Who Got the First NBA Draft Pick?
Contents
The first NBA draft pick is always a hotly contested topic. Who will be the lucky player to start their professional career with a bang?
Introduction
In 1936, the first NBA draft was held. The very first pick in that draft went to Ossie Schectman of the New York Knicks. He was followed by Ralph Beard and James Lucius (Jim) Foulkes, both of the Philadelphia Warriors.
The First Pick in the First NBA Draft
The first ever NBA draft took place on June 6, 1947, just a few months after the league was founded. The first pick in that draft belonged to the Pittsburgh Ironmen, who selected center Chuck Cooper out of Duquesne University. Cooper went on to have a solid 12-year career in the NBA, playing for four different teams. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1974.
The First Pick in the First ABA Draft
The first pick in the first ABA draft was forward George Mikan of DePaul. He had been the number one pick in the NBA draft a few weeks earlier.
The First Pick in the First Combined Draft
The First Pick in the First Combined Draft was University of Cincinnati star Oscar Robertson. The 6-foot-5 inch Robertson was the national player of the year in 1960 and a three-time All-American. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals and went on to have a Hall of Fame career, averaging a triple double for his first five seasons in the league.
Conclusion
The first overall pick in the NBA Draft is the player who is selected by the team that has won the NBA Draft Lottery. The draft lottery is a process that was created to give all teams an equal chance at getting the first pick. Before the draft lottery, the team with the worst record in the NBA would automatically get the first pick. But, with the draft lottery, all teams have a chance (however small) to get the first pick.
