) |
3 | 24 | Oscar Evans# | G | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Butler (Sr.) |
3 | 25 | Bill Franklin# | F | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Auburn (Sr.) |
3 | 26 | Travis Grant | SF | ![]() | Utah Stars | Kentucky State (Sr.) |
4 | 27 | Rusty Clair# | C/PF | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Oregon (Sr.) |
4 | 28 | Bob Davis | SF | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Weber State (Sr.) |
4 | 29 | Fred Boyd | PG/SG | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Oregon State (Sr.) |
4 | 30 | Doug Collins | SG | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Illinois State (Sr.) |
4 | 31 | Greg Starrick# | G | ![]() | The Floridians | Southern Illinois (Sr.) |
4 | 32 | Dwaine Dillard | SF | ![]() | New York Nets | Eastern Michigan (So.)[58] |
4 | 33 | Bill Walton^ | C | ![]() | Dallas Chaparrals | UCLA (So.) |
4 | 34 | Art White# | F | ![]() | New York Nets (acquired via trade of some sort) | Georgetown University (D.C.) (Sr.) |
4 | 35 | Chuck Jura# | C | ![]() | Utah Stars | Nebraska (Sr.) |
5 | 36 | Wil Robinson | SG | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | West Virginia (Sr.) |
5 | 37 | Dave Bustion | PF | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Denver (Sr.) |
5 | 38 | Bob Lackey | SG | ![]() | New York Nets | Marquette (Sr.) |
5 | 39 | Steve Hawes | C/PF | ![]() | Dallas Chaparrals | Washington (Sr.) |
5 | 40 | Nate Stephens# | C | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Long Beach State (Jr.) |
5 | 41 | Bob Nash | SF | ![]() | Utah Stars | Hawaii (Sr.) |
5 | 42 | Harold Fox | PG | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors (acquired via trade of some sort (probably from Kentucky)) | Jacksonville (Sr.) |
6 | 43 | Bob Ford# | F | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Purdue (Sr.) |
6 | 44 | James Silas*‡ | PG | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Stephen F. Austin (Sr.) |
6 | 45 | Steve Bracey | PG | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Tulsa (Sr.) |
6 | 46 | Sam Sibert | SF | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Kentucky State (Sr.) |
6 | 47 | Charlie Thorpe# | C | ![]() | The Floridians | Belhaven College (Sr.) |
6 | 48 | Ron Harris# | F | ![]() | New York Nets | Wichita State (Sr.) |
6 | 49 | Jim Creighton | PF | ![]() | Dallas Chaparrals | Colorado (Sr.) |
6 | 50 | George Adams | F | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Gardner–Webb College (Jr.) |
6 | 51 | Reggie Bird# | G | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Princeton (Sr.) |
6 | 52 | Tom Patterson | SF/PF | ![]() | Utah Stars | Ouachita Baptist (Jr.) |
6 | 53 | Matt Gantt# | F | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | St. Bonaventure (Sr.) |
7 | 54 | Joe Mackey# | F | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | USC (Sr.) |
7 | 55 | Rowland Garrett | SF | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Florida State (Sr.) |
7 | 56 | Dan Holcomb# | C | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Memphis State (Sr.) |
7 | 57 | Ron Riley | PF | ![]() | Denver Rockets | USC (Sr.) |
7 | 58 | Swen Nater~* | C | ![]() | The Floridians | UCLA (Jr.) |
7 | 59 | Hank Siemiontkowski# | SF/PF | ![]() | New York Nets | Villanova (Sr.) |
7 | 60 | Frank Schade | G | ![]() | Dallas Chaparrals | Wisconsin–Eau Claire (Sr.) |
7 | 61 | Richie Garner# | SG | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Manhattan (Sr.) |
7 | 62 | Al Sanders | PF | ![]() | Virginia Squires | LSU (Sr.) |
7 | 63 | Eric McWilliams | SF | ![]() | Utah Stars | Long Beach State (Sr.) |
7 | 64 | Bill Kennedy# | G | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Arizona State (Sr.) |
8 | 65 | Sam Simmons# | G | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Bradley (Sr.) |
8 | 66 | Marshall Wingate# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Niagara (Sr.) |
8 | 67 | Henry Bibby | PG | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | UCLA (Sr.) |
8 | 68 | Ted Martiniuk# | F | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Saint Peter's (Sr.) |
8 | 69 | Ron Thomas | PF | ![]() | The Floridians | Louisville (Sr.) |
8 | 70 | Walter Jones# | F | ![]() | New York Nets | LIU Brooklyn (Sr.) |
8 | 71 | Ansley Truitt | PF | ![]() | Dallas Chaparrals | California (Sr.) |
8 | 72 | Cavin Andersen# | G | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Valley City State (Sr.) |
8 | 73 | Billy Shepherd# | PG | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Kentucky (Sr.) |
8 | 74 | Frank Russell | SG | ![]() | Utah Stars | Detroit (Sr.) |
8 | 75 | Terry Benton# | F | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Wichita State (Sr.) |
9 | 76 | Charles Edge | SF | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | LeMoyne–Owen (Jr.) |
9 | 77 | Steve Davidson# | F | ![]() | Memphis Pros | West Texas State (Sr.) |
9 | 78 | Jerry Crocker# | G | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Guilford (Sr.) |
9 | 79 | Bernie Fryer | SG | ![]() | Denver Rockets | BYU (Sr.) |
9 | 80 | Ernie Fleming# | F | ![]() | The Floridians | Jacksonville (Sr.) |
9 | 81 | Ed Czernota# | F | ![]() | New York Nets | Sacred Heart (Sr.) |
9 | 82 | Wayne Grabiec# | G | ![]() | Dallas Chaparrals | Michigan (Sr.) |
9 | 83 | Wardell Dyson# | F | ![]() | Indiana Pacers | Shaw University (Sr.) |
9 | 84 | Mike Barr | G | ![]() | Virginia Squires | Duquesne (Sr.) |
9 | 85 | Mike Jackson | PF | ![]() | Utah Stars | Cal State Los Angeles (Sr.) |
9 | 86 | Ernest Pettis# | G | ![]() | Kentucky Colonels | Western Michigan (Sr.) |
10 | 87 | Jackie Young# | G | ![]() | Memphis Pros | Rocky Mountain (Sr.) |
10 | 88 | Bryan Adrian# | G | ![]() | Pittsburgh Condors | Davidson (Sr.) |
10 | 89 | Mike Collins# | F | ![]() | Carolina Cougars | Seattle (Sr.) |
10 | 90 | Jerry Pender | SG | ![]() | Denver Rockets | Fresno State (Sr.) |
10 | 91 |