2009 NBA draft
The 2009 NBA Draft was the 63rd annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA), in which the league's teams selected eligible amateur and international players.[1] Held on June 25, 2009, at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the event featured 60 total selections across two rounds, with the first round consisting of 30 picks and the second round the remaining 30.[1] The draft order was determined primarily by the reverse standings of the 2008–09 NBA season, with the Los Angeles Clippers securing the first overall pick via the draft lottery.[1] The top selection was power forward Blake Griffin from the University of Oklahoma, chosen by the Clippers; Griffin went on to earn NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 2011 after missing his entire debut season due to injury and later became a six-time All-Star.[1] Other high-profile first-round picks included center Hasheem Thabeet (No. 2, Memphis Grizzlies, University of Connecticut), shooting guard James Harden (No. 3, Oklahoma City Thunder, Arizona State University), and point guard Tyreke Evans (No. 4, Sacramento Kings, University of Memphis), with Evans winning Rookie of the Year in 2010 as the first player to average at least 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists in his debut season.[1] The draft also saw the Minnesota Timberwolves make consecutive selections at Nos. 5 and 6, taking Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio (from abroad) and point guard Jonny Flynn (Syracuse University), respectively—a controversial pairing that highlighted the team's backcourt logjam, especially as it preceded Stephen Curry falling to No. 7 amid concerns over his frame despite his elite shooting.[2][1] Beyond the lottery teams, the draft produced several franchise-altering talents in the mid-to-late first round, including point guard Stephen Curry (No. 7, Golden State Warriors, Davidson College), who has since become a four-time NBA champion, two-time MVP, and the league's all-time leader in three-pointers made; small forward DeMar DeRozan (No. 9, Toronto Raptors, University of Southern California), a six-time All-Star; and point guard Jrue Holiday (No. 17, Philadelphia 76ers, University of California, Los Angeles), a two-time All-Star and key contributor to the 2021 NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks and the 2024 NBA champions Boston Celtics.[3][1] Notably, the second round included overlooked talents like point guard Patrick Beverley (No. 42, Los Angeles Lakers), who developed into a three-time All-Defensive Team member and champion with the 2021 Bucks.[4][1] Overall, the 2009 class is regarded as one of the deepest in modern NBA history, with at least five players earning All-Star nods and contributing to multiple championships, and as of December 2025, James Harden and Stephen Curry remain among the last active players from the class still producing at elite levels, though early picks like Thabeet and Flynn are often cited as notable busts.[1][5]Eligibility
Early Entrants
The early entry process for the 2009 NBA draft enabled college underclassmen and international players under 22 years of age to declare their intention to enter the draft, provided they submitted notifications by the April 26, 2009 deadline.[6] This mechanism allowed eligible prospects not automatically qualified—such as freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in U.S. colleges, or young professionals abroad—to participate in pre-draft activities like workouts and interviews while preserving the option to return to their previous status if they withdrew by the May 20, 2009 deadline.[7] Overall, NBA draft eligibility required all players to turn at least 19 during the 2009 calendar year.[8] A total of 74 U.S. college underclassmen declared as early entrants, representing a mix of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors from various programs. Representative examples include:| Player | School | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Curry | Davidson | Junior |
| James Harden | Arizona State | Sophomore |
| Blake Griffin | Oklahoma | Sophomore |
| DeMar DeRozan | USC | Freshman |
| Tyreke Evans | Memphis | Sophomore |
| Jrue Holiday | UCLA | Freshman |
| Jonny Flynn | Syracuse | Sophomore |
| Hasheem Thabeet | Connecticut | Junior |
Automatically Eligible Players
In the 2009 NBA draft, automatically eligible players comprised those who qualified for selection without submitting a formal early entry declaration to the league. This category encompassed U.S. college seniors who had exhausted their four years of NCAA eligibility, as well as international players who had turned at least 22 years old by December 31, 2009, or had signed and rendered services under a non-NBA professional basketball contract prior to January 1 of the draft year.[11] These criteria ensured that experienced or age-qualified prospects entered the draft pool by default, streamlining the process for teams evaluating veterans from domestic and global circuits. This eligibility pathway contrasted sharply with that of early entrants, who—typically underclassmen from U.S. colleges or younger international talents—were required to notify the NBA in writing no later than 60 days before the draft to be considered.[6] Automatic eligibility thus highlighted more seasoned candidates, including graduating seniors from programs like the University of Louisville and University of Southern California, alongside a robust group of international professionals scouted from European and other overseas leagues. The international contingent formed a key subset, drawing from professional leagues such as Spain's ACB, Israel's Premier League, and Italy's Lega Basket Serie A. Notable automatically eligible international players included:| Player | Country | Prior Team/League |
|---|---|---|
| Omri Casspi | Israel | Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israeli Premier League/EuroLeague)[12] |
| Sergio Llull | Spain | Real Madrid (Spanish ACB League/EuroLeague)[13] |
| Henk Norel | Netherlands | DKV Joventut (Spanish ACB League/EuroLeague)[14] |
| Jonas Jerebko | Sweden | Edilnol Pallacanestro Biella (Italian Lega Basket Serie A)[15] |
| Terrence Williams | United States | University of Louisville (NCAA) |
Draft Lottery
Process and Odds
The NBA draft lottery in 2009 involved the 14 teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs, with selection odds assigned inversely to their regular-season winning percentages to promote competitive balance.[16] The team with the league's worst record received the highest probability of landing the top pick at 25%, while the probabilities decreased progressively for better-performing non-playoff teams, reaching 0.5% for the 14th-place team.[16] In cases of tied records, such as between the New Jersey Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, the assigned combinations were split equally, with any odd remainder decided by a coin flip.[16] The odds were calculated using a total of 1,000 possible combinations derived from ping-pong ball drawings, with each non-playoff team allocated a proportional share based on their record—for instance, the worst team was given 250 combinations, the second-worst 199, and so on down to five for the best non-playoff team.[16] These combinations were generated by drawing four balls numbered 1 through 14 from a lottery machine, creating unique four-digit sequences that corresponded to specific teams.[16] If an invalid combination (e.g., the unassigned 1,001st combination) or the same team was drawn multiple times, the balls were replaced, and the draw was repeated until valid, distinct winners emerged for the top three picks.[16] The actual drawing occurred on May 19, 2009, in a secure conference room at the NBA's headquarters in Secaucus, New Jersey, overseen by an independent accountant and witnessed by team representatives and media.[17][16] The machine spun for 20 seconds before the first ball was drawn, followed by 10-second intervals for the subsequent balls, and the results were announced live on television later that evening.[16] This process determined only the order of the first three draft picks, with positions 4 through 14 assigned strictly by reverse order of regular-season records among the lottery teams.[18] This format, in place since 1994 and unchanged until the 2019 revisions, ensured that while poorer teams had a significant but not guaranteed advantage, the lottery introduced an element of chance to discourage intentional tanking.[18] The 2009 lottery exemplified this system by shuffling the top selections in an outcome that surprised observers.[17]Results
The 2009 NBA draft lottery was conducted on May 19, 2009, at the NBA Entertainment Studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. This event randomized the order of the top 14 draft picks among the 14 non-playoff teams, based on the league's weighted probability system. The Los Angeles Clippers emerged as the winners, securing the No. 1 overall pick after entering with the third-best odds of 17.7 percent, corresponding to 177 of the 1,000 possible number combinations.[19] This result represented a significant surprise, as the Clippers jumped two spots from their pre-lottery position tied for third-worst record (19-63).[20] Another notable upset saw the Sacramento Kings, who held the league-worst 17-65 record and top odds of 25 percent, drop three positions to No. 4.[19] The Memphis Grizzlies also exceeded expectations, rising four spots from the No. 6 position to claim the second pick.[21] Prior to the main drawings, tiebreaker lotteries resolved the seeding for teams with identical records to assign their specific odds. The Washington Wizards defeated the Clippers in a tiebreaker for the two teams at 19-63, earning slightly better odds of 17.8 percent and the No. 2 pre-lottery slot.[19] Similarly, the Minnesota Timberwolves bested the Grizzlies in their tiebreaker for the pair at 24-58, securing 7.6 percent odds and the No. 5 slot ahead of the Grizzlies' 7.5 percent.[19] No team landed multiple lottery picks outside of consecutive positions resulting from the randomization, such as the Timberwolves' No. 6 selection following the Wizards at No. 5.[21] The full order of the top 14 picks, as determined by the lottery, is shown below:| Pick | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2 | Memphis Grizzlies |
| 3 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 4 | Sacramento Kings |
| 5 | Washington Wizards |
| 6 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 7 | Golden State Warriors |
| 8 | New York Knicks |
| 9 | Toronto Raptors |
| 10 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 11 | New Jersey Nets |
| 12 | Charlotte Bobcats |
| 13 | Indiana Pacers |
| 14 | Phoenix Suns |
Trades
Pre-Draft Trades
Several notable trades involving 2009 NBA draft picks occurred prior to the draft on June 25, 2009, altering the distribution of selections among teams and influencing roster building strategies. These transactions, spanning from late 2008 into mid-June 2009, primarily involved first-round picks and were executed to acquire immediate contributors in exchange for future assets. While most lottery-bound picks remained with their original non-playoff teams entering the May 19, 2009, lottery, the pre-draft swaps—including the Timberwolves' acquisition of the No. 5 pick from the Wizards on June 24—reshaped mid-to-late first-round ownership.[1] One significant trade took place on January 7, 2009, when the Denver Nuggets sent guard Chucky Atkins and their own 2009 first-round pick (which later became the 26th overall selection) to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for center Johan Petro and Oklahoma City's 2009 second-round pick. This move allowed Denver to bolster their frontcourt depth during a playoff push, while Oklahoma City accumulated draft capital for their rebuilding efforts. The traded first-round pick was ultimately used by Oklahoma City to select forward Taj Gibson.[23] On February 19, 2009, a three-team deal reshaped backcourt rotations across the league: the Memphis Grizzlies traded guard Kyle Lowry to the Houston Rockets, the Rockets sent guard Rafer Alston to the Orlando Magic, and the Magic conveyed center Adonal Foyle, guard Mike Wilks, their 2009 first-round pick (later the 27th overall), and cash considerations to the Grizzlies. This transaction provided Memphis with veteran presence and a valuable late first-rounder amid their youth movement, while Houston and Orlando addressed point guard needs ahead of the playoffs. The pick acquired by Memphis was used to draft forward DeMarre Carroll.[24] The most prominent pre-draft trade unfolded on June 24, 2009, just one day before the draft, as the Washington Wizards sent their 2009 first-round pick (the fifth overall), center Etan Thomas, forward Darius Songaila, and forward/center Oleksiy Pecherov to the Minnesota Timberwolves in return for guards Randy Foye and Mike Miller, along with a trade exception. This swap enabled Minnesota to amass three first-round picks for the draft—enhancing their options in a talent-rich class—while Washington prioritized veteran scoring and shooting to accelerate their competitiveness. The fifth pick was used by the Timberwolves to select point guard Ricky Rubio.[25]| Date | Teams Involved | Assets Received by First Team | Assets Received by Second/Third Team | Resulting 2009 Pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 7, 2009 | Denver Nuggets to Oklahoma City Thunder | Johan Petro, OKC's 2009 2nd-round pick | Chucky Atkins, Denver's 2009 1st-round pick (#26: Taj Gibson) | OKC acquired Denver's #26 |
| February 19, 2009 | Orlando Magic/Memphis Grizzlies/Houston Rockets (3-team) | (Magic) Rafer Alston; (Grizzlies) Adonal Foyle, Mike Wilks, Magic's 2009 1st-round pick (#27: DeMarre Carroll), cash; (Rockets) Kyle Lowry | (Grizzlies) to Rockets: Kyle Lowry; (Rockets) to Magic: Rafer Alston; (Magic) to Grizzlies: Adonal Foyle, Mike Wilks, 2009 1st-round pick, cash | Memphis acquired Orlando's #27 |
| June 24, 2009 | Washington Wizards to Minnesota Timberwolves | Randy Foye, Mike Miller, trade exception | 2009 1st-round pick (#5: Ricky Rubio), Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, Oleksiy Pecherov | Minnesota acquired Washington's #5 |
Draft-Day Trades
The 2009 NBA draft, held on June 25, 2009, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, featured a notable volume of trades involving draft picks and rights, as teams maneuvered to acquire specific prospects or future assets.[26] These transactions occurred during the event itself, reshaping several selections in both rounds and highlighting the fluid nature of draft-day negotiations.[27] One prominent deal saw the Minnesota Timberwolves trade the draft rights to point guard Ty Lawson, selected 18th overall, to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a future first-round pick; this move allowed Minnesota to acquire additional long-term value while Denver bolstered its backcourt.[27] Similarly, the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired the rights to center B.J. Mullens (24th overall) from the Dallas Mavericks for the rights to guard Rodrigue Beaubois (25th overall), enabling Oklahoma City to add frontcourt depth immediately.[27] Other notable exchanges included the Portland Trail Blazers sending guard Sergio Rodriguez, forward Jon Brockman (38th overall), and cash to the Sacramento Kings for the rights to forward Jeff Pendergraph (31st overall), a swap that brought a familiar college teammate of Brandon Roy to Portland.[27] The following table summarizes all verified draft-day trades involving picks and rights:| Teams Involved | Assets Traded |
|---|---|
| Dallas Mavericks to Oklahoma City Thunder | Rights to B.J. Mullens (No. 24 pick) |
| Oklahoma City Thunder to Dallas Mavericks | Rights to Rodrigue Beaubois (No. 25 pick) |
| Los Angeles Lakers to New York Knicks | Rights to Toney Douglas (No. 29 pick) |
| New York Knicks to Los Angeles Lakers | Future second-round pick, cash |
| Minnesota Timberwolves to Denver Nuggets | Rights to Ty Lawson (No. 18 pick) |
| Denver Nuggets to Minnesota Timberwolves | Future first-round pick |
| Washington Wizards to Houston Rockets | Rights to Jermaine Taylor (No. 32 pick) |
| Houston Rockets to Washington Wizards | Cash |
| Denver Nuggets to Houston Rockets | Rights to Sergio Llull (No. 34 pick) |
| Houston Rockets to Denver Nuggets | Cash |
| Portland Trail Blazers to Sacramento Kings | Sergio Rodriguez, rights to Jon Brockman (No. 38 pick), cash |
| Sacramento Kings to Portland Trail Blazers | Rights to Jeff Pendergraph (No. 31 pick) |
| Miami Heat to New Orleans Hornets | Rights to Marcus Thornton (No. 43 pick) |
| New Orleans Hornets to Miami Heat | Two future second-round picks |
| Detroit Pistons to Houston Rockets | Rights to Chase Budinger (No. 44 pick) |
| Houston Rockets to Detroit Pistons | Future second-round pick, cash |
| Los Angeles Lakers to Miami Heat | Rights to Patrick Beverley (No. 42 pick) |
| Miami Heat to Los Angeles Lakers | Future second-round pick, cash |
| Charlotte Bobcats to Oklahoma City Thunder | Rights to Robert Vaden (No. 54 pick) |
| Oklahoma City Thunder to Charlotte Bobcats | Cash |
Draft Selections
First Round Selections
The 2009 NBA Draft was held on June 25, 2009, at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[1] The first round featured 30 selections, with each of the league's 30 teams receiving one pick based on the prior season's reverse order of regular-season records, adjusted by the draft lottery results.[1] Several draft rights to first-round picks were traded immediately following the selections.[28] Notable aspects of the first round included the selection of Hasheem Thabeet from the University of Connecticut as the second overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies, marking the highest selection of an international player not previously playing professionally in Europe.[1] Additionally, the draft featured three sons of former NBA players chosen in the top 15 picks: Stephen Curry (seventh overall, son of Dell Curry), Gerald Henderson (12th overall, son of Gerald Henderson Sr.), and Austin Daye (15th overall, son of Darren Daye).[29]| Pick | Player | Position | Drafting Team | Acquired By | School/Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blake Griffin | F | Los Angeles Clippers | - | Oklahoma |
| 2 | Hasheem Thabeet | C | Memphis Grizzlies | - | Connecticut |
| 3 | James Harden | G | Oklahoma City Thunder | - | Arizona State |
| 4 | Tyreke Evans | G | Sacramento Kings | - | Memphis |
| 5 | Ricky Rubio | G | Minnesota Timberwolves | - | Spain |
| 6 | Jonny Flynn | G | Minnesota Timberwolves | - | Syracuse |
| 7 | Stephen Curry | G | Golden State Warriors | - | Davidson |
| 8 | Jordan Hill | F | New York Knicks | - | Arizona |
| 9 | DeMar DeRozan | G | Toronto Raptors | - | USC |
| 10 | Brandon Jennings | G | Milwaukee Bucks | - | Italy |
| 11 | Terrence Williams | F | New Jersey Nets | - | Louisville |
| 12 | Gerald Henderson | G | Charlotte Bobcats | - | Duke |
| 13 | Tyler Hansbrough | F | Indiana Pacers | - | North Carolina |
| 14 | Earl Clark | F | Phoenix Suns | - | Louisville |
| 15 | Austin Daye | F | Detroit Pistons | - | Gonzaga |
| 16 | James Johnson | F | Chicago Bulls | - | Wake Forest |
| 17 | Jrue Holiday | G | Philadelphia 76ers | - | UCLA |
| 18 | Ty Lawson | G | Minnesota Timberwolves | Denver Nuggets | North Carolina |
| 19 | Jeff Teague | G | Atlanta Hawks | - | Wake Forest |
| 20 | Eric Maynor | G | Utah Jazz | - | VCU |
| 21 | Darren Collison | G | New Orleans Hornets | - | UCLA |
| 22 | Victor Claver | F | Portland Trail Blazers | - | Spain |
| 23 | Omri Casspi | F | Sacramento Kings | - | Israel |
| 24 | Byron Mullens | C | Dallas Mavericks | Oklahoma City Thunder | Ohio State |
| 25 | Rodrigue Beaubois | G | Oklahoma City Thunder | Dallas Mavericks | France |
| 26 | Taj Gibson | F | Chicago Bulls | - | USC |
| 27 | DeMarre Carroll | F | Memphis Grizzlies | - | Missouri |
| 28 | Wayne Ellington | G | Minnesota Timberwolves | - | North Carolina |
| 29 | Toney Douglas | G | Los Angeles Lakers | New York Knicks | Florida State |
| 30 | Christian Eyenga | F | Cleveland Cavaliers | - | Congo |
Second Round Selections
The second round of the 2009 NBA Draft consisted of picks 31 through 60, selected by teams in reverse order of their previous season's standings, though numerous rights were traded or sold immediately following the selections. This round showcased a greater proportion of international prospects compared to the first round, with players hailing from Europe, Australia, and beyond, often chosen for their potential despite lower draft stock. Many second-rounders were acquired via trades involving cash considerations, and several were assigned to NBA Development League affiliates or continued playing overseas in the immediate aftermath rather than joining their drafting teams' rosters right away.[1] The following table lists all second-round selections, including the player, their origin (college or country), the team that made the pick, and notes on immediate trades or acquisitions:| Pick | Player | Origin | Drafting Team | Notes/Trade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Jeff Ayres | Arizona State (USA) | Sacramento Kings | No immediate trade. |
| 32 | Jermaine Taylor | Central Florida (USA) | Washington Wizards | Rights traded to Houston Rockets for cash considerations.[30] |
| 33 | Dante Cunningham | Villanova (USA) | Portland Trail Blazers | No immediate trade. |
| 34 | Sergio Llull | Spain | Denver Nuggets | Rights traded to Houston Rockets for cash considerations; Llull remained with Real Madrid in Spain.[30] |
| 35 | DaJuan Summers | Georgetown (USA) | Detroit Pistons | No immediate trade. |
| 36 | Sam Young | Pittsburgh (USA) | Memphis Grizzlies | No immediate trade. |
| 37 | DeJuan Blair | Pittsburgh (USA) | San Antonio Spurs | No immediate trade. |
| 38 | Jon Brockman | Washington (USA) | Portland Trail Blazers | Rights traded to Sacramento Kings as part of a package including Sergio Rodriguez and future considerations.[27] |
| 39 | Jonas Jerebko | Sweden | Detroit Pistons | No immediate trade. |
| 40 | Derrick Brown | Xavier (USA) | Charlotte Bobcats | No immediate trade. |
| 41 | Jodie Meeks | Kentucky (USA) | Milwaukee Bucks | Rights traded to Philadelphia 76ers for cash and future considerations.[1] |
| 42 | Patrick Beverley | Arkansas (USA) | Los Angeles Lakers | No immediate trade; Beverley continued playing overseas initially. |
| 43 | Marcus Thornton | LSU (USA) | Miami Heat | Rights traded to New Orleans Hornets for a future second-round pick.[1] |
| 44 | Chase Budinger | Arizona (USA) | Detroit Pistons | Rights traded to Houston Rockets for a future second-round pick and cash.[1] |
| 45 | Nick Calathes | Florida (USA/Greece) | Minnesota Timberwolves | No immediate trade; Calathes played in Greece post-draft. |
| 46 | Danny Green | North Carolina (USA) | Cleveland Cavaliers | Rights traded to San Antonio Spurs for cash considerations.[1] |
| 47 | Henk Norel | Netherlands | Minnesota Timberwolves | No immediate trade; Norel stayed in Europe. |
| 48 | Taylor Griffin | Oklahoma (USA) | Phoenix Suns | No immediate trade. |
| 49 | Sergiy Gladyr | Ukraine | Atlanta Hawks | No immediate trade; Gladyr remained overseas. |
| 50 | Goran Suton | Michigan State (USA/Bosnia) | Utah Jazz | No immediate trade. |
| 51 | Jack McClinton | Miami (FL) (USA) | San Antonio Spurs | No immediate trade. |
| 52 | A.J. Price | Connecticut (USA) | Indiana Pacers | No immediate trade. |
| 53 | Nando de Colo | France | San Antonio Spurs | No immediate trade; de Colo continued in Europe. |
| 54 | Robert Vaden | UAB (USA) | Charlotte Bobcats | No immediate trade. |
| 55 | Patty Mills | Saint Mary's (USA/Australia) | Portland Trail Blazers | No immediate trade. |
| 56 | Ahmad Nivins | Saint Joseph's (USA) | Dallas Mavericks | No immediate trade. |
| 57 | Emir Preldžić | Slovenia | Phoenix Suns | No immediate trade; Preldžić stayed in Europe. |
| 58 | Lester Hudson | Tennessee-Martin (USA) | Boston Celtics | No immediate trade. |
| 59 | Chinemelu Elonu | Texas A&M (USA/Nigeria) | Los Angeles Lakers | No immediate trade. |
| 60 | Robert Dozier | Memphis (USA) | Miami Heat | No immediate trade. |