1974 NBA draft
The 1974 NBA draft was the 28th annual player selection meeting of the National Basketball Association (NBA), held on May 28, 1974, in New York City, New York, consisting of 10 rounds and 178 total picks across 17 teams.[1] The event preceded the 1974–75 NBA season and featured the Portland Trail Blazers selecting UCLA center Bill Walton as the first overall pick, a choice that would later contribute to the franchise's 1977 NBA championship.[2] Subsequent first-round selections included power forward Marvin Barnes (second overall, Philadelphia 76ers from Providence College), center Tom Burleson (third overall, Seattle SuperSonics from North Carolina State), forward John Shumate (fourth overall, Phoenix Suns from Notre Dame), and forward Bobby Jones (fifth overall, Houston Rockets from North Carolina), among others like Jamaal Wilkes (eleventh overall, Golden State Warriors from UCLA).[2][3] The draft produced several Hall of Famers, including Walton, forward George McGinnis (tenth overall, New Orleans Jazz from Indiana), and scoring guard George Gervin (fortieth overall, Phoenix Suns from Eastern Michigan, though he initially played in the ABA). This class also produced 12 All-Stars, tied with the 1970 draft for the most in NBA history.[4][5][1] This draft class is remembered for its depth in talented big men and versatile forwards, with 62 of the selections eventually playing in the NBA and contributing significantly to the league's transition era amid growing competition from the American Basketball Association (ABA).[1] Notable later-round gems like Gervin, who became a four-time scoring champion, and Jones, a six-time All-Star and key member of the 1983 championship Philadelphia 76ers, underscored the unpredictability of the era's scouting.[4] The event also highlighted unique moments, such as the Atlanta Hawks' selection of executive Pat Williams' one-day-old son, James Littlejohn Williams, in the tenth round as a publicity stunt, though the pick was voided due to ineligibility.[6] Overall, the 1974 draft yielded players who amassed over 400 combined career win shares, influencing NBA rosters well into the 1980s.[1]Background
Historical Context
The 1974 NBA draft marked the 28th annual player selection process for the National Basketball Association, conducted on May 28, 1974, in New York City, New York and consisting of 178 picks spread across 10 rounds.[1] This event occurred during a period of significant league expansion and structural evolution, as the NBA sought to bolster its roster of teams and talent amid economic and competitive pressures. The addition of the New Orleans Jazz as the league's 18th franchise for the 1974–75 season represented a key step in this growth, with the expansion team assigned the final selection (18th overall) in the first round to help build its initial roster. The draft unfolded against the backdrop of fierce rivalry with the American Basketball Association (ABA), a competing league that had been aggressively signing top collegiate prospects and even established NBA players since its inception in 1967. By 1974, the ABA's innovative style, higher salaries, and territorial expansions—such as the Denver Nuggets and New York Nets—intensified the talent war, prompting NBA teams to prioritize high-impact selections to maintain competitive parity. This tension was evident in pre-draft maneuvers, including a coin flip on March 27, 1974, at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers to claim the No. 1 overall pick, a right determined by the league's tiebreaker for the two worst records from the prior season.[7] The ABA's parallel draft on the same day further underscored the cross-league bidding wars, influencing player decisions and team strategies.[8] Anticipation for the draft was heightened by standout college performers, particularly UCLA center Bill Walton, who had captained the Bruins to a perfect 30–0 record and the 1973 NCAA championship with dominant play on both ends of the court.[9] Walton's rejection of lucrative ABA offers symbolized the stakes involved, as NBA commissioners aimed to secure elite talents to counter the rival league's appeal. Additionally, a handful of underclassmen entered the draft early under hardship provisions, reflecting evolving eligibility amid professional basketball's rising demands.[1] These dynamics positioned the 1974 draft as a pivotal moment in the NBA's efforts to solidify its position before the eventual 1976 ABA–NBA merger.Eligibility Rules
The eligibility rules for the 1974 NBA draft followed the league's standard requirements established prior to the hardship provision. Players were generally eligible if they had completed their four-year college eligibility, typically as seniors, or if they were at least four years removed from their high school graduation, regardless of whether they had attended college. This ensured that draftees had sufficient maturity and development time before entering professional basketball. High school players were not permitted to enter the draft directly, as the rules prohibited selection immediately upon graduation; any potential high school entrants would have needed to meet the four-year post-graduation threshold or qualify under exceptional provisions, none of which applied in 1974.[10] In response to legal challenges and competitive pressures from the American Basketball Association (ABA), the NBA introduced a hardship provision in 1971, allowing college underclassmen to apply for early draft eligibility. This rule, stemming from the precedent set by Spencer Haywood's successful 1970 lawsuit against the league—where the Supreme Court upheld an injunction permitting his entry as a hardship case due to family financial needs—enabled players to forgo remaining college years if they could demonstrate severe financial hardship, adverse family circumstances, poor academic standing, or inability to secure suitable employment. The provision required applicants to submit evidence to the NBA commissioner's office, with approvals based on these criteria. Haywood's case, involving his status as the sole provider for his family after leaving the University of Detroit after his freshman year, directly led to the formalized hardship exception, opening the door for underclassmen across subsequent drafts.[11][10] For the 1974 draft, held on May 28 in New York City, 20 college underclassmen applied under the hardship rule and were declared eligible after review, making them available for selection alongside standard entrants. These applicants represented a mix of juniors and sophomores from various universities and junior colleges, highlighting the growing appeal of early professional opportunities amid rising player salaries and ABA competition. The full list of approved early entrants included:- Alvan Adams (Oklahoma, junior)
- Jimmy Baker Jr. (Nevada, junior)
- Luther Burden (Utah, junior)
- Rubin Collins Jr. (Maryland Eastern Shore, junior)
- John Edward Drew (Gardner-Webb, junior)
- Rudy Jackson (Hutchinson Junior College, sophomore)
- Maurice Lucas (Marquette, junior)
- David Mitchell Jr. (West Florida, junior)
- Eric Money (Arizona, junior)
- Coniel Norman (Arizona, sophomore)
- Clifton Pondexter (Long Beach State, sophomore)
- Roscoe Pondexter (Long Beach State, junior)
- Michael Sojourner (Utah, sophomore)
- Robert Taylor (San Francisco State, junior)
- Melvin Utley (St. John's, junior)
- Michael Washington (Southeastern Community College, sophomore)
- Henry Williams (Jacksonville, junior)
- James "Fly" Williams (Austin Peay, sophomore)
- Gary Brokaw (Notre Dame, junior)
- Michael "Campy" Russell (Michigan, junior)
Draft Process
Selection Mechanics
The territorial pick system, which had allowed NBA teams to select college players from within a 50-mile radius of their home arena by forfeiting their first-round pick, was abolished in 1966 and thus played no role in the 1974 draft.[13] With no territorial rights exercised, team selections relied heavily on scouting reports, player evaluations, and strategic assessments of college and amateur talent to build rosters.[1] Eighteen NBA teams participated in the draft: the 17 franchises from the 1973–74 season plus the expansion New Orleans Jazz, who joined the league for the 1974-75 season following an expansion draft earlier that year.[14] The Jazz were assigned the 10th position in the overall draft order to facilitate their entry.[15] Picks could be traded either prior to or during the draft proceedings, allowing teams to adjust their selections based on negotiations; for instance, the Jazz traded their first-round pick (10th overall) to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Pete Maravich.[16] The draft consisted of 10 rounds, producing 178 total selections across all rounds.[1] For the first round, the order was determined purely by the reverse finishing positions from the 1973-74 regular season standings among the 17 incumbent teams, with the two worst records from opposite conferences settling the top two spots via a coin flip.[9] The Portland Trail Blazers won the coin flip against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 27, 1974, securing the No. 1 overall pick.[7] The first two rounds generally followed this reverse-order structure, while later rounds incorporated assigned positions for all 18 teams, including a fixed slot for the Jazz akin to a predetermined allocation to balance the expansion team's integration.[1]Participating Teams
The 1974 NBA draft featured 18 participating teams, comprising the 17 franchises from the 1973–74 season plus the expansion New Orleans Jazz, who joined the league for the 1974–75 season. The first-round draft positions were determined by reversing the previous season's regular-season records, with the worst-performing teams receiving the highest picks to promote competitive balance. Ties in records were resolved through a combination of head-to-head results, division records, and conference records, while the two worst teams—Portland and Philadelphia—competed in a coin flip for the top two selections, which Portland won.[17][9] The full list of teams and their initial first-round positions, based on 1973–74 performance, is as follows:| Position | Team | 1973–74 Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland Trail Blazers | 27–55 |
| 2 | Philadelphia 76ers | 25–57 |
| 3 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 29–53 |
| 4 | Phoenix Suns | 30–52 |
| 5 | Houston Rockets | 32–50 |
| 6 | Kansas City–Omaha Kings | 33–49 |
| 7 | Atlanta Hawks | 35–47 |
| 8 | Seattle SuperSonics | 36–46 |
| 9 | Buffalo Braves | 42–40 |
| 10 | New Orleans Jazz | N/A (expansion) |
| 11 | Golden State Warriors | 44–38 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Lakers | 47–35 |
| 13 | Washington Bullets | 47–35 |
| 14 | New York Knicks | 49–33 |
| 15 | Detroit Pistons | 52–30 |
| 16 | Chicago Bulls | 54–28 |
| 17 | Boston Celtics | 56–26 |
| 18 | Milwaukee Bucks | 59–23 |
Selections and Trades
Round-by-Round Breakdown
The 1974 NBA Draft consisted of 10 rounds and a total of 178 selections, held on May 28, 1974, in New York City.[1] Of these, 62 players eventually appeared in at least one NBA game.[1] The first round featured 18 picks, primarily centers and forwards from prominent college programs, with most draftees signing professional contracts shortly after the draft.First Round Selections
| Pick | Player | Position | Drafting Team | College/Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill Walton | C | Portland Trail Blazers | UCLA |
| 2 | Marvin Barnes | F/C | Philadelphia 76ers | Providence |
| 3 | Tom Burleson | C | Seattle SuperSonics | NC State |
| 4 | John Shumate | F/C | Phoenix Suns | Notre Dame |
| 5 | Bobby Jones | F | Houston Rockets | North Carolina |
| 6 | Scott Wedman | F/G | Kansas City-Omaha Kings | Colorado |
| 7 | Tom Henderson | G | Atlanta Hawks | Hawaii |
| 8 | Campy Russell | F | Cleveland Cavaliers | Michigan |
| 9 | Tom McMillen | F/C | Buffalo Braves | Maryland |
| 10 | Mike Sojourner | F/C | Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans Jazz via trade) | Utah |
| 11 | Jamaal Wilkes | F/G | Golden State Warriors | UCLA |
| 12 | Brian Winters | G | Los Angeles Lakers | South Carolina |
| 13 | Len Elmore | F/C | Washington Bullets | Maryland |
| 14 | Maurice Lucas | F/C | Chicago Bulls (from New York Knicks via trade) | Marquette |
| 15 | Al Eberhard | F | Detroit Pistons | Missouri |
| 16 | Cliff Pondexter | F | Chicago Bulls | Long Beach State |
| 17 | Glenn McDonald | G/F | Boston Celtics | Long Beach State |
| 18 | Gary Brokaw | G | Milwaukee Bucks | Notre Dame |