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1963 NBA draft
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| 1963 NBA draft | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Sport | Basketball |
| Dates | April 30, 1963 (Rounds 1–7) May 7, 1963 (Rounds 8–15) |
| Location | Plaza Hotel (New York City, New York)[1] |
| Overview | |
| 84 total selections in 15 rounds | |
| League | NBA |
| Territorial picks | Tom Thacker, Cincinnati Royals |
| First selection | Art Heyman, New York Knicks |
| Hall of Famers | 2 |
The 1963 NBA draft was the 17th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on April 30 and May 7, 1963, before the 1963–64 season. In this draft, nine NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. 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. In each round, the teams select in reverse order of their win–loss record in the previous season. Before the draft, a team could forfeit its first-round draft pick and then select any player from within a 50-mile radius of its home arena as their territorial pick.[2][3] The Chicago Zephyrs relocated to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Bullets prior to the draft.[4] The Syracuse Nationals participated in the draft, but relocated to Philadelphia and became the Philadelphia 76ers prior to the start of the season.[5] The draft consisted of 15 rounds comprising 84 players selected.
This draft holds the record for the fewest non-territorial picks who later debuted in the NBA, with 17 (18 if the territorial pick Tom Thacker is included).
Draft selections and draftee career notes
[edit]Tom Thacker from the University of Cincinnati was selected before the draft as Cincinnati Royals' territorial pick. Art Heyman from Duke University was selected first overall by the New York Knicks. Two players from this draft, Nate Thurmond and Gus Johnson, have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame.[6] Thurmond was also named in the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996.[7] Thurmond's achievements include seven All-Star Game selections and five All-Defensive Team selections.[8] Johnson's achievement include four All-NBA Team selections and five All-Star Game selections.[9] Two players from this draft, 4th pick Eddie Miles and 13th pick Jim King, have also been selected to an All-Star Game.[10][11]
Reggie Harding, who was the first player drafted out of high school when he was drafted the previous year, was drafted again by the Detroit Pistons with the 48th pick. He finally enter the league after spending a year in the Midwest Professional Basketball League (MPBL) due to the rules that prevent a high school player to play in the league until one year after his high school class graduated.[12][13] Larry Brown from the University of North Carolina was selected with the 55th pick. However, he never played in the NBA. He spent his playing career within the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) before joining the newly formed American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967.[14] He played there for five seasons, earning one All-ABA Team selection and three ABA All-Star Game selections.[15] After his playing career, he became a head coach. He coached nine NBA teams, most recently with the Charlotte Bobcats (now Charlotte Hornets). He won the NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004 and went to the NBA Finals two other times; with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001 and with the Pistons in 2005.[16] In between his NBA coaching career, he also coached the Kansas Jayhawks of the University of Kansas for five seasons, winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship in 1988. He is the only coach to win both an NCAA title and an NBA championship. As a player, he won the gold medal with the United States national basketball team at the 1964 Olympic Games. He then coached the U.S. national team to a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, becoming the only U.S. male basketball participant to both play and coach in the Olympics.[17] Rod Thorn, the 2nd pick, also had a coaching career. He was the interim head coach of the Chicago Bulls in 1982.[18]
Key
[edit]| Pos. | G | F | C |
| Position | Guard | Forward | Center |
| ^ | Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
| + | Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game |
| # | Denotes player who has never appeared in an NBA regular-season or playoff game |
Draft
[edit]
Other picks
[edit]
The following list includes other draft picks who have appeared in at least one NBA game.[20][21]
| Round | Pick | Player | Pos. | Nationality | Team | School/club team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 24 | Jerry Greenspan | F |  United States
|
Syracuse Nationals | Maryland |
| 5 | 43 | Larry Jones | G/F | United States
|
Los Angeles Lakers | Toledo |
| 6 | 48 | Reggie Harding | C | United States
|
Detroit Pistons | Holland Oilers (MPBL)[22] |
| 7 | 59 | Ken Rohloff | G | United States
|
St. Louis Hawks | NC State |
| 8 | 63 | Freddie Crawford | G/F | United States
|
New York Knicks | St. Bonaventure |
Notable undrafted players
[edit]These players were not selected in the 1963 draft but played at least one game in the NBA.
| Player | Pos. | Nationality | School/club team |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Lehmann | G | United States
|
Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL) |
| Bob Warlick | G | United States
|
Pepperdine |
| Art Williams | G | United States
|
Cal Poly Pomona |
Trades
[edit]- a On September 14, 1962, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired the second-round pick of the Cincinnati Royals in exchange for Tom Hawkins.[23] The Lakers used the pick to draft Jim King.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- General
- "Complete First Round Results 1960–69". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on December 3, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
- "1963 NBA Draft". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
- "1962–1966 NBA Drafts". The Association for Professional Basketball Research. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- "1963 NBA Draft". The Draft Review. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
- Specific
- ^ Bradley, Robert D. (2013). The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810890695., pg. 87
- ^ "How the NBA draft became a lottery". The Seattle Times. The Seattle Times Company. May 21, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2009.
- ^ "Lakers Select Baylor In NBA Draft Meeting". The Daily Collegian. Pennsylvania State University. April 23, 1958. Archived from the original on April 10, 2016. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
- ^ Hareas, John (August 6, 2001). "A Colorful Tradition". NBA.com/Wizards. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
- ^ "Sixers History". NBA.com/Sixers. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on January 19, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
- ^ "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
- ^ "The NBA's 50 Greatest Players". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on April 6, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Nate Thurmond Bio". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Gus Johnson Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 10, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Eddie Miles Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Jim King Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ Hilton, Dan (July 14, 2008). "Doesn't the Extra Year Help Teams?". NBA.com/Suns. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on January 21, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
- ^ "Pistons Can't Use 7-Foot Prep". Lawrence Journal-World. July 3, 1962. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Lawrence "Larry" Brown Bio". International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Larry Brown Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Larry Brown Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Bobcats Name Larry Brown Head Coach". NBA.com/Bobcats. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. April 29, 2008. Archived from the original on April 11, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Rod Thorn Coaching Record". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2010.
- ^ "New Balto. 5 gets 2 of 17 draftees". Baltimore Afro-American. May 4, 1963. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
- ^ "1963 NBA draft".
- ^ "NBA Past Drafts - RealGM".
- ^ "This Game Called What's The Name". Toledo Blade. January 7, 1963. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ "Tom Hawkins Statistics". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
External links
[edit]1963 NBA draft
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
The 1963 NBA draft was the 17th annual player selection of the National Basketball Association (NBA), held on April 30, 1963, in New York City.[1] The event featured 15 rounds and a total of 84 picks, though only 18 of the selected players ultimately debuted in the NBA, marking it as one of the least productive drafts in league history in terms of player contributions.[1] Prior to the regular draft, the Cincinnati Royals exercised their territorial pick to select local standout Tom Thacker from the University of Cincinnati, a practice allowed for teams to claim players from their geographic area to build fan interest.[2]
The New York Knicks, who earned the first overall selection as the previous season's worst-performing team, chose forward Art Heyman from Duke University, a consensus All-American known for his scoring prowess in college.[1] Subsequent top picks included guard Rod Thorn from West Virginia University (second overall, Baltimore Bullets), center Nate Thurmond from Bowling Green State University (third overall, San Francisco Warriors), and guard Eddie Miles from Seattle University (fourth overall, Detroit Pistons), who enjoyed a nine-year NBA career capped by an All-Star appearance in 1966.[2][3] While many early selections like Heyman and Thorn had solid but unremarkable NBA careers, the draft's enduring legacy stems from two Hall of Famers: Thurmond, a defensive anchor who earned seven All-Star nods and was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams, and forward Gus Johnson, selected 11th overall by the Chicago Zephyrs (whose franchise relocated to become the Baltimore Bullets), renowned for his athleticism and rebounding over a nine-year career.[1]
Overall, the 1963 draft reflected the era's expansion challenges, with the league comprising just nine teams amid recent additions like the Chicago Zephyrs, and it produced limited immediate impact compared to richer classes like 1962 or 1964.[1] Beyond the headliners, contributors such as Miles (an All-Star in 1966) and Thorn (who later became an NBA executive) added depth, but the class is often critiqued for its scarcity of long-term stars, underscoring the unpredictable nature of early NBA scouting.[2]
This order directly stemmed from the season's final standings, skipping the Royals due to their territorial pick while resolving the tie between the Hawks and Nationals through head-to-head results (Hawks won 3–2 against the Nationals).[1]
Note: Rounds 11-15 had no additional picks recorded in the regular draft, as teams declined to select further, resulting in the total of 84 picks. Asterisks (*) denote players who never appeared in an NBA game, comprising the majority of selections beyond the first two rounds. The table has been corrected based on historical records.[1][4]
Background
Overview and Dates
The 1963 NBA draft was the 17th annual selection of prospective players by the league's teams, conducted prior to the 1963–64 season. It took place over two days: rounds 1 through 7 on April 30, 1963, and rounds 8 through 15 on May 7, 1963, in New York City.[4] The event resulted in a total of 84 selections across the 15 rounds.[1] This draft occurred in the aftermath of the 1962–63 NBA season, a period marked by significant franchise shifts that reshaped the league's landscape. The Chicago Zephyrs, who had entered the NBA as an expansion team in 1961–62 under the name Packers before rebranding, relocated to Baltimore and became the new Baltimore Bullets for the following season.[5] Similarly, the Syracuse Nationals, after 16 years in upstate New York, moved to Philadelphia and adopted the name Philadelphia 76ers, filling the void left by the Warriors' earlier departure from the city.[6] These relocations, with the Zephyrs' move announced before the draft and the Nationals' approved shortly after, influenced team strategies as franchises aimed to build rosters suited to their new markets and fan bases.[7]Eligibility and Rules
The eligibility criteria for the 1963 NBA draft were governed by the league's longstanding four-year rule, which limited participation to U.S. college players who were four years removed from high school graduation or had exhausted four years of college eligibility, typically seniors.[8] This rule, in effect since the league's early years, ensured that draftees had fully utilized their NCAA amateur opportunities before turning professional.[9] Amateur status was strictly required, barring any players with previous professional contracts or those from international leagues, as the draft focused exclusively on domestic college talent to maintain competitive balance and align with the era's emphasis on collegiate development.[1] International players were not considered eligible under these provisions, reflecting the NBA's predominantly American composition in the early 1960s.[10] A key operational rule involved territorial picks, under which a team could opt to select a standout player from a college within a 50-mile radius of its home city, thereby forfeiting its first-round selection in the standard draft process; this mechanism, introduced in 1950, aimed to boost local fan interest by securing regional stars.[11] Unlike later eras, the 1963 draft featured no lottery system for determining selection order, which was instead established purely by inverting the previous season's regular-season standings, with ties resolved through predefined league procedures such as coin flips.[1]Draft Process
Selection Order
The selection order for the 1963 NBA draft was established by arranging teams in reverse order of their win-loss records from the 1962–63 NBA season, granting the first pick to the team with the poorest performance.[12] This system aimed to provide struggling franchises priority access to incoming talent. For teams tied in overall records, tiebreakers included head-to-head competition results, with further criteria such as coin flips applied if necessary.[1] Territorial claims significantly altered the order, as the Cincinnati Royals exercised this option to select local college player Tom Thacker, forfeiting their rights to a first-round pick in the regular draft as per league rules.[13] The Knicks held the league's worst record at 21–59 and thus received the first pick in the regular draft. The Royals' 42–38 mark positioned them ahead of several teams, yet their forfeiture shifted subsequent selections forward. With nine teams in the league that season and one territorial forfeiture, the regular first round featured eight picks.[12] The resulting first-round selection order, reflecting the adjusted reverse standings, is shown below:| Pick | Team | 1962–63 Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York Knicks | 21–59 |
| 2 | Chicago Zephyrs (relocated to Baltimore as Bullets after draft) | 25–55 |
| 3 | San Francisco Warriors | 31–49 |
| 4 | Detroit Pistons | 34–46 |
| 5 | St. Louis Hawks | 48–32 |
| 6 | Syracuse Nationals (relocated to Philadelphia as 76ers after draft) | 48–32 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Lakers | 53–27 |
| 8 | Boston Celtics | 58–22 |
Territorial Picks Mechanism
The territorial picks mechanism in the 1963 NBA draft permitted franchises to claim eligible players from nearby colleges ahead of the regular selection process, serving as a safeguard for local market interests. Under this rule, introduced by the league in 1949 and active until 1965, a team could opt to surrender its first-round pick in the standard draft to instead draft any college senior who had competed within a 50-mile radius of the team's home arena.[14] The primary rationale behind the system was to enable NBA teams, particularly those in competitive or expansion markets, to acquire prominent regional stars who could draw crowds and foster community loyalty, thereby boosting gate receipts and stabilizing franchises in an era of limited television revenue.[14] This approach addressed concerns over fan poaching by rival teams and helped integrate popular local athletes into professional rosters without the uncertainty of the coin-flip or lottery-based ordering used for regular picks. These territorial claims were announced and finalized prior to the April 30, 1963, draft in New York City, ensuring they did not overlap with the competitive pool of remaining prospects. In practice, the forfeiting team would skip its assigned first-round slot, causing the overall draft order to shift accordingly for the regular selections.[4] For the 1963 draft, only one team invoked the territorial provision: the Cincinnati Royals selected Tom Thacker, a guard-forward from the University of Cincinnati, which fell squarely within their geographic territory.[1][15] This choice exemplified the mechanism's focus on accessible, high-profile talent from immediate locales, with Thacker's university located directly in Cincinnati.[4]Selections
Regular Draft Picks
The regular draft of the 1963 NBA draft took place on April 30, 1963, in New York, New York, and featured 84 selections across 15 rounds by the league's nine teams. This draft is notable for having the fewest number of regular picks who debuted in the NBA, with only 18 players appearing in at least one game. The selection order was primarily based on the reverse standings from the 1962-63 season, with the Cincinnati Royals forfeiting their first-round pick due to their territorial selection of Tom Thacker from the University of Cincinnati.[1] The first round consisted of eight picks. Subsequent rounds had varying numbers of selections, with teams often passing on later picks, leading to the total of 84. Many draftees from rounds 3 through 15 never appeared in an NBA game, marked with an asterisk (*) in the table below for those who did not debut professionally. Note that the Chicago Zephyrs, who selected the second pick, relocated to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Bullets prior to the 1963-64 season; they are abbreviated as BAL in the table.[1][16] Below is the complete list of regular draft picks, organized by round. Data includes the overall pick number, player name, college or origin, and drafting team (using abbreviations: BAL = Baltimore Bullets/Chicago Zephyrs, BOS = Boston Celtics, CIN = Cincinnati Royals, DET = Detroit Pistons, LAL = Los Angeles Lakers, NYK = New York Knicks, PHI = Philadelphia 76ers/Syracuse Nationals, SFW = San Francisco Warriors, STL = St. Louis Hawks).[1][4]| Round | Overall Pick | Player | College/Origin | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Art Heyman | Duke | NYK |
| 1 | 2 | Rod Thorn | West Virginia | BAL |
| 1 | 3 | Nate Thurmond | Bowling Green State | SFW |
| 1 | 4 | Eddie Miles | Seattle | DET |
| 1 | 5 | Gerry Ward | Boston College | STL |
| 1 | 6 | Tom Hoover | Villanova | PHI |
| 1 | 7 | Roger Strickland | Jacksonville | LAL |
| 1 | 8 | Bill Green | Colorado State | BOS |
| 2 | 9 | Jerry Harkness | Loyola (IL) | NYK |
| 2 | 10 | Gus Johnson | Idaho | BAL |
| 2 | 11 | Gary Hill | Oklahoma City | SFW |
| 2 | 12 | Jerry Smith | Furman | DET |
| 2 | 13 | Jim King | Tulsa | LAL |
| 2 | 14 | Leland Mitchell | Mississippi State | STL |
| 2 | 15 | Hershell West | Grambling State | PHI |
| 2 | 16 | Mel Gibson | Western Carolina | LAL |
| 2 | 17 | Ken Saylors | Arkansas Tech | STL |
| 3 | 18 | John Rudometkin | USC | NYK |
| 3 | 19 | Joe Ruklick | Dartmouth * | BOS |
| 3 | 20 | Wayne Embry | Miami (OH) | SFW |
| 3 | 21 | Mike Davis | Brigham Young * | DET |
| 3 | 22 | Dick Snyder | Davidson | STL |
| 3 | 23 | Bill Howard | Weber State * | LAL |
| 3 | 24 | Ted Luckenbill | Arizona State * | PHI |
| 3 | 25 | Rick Kamrath | Minnesota * | NYK |
| 3 | 26 | Larry Ellis | Loyola (IL) * | BAL |
| 4 | 27 | Darrall Imhoff | Utah | BOS |
| 4 | 28 | Cotton Nash | Kentucky | SFW |
| 4 | 29 | Don Griffin | Wake Forest * | DET |
| 4 | 30 | Bob Woollard | Oregon State * | STL |
| 4 | 31 | Connie Rea | Northwestern * | LAL |
| 4 | 32 | Jim Farmer | Virginia | PHI |
| 4 | 33 | Jon McGlocklin | Indiana | NYK |
| 4 | 34 | Paul Hogue | Cincinnati * | BAL |
| 5 | 35 | Lou Hudson | San Francisco | BOS |
| 5 | 36 | Leroyetta Hodge | Pan American * | SFW |
| 5 | 37 | Chris Christensen | Utah * | DET |
| 5 | 38 | Dick Barnett | Tennessee State | STL |
| 5 | 39 | Larry Jones | Toledo * | LAL |
| 5 | 40 | Bill Chmielewski | American * | PHI |
| 5 | 41 | Dave Budd | Wake Forest | NYK |
| 5 | 42 | Jack Moreland | San Francisco * | BAL |
| 6 | 43 | Reggie Harding | High School (IN) | DET |
| 6 | 44 | Ken Rohloff | Oklahoma City * | BOS |
| 6 | 45 | Ray Corley | La Salle * | SFW |
| 6 | 46 | Steve Driscoll | Boston College * | STL |
| 6 | 47 | Billy McGill | Utah * | LAL |
| 6 | 48 | Freddie Lewis | Temple * | PHI |
| 6 | 49 | Hal Duffy | Wake Forest * | NYK |
| 6 | 50 | John McMullin | Utah * | BAL |
| 7 | 51 | Jeff Mullins | Wake Forest | DET |
| 7 | 52 | Francis Sullivan | St. Joseph's (PA) * | BOS |
| 7 | 53 | Jim Barnes | Texas Western * | SFW |
| 7 | 54 | Bob Quick | Xavier (OH) * | STL |
| 7 | 55 | George Wilson | Cincinnati * | LAL |
| 7 | 56 | Gary Ward | Kentucky Wesleyan * | PHI |
| 7 | 57 | Artie McCann | St. John's (NY) * | NYK |
| 7 | 58 | Bill McGowan | St. Joseph's (IN) * | BAL |
| 8 | 59 | Joe Caldwell | Arizona State | DET |
| 8 | 60 | Steve Courtin | La Salle * | BOS |
| 8 | 61 | Bill Burwell | Tennessee Tech * | SFW |
| 8 | 62 | Ron Taylor | Southern Illinois * | STL |
| 8 | 63 | Dick Banton | Toledo * | LAL |
| 8 | 64 | Bill Bradley | Princeton * | PHI |
| 8 | 65 | Doug Robinson | Yale * | NYK |
| 8 | 66 | Ken McBride | Oklahoma City * | BAL |
| 9 | 67 | Randy Mahaffey | Furman * | DET |
| 9 | 68 | Bob Robertson | North Carolina * | BOS |
| 9 | 69 | Gary Kroll | Colorado State * | SFW |
| 9 | 70 | John Beasley | SMU * | STL |
| 9 | 71 | Jim King | Tulsa * | LAL |
| 9 | 72 | Jack Quigg | North Carolina * | PHI |
| 9 | 73 | Len Lyles | Maryland State * | NYK |
| 9 | 74 | Jay Norman | Louisville * | BAL |
| 10 | 75 | Glenn Roberts | Western Kentucky * | DET |
| 10 | 76 | Tom Kerwin | Colorado State * | BOS |
| 10 | 77 | Greg Morris | Texas Southern * | SFW |
| 10 | 78 | Carl Ritter | SEMO * | STL |
| 10 | 79 | Mickey Davis | Shaw (NC) * | LAL |
| 10 | 80 | Bill Edwards | West Texas State * | PHI |
| 10 | 81 | Sam Smith | Kentucky Wesleyan * | NYK |
| 10 | 82 | Dick Banton | Toledo * | BAL |
| 10 | 83 | Freddie Lewis | Temple * | DET |
| 10 | 84 | Bill McGowan | St. Joseph's (IN) * | BOS |
Notable Draftee Careers
The 1963 NBA draft produced a modest number of players who reached the league, with only 18 out of 84 selections appearing in at least one game, yet it yielded several high-impact talents whose careers defined eras of defensive prowess and rebounding dominance.[1] Among the Hall of Famers and All-Stars from this class, their contributions emphasized rebounding and versatility, contributing to the draft's reputation for quality over quantity in professional debuts.[1] Nate Thurmond, selected third overall by the San Francisco Warriors, enjoyed a 14-season NBA career primarily with the Warriors, spanning 1963 to 1977 and including stints with the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers.[17] He appeared in 964 regular-season games, averaging 15.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, while earning seven All-Star selections (1965–1967, 1968, 1970, 1973, 1974) and seven All-Defensive honors.[17] Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985, Thurmond led the league in rebounding percentage multiple times and remains celebrated for his quadruple-double performance in 1974, one of only four in NBA history.[17] Gus Johnson, taken 10th overall (second round, second pick) by the Chicago Zephyrs (later the Baltimore Bullets), forged a nine-year NBA tenure from 1963 to 1972, mostly with the Bullets, before brief stops with the Phoenix Suns and an ABA stint with the Indiana Pacers.[18] Over 610 NBA games, he averaged 16.2 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists, securing five All-Star nods (1965, 1968–1971) and four All-NBA Second Team honors (1965, 1966, 1970, 1971).[18] A 2010 Hall of Fame inductee, Johnson's explosive athleticism and rebounding earned him acclaim as one of the league's premier forwards, though injuries curtailed his prime. Art Heyman, the first overall selection by the New York Knicks, had a shorter NBA arc, playing three seasons from 1963 to 1966 across the Knicks, Cincinnati Royals, and Philadelphia 76ers, totaling 147 games with averages of 11.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.[19] Though his NBA tenure was limited to five years when including partial seasons, Heyman earned All-Rookie First Team honors in 1963–64 for his scoring punch.[19] He later thrived in the ABA, but his draft status underscored the class's uneven transition to professional play.[19] Eddie Miles, picked fourth overall by the Detroit Pistons, sustained a nine-season career from 1963 to 1972 with the Pistons, Baltimore Bullets, and New York Knicks, logging 605 games at 13.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game.[3] His lone All-Star selection came in 1966, where he averaged 17.0 points in the game, reflecting his role as a reliable guard with scoring bursts up to 39 points in a contest.[3] Miles exemplified the draft's selective success, providing steady production amid the low overall debut rate.[1]Additional Aspects
Undrafted Players
Several players eligible for the 1963 NBA draft went unselected but managed to secure spots on NBA rosters through free-agent signings, though their careers were typically short and modest in impact compared to drafted stars like Nate Thurmond or Art Heyman.[1] Among the most notable was Bob Warlick, a 6'5" guard from Pepperdine University who went undrafted after his senior season. Warlick signed with the Detroit Pistons ahead of the 1965-66 season and appeared in 157 NBA games over four years with the Pistons, San Francisco Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns, averaging 7.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. His most productive year came in 1967-68 with the Warriors, where he averaged 8.9 points in 69 games.[20] George Lehmann, a 6'0" guard who attended Campbell Junior College, was also passed over in the draft despite his eligibility. After playing professionally in minor leagues, Lehmann signed with the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent and played two NBA seasons from 1967 to 1969, appearing in 80 games and averaging 3.2 points and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 38.5% from the field.[21][22] Art Williams, a 6'1" point guard from Cal Poly Pomona, similarly went undrafted but built the longest NBA tenure among the group. Signing as a free agent with the San Diego Rockets in 1967, Williams played eight seasons across the NBA and ABA, including stints with the Rockets (1967-70) and Boston Celtics (1970-74), logging 548 games with career averages of 5.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game; he contributed to the Celtics' 1974 NBA championship.[23] These three represent the entirety of known undrafted players from the 1963 class who appeared in at least one NBA game, underscoring the era's rarity of overlooked talent breaking through—especially given that only 18 of the draft's 84 selections ever debuted in the league.[1]Trades Involving Picks
Several pre-draft trades occurred involving future picks in the 1963 NBA draft, primarily in the second round, as teams sought to bolster their rosters with established players ahead of the upcoming season. On September 14, 1962, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired a second-round pick from the Cincinnati Royals in exchange for forward Tom Hawkins. The Lakers later used this pick, the 14th overall selection, to draft guard Jim King from the University of Tulsa.[24] Another significant transaction took place on October 15, 1962, when the Boston Celtics traded cash considerations and their second-round pick to the St. Louis Hawks for center Clyde Lovellette, a former All-Star looking to revive his career. The Hawks selected forward Ken Saylors from Arkansas Tech University with the 18th overall pick using the acquired selection. Lovellette provided veteran depth for the Celtics' frontcourt during the 1962-63 season, averaging 6.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in limited minutes behind Bill Russell.[25][26] In addition to direct trades, franchise relocation affected draft pick ownership. The Chicago Zephyrs of the National Basketball League folded after the 1962-63 season, and their basketball operations were purchased and relocated to Baltimore, where the team rebranded as the Baltimore Bullets prior to the draft. This move transferred the Zephyrs' draft selections to the Bullets, including the second overall pick in the first round (used on Rod Thorn from West Virginia University) and the first pick in the second round (10th overall) (used on forward Gus Johnson from the University of Idaho). Johnson quickly emerged as a cornerstone for the Bullets, earning All-Rookie Team honors in 1963-64 with averages of 17.3 points and 13.6 rebounds per game, and later becoming a six-time All-Star who helped reshape the franchise's competitiveness in the mid-1960s.[16] No major trades were reported on draft day itself, April 30, 1963, though the transactions from earlier in the season influenced team selections and contributed to roster enhancements that impacted the 1963-64 NBA season standings. For instance, the Royals, having traded away their second-rounder, focused on other assets like their territorial pick of Tom Thacker, while the Lakers integrated King into their backcourt rotation. These deals exemplified the era's emphasis on balancing immediate talent needs with future draft capital in a league with nine teams.| Date | Teams Involved | Details |
|---|---|---|
| September 14, 1962 | Los Angeles Lakers ↔ Cincinnati Royals | Lakers receive 1963 2nd-round pick (#14: Jim King); Royals receive Tom Hawkins. |
| October 15, 1962 | St. Louis Hawks ↔ Boston Celtics | Hawks receive 1963 2nd-round pick (#18: Ken Saylors) and cash; Celtics receive Clyde Lovellette. |
| Pre-draft (1962-63 offseason) | Chicago Zephyrs relocation to Baltimore Bullets | Bullets inherit Zephyrs' draft picks, including #2 overall (Rod Thorn) and 2nd-round #10 (Gus Johnson). |