1964 NBA draft
The 1964 NBA draft was the 18th annual player selection meeting of the National Basketball Association (NBA), conducted on May 4, 1964, in New York City.[1] It featured 15 rounds comprising 101 total picks, with 30 of the selected players ultimately appearing in at least one NBA game.[1] The New York Knicks held the first overall selection and chose forward Jim Barnes from Texas Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso), a 6-foot-8 athlete known for his rebounding prowess who averaged 8.8 points and 6.5 rebounds over a seven-year career that included one NBA championship.[1][2] Subsequent first-round picks included forward Joe Caldwell (second overall, Detroit Pistons from Arizona State, who earned two All-Star nods and one All-Defensive selection), forward Gary Bradds (third overall, Baltimore Bullets from Ohio State, the 1964 National Player of the Year, two-time First-Team All-American, and two-time Big Ten Player of the Year), forward Luke Jackson (fourth overall, Philadelphia 76ers from Pan American College, a one-time All-Star who contributed to one championship), and guard Walt Hazzard (fifth overall territorial pick, Los Angeles Lakers from UCLA).[1][2][3][4] The draft is particularly remembered for its later-round treasures, which unearthed several Hall of Famers and perennial contributors despite the era's limited scouting depth.[2] Center Willis Reed, selected tenth overall in the second round by the Knicks from Grambling State, emerged as the draft's crown jewel, enjoying a 10-year career highlighted by two NBA championships (1970, 1973), seven All-Star appearances, one league MVP, two Finals MVPs, five All-NBA honors, and induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982.[2] Other standout selections included forward Paul Silas (twelfth overall, second round, St. Louis Hawks from Creighton), who played 16 seasons, won three championships (1974 with Boston, 1976 with Boston, 1979 with Seattle), earned two All-Star berths and five All-Defensive nods, and guard Jerry Sloan (nineteenth overall, third round, Baltimore Bullets from Evansville), a defensive stalwart over 11 years with two All-Star selections, six All-Defensive honors, and Hall of Fame enshrinement as a player in 2009.[2] Additional contributors like forward Jeff Mullins (sixth overall, first round, St. Louis Hawks from Duke, three All-Stars and one championship) and center Mel Counts (ninth overall, first round, Boston Celtics from Oregon State, two championships) underscored the class's depth, producing multiple All-Stars and title winners amid the league's expansion in the mid-1960s.[2] Notably, forward Connie Hawkins, implicated (but later cleared) in a college point-shaving scandal, went undrafted that year due to NBA eligibility concerns, forging a Hall of Fame career instead in the rival American Basketball Association before joining the NBA in 1969.[5]Background
Historical Context
The 1964 NBA draft marked the 18th annual selection of amateur players by the league, held on May 4, 1964, at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.[1][6] At this time, the NBA maintained a period of relative stability with nine franchises, following the addition of the Chicago Packers in 1961 and preceding the expansions of the late 1960s that would grow the league to ten teams in 1966.[7] This era reflected a maturing professional basketball landscape, with the league focusing on consolidation amid growing interest in the sport.[8] The draft order was determined by the reverse standings from the preceding 1963–64 NBA season, a standard practice that awarded the earliest picks to the lowest-performing teams to promote competitive balance.[9] That season featured nine teams divided into Eastern and Western divisions, with the Boston Celtics dominating the East at 59–21 and the New York Knicks struggling with the league-worst 22–58 record, securing them the first overall selection.[9] The Cincinnati Royals (55–25) and Philadelphia 76ers (40–40) rounded out the playoff qualifiers in the East, while the San Francisco Warriors (48–32) led the West, underscoring the Celtics' ongoing dynasty under coach Red Auerbach.[9] Entering the draft, college basketball showcased a mix of established stars and emerging talents from diverse programs, highlighting the broadening talent pool beyond traditional powerhouses. Jim Barnes, a 6-foot-8 forward from Texas Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso), emerged as a top prospect after leading his team to the 1964 NCAA University Division Tournament semifinals.[1] Similarly, players like Willis Reed from the smaller Grambling State University—a historically Black college—signaled the rising influence of athletes from non-elite programs, as Reed averaged 26.6 points and 21.3 rebounds in his senior year, drawing attention for his versatility and leadership.[1] This influx reflected the NBA's increasing recruitment from varied collegiate backgrounds during the early 1960s.[10]Participating Teams and Player Eligibility
The 1964 NBA Draft involved all nine teams in the league at the time, which were the Baltimore Bullets, Boston Celtics, Cincinnati Royals, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, San Francisco Warriors, and St. Louis Hawks.[11] These franchises participated in the selection process held on May 4, 1964, in New York City, with each team allocated picks based primarily on their reverse order of finish from the 1963-64 season.[1] Player eligibility for the draft was strictly limited to amateur athletes who had completed four years of college basketball, emphasizing U.S. college seniors graduating that year.[12] High school players and international prospects were not permitted, as the NBA's rules at the time focused exclusively on domestic collegiate talent to maintain a structured entry path for professionals.[13] Among the teams, the New York Knicks were particularly focused on acquiring big men to bolster their frontcourt, having struggled with size and rebounding in recent seasons.[6] Similarly, the [Los Angeles Lakers](/page/Los Angeles_Lakers) benefited from territorial pick rights, allowing them priority selection of local standout Walt Hazzard from nearby UCLA due to the team's West Coast location.[14] The draft consisted of 101 selections spread across 15 rounds, though the majority of players who went on to NBA careers were chosen in the early rounds, reflecting the era's emphasis on high-impact first-round talents.[1][15]Draft Process
Selection Order and Format
The 1964 NBA draft operated under a reverse-order selection system, where the nine participating teams picked players in the inverse order of their win-loss records from the 1963–64 season, granting the earliest selections to the worst-performing teams to promote competitive balance.[9] With no identical records among teams that year, tiebreakers were not required. The draft was an annual event held on May 4, 1964, in New York City, structured across 15 rounds with each team allocated one pick per round, though trades and forfeitures led to a total of 101 selections.[1] The first round occurred publicly to highlight top prospects, while subsequent rounds received minimal documentation and attention, reflecting the era's focus on elite college talent rather than exhaustive scouting. Absent modern elements like the draft combine or player workouts, teams relied primarily on game film and campus visits for evaluations.[16] Picks varied by team position, with poorer records yielding higher selections in every round, underscoring the first round's critical role in acquiring star players capable of transforming franchises. In historical records, players who never played in an NBA game are denoted with a dagger (†) to distinguish them from those who appeared in league contests.[1]Territorial Picks
In the 1964 NBA draft, territorial picks allowed teams to bypass the standard selection order by forfeiting their first-round pick to claim a player from a local college, specifically one within a 50-mile radius of the team's home arena, provided that player was deemed the best available from that region.[17] This rule, introduced in the league's early years, aimed to secure popular regional talent to boost attendance and fan loyalty.[18] For the 1964 draft, the Los Angeles Lakers exercised their territorial pick on guard Walt Hazzard from UCLA, located in the Los Angeles area, forgoing their regular first-round selection.[14] Similarly, the Cincinnati Royals selected center George Wilson from the University of Cincinnati, situated directly in their home city, also relinquishing their first-round spot.[14] These choices preceded the conventional first round, effectively removing high-profile prospects from the general pool and altering the talent distribution for other franchises.[15] Territorial picks like those in 1964 were a frequent practice throughout the 1960s, helping expansion teams and established franchises alike cultivate local interest, though the mechanism drew criticism for undermining draft equity.[19] The rule was ultimately abolished ahead of the 1966 draft as part of broader league reforms to standardize the selection process.[20]Player Selections
First Round
The first round of the 1964 NBA Draft consisted of nine selections, including two territorial picks, held on May 4, 1964, at the Hotel Roosevelt in New York City.[1] The New York Knicks, who finished with the league's worst record of 17-63 the previous season, held the first overall pick and targeted frontcourt reinforcements.[6] Territorial picks for the [Los Angeles Lakers](/page/Los Angeles_Lakers) and Cincinnati Royals were integrated into the sequence after the fourth and seventh regular selections, respectively, allowing teams to claim local college stars without competing in the general pool.[18] The selections were as follows:| Pick | Player | College | Team | Position | Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim Barnes | Texas Western | New York Knicks | Center | 6'8" |
| 2 | Joe Caldwell | Arizona State | Detroit Pistons | Guard/Forward | 6'5" |
| 3 | Gary Bradds | Ohio State | Baltimore Bullets | Forward/Center | 6'8" |
| 4 | Lucious Jackson | Pan American | Philadelphia 76ers | Power Forward | 6'9" |
| 5 | Walt Hazzard (Territorial) | UCLA | Los Angeles Lakers | Guard | 6'2" |
| 6 | Jeff Mullins | Duke | St. Louis Hawks | Guard/Forward | 6'4" |
| 7 | Barry Kramer (d. 2025) | New York University | San Francisco Warriors | Guard/Forward | 6'4" |
| 8 | George Wilson (Territorial) | Cincinnati | Cincinnati Royals | Center | 6'8" |
| 9 | Mel Counts | Oregon State | Boston Celtics | Center | 7'0" |
Notable Later-Round Picks
The 1964 NBA draft extended to 15 rounds with a total of 101 selections, yet only about 30 of those players appeared in at least one NBA game, underscoring the value often found in later rounds where teams unearthed role players and unexpected stars.[1] These mid-to-late round picks frequently provided essential depth and longevity, contributing to championship runs and individual accolades despite being overlooked initially. Among the most celebrated later-round selections was Willis Reed, chosen tenth overall (first selection of the second round) by the New York Knicks out of Grambling State University, a small historically black college in Louisiana.[31] Reed's selection marked an early milestone in NBA diversity, as one of the few players from an HBCU to achieve stardom in an era when major programs dominated scouting.[31] He earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1965, led the Knicks to two NBA championships (1970 and 1973), won the league MVP in 1970, made seven All-Star appearances, and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. Paul Silas, selected 12th overall in the second round by the St. Louis Hawks from Creighton University, emerged as a tenacious rebounder and defender over a 16-season career.[1] Silas won three NBA championships—with the Boston Celtics (1974, 1976) and Seattle SuperSonics (1979)—earned two All-Star nods, and amassed over 12,000 rebounds, serving as a key role player on multiple contenders. In the third round, the Baltimore Bullets picked Jerry Sloan 21st overall from the University of Evansville, a small NAIA program.[32] Sloan played 11 NBA seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bulls, earning two All-Star selections and ranking among the league's elite perimeter defenders with over 10,000 points and 2,900 assists.[33] His Hall of Fame induction in 2009 as a player (and later coach) highlighted his grit and impact from an unheralded draft position.[32] Further down, the Cincinnati Royals selected Happy Hairston in the fourth round, 35th overall, from New York University.[1] Hairston developed into a two-time All-Star and rebounding standout, winning an NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972 and averaging 14.8 points and 10.3 rebounds over 11 seasons.[34]| Overall Pick | Round | Team | Player | College | Key Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 2 | New York Knicks | Willis Reed | Grambling State | Hall of Famer, 2x Champion, MVP, ROY |
| 12 | 2 | St. Louis Hawks | Paul Silas | Creighton | 3x Champion, 2x All-Star, 12,354 rebounds |
| 21 | 3 | Baltimore Bullets | Jerry Sloan | Evansville | Hall of Famer, 2x All-Star, defensive specialist |
| 35 | 4 | Cincinnati Royals | Happy Hairston | New York University | 1x Champion, 2x All-Star, 10.3 RPG career |