The1981 NBA draft was the 35th annualdraft of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on June 9, 1981, before the1981–82 season. The draft was broadcast in the United States on theUSA Network.[2] In this draft, 23 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.[3] TheDallas Mavericks won the coin flip and were awarded thefirst overall pick, while theDetroit Pistons were awarded the second pick.[4] 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 automaticallyeligible for selection. Before the draft, five collegeunderclassmen announced that they would leave college early and would be eligible for selection.[5] The draft consisted of 10 rounds comprising the selection of 223 players.
Prior to the day of the draft, the following trades were made and resulted in exchanges of picks between the teams.
a 1234 On June 8, 1981, theAtlanta Hawks acquired a 1981 first-round pick and a 1981 second-round pick from theChicago Bulls in exchange for a 1981 first-round pick, a 1982 second-round pick and an option to swap 1982 first-round draft picks.[19] Previously, the Bulls acquired the draft rights toRonnie Lester and the first-round pick on June 10, 1980, from thePortland Trail Blazers in exchange for the draft rights toKelvin Ransey and a 1981 first-round pick.[20] Previously, the Blazers acquired the pick on February 8, 1980, from thePhiladelphia 76ers in exchange forLionel Hollins.[21] Previously, the 76ers acquired the pick and a 1983 first-round pick on October 3, 1977, from theCleveland Cavaliers in exchange forTerry Furlow.[22] The Hawks used the picks to draft Al Wood and Clyde Bradshaw. The Bulls used the pick to draft Orlando Woolridge. The Blazers used the pick to draft Darnell Valentine.
c September 25, 1980, theKansas City Kings acquiredJoe Meriweather and a first-round pick from theNew York Knicks in a three-team trade with the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers.[24] Previously, the Knicks acquired a first-round pick on October 4, 1978, from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange forLonnie Shelton and a 1979 first-round pick. This trade was arranged as compensation when the Knicks signedMarvin Webster on September 29, 1978.[25] The Kings used the pick to draft Steve Johnson.
d On December 3, 1980, theDallas Mavericks acquired 1981 and 1985 first-round picks from theDenver Nuggets in exchange forKiki Vandeweghe and a 1986 first-round pick.[26] The Mavericks used the pick to draft Rolando Blackman.
e On February 8, 1980, theNew Jersey Nets acquiredMaurice Lucas, 1980 and 1981 first-round picks from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange forCalvin Natt.[27] Previously, the Blazers acquired the pick on June 7, 1978, from theGolden State Warriors in exchange for a 1978 first-round pick.[28] The Nets used the pick to draft Albert King.
f On June 12, 1980, theDetroit Pistons acquired a first-round pick from the Kansas City Kings as compensation for the signing ofLeon Douglas as a free agent.[29] The Pistons used the pick to draft Kelly Tripucka.
g On September 21, 1978, the Utah Jazz acquired a first-round pick from theHouston Rockets in exchange forSlick Watts.[23] The Jazz used the pick to draft Danny Schayes.
h 12 On June 8, 1981, theIndiana Pacers acquired 1981 and 1982 second-round picks on June 8, 1981, from the Cleveland Cavaliers. This trade was arranged as compensation when the Cavaliers signedJames Edwards on May 25, 1981.[30] Previously, the Kansas City Kings acquired a first-round pick on June 8, 1981, from the Cavaliers in exchange for the second-round pick. This trade was arranged as compensation when the Cavaliers signed Scott Wedman.[31] Previously, the Cavaliers acquired the first-round pick on May 20, 1981, from the New York Knicks in exchange forRandy Smith.[32] The Kings used the pick to draft Kevin Loder. The Pacers used the pick to draft Ray Blume.
i On August 15, 1980, the New Jersey Nets acquired a first-round pick from theSan Antonio Spurs as compensation for the signing ofGeorge Johnson as a free agent.[33] The Nets used the pick to draft Ray Tolbert.
j On October 19, 1978, theBoston Celtics acquiredChris Ford and a second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange forEarl Tatum.[34] The Celtics used the pick to draft Tracy Jackson.
k On October 9, 1979, the Portland Trail Blazers acquired a second-round pick from the Indiana Pacers in exchange forClemon Johnson.[35] Previously, the Pacers acquiredBob Carrington, 1980 and 1981 second-round picks on January 27, 1978, from the New Jersey Nets in exchange forJohn Williamson.[36] The Blazers used the pick to draft Brian Jackson.
l 12 On September 12, 1980, the San Antonio Spurs acquired two second-round picks from the Chicago Bulls as compensation for the signing ofLarry Kenon as a free agent.[37] Previously, the Bulls acquired one of the pick on August 8, 1980, from the Seattle SuperSonics as compensation for the signing ofDennis Awtrey as a free agent.[38] Previously, the Bulls acquiredOliver Mack, 1980 and 1981 second-round picks on February 13, 1980, from theLos Angeles Lakers in exchange forMark Landsberger.[39] Previously, the Lakers acquired 1980 and 1981 second-round picks on October 24, 1979, from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange forKenny Carr.[40] The Spurs used the picks to draft Gene Banks and Ed Rains.
m On July 8, 1980, the Kansas City Kings acquired a second-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks as compensation for the signing ofTommy Burleson as a free agent.[41] Previously, the Hawks acquired a 1980 second-round pick and re-acquired their second-round pick on November 23, 1979, from the Utah Jazz in exchange forTerry Furlow.[22] Previously, the Jazz acquired the pick and a 1980 second-round pick on October 10, 1979, from the Hawks in exchange forRon Lee.[42] The Kings used the pick to draft Eddie Johnson.
o On June 9, 1980, the Chicago Bulls acquired a second-round pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange forCedrick Hordges.[44] The Bulls used the pick to draft Mike Olliver.
p On June 10, 1980, the Golden State Warriors acquired a second-round pick from theWashington Bullets in exchange for the draft rights toJeff Ruland.[45] The Warriors used the pick to draft Sam Williams.
q On September 11, 1980, the Denver Nuggets acquiredWayne Cooper and a second-round pick from the Utah Jazz in exchange forBernard King.[46] Previously, the Jazz acquired the pick and a 1980 third-round pick on October 9, 1979, from the Golden State Warriors in exchange forRobert Smith.[47] The Nuggets used the pick to draft Ken Green.
r On June 8, 1981, the Washington Bullets acquired 1981 and 1983 second-round picks from the Houston Rockets in exchange forElvin Hayes.[48] The Bullets used the pick to draft Charles Davis.
s On October 1, 1980, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired a second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange forWayne Robinson.[49] Previously, the Pistons acquired a second-round pick on September 18, 1979, from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange forJim Brewer.[50] The Lakers used the pick to draft Harvey Knuckles.
t On September 26, 1980, the Washington Bullets acquired 1981 and 1982 second-round picks from the San Antonio Spurs in exchange forDave Corzine.[51] The Bullets used the pick to draft Claude Gregory.
u On June 9, 1980, the Dallas Mavericks acquired a second-round pick from thePhoenix Suns in exchange forWiley Peck.[52] The Mavericks used the pick to draft Elston Turner.
v On February 4, 1980, the Washington Bullets acquired John Williamson and a second-round pick from the New Jersey Nets in exchange forRoger Phegley.[36] Previously, the Nets acquiredOtis Birdsong and the pick on June 8, 1981, from the Kansas City Kings in exchange forCliff Robinson.[53] Previously, the Kings acquired the pick on June 19, 1980, from theMilwaukee Bucks as compensation for the signing ofLen Elmore as a free agent.[54] The Bullets used the pick to draft Steve Lingenfelter.
w On June 28, 1978, the Houston Rockets acquired a second-round pick from the Boston Celtics as compensation for the signing of Kevin Kunnert as a free agent.[55] The Rockets used the pick to draft Ed Turner.
x On October 31, 1980, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiredKim Hughes, a 1981 third-round pick and a 1982 second-round pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange forDave Robisch.[56] The Cavaliers used the pick to draft Mickey Dillard.
y On December 4, 1979, the New York Knicks acquired a third-round pick from the Washington Bullets in exchange forJim Cleamons.[57] The Knicks used the pick to draft Frank Brickowski.
z On November 3, 1980, the Golden State Warriors acquired a fourth-round pick from the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange forRudy White.[58] The Warriors used the pick to draft Lewis Lloyd.
aa On July 10, 1978, the Kansas City Kings acquired a fourth-round pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange forGeoff Crompton.[59] The Kings used the pick to draft Kenny Dennard.
For the fourth year in a row, no college underclassman would withdraw their entry into the NBA draft. Just like the first time this happened, though, only five total players would officially enter this year's draft under that moniker.Leonel Marquetti would become the first official foreign-born college underclassman to qualify for this rule (in his case, being bornCuban while raised as an American), as previous years only had American-born players that fit the criteria at the time. The followingcollege basketball players successfully applied for early draft entrance.[83]
The 1981 NBA draft is considered to be the fourth NBA draft to have utilized what's properly considered the "green room" experience for NBA prospects. The NBA's green room is a staging area where anticipated draftees often sit with their families and representatives, waiting for their names to be called on draft night. Often being positioned either in front of or to the side of the podium (in this case, being positioned in the Grand Hyatt Hotel's Grand Ballroom[84]), once a player heard his name, he would walk to the podium to shake hands and take promotional photos with the NBA commissioner. From there, the players often conducted interviews with various media outlets while backstage. However, once the NBA draft started to air nationally on TV starting with the 1980 NBA draft, the green room evolved from players waiting to hear their name called and then shaking hands with these select players who were often called to the hotel to take promotional pictures with the NBA commissioner a day or two after the draft concluded to having players in real-time waiting to hear their names called up and then shaking hands withLarry O'Brien, the NBA's commissioner.[85] The NBA compiled its list of green room invites through collective voting by the NBA's team presidents and general managers alike, which in this year's case belonged to only what they believed were the top 13 prospects at the time.[86] As such, the following players were invited to attend this year's draft festivities live and in person.[84]
^Nationality indicates the player's national team or representative nationality. If a player has not competed at the international level, then the nationality indicates the national team which the player is eligible to represent according toFIBA rules.
"1981 NBA Draft".basketball-reference.com. RetrievedNovember 23, 2010.
"1977–1981 NBA Drafts". The Association for Professional Basketball Research.Archived from the original on November 16, 2010. RetrievedNovember 23, 2010.
Specific
^Bradley, Robert D. (2013).The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press.ISBN9780810890695.
^Wilbon, Michael (April 15, 1993)."Draft is not for everybody".The Milwaukee Journal. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: The Journal Company. RetrievedDecember 1, 2010.
^abKim, Randy (June 19, 2003)."Draft Oddities".NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived fromthe original on December 2, 2010. RetrievedDecember 5, 2010.
^"Chibi Not A Chibi".Reading Eagle. Reading, Pennsylvania: Reading Eagle Company. June 11, 1981. RetrievedDecember 5, 2010.
^"7-foot 7 and a judo expert too".Tri-City Herald. Kennewick, Washington: The McClatchy Company. October 29, 1983. Archived fromthe original on June 29, 2012. RetrievedDecember 5, 2010.
^"Nets Choose UCLA Manager In Draft".The Spartanburg Herald. Spartanburg, South Carolina: Public Welfare Foundation. June 10, 1981. RetrievedDecember 5, 2010.
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Rolando Blackman – SG,Kansas State
