The1977 NBA draft was the 31st annualdraft of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on June 10, 1977, before the1977–78 season. In this draft, 22 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S.college basketball players and othereligible players, including international players. The first two picks in the draft belonged to the teams that finished last in each conference, with the order determined by acoin flip.[1] TheMilwaukee Bucks won the coin flip and were awarded thefirst overall pick, while theKansas City Kings, who obtained theNew York Nets first-round pick in a trade, were awarded the second pick. The remaining first-round picks and the subsequent rounds were assigned to teams in reverse order of their win–loss record in theprevious season. A player who had finished his four-year college eligibility was eligible for selection. If a player left college early, he would not be eligible for selection until his college class graduated. Before the draft, six collegeunderclassmen were declared eligible for selection under the "hardship" rule.[2] These players had applied and gave evidence of financial hardship to the league, which granted them the right to start earning their living by starting their professional careers earlier.[3] Four formerAmerican Basketball Association (ABA) franchises who joined the NBA whenboth leagues merged, theDenver Nuggets, theIndiana Pacers, theNew York Nets and theSan Antonio Spurs, took part in the NBA Draft for the first time. Prior to the start of the season, the Nets relocated toNew Jersey and became theNew Jersey Nets.[4] The draft consisted of 8 rounds comprising the selection of 170 players.
Kent Benson fromIndiana University was selected first overall by the Milwaukee Bucks.Walter Davis from theUniversity of North Carolina, who went on to win theRookie of the Year Award in his first season, was selected fifth by thePhoenix Suns.[5] Davis was also selected to both theAll-NBA Team and theAll-Star Game in his first season. He collected a total of six All-NBA Team selections and two All-Star Game selections.[6] Three other players from this draft, second pickOtis Birdsong, third pickMarques Johnson and seventh pickBernard King, were also selected to both the All-NBA Team and the All-Star Game. Birdsong was selected to four All-NBA Teams and one All-Star Game;[7] Johnson was selected to five All-NBA Teams and three All-Star Games;[8] and King was selected to four All-NBA Teams and four All-Star Games.[9]Jack Sikma, the eighth pick, won theNBA championship with theSeattle SuperSonics in1979 and was selected to seven consecutive All-Star Games.[10]Rickey Green, the 16th pick,Norm Nixon, the 22nd pick, andEddie Johnson, the 49th pick, are the only other players from this draft who were selected to an All-Star Game.[11][12][13] Two players drafted went on to have coaching careers in the NBA: 33rd pickEddie Jordan and 53rd pickJohn Kuester.[14] Jordan has coached three teams in nine seasons, including five seasons with theWashington Wizards.[15]
In the seventh round, theNew Orleans Jazz selectedLusia Harris, a female college basketball star fromDelta State University, with the 137th pick. She became the second woman ever drafted by an NBA team, after Denise Long, who was selected by theSan Francisco Warriors in the1969 draft.[16] However, the league voided the Warriors' selection, thus Harris became the first and only woman to ever be officially drafted.[17] Harris did not express an interest to play in the NBA and declined to try out for the Jazz.[18] It was later revealed that she was pregnant at the time, which made her unable to attend the Jazz's training camp, even if she had wanted to.[19] She never played in the NBA but she later played briefly in theWomen's Professional Basketball League. In 1992, she was inducted to theBasketball Hall of Fame and became the first woman ever inducted to the Hall of Fame. She was also part of the inaugural class of inductees of theWomen's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.[20]
Also in the seventh round, theKansas City Kings selectedtrack and field athleteBruce Jenner[3] with the 139th pick (needling the cross-townKansas City Chiefs, who would often claim to select the "best athlete available" in theNFL Draft). Jenner had just won thegold medal fordecathlon at the1976 Olympic Games,[16] but had not actually played basketball since high school. Jenner was presented with a Kings jersey bearing the number 8618 (his Olympics decathlon score), but he never appeared in a game.[21] (The closest Jenner would come to a basketball career was a few years later in the filmCan't Stop The Music, in a sequence where he shot hoops with her co-starsThe Village People.)
b 123 On the draft-day, theChicago Bulls re-acquired their first-round pick from theBuffalo Braves, while the Braves re-acquired their second-round pick from the Bulls.[23] Previously, the Braves acquiredSwen Nater and the Bulls' pick on June 7, 1977, from theMilwaukee Bucks in exchange for the Braves' first-round pick.[24] Previously, the Bucks acquired the Bulls' pick on November 2, 1976, from the Braves in exchange forJim Price.[25] Previously, the Braves acquired the Bulls' pick on November 27, 1975, from the Bulls in exchange forJack Marin.[26] Previously, the Bulls acquiredMatt Guokas, the Braves' pick and a second-round pick on September 4, 1974, from the Braves in exchange forBob Weiss.[27] The Bucks used the Braves' first-round pick to draft Marques Johnson.
d 12 On August 5, 1976, theLos Angeles Lakers acquired 1977, 1978 and 1979 first-round picks, and a 1980 second-round pick from theNew Orleans Jazz in exchange for a 1978 first-round pick and a 1977 second-round pick. This trade was arranged as compensation when the Jazz signedGail Goodrich on July 19, 1976.[30] The Lakers used the pick to draft Kenny Carr. The Jazz used the pick to draft Essie Hollis.
f 12 On May 25, 1977, theDenver Nuggets acquired Brian Taylor and the ninth pick from the Kansas City Kings in exchange forTommy Burleson and a second-round pick. Previously, the Nuggets acquired Tommy Burleson,Bob Wilkerson and the second-round pick from theSeattle SuperSonics on May 24, 1977, in exchange forPaul Silas,Marvin Webster andWillie Wise.[32] Previously, theChicago Bulls acquired the second-round pick and a 1976 third-round pick from the Kings on December 8, 1975, in exchange for Matt Guokas.[27] The Nuggets used the pick to draft Tom LaGarde. The Bulls used the pick to draft Steve Sheppard.
h On November 16, 1976, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired a first-round pick from theSan Antonio Spurs in exchange forMack Calvin.[34] The Lakers used the pick to draft Brad Davis.
i On January 18, 1977, theGolden State Warriors acquired a first-round pick from the Buffalo Braves in exchange forGeorge Johnson.[35] Previously, the Braves acquired the pick and a 1978 first-round pick from theHouston Rockets on October 24, 1976, in exchange forMoses Malone.[36] The Warriors used the pick to draft Wesley Cox.
j On November 30, 1976, the Chicago Bulls acquired a second-round pick from the New York Nets in exchange forBob Love.[37] The Bulls used the pick to draft Mike Glenn.
k On December 8, 1976, thePhiladelphia 76ers acquired 1977 and 1978 second-round picks from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange forFred Carter.[38] The 76ers used the pick to draft Wilson Washington.
l On October 1, 1976, theNew York Knicks acquired a second-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange forRandy Denton.[39] The Knicks used the pick to draft Glen Gondrezick.
m On August 5, 1976, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired a second-round pick from the Buffalo Braves in exchange for the seventh pick in theABA dispersal draft.[40] Previously, the Braves acquired the pick thePhoenix Suns on August 25, 1976, in exchange forTom Van Arsdale.[41] The Bucks used the pick to draft Glenn Williams.
n On June 3, 1976, thePortland Trail Blazers acquired a 1977 second-round pick from the New Orleans Jazz in exchange for a 1976 second-round pick.[42] The Blazers used the pick to draft Kim Anderson.
o On June 9, 1977, the Houston Rockets acquired 1977 and 1978 second-round picks from theBoston Celtics in exchange forJohn Johnson.[43] The Rockets used the pick to draft Larry Moffett.
p On August 5, 1976, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired a second-round pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange forRoland Taylor.[44] The 76ers used the pick to draft Herm Harris.
q On August 5, 1976, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired a third-round pick from the Buffalo Braves in exchange forJohnny Neumann.[45] The Lakers used the pick to draft James Edwards.
r On October 8, 1973, the Atlanta Hawks acquired a 1976 second-round pick and a 1977 third-round pick from the Phoenix Suns in exchange forBob Christian.[46] The Hawks used the pick to draft Eddie Johnson.
s On November 27, 1974, the Phoenix Suns acquired a 1976 second-round pick and a 1977 third-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange forCorky Calhoun.[47] The Suns used the pick to draft Mike Bratz.
After seeing a major influx of underclassmen enter the draft the previous year, only thirteen total underclassmen would decide to enter this year's draft, with six of these players later revoking their entries to this draft altogether. The followingcollege basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.[48]
"1977 NBA Draft".basketball-reference.com.Archived from the original on September 6, 2010. RetrievedAugust 21, 2010.
"1977–1981 NBA Drafts". The Association for Professional Basketball Research.Archived from the original on September 17, 2010. RetrievedAugust 21, 2010.
^abKim, Randy (June 19, 2003)."Draft Oddities".NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived fromthe original on July 1, 2010. RetrievedAugust 24, 2010.
Kenny Carr – F,NC State (junior)