The1973 NBA draft was the 27th annualdraft of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on April 24 and May 5, 1973, before the1973–74 season.[1] In this draft, 17 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] ThePhiladelphia 76ers won the coin flip and were awarded thefirst overall pick, while thePortland Trail Blazers 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. Prior to the draft, theBaltimore Bullets relocated toLandover, Maryland, and became theCapital Bullets.[2] The Philadelphia 76ers were awarded an extra first-round draft pick as compensation when theSeattle SuperSonics signedJohn Brisker.[1][3] 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, 11 collegeunderclassmen were declared eligible for selection under the "hardship" rule.[4] 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.[5] The draft consisted of 20 rounds comprising the selection of 211 players.
This was the last NBA draft to last until any number of rounds, or until teams run out of prospects; from the next year's draft until the 1984 draft they were fixed to 10 rounds.
Doug Collins fromIllinois State University was selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers.Jim Brewer from theUniversity of Minnesota was second, taken by the Cleveland Cavaliers with a pick obtained from the Blazers in a trade.Ernie DiGregorio, fromProvidence College, was selected third by theBuffalo Braves, and went on to win theRookie of the Year Award.[6]George McGinnis, selected by the 76ers with the 22nd pick, is the only player from the 1973 draft who was selected to both theAll-NBA Team and theAll-Star Game.[7] Collins, 5th pickKermit Washington, and 50th pickLarry Kenon, are the only other players from this draft who were selected to an All-Star Game.[8][9][10] Collins's achievements include four All-Star Game selections.[8] After retiring as a player, he went on to coach theChicago Bulls, theDetroit Pistons, the Philadelphia 76ers and theWashington Wizards.[11] Brewer was a member of the1982NBA championLos Angeles Lakers.[12][13] He later played basketball in Europe, earning the 1983Euroleague championship with theFord Cantù.[14] McGinnis had already played in theAmerican Basketball Association (ABA) prior to the draft. He left college after his sophomore year in 1971 to play with theIndiana Pacers for four seasons. He later played in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team that drafted him, after theABA–NBA merger in 1976. He had one ABA Most Valuable Player Award, three ABA All-Star Game selections, three NBA All-Star Game selections, three All-ABA Team selections and two All-NBA Team selections.[7] Kenon initially opted to play in the ABA, spending three seasons there before joining the NBA with theSan Antonio Spurs when both leagues merged.[10] He was selected to three ABA All-Star Games and two NBA All-Star Games.[10]
Mike D'Antoni, the 20th pick, only played four seasons in the NBA and ABA before he moved to Italy with theOlimpia Milano. He played there for thirteen seasons and won fiveItalian league titles and two Euroleague titles. After retiring as a player, he coached Olimpia Milano andBenetton Treviso, leading the latter to two Italian league titles.[15] He then returned to the NBA and coached three NBA teams.[16] He won theCoach of the Year Award in2005 with thePhoenix Suns and in2017 with theHouston Rockets.[17]M. L. Carr, the 76th pick, earned two NBA championships with theBoston Celtics in1981 and1984 as a player. Carr later became the Celtics' head coach for two seasons in the 1990s.[18][19] Two other players drafted also went on to have coaching careers in the NBA: 21st pickAllan Bristow and 66th pickGeorge Karl.[20][21]
b On October 13, 1971, theLos Angeles Lakers acquired a 1973 first-round pick, 1972 and 1973 second-round picks from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange forRick Roberson.[9] The Lakers used the picks to draft Kermit Washington and Bill Schaeffer.
c On April 13, 1973, theAtlanta Hawks acquired the ninth pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange forGeorge Trapp.[28] The Hawks used the pick to draft Dwight Jones.
f On July 31, 1972, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired a second-round pick from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange forFred Foster.[31] The 76ers used the pick to draft Allan Bristow.
g On April 18, 1973, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired a 1973 second-round pick fromSeattle SuperSonics as a compensation when the Sonics signedJohn Brisker on August 15, 1972.[3][32] The 76ers used the pick to draft George McGinnis.
i On November 22, 1972, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired a second-round pick from thePhoenix Suns in exchange forWalt Wesley.[34] The Bulls used the pick to draft Allan Hornyak.
j On October 31, 1972, the Atlanta Hawks acquired a second-round pick from the Detroit Pistons in exchange forDon Adams.[35] The Hawks used the pick to draft Tom Ingelsby.
k On October 9, 1972, theNew York Knicks acquired a second-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange forEddie Mast.[36] The Bulls used the pick to draft Patrick McFarland.
l On December 6, 1972, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired a second-round pick from the Capital Bullets (as the Baltimore Bullets) in exchange forFlynn Robinson and future considerations.[27] The Lakers used the pick to draft Jim Chones.
m On October 18, 1972, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired a second-round pick from the Chicago Bulls in exchange forDennis Awtrey. Previously, the Bulls acquired the pick on December 10, 1971, from the New York Knicks in exchange forCharlie Paulk.[37] The 76ers used the pick to draft Caldwell Jones.
n On October 10, 1972, the Phoenix Suns acquired a second-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange forMel Counts. Previously, the 76ers acquired the pick on the same day from theMilwaukee Bucks in exchange forGary Gregor.[38] The Suns used the pick to draft Gary Melchionni.
o On January 26, 1973, the Atlanta Hawks acquired a third-round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange forJeff Halliburton.[39] The Hawks used the pick to draft Ted Manakas.
p On December 27, 1971, the Phoenix Suns acquired a third-round pick from theKansas City-Omaha Kings (as the Cincinnati Royals) in exchange forFred Taylor.[40] The Suns used the pick to draft Joe Reaves.
q The Detroit Pistons acquired a third-round pick from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the 1969 trade forHappy Hairston.[41]
r On December 9, 1971, the Houston Rockets acquired a third-round pick andGreg Smith from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for a 1972 first-round pick andCurtis Perry.[42] The Rockets used the pick to draft E. C. Coleman.
For the third year in a row, the NBA would implement the hardship exception for college underclassmen following the results of the1971 NBA draft's event. Originally, twelve college underclassmen signed up for this year's event, but theUniversity of Maryland'sLen Elmore, Southern California Community College's Mallory Mitchell, andSt. John'sEd Searcy would all later decline their entries into this draft. In addition to them, one of theABA's players in David Brent from theCarolina Cougars (previously last played forJacksonville University) would also declare his entry into this NBA draft, with him later being selected by theLos Angeles Lakers this year in the sixth round. The followingcollege basketball players successfully applied for an NBA hardship.[43]
^1: NBA commissionerWalter Kennedy originally awardedSeattle SuperSonics's fourth overall pick in the first round to thePhiladelphia 76ers in compensation forJohn Brisker, who signed with the Sonics despite being on Philadelphia's negotiation list. However, the federal court invalidated Kennedy's decision, ruling that only the NBA Board of Governors had the power to do so. Subsequently, the Board decided to award the 76ers with an extra first-round draft pick and the Sonics' second-round pick as compensations. The Sonics maintained possession of the fourth pick. In addition, the date of the draft, which was originally scheduled for April 16, was postponed to April 24.[3][44] ^2: Mike D'Antoni was born in the United States, but he has represented theItalian national team.[45]
^abc"Seattle Regains First-Round Pick".The Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: E. W. Scripps Company. April 19, 1973. RetrievedApril 7, 2010.
^"11 College Cagers Are 'Hardship'".The Spartanburg Herald. Spartanburg, South Carolina: Public Welfare Foundation. April 10, 1973. RetrievedApril 7, 2010.
^"Spencer Haywood Bio".NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc.Archived from the original on November 19, 2010. RetrievedApril 11, 2010.
^Kim, Randy (June 29, 2003)."Draft Oddities".NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived fromthe original on July 1, 2010. RetrievedMay 20, 2010.
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